Thursday, July 30, 2009

Anyone Have A Good Name For A Trilogy?

I got an email today from my wonderful UK publisher. I'd think she's wonderful under any circumstance, but since she said the following in her email, I think she's both wonderful and incredibly insightful:

I think you’ve done a brilliant job in it of combining the characters from the previous two books, and succeeding in ramping up the tension to near-unbearable levels for the third time. This is an awesome achievement. I am very excited about our plans for the trilogy.

When I wrote Life As We Knew It, I didn't know there were going to be two other books to follow, and when I wrote the dead and the gone, I didn't know there'd be another book to follow, so This World We Live In is kind of the unanticipated third volume of an unnamed trilogy. I've taken to calling it the Moon Crash trilogy, but that's very much an unofficial name.

My UK publisher is considering calling it the Survivors Trilogy, but is open to other ideas. So I figured I'd ask all of you. Should your suggestion end up being used in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter), you'll get no credit and no money and since most of you are called Anonymous, most likely I won't be able to thank you by name here.

But I'd be grateful for your thoughts and ideas. And that should count for something!

ETA: If you're shy, use the darling little email link to the right.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm.
I was thinking the Living Dead trilogy but that sound kind of vampire-ish.
Living Disaster trilogy?
Hmm. That's kind of hard to think about because that's what people will call it!
Good Luck!
;)

jmaster1324 said...

the asteroid moon trilogy

Cynthia V said...

The Age of the Moon ?

Changing Tides ?

By the Moon's Eerie Light ?

Lol. Maybe these'll spark other ideas.

KT said...

The previously stated "Age of the Moon Trilogy" sounds intriguing. I'm putting a vote up for that.

Also:
Luna Disaster
The Moon From Afar

Those aren't good suggestions, but I do really like "Age of the Moon."

Unknown said...

My wife Christine came up with the idea of using a word from each of the titles (with 2 tiny little words added for clarity):

"Life On A Dead World Trilogy".

And I think it still has vampire cross-over potential!

Anonymous said...

New Moon Trilogy

Sydney Lakewood said...

I like nateh's idea for New Moon Trilogy, like the Twilight Trilogy.

Anonymous said...

I tend to think of the stories in a "life as we knew it" vein.

I know the asteroid is the thing that sets the story in motion but..

it's the survival instincts of the characters that are the heart of the novels. That in that one instant, "life as we knew it" is forever gone.

I would also try to use lower-case letters in any trilogy title they choose. It's another visual reminder of your books.

-Pamela

Anonymous said...

Oops. Meteor. Not asteroid. My apologies.

Carrie said...

Hi all, I'm somewhat new, but I thought I'd give my thoughts.

Survival Instincts or Survivors Trilogy, while accurate, do not seem all that catchy.

Twilight works for those books because it's that magical time between light and dark. Also, most books with moon in the title are usually about vampires, so you might want to avoid an overall title like that, or you could give the wrong impression.

Survivors doesn't work for me because it's too close to the name of the reality TV show - please convince her to avoid that name for your trilogy.

Since this is about global catastrophe and what happens after, I'd suggest something like this:

Meteor Moon Trilogy
Dead Moon Trilogy

But these don't really hit home, do they. How about this one:

Moved Moon - that's in a sense what happened, the moon was moved.

Of course, there's also this one along similar lines:
New Orbit - it's essentially what everyone has to adjust to, isn't it?

Hope these help!

Carrie

Anonymous said...

The World As We Know It.

Glen

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hello and thank you readerchick12, jmaster1324, Cynthia V, K. L. Howard, Lee and Christine, nateh, Susan, writerross, Carrie and Glen-

I sent a link to this blog entry to my UK publisher, so she can read and ponder all your suggestions (I sent the suggestions I received by way of my email address as well).

I told my publisher that if more suggestions came in this weekend, I'd send them to her on Monday. The more the better, I think.

So thanks again everybody. I'll certainly let you know when a final decision has been reached.

Kate Coombs said...

