Title Trends

Nicola here, with a quick and light-hearted look at title trends. I’m just back from the wonderful RNA Conference where one of the sessions I attended was on fashions in commercial fiction. There was some discussion about the importance of titles and the way that publishers brand a particular style of book. This led us on to the “girl” phenomena. It started with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I think. Then there was Gone, Girl, the Girl on the Train and many, many other girls in various situations, places and circumstances, mostly with a hint of danger about them. Last year over 60% of one UK bookseller’s top titles had a female noun in them whether it was girl, wife, mother, sister or something else.

Choosing a title for a book is a difficult business so it’s always interesting to analyse what makes a particular theme popular. I hadn’t thought that “girl titles” were particularly applicable to historical fiction until I looked at the book charts and then I realised I was quite wrong. The Girl with No Name by Diney Costelloe has spent a lot of time at the top of Amazon’s historical fiction charts. It has a nice, mysterious ring to it. There are Rose Girls, Woolworths Girls and lots of other historical girls. It’s less easy to see how a “girl” title would work with Regency romance. The Girl and the Duke doesn’t sound right at all. But now the title trend has apparently moved on and I was astonished to find that I was right in the forefront of it because the new “hot” title has the word “house” in it.

Stories built around the idea of a “big house” have always been popular, There was Manderley in Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier, Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and many, many more. So often the house is a character in itself. It plays a central role in a story; there is the contrast of the glittering world of the family Upstairs and the servants’ hall Downstairs. Perhaps the house is hiding its own secrets. There is usually an atmosphere about it and a suggestion of mysteries that are waiting to be revealed. The “house” title works particularly well with timeslip or dual time stories – The Lake House, the House at Riverton, or versions of it such as the wonderful book The Daughters of Red Hill Hall by Kath McGurl (a very clever title because it has both a female noun and a house in it!)

It’s going to be particularly interesting to see how the “house” title is used in contemporary and other fiction because for it to become a trend it needs to be prevalent across most genres. Also, will the idea of the “house” feature in Regency romantic fiction or is there another direction that titles in our sub-genre are going? And is this purely a phenomenon in UK publishing or are titles in the US, Australia and other parts of the world following the same trend?

So do you have a favourite story involving a house? Do you feel that the houses featured in some books are characters in themselves? Do you have any predictions for the next “hot” style of titles in Regency romance and, dare I ask, do you have any pet hates in titles?

Comments

[Vicki L.]

Celia's House by D.E. Stevenson.... Originally published in 1943. The house features as the glue that binds and supports a family. A benevolent and warm entity.

[Andrea Penrose]

Very interesting blog, Nicola! (And I see you're right on the cutting edge of titles!)
I do find "house" is a great word, and conjures up a very atmospheric ambiance—it can go in so many directions: gothic, or family, or light, as in summer beach reads, or richly historical.

As for pet peeves in Regency . . .please, enough of dukes!

[Mary Jo Putney]

"Billionaire" titles are really, really silly on so many levels. It's the equivalent of the Duke titles--fantasy prestige escalation.

Of course "Bride" titles are rampant in romance, but that doesn't bother me because marriage does is so much a part of the romance genre. Highland anything can be overdone, but it is excellent shorthand for Scottish romances.

[Nicola Cornick]

Oh, how nice, Vicki. I do like the idea of the house that has such a lovely and embracing feel to it!

[Nicola Cornick]

LOL, Cara/Andrea! So you won't be snapping up "The Duke and the Girl in the Big House"!

[Nicola Cornick]

I loved your blog piece on Hero inflation a while ago, Mary Jo. So true about those billionaires. A mere million isn't enough these days! I like Bride titles and Scottish titles too. Actually I realise I don't have many peeves about titles unless they are really silly. But this is subjective, I suppose.

[Annette Naish]

The Giant House with the Billionaire Hidden in the Girl's Hope Chest...nah, that is probably too long.

[Nicola Cornick]

Haha! it might be long but it's an excellent title!

[Mary T]

I can't say that it is my favorite, but THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson sure made an impression on me when I read it as a teen. Really SCARY!

Favorite pet peeve in titles has to be all of those "wicked" dukes and rouges running around out there. (smile)

[Dana Sherwood]

Hero inflation is a peeve of mine, too. If the guy is too rich, too handsome, too rakish, too high in status or even all of the above, I have a hard time seeing him as a real person. It affects my immersion in the story.

If I have a peeve about titles for historicals, I guess it's anything that focuses too much on the sexual relationship. I love all different heat levels, from sweet on up to scorching hot, but having it emphasized in the title sometimes puts me off.

I like the idea of a story based around a house, or maybe even a series that explores all the relationships under its roof, from servants all the way to the lord of the manor.

[Janet Gahagan]

D.E. Stevenson had several books in addition to Celia's House that had a house at the center. Summerhills, Amberwell, and one of my favorites, Sarah's Cottage.

