Selecting a title with mass appeal

by Patrick Hodges

I have been working feverishly over the last month finishing up the rough draft for my second book, which I have tentatively called Kelsey’s Crush. But the more I think about it, the more I think there’s a better title out there, as this title would seem to appeal mostly to teenage girls. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I think my story, much like Joshua’s Island, has appeal for a wider audience than that.

I would very much like to keep the second title somewhat parallel to Joshua’s Island, by having the main character’s name in the title. The main character is Kelsey, the daughter of a single dad who is also a detective, and who aspires to be a detective herself (her hero, apart from her dad, is Sherlock Holmes). But the biggest mystery in her young life appears in the form of Ethan, a boy who appears in her algebra class on the first day of eighth grade. He has spiky hair and dresses in all-black clothes, and she is instantly drawn to him, especially after she discovers that he doesn’t act at all like the bad boy he appears to be.

As she “investigates” him, she finds herself becoming friends with him, but he harbors a secret that he cannot tell her, a secret that involves his younger brother, his father, and the entirety of his life. He is just as fascinated by Kelsey as she is with him, but events in the adult world will conspire to tear them apart, just as they realize the true depths of their friendship.

I’ve thought about Kelsey’s Crush, along with Kelsey’s Case, Kelsey’s Conundrum, Kelsey’s Mystery, and even Ethan’s Secret. Obviously, choosing the right title is extremely important. And I realize that I am, perhaps, the last person who should be determining the title, at least from a marketing standpoint. I am hoping that by the time the editing is done, I’ll have a cover with the final title printed firmly on it.

Wish me luck, everyone!

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Patrick Hodges lives in Arizona with his wife of fourteen years, Vaneza. After doing weekly columns for entertainment-related websites, he has turned his attention to writing fiction. He is passionate about sending positive messages to young people. Joshua’s Island is his first novel. A sequel is in the works. You may reach him at shrykespeare42@gmail.com or “like” him on Facebook.