I can't remember the specific physical results to the moon other than that it moved into a different orbit (and can't find my copy of the first book to check), but I'm thinking of something like the Fractured Moon trilogy. Or maybe Damaged Moon trilogy. New Orbit? Second Orbit? How about New Luna (so as not to evoke Meyers' books quite so much)? Lunar Age? Lost Moon? Oh, I've got one: Crippled Moon trilogy! Like it's sort of limping across the sky... That's my vote. But if I think of anything else, I'll let you know. --Kate Coombs (Book Aunt)

Chris said...

I think a simple, 1 - 2 word trilogy name is best. Easier to remember, usually more catchy.

How about the Orbit Trilogy.

Have fun choosing!

Donna M. said...

Ms. Susan,
How about the Safe Haven Series... or Moonstruck Series...

Judith said...

Do keep the moon in the series title! It's central to the story.

Tossing out a few more ideas:

Lunar Aftermath
In the Shadow of the Moon
Moon Impact

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Good Sunday morning to KATE COOMBS, Chris, Donna M. and Judith, and thanks to all of you-

I'll be forwarding your suggestions (along with those I've received by email, and any others that come in) to my UK publisher tomorrow (I'm a firm believer in giving people the weekend off).

Naturally, I've been reading and thinking about the titles myself, and currently I favor a variant of one of Judith's suggestions- Shadows of the Moon (or maybe shadows of the moon, lower case as Writerross suggested).

My guess is the UK publisher will think it too soft, but I think it's incredibly evocative. Besides, I love the word shadows!

Kate Coombs said...

Maybe just Moonshadow trilogy, then?

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Kate Coombs-

You know, I really like that. I think I prefer it in the plural, and maybe in lower case- moonshadows trilogy.

I'm off to send the final batch of suggestions to my UK publisher. What a fine way to start a week!

Samantha Badger said...

The Hardship Trilogy

La Lune trilogy

Daft Moon Trilogy

Angry Luna Series

Lunar Change Trilogy

Anonymous said...

I really like Changing Tides and New Orbit, which were previously suggested. Do NOT, not, not, call it New Moon. Just don't. I also don't like Survivors.

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thank you both, Mady and Anonymous!

Dawn said...

You know Sue, I think that you have already come up with the trilogy name.

"Meteors, Moons, and Me"

I haven't even read the third book and I am sad that it is over. :( I sure hope you plan to keep writing. I think you have a talent for post apocalyptic books and man o man are they popular right now!

-Dawn

Tennislover said...

Heyy susan!!
I was thinking of:
Moonology
Moon-topia
Moonopolis

I wish u gud luck! and cant wait till i get to read the 3rd book in the MOONOLGY SERIES! ;)

Anonymous said...

"The End Of The World, With A Little Romance And Drama And Such Thrown In Trilogy"? lol
Actually, "Living In The Ashes" is the name of a book my friend was going to write and then just dropped. It sounds good, doesn't it?

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Anonymous-

Living In The Ashes is a great title.

If your friend doesn't use it, you should!

Anonymous said...

Thanks! I'm writing a book at the moment that that particular title would be perfect for...

Anonymous said...

Is there going to be a fourth book?

Anonymous said...

Hey this is Megan Meek here. I also sent you an email about the trilogy names.

Moon Revelations

Gray New World

JMP21 said...

I like the name "Moon Crash trilogy"




Lorn Allen

Unknown said...

maybe

Lunar World ?

Lunar Struggles ?

This New World ?

New Changes ?

Craters ?
cuz the moon has craters &in a sense there are craters in humanity/morals in the characters in this book (or at least by our society's standards)

Chatty chatty bang bang said...

I know of was years ago science the last post but I was thinking if you didnt have a name here are some ideas:
Forever full moon
Forever moon
Aftermath moon
Ordinary survivors series
After the moon
Metior,moon,now
Final moon series

Briana said...

What the Moon Brought

your youngest biggest fan! said...

three optines from me
*My world in flames
*the scary truth
*the end keeps coming
I love this series and you should make thousand of seqeuls! ( okay mabay just a few more) im your youngest biggest fan!

Karen ShamaLamaMama said...

Donna's idea of Moonstruck is fantastic. My vote goes there.

Plantronics said...

Changing Tides and Moon's Eeire are my favorites.