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When I first began work on the book, it was titled Love’s Tangled Web. I took the title from Sir Walter Scott’s famous lines “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” In order to survive, my heroine, Isabella, must become a practiced liar. However the more she lies the deeper she gets into trouble. I thought a title based on Scott’s quote was a good fit. All through the numerous rewrites and revisions, the one thing that remained constant was the title. After I submitted it, my publisher informed me that I had to change my beloved and familiar title because they already had a similarly named novel. Thus, after days of mental agony and many sheets of crumbled paper filled with possibilities, Mistress of Deception became the new choice.

An author friend of mine once told me not to get too wedded to my book titles, since they are always subject to change. I tell my novel writing students the same thing, but I have to admit I hated having to take my own advice. I understood all the reasons for needing to change my original title, but I really loved the old one. As time passes, the new one is slowly beginning to feel right.

All that hard work on thinking up a new title got me to thinking about titles in general. Titles help sell books. First impressions are important so titles deserve more than a passing thought.

Some things to keep in mind when selecting titles:

1. Keep it short. Use descriptive nouns and short words with lots of punch. Alliteration is good as are tried and true words with a twist.
2. Avoid fancy words. Go with words everyone knows.
3. Titles should reflect your story. At the same time, shoot for something original. Run a search on Amazon.com. If you get lots of hits, choose a new title.
4. Brainstorm. List a bunch of possible choices, then list some more. Look to poetry, folklore and fables, Shakespeare and the Bible for ideas.
5. Have a backup in case your publisher doesn’t like your first choice or has just bought a book with the same or a similar title.

According to the list of titles up for this year’s Diagram Prize (a prize awarded by the British publishing magazine The Bookseller) there are a few authors out there who obviously have very different ideas about choosing titles. Among my favorite entries are "I Was Tortured by the Pygmy Love Queen", "If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs" and "Cheese Problems Solved". Of course it’s hard to beat the catchy title of the first prize ever awarded in 1978, "Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice". Apparently mice have a whole other life we know nothing about.

As Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name…” So whether it’s Love’s Tangled Web or Mistress of Deception, my heroine, Isabella D’Angelo’s problem remains the same. As she flees for her life she must hide her identity form everyone she meets including, Marco Galleazzo, the young nobleman who comes to her aid. Can the truth set her free or will it plunge them both deeper into deadly peril?

To read more visit my website at www.kathleencoddington.com or www.cerridwenpress.com