How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?Visit Kate Westbury's website.
The original title for this story was A Tutorial in Murder. I loved that it was a play on words (i.e. the Oxford tutorial system), but it also sounds more like an actual midcentury mystery…which probably wouldn’t draw in as many contemporary readers. My agent suggested thinking of a new title, and my critique group helped me brainstorm The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies, which my publisher loved and kept. As much as I was fond of Tutorial, the new title also better conveys the humor and hijinks and hint of romance, and I’m glad for the switch.
What's in a name?
I can either name a character immediately or after tedious research. It’s important to me that...[read on]
Q&A with Kate Westbury.
--Marshal Zeringue
Posts
