Welcome to Help From My Friends Friday! If you’ve ever read a Margaret Mizushima novel, you no doubt grasp that she’s a major talent. But in case you didn’t know, take a look at the rave reviews below. I’m delighted to help promote STANDING DEAD (and introduce you to two important members of her family). She’s also right about the story behind her titles. I do find it fascinating. Please welcome Margaret Mizushima. ~ Donnell
It’s All in the Title
By Margaret Mizushima
Author Margaret Mizushima
Over the years, Donnell and I have had many discussions about book titles, and she asked me to write a post for her blog about how I come up with mine. She’s heard this story before and seems to like it; I hope you do too.
Book titles can be fun, catchy, and informative. They might capture the book’s theme or premise. They might announce the book’s setting or restate an important phrase in its narrative. Whatever a writer decides for their book title to telegraph, it might fall easily into place and speak sweetly into the author’s ear, or… it might be a clunker and become darn hard to come up with.
My title challenge began with book one. My editor at Crooked Lane said we needed to come up with a different title for my manuscript, to which I responded, “That will be fine. I’m not married to it.” The working title I’d been using was Timber Creek K-9, pretty dry and boring. Thus followed a lively email exchange with my editor, agent, and publishing team, passing suggestions back and forth for all kinds of titles. The team finally settled on Killing Trail, and they also decided that for branding purposes, all of my future books would be in the form of a gerundive phrase.
The Author seated with her beloved pets, Bertie and Hannah
Okay then…it seemed like a good idea at the time. As the years have gone by, each with a new book, things have sometimes become difficult. Book two, Stalking Ground, came easily enough though; I pulled it straight from the narrative. We were all happy.
But things came to a screeching halt when I submitted book three without a single title suggestion. We brainstormed by email again. Weeks later, we landed on Hunting Hour, a story about hunting all night for a kidnapped child. And during that brainstorm session, the team came up with an additional title everyone loved, including me—Burning Ridge.
Since Burning Ridge didn’t fit book three, my editor asked if I would consider using it for book four. My reply: “Sure. But we need something burning up on that ridge besides a forest fire. How about a body?” He said, “Works for me!” And I proceeded to write book four to fit the title.
Things stalled again when I submitted book five. My working title was so bad I can’t even remember it. My publishing team asked for a list of twenty possible titles. Oh boy—I had trouble coming up with one. But somewhere buried in the list, I had written Tracking Game. This was a story about wildlife trafficking and it fit the story’s theme both as a gerundive and a verb phrase. The publishing team loved it and so did I.
Book six, Hanging Falls, was easy again. I came up with the title while gazing at a photo of Hanging Lake outside of Glenwood Springs, CO. It fit the story’s setting and the premise. Easy peasy.
Bertie and Hannah can’t wait to see what Robo does next.
And then came book seven, Striking Range. Not so easy. I had called it Darkening Sky since much of the action takes place after dark and before a brewing storm. I thought it fit the book and was a great ominous title. But then C.J. Box announced his new book, Dark Sky, which would launch before mine. Since we write in the same sub-genre of outdoor mysteries, I didn’t want to use a title that was so similar. I ended up pulling the title Striking Range from the narrative, and it felt good because it also fit the premise of the murders, in which the killer was up close and personal or within “striking range.”
Now last but not least, here comes Standing Dead, book eight in the series and one I’m excited about. I wanted to set this book in an area of beetle-killed pine forest where the trees are dead but still standing. I came up with the title before writing the book, and I think it’s the best one yet. And of course, there is a standing dead man tied to one of those trees at the beginning of the book.
Standing Dead launches on March 7, 2023, and I invite you to join Mattie, Robo, and Cole Walker in their next Timber Creek K-9 Mystery adventure. Hope you enjoy it!
Please leave a comment about your thoughts on book titles.
About Standing Dead, Book 8:
Deputy Mattie Cobb and her sister, Julia, travel to Mexico to visit their mother, but when they arrive, they discover that she and her husband have vanished without a trace.
Back in Timber Creek, Mattie finds a chilling note on her front door telling her to look for “him” among the standing dead up in the high country. The sheriff’s department springs into action and sends a team to the mountains, where Mattie’s K-9 partner, Robo, makes a grisly discovery—a body tied to a dead pine tree.
Mattie is shocked when she realizes she knows the dead man. And then another note arrives, warning that Mattie’s mother is in desperate straits. In a last-ditch gambit, Mattie must go deep undercover into a killer’s lair to save her mother—or die trying.
Praise for Standing Dead:
“Standing Dead is a roller coaster of tension from the first page–I literally couldn’t put it down. Mizushima gives us wonderfully drawn characters along with a cracking good plot and realistic law enforcement details. A highlight for me is the protagonist’s relationship with Robo, her K-9 partner. Highly recommended.”
– Deborah Crombie, NYT Bestselling author of A KILLING OF INNOCENTS
“Instantly immersive, constantly surprising, and totally compelling. The talented Margaret Mizushima has an unfailing sense of place, a keen eye for character, and a true gift for storytelling. Standing Dead is at once chilling and heartbreaking, as Mizushima gives her iconic characters (both with two legs and four) a shocking secret--and then a daunting task with the highest of stakes. Such a terrific mystery!”
– Hank Phillippi Ryan USA Today Bestselling Author
“It is a rare pleasure to discover a book in which the author’s skill with her craft is so fluently meshed with her deep knowledge of the story’s subject and terrain. Margaret Mizushima has created exactly that kind of mystery novel with Standing Dead. Her skill at creating memorable characters–people of dimension and conviction–is equally matched by a deft hand at rendering a compelling story that is both thought-provoking and timely. Highly Recommended.”
