The Witch’s Choice

Okay, that’s not actually going to be one of the subtitles for the Fangs and Fur books, but I like a relevant pun, even if it’s low-hanging fruit.

Names are super important to me—as a person, as a reader, and as an author.

However, as bizarre as this may sound, if a name/title/term isn’t immediately clear to me upon the first conception of an idea, I spend no time trying to “find the right one.” Not a single second. I just go straight into writing using all caps placeholders, like ORCA TWIN BRO or RESEARCH GEOGRAPHY.

There are many drawbacks to this system—which often leave my editors giggling—but the benefit is I spend my time writing instead of worrying, which is always best for the story.

With Fangs and Fur, I originally came up with this title in a brainstorm for a project that never made it out of my head. That story didn’t stick, but the alliteration did.

When I first started imagining Dili, Toad, and Hadrian, Fangs and Fur was lurking in the shadows. I tried not to force it, and did my due diligence to brainstorm other options, but that title lingered for a reason.

Once I accepted it, I let the rest of the title decisions marinate in my subconscious. Titles do a lot more heavy lifting than any other name in a book. An effective title has to entice readers and signal algorithms. It also has to set a pattern anyone can recognize as part of the same series, both predictable and fresh.

Would Fangs and Fur be the title of the first book? Of the series? Of the first story arc? Would I then need other alliterations? Could I even come up with another alliteration I liked as much that fit as well?

After examining my own preferences and researching the market, I knew that Fangs and Fur would make a great series title, with each installment subtitled for more genre-specific alignment.

Then came the fun part. I got to brainstorm so many cool options that all emphasized something unique about the series. It was like watching your best friend trying on an entire rack of new clothes. Some titles looked great but weren’t right for the occasion, some were a little dated, and some just didn’t look at all like they did on the hanger.

And just like trying on the perfect outfit, that slides on comfy and looks even cuter than imagined, I knew the right title when I workshopped it. Simple, straightforward, and succinct. The pattern followed in the fashionable footsteps of other great series, and it fit naturally for every story arc I had laid out. Best, it added the one thing the title didn’t cover: the witch.

The Witch’s _____ was a tidy solution for many reasons. The pattern is easy to remember and clear in genre. As it refers to the main character, there is no concern that it would become irrelevant should I expand the series beyond current plans. And my favorite, it centers each individual book on Dili’s story.

As of this moment, the digital exclusive prequel, book 1, and book 2 have their official names. As long as you’ve been following the beta read along and read the newsletter teaser for the prequel, these won’t be spoilers:

• Prequel: The Witch’s Name
• Book 1: The Witch’s Familiar
• Book 2: The Witch’s Pocket

Eager readers will be excited to learn that my current plans for Fangs and Fur is a six-book series, along with a few supplemental novellas, like the digital exclusive prequel. Stay tuned for more updates and release info!