[Sonya Heaney]

The thing I hate about the recent title trends is that it always makes the woman an object attached to a man. "The so-and-so's Daughter" and "The so-and-so's Wife" just tell us about the men in the female lead's life, not about her.

If someone wrote a book about me, I wouldn't want the title to refer to my father's career instead of who I am!

I did read an article complaining about this trend, and I absolutely agreed with it.

[Quantum]

Typing 'House of Shadows' on the Amazon website produced four books. Perhaps a case of great minds thinking alike. If a good title sells a book maybe one should be allowed to patent it!?

It is definitely an intriguing title and I have read Pamela Hartshorne's version (very good time slip story with tragic events and memories associated with a house) ... I'm now strongly tempted to try the others, especially Nicola's with that enticing cover.

As 'girl' in the title has caught on I'm a little surprised that 'boy' hasn't so far. Perhaps there is a feel of vulnerability associated with girls that appeals, though considering the two British female prime ministers, I can't think why. LOL

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Dana, thanks for your comments. I'm with you on the hero inflation. I picked up a book the other day with the word "billionaire" in the title and there was no indication at all in the story that he would be. In fact quite the opposite. It was very odd. it feels as though it's just attached to the book for marketing purposes.

I love the appeal of a whole series of stories set about a big house and its occupants and thinking about it, it's not really a new idea at all, is it, just a perennially popular one!

[Nicola Cornick]

That reminds me of THE HOUSE OF THE NIGHTMARE, Mary. That was a collection of spooky short stories I read as a teenager. The haunted house is an enduring idea!

[Nicola Cornick]

Many thanks, Janet. I will look out for those. They sound great!

[Nicola Cornick]

That is a fascinating point, Sonya, and thank you for raising it. There has been a huge trend towards those female nouns but it's true that they are often about a woman defined by the men in her life - mother, wife or daughter. Fine if it's relevant to the story (for example The Wife's Tale by Christine Wells has that title because it's about an 18th century Crim Con case where the heroine is not allowed to speak in court and so this is her giving the other side of the story.) But otherwise, I agree we don't want to be defined in such a way.

[Nicola Cornick]

Yes, I'm afraid that House of Shadows is by no means an original title! I loved Pam Hartshorne's book too, as I do all her writing.

I've seen the word "boy" used more in biographies, but also "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" etc. I think there is definitely a different feel to the word "girl" which gets applied to women as well as children! Despite the two PMs I'm not sure popular culture has caught up yet!

[Mary M.]

I suspect the opposite of "girl" in book title trends would be "man," not "boy." One of those gender bias things. Or maybe just true: Would we get our readers' hots on for a boy of any age or ethnicity? Do we all identify with girlish, no matter how old we get? Corollary for male readers? Whatever, don't expect to see "boy" titles anytime soon.

"House" is good, though. Except Bleak House, which wasn't bleak but relatively happy.

[Nancy M]

I usually look for books by author as the titles blur together. Dukes and Billionaires( it used to be earls and millionaires) all sorts of Princes are just too much. They are not attractive. neither girl nor house is going to lure me in but they will attract my interest much sooner than Bed and sin. Men named Sin and Devil are as boring as Duke and Billionaire. The woman is still a nanny, a governess, a secretary-- they are all variations of the Cinderella theme.
The one problem with some titles-- the Ladies From Random House-- usually means there is a series involved. That can be good and bad.

[Nicola Cornick]

I think that's spot on, Mary. Boy equates to youth but girl is used far more widely "Girls Night Out" etc.

[Nicola Cornick]

Interesting, Nancy, that Regency heroes called Sin, Devil, etc are two a penny now and shorthand for a particular type of man. That is a trend that has gone on for a long time and doesn't say anything about character depth or creating a "real" person. I wonder what the next Regency title fashion will be...

[Vicki L.]

Now that Janet mentions it, D.E. Stevenson does feature houses in many of her books as a character - either as a major player or just a small background character. Three more where the house is important - Fletcher's End, The House on the Cliff and Vittoria Cottage.

I've never managed to find a copy of Sarah's Cottage yet. One day I will...

[Sue McCormick]

I don't notice titles much in choosing books to buy. I am more interested in author names. I made this decision as a teenager, because so many titles seem to have belonged to a book other than the book to which it is attached. And also because of the trend in the U. S. to discard a truly good British title to one tailored to the U. S. reader (an is usually an insult to the intelligence of said reader). It happened again fairly recently with J. K. Rowling's "Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone."

And the idea that titles are "in" again insults the intelligence of the reader. Refer to all the Hollywood "son of movies." or the spate of Tolkien-like fantasies in the 60s and 70s. When one creative person hits the gold it dosn't mean that the title did it or that the plot did it … It;s almost always a combination of things.

Having delivered the diatribe, I do admit that titles ARE important. Just not necessarily as important as marketing would have us believed. And markets seems ALWAYS to fall for the trap of imitation instead of looking for a new interest lead!

