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Author Topic: Dark comedy title help?  (Read 630 times)
HarrisSP
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« on: June 21, 2012, 12:12:34 PM »

Friends

I'm querying a project now, and I'm curious about how my title is doing. It's a dark comedy in line with Fargo and Observe and Report.

Logline: Disenchanted terrorist pretends to go on suicide bombing mission to start a new life as a roadie.

I'm currently calling it THE ACCIDENTAL TERRORIST. The previous working title was RUN! (there's a recurring theme/motif of running vs. standing). The main character's name is Judge, and I was hoping to work that in somewhere, but I don't know how I feel about JUDGE as the title. Lastly, the book becomes a big allegory of the Jonah and the whale story, but I couldn't figure out how to fit that in.

What say you, writing geniuses? Which one of these is best? Are you coming up with something I'm not seeing?
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Zooks
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« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2012, 02:49:44 PM »

Hey Harris,

Well, the title does lead one to believe that someone will indeed be a terrorist by accident. If Judge does not, then perhaps your readers may feel you're playing fast & loose with them (whatever that means).  As we all know, the word terrorist has certain connotations attached to it and some potential readers may find it off-putting.  What's Judge's surname?  Can that be the title?  Judge Jones, Apostle Turned Roadie. 
Judge Jones, The Jury's Still Out.  nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.  Judge on The Run (picturing the cover w/a sketch of a guy sprinting in a judge's robe).  Grin
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oldbag
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« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2012, 06:06:54 AM »

How 'bout referring to the fact that he wants to go from wiring explosives to wiring band equipment? "CROSSED WIRES"?
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Falen
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« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2012, 08:13:02 AM »

I dunno. I like The Accidental Terrorist, because it seems darkly comic to me.
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« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2012, 10:13:22 AM »

I like Accidental Terrorist, too. I can see how the word terrorist certainly has a negative connotation, but when I read the title, I'm reminded of the Accidental Tourist, and it makes me smile. You could add a bit more to be sure that the reader gets the funny... like, JUDGE JONES, ACCIDENTAL TERRORIST.

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