– Baron R. Birtcher, award-winning author of Fistful Of Rain
“In Standing Dead, the eighth installment of the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, Deputy and K-9 handler Mattie Cobb plunges into a deadly game of cat and mouse with an unknown killer. While struggling to recover memories repressed from a childhood riddled with violence, Mattie and her K-9 partner Robo chase leads through the Colorado mountains as danger draws closer and closer to home. A thrilling mystery with heart that will leave you wanting more.”
– Amy Rivers, award-winning author of Complicit and All the Broken People
“Deputy Mattie Wray has changed her name, but she’s the same dedicated, gutsy officer who loves her family, her friends, her job, and her K-9 partner Robo with all her heart.”
– Pamela Beason, award-winning author of the Sam Westin Wilderness Mysteries and the Neema the Gorilla Mysteries
About the Author: Margaret Mizushima is the author of the award-winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. Active within the writing community, Margaret serves as past president for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, was elected the 2019 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and is also a member of Northern Colorado Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Women Writing the West. She and her husband recently moved from their home in Colorado to the Pacific Northwest. She can be found on Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima, Twitter @margmizu, Instagram at margmizu, and her website at www.MargaretMizushima.com
Margaret, thanks for sharing this terrific story. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was curious. Cannot wait to dive into Standing Dead! (Er… that sounds wrong, doesn’t it). But you get the picture. I’m traveling but will check in this afternoon,
Thank you so much for hosting Bertie, Hannah, and me on your blog today, Donnell. I’m traveling today too but I’ll check back in when I can. Hugs!
Titles make my head hurt, so I can sympathize. I love your series and can’t wait to read the new book!
I know what you mean, Helen! Thank you for stopping by this morning.
Love the story, Margaret! I’m with Helen, they make my head hurt, but I like the title before I write the book.
Thanks for the interview Donnell and Margaret!
Thank you, Rhonda! Coming up with a title before writing seems to provide extra focus for me. I like when it works out that way!
Fascinating story, Margaret. A particular challenge for you because of the format restriction, but I think you’ve come up with some great ones. I think it also provides continuity and branding to the series.
Because I don’t write a series, titles are probably a little easier to come up with, though I have struggled at times. I had a decent working title for one of my mysteries through multiple drafts, but while doing some late research I stumbled across my final title which I took directly from a quote by a corrupt cop: The Big Dive. I literally said as I read it, “that’s my title.”
On the other hand, my latest book, No Time for Murder, the title sparked the idea for the book. It emerged before I did any research, brainstorming, or drafting. It was my theme, so it fit perfectly (at least to me; I can’t speak for readers).
I speak for one of your readers, Bruce. No Time for Murder was a perfect title!
Donnell
Thanks for discussing your title process, Bruce! I love how you came up with The Big Dive, and No Time for Murder is also perfect. I find it easier to write when the title comes first. Maybe I should pause now to find a title for book nine before I write any further. Thanks for stopping in to visit on this blog and for leaving a comment!
All of your titles are great–descriptive, but not too revealing; clever, but not cutesy. Of course, I love Mattie, Robo, and Cole, too.
Thank you, Saralyn! I appreciate you stopping by and reading the blog post today!
Here’s where I admit, I had not paid attention to Margaret’s individual titles. With her conversation with Donnell, I see them all and appreciate her method for choosing. Way to go, Margaret. I love them all.
Yay! Thank you, George! Title fun each year. Now I’m brainstorming book nine!
Hi Margaret: It was fun reading the behind the story regarding your titles. Very interesting! And thanks to Donnell for asking you to write this post. 🙂
Donnell is the best! Thank you, Francelia, for tuning in today and for your comment. Wish I could be at your book signing!
Love your titles! And hearing how they came to be is a special treat. Thanks for sharing what goes on behind the scenes. Especially the part about the wrench tossed in by the title of CJ Box’s release! (The best laid plans of mice and men…)
I know it! I worked so hard on coming up with that one, too, and it was dashed in a minute! Ha! But seriously, I’m so glad we caught the duplication in plenty of time to make a change. Thanks so much for stopping in today, Marie. I appreciate your interest!
As a self-published author of a mystery series, I enjoy some degree of autonomy when choosing book titles. I said ‘some’ because Karen, my wife and alpha reader, plus my beta readers sometimes make suggestions. So far, my working titles became the final titles. But the current manuscript defies me to come up with a temporary title. Maybe I’ll call it Stumped. Thanks, Margaret, for sharing the provenance of your titles.
Skip, I think Stumped is what I should call MY next book! LOL Thanks for reading the blog post and for leaving a comment. I appreciate hearing from you!
Great blog post! I loved hearing your story, Margaret. I’ve always loved your titles and they fit your books so well. 🙂 I think titles are difficult. When I published my debut novel, the marketing team was gentle in telling me that my title might not grab a reader’s attention. It was great brainstorming new titles and I love what they came up with for Chasing Justice. Thank goodness for great marketing teams! 🙂 I can’t wait to read Standing Dead and see what you title your next book! 🙂
Kathleen, if the marketing team can’t come up with an appropriate title for Margaret’s next book, I gave her one… gerund an all. It’s called Sticking Point. What do you think???? 🙂
Yes, Sticking Point is a great title. LOL
Yep, Chasing Justice is a winner as is Hunting the Truth, book two in your series. It is great to have a team approach to titles when the one we’ve chosen just isn’t quite right. Thanks for your comment.