Dear Readers: I am always pleased to host my friend Jim Jackson. He’s a fabulous mystery writer and on my auto-buy list. Seamus McCree is an unforgettable character. Read on, and if you haven’t read this author, you might just want to give him a try. Please welcome James M. Jackson to Help From My Friends Friday. ~ Donnell
By: James M. Jackson
Author James M. Jackson
Have you ever met someone who always has the answer? He/she knows everything. Never has to listen to advice from others. Yep, me, too—unfortunately that person was me in Junior High. Fortunately, I’ve wised up since then.
Because of how I title my novels, I call my Seamus McCree series domestic thrillers “the poor man’s Sue Grafton.” Grafton’s titles followed the alphabet: A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, etc. Since she had a lock on the obvious, I chose subtle. My titles are quietly alphabetical: Ant Farm, Bad Policy, Cabin Fever, Doubtful Relations, Empty Promises, and False Bottom.
I had the “perfect” name for my “G” novel. As my author photo shows, I’m not in Junior High, and instead of relying on my judgment, I asked my Readers Group for their thoughts and suggestions. I reminded them the title rules were:
(1) Must be two words
(2) First word must start with G
(3) No cussing
My original title choice was “Grampa Shamus.” In this novel Seamus McCree’s granddaughter, Megan, hires him to find her friend’s missing mother. (Seamus and Shamus are pronounced the same, and shamus is Yiddish for a private investigator). I was incredibly pleased with my clever play on words. To camouflage my brilliant choice, I gave my readers three other possibilities. They were “God’s Country,” “Greed’s Reward,” and “Granite Oath.”
I waited for the adulation of my fans to anoint my chosen title . . .and then my readers clued me in to reality. Many who did like my choice inadvertently changed Grampa (which is how Megan says it) to Grandpa. Several were concerned that Shamus was a typo. Turns out, my clever play on words was too cute by half. The knife in the heart of that title was that many of my Readers Group made it clear that if they were browsing for a book, Grampa Shamus was not a title that attracted their interest.
Good thing I asked. What did they like?
Each alternative title had vigorous proponents. Those who lived
in or visited Michigan’s Upper Peninsula know it is God’s Country, and that title gathered the most votes. Unfortunately, a search for “God’s Country” on Amazon provides scads of books. It is not ideal from a marketing perspective to have massive name-recognition competition. No other choice had the same problem, so I eliminated God’s Country from consideration.
Greed’s Reward attracted a lot of positive comments and was a title many of the group said would attract their attention. The reward in this case would be a negative one. My perverse mind liked that little twist.
And yet, the more I tried that title on, the more I realized it didn’t quite fit the story as well as I wanted. Although greed underlies most financial crimes, the driving force behind the mother’s disappearance was something other than greed. (I won’t provide a spoiler by telling you what it was.)
I asked readers for their suggestions if they preferred something other than my four offerings. This was a great lesson for me because the group came up with some excellent possibilities using my rules. Because I had only provided the briefest of blurbs and no one had read the story, terrific titles like “Great Grieving” did not fit the piece.
Granite Oath did not win by being the last title standing. It won because it resonated with readers and intrigued them to learn what a granite oath might be. And it enhanced the story. At his core, Seamus strives to be a man whose word is his bond. In one of the earlier novels, Empty Promises, he struggled with the aftermath of failing to meet a commitment. That failure makes him hypervigilant to not fail again.
The title comes from a line uttered in frustration by Seamus’s ex: “You damn McCrees turn a pinkie swear into a granite oath that nothing less than a glacier can crush.” What neither she nor Seamus realize is that a glacier is bearing down on him and his loved ones.
* * *
About the Book: On a Thursday afternoon, Kat Serrano leaves work early, briefly returns to her remote trailer deep in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula woods, and drives o with no explanation to her family. Two days later someone ransacks the trailer.
Kat is a Dreamer, and her mother won’t talk to the police for fear she’ll be deported and lose her 8-year-old granddaughter, Valeria.
Valeria is devastated by the events. She and her best friend from summer camp, Megan McCree, employ a “Pinky-swear” to get Megan’s grandfather Seamus McCree to learn what happened.
Seamus uncovers a tangled web of drugs, prostitution, and dummy corporations, and soon find himself the target of killers. Anyone sane would wash his hands of the mess or turn it over to the police.
But Seamus has given his word, his granite oath, to learn the truth . . . even if it kills him.
About the Author: James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series. Full of mystery and suspense, these domestic thrillers explore financial crimes, family relationships, and what happens when they mix. August 2022 sees publication of the 7th novel in the series, Granite Oath. (Click here for information and purchase links.)
Jim splits his time between the wilds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the city life in Madison, WI. You can find more information about Jim and his books at https://jamesmjackson.com or contact him via email.
Thanks for letting me share the origin story of the “Granite Oath” title for the seventh Seamus McCree novel. I look forward to answering any questions your readers have.
~ Jim
Thanks for sharing, James. You have an interesting concept for titles. I like it. Good luck with your new release. I will have a look.
Jim, I look forward to reading Granite Oath. I am a fan of the title, too.:)
Really enjoyed reading how you came to the title, Granite Oath. A rock solid choice! I’m struggling with a book title right now and this was very helpful. Thank you!
Jim,
I’m in line with the other comments, in enjoying your story about the struggle to come up with just the right title. I look forward to reading Granite Oath.
Steve: thanks for the good wishes.
Donnell: Fingers crossed you like it (so far readers have been very positive . . . )
Sue: Best of luck with finding the right title. I’m confident you’ll come up with a fine one.
George: thanks, and I hope you enjoy the story.
Titles are so hard! Thanks for sharing your process. I love the title Granite Oath and look forward to reading your books.
Hi Barbara — I’ve enjoyed reading your books. It’s nice to know other authors also have struggles with titles.
What a great process for crafting book titles. Thanks for sharing. Meantime, Granite Oath is now on my radar. Thanks!
Hi Patricia — I’m delighted you enjoyed learning about my process of crafting book titles. And your thanks for getting Granite Oath on your radar really belongs to Donnell, does a great job with her blog!
A fascinating and humbling journey to a terrific title. Thanks for your perspective.I’ll remember this.
Hey Thonie — glad you like the title and enjoyed learning of its birth.
Resonant and intriguing—exactly what I love in a title. Congrats on the new release!
Thanks, Marie.
Thanks for that explanation. Makes perfect sense!
Kaye — thanks for stopping by. Sorry my response is late. Email decided the notification was spam, and I just saw it.