[Kareni]

Thanks for an interesting piece. I can't help but be reminded that 'big house' is also used to refer to a jail. So, "The Duke and the Girl in the Big House" could have more than one meaning!

In American children's books, there is the popular Laura Ingalls Wilder series which begins with Little House in the Big Woods.

[Oana-Maria Uliu]

True. I NEVER remember the titles of any romance novels I've read. I do remember the story and I'm likely to refer to a certain novel as 'the book about... X and Y' - sometimes I don't remember the names of the characters, but then I mention certain details in the story, such as the duchess with the chickens or the guy with very, very long hair...

[Nicola Cornick]

Interesting! So actually titles may not be so important after all!

[Nicola Cornick]

I am intrigued by the sound of these books and am looking for them to read. Thank you!

[Nicola Cornick]

LOL, Sue! Quite right too. Yes, I think it's a great pity that there is so much imitation and less innovation. I like originality and where new ideas take us. If something is successful then I don't mean to suggest we shouldn't have more of it but more variety is no bad thing.

[Nicola Cornick]

Haha! I hadn't heard the phrase "big house" in the contest of a jail, Kareni! That would be a very different book...

I LOVED the "Little House on the Prairie" books!

[Michelle H]

Occasionally, I will be attracted to a book due to it's title alone. But over the years no matter which genre I was immersing myself in at the time, I have most often have sought out a book first by the blurb or recommendation. And then secondly once I discover writing that I love, will seek out all the author's available books and then eagerly await their next (hoping that's the case) book. Not really caring about the title.

I'd like to know from the Wenches just how difficult (IT MUST BE!!!) it is to choose a title for their next work.

As far as Regency goes, how many genre specific subjects are available to choose from. I'm not sure my attention would be automatically drawn to a title if it had for instance; reticule, embroidery, scullery maid, the Prince Regent, curricle, matched bays, coach, coachman, footman, etc. You get the picture. Those seem to show up in every Regency book I've read, achieving the time period stamp. Yes, some titles get old really fast. There are plenty I won't even give even a first look. No, to Princes! No, to Millionaires. But Dukes, Devils, and Ladies? Not tired of those yet. When I am I probably won't be reading Regency anymore. :( HOW could I say that??!

I particularly like the titles of the Wenches have used. I'm thinking of MJP's series titles.
Thank you MJP, and thank you Wenches. Interesting article as always.

[Teresa Broderick]

I LOVE books with house in the title. It draws me in straight away. Just recently I've read a series called Rutherford Park. While house is not in the title the book is about a house. House of Shadows by yourself Nicola caught my attention immediately especially as it included past and present stories which I'm a huge fan of. Another brilliant read is The House by A O Connor and the follow on Secrets of Armstrong House. And of course haunted houses are the best :)

[Karin]

I confess, I am a sucker for the arranged marriage/marriage of convenience trope, so any title with words like "convenient" "arranged" or "bride" in it, I'm going to at least pick it up and read the back cover blurb or synopsis.
I haven't read any of the "girl" books, because to me they mean crime or suspense and most likely contemporary. I prefer the word 'woman' and there are a lot of great books with 'woman' in the title, "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Kiss of the Spider Woman", "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman", "A Woman of Independent Means", "Shadow Woman", the list goes on.

[Bona]

A favourite story involving a house? Howards End, by E. M. Forster, is the first that comes to my mind. Also, Brideshead Revisited, written by Evelyn Waugh, but I think that the house itself was more important in the TV series than in the book.
A house could be a character in itself, but it's quite difficult to achieve. I love it when it's not just a house but its surrounding landscape the one that is a real character.
And no, I don't have any prediction for the next “hot” style of titles in Regency romance but I know what I don't want to see any more - 'dukes', 'lords', 'lady' or any other nobility titles. I think words like 'love' or 'lover' are also overused, as well as 'devil', 'rake', 'scoundrel' and the likes. But I recognize that it's difficult in this genre to find new titles and fresh words that are at the same time attractive.

[Claire]

My all time favorite novel is Jane Eyre. I first read it when I was a 7th grader (12 yrs. old), and it has been my "go to" book when nothing else appeals for the past 50 + years! Although I can't bring the name of the house to mind at this point, Mr. Rochester's house played a major part in Jane's story.

[Nicola Cornick]

Thornfield Hall! And isn't it interesting that the house name immediately conjures up something a bit prickly and dark and set apart, like Mr R himself.

[Nicola Cornick]

How fascinating Bona - The house and the landscape together. Yes!

[Nicola Cornick]

There's an intersting distinction between "girl" and "woman" isn't there and I do think that comes over in the type of books with those different titles. "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" is one of my favourite PD James books. Definitely fell in love with Adam Dalgleish reading that book!

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you so much, Teresa! I am thrilled you were intrigued by House of Shadows. Rutherford Park sounds interesting. I'll check that out.