Friday, July 13, 2012

TIGER, TIGER

Has anyone else noticed the large and growing number of books with "Tiger" in the title?
The Tiger's Wife.
The Life of Pi (which is about a tiger.)
Tiger Mother, which is non-fiction but also about a tiger.
And today I just saw Tigers in Red Weather (which doesn't sound like it has any actual tigers in it.)
What's up with all the tigers?  Do people think that because previous Tiger Titles have done well, other books will follow suit?  And are they wrong?
It's my friend David's contention that the formula for a successful novel is Liquid + Animal (see Water for Elephants.)
Maybe he's on to something.  My new novel, which no one has picked up yet, is titled The Hurly Burly.  I like that title.  It goes with the book.
However ---
As I said, no one has picked it up yet.  Maybe the problem is - I deviated from the formula.  Maybe I should employ the formula, find a new title.  David and I liked Beer for Dogs, but I think I'm better off playing the odds and going with Beer for Tigers.
Soon to be a major motion picture.