Fenster writes:
If you are an Oprah book person, you’ve probably read Amy Tan’s The Bonecutter’s Daughter. If you like pop thrillers, you may have read Nelson deMille’s The General’s Daughter. But has it occurred to you how easy it is to get a lead in a contemporary novel if you are the daughter of someone with a nameable profession?
Herewith a very partial list from Amazon of books in which the title follows the form “The X’s Daughter”, with X standing for a job or calling or profession of some sort. For the record, butcher is taken and baker is taken (glass-maker, too)–but candle-stick maker appears totally open. Call your agent today!
And don’t get me started on “wife”.
Blowhard, Esq.
Callowman
Sherbrooke
Eddie Pensier
Enzo Nakamura
Epaminondas
Fabrizio del Wrongo
Fenster
Brundle Guy
Glynn Marshes
Paleo Retiree
Atypical Neurotic
Question Lady
Sax von Stroheim
Sir Barken Hyena
The Mistaken
Hilarious. Each and every one of the books deeply moving too, I’d imagine.
LikeLike
These don’t look very interesting but I’ll admit I have a thing for songs and album titles with “daughter.” There was the Incredible String Band LP “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter” and the great Dukes of Stratosphear (XTC) song “Brainiac’s Daughter.” The Move’s “Beautiful Daughter” might be their all-time best.
As for literature, don’t forget “woman.” There was “The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” Then again, there was also apparently “The French Lieutenant’s Boy,” a gay porn film, so you never know what might become of this subgenre.
LikeLike
Aren’t about 80% of novel readers women? “More daughters!” says bottom line green eyeshade guy.
LikeLike
Definitely an eye on the female market. Interesting what comes up when you search on Amazon for “son” rather than “daughter”. There are of course many, many fiction titles with the word “son” in them, but far fewer that follow the form “The X’s Son”, with X being a profession or calling or identity of some sort. And the titles that do adhere to that form (The Quilter’s Son, The Billionaire’s Son, The Gatekeeper’s Son) do appear to be tilted as well to a female audience. There are lots of “son” books out there that appeal to male readers–adventures, westerns, mysteries, thrillers, etc. But the titles don’t have that form (Second Son, Son of Thunder).
LikeLike
This will make it so much easier to title my fiction from now on.
Coming soon: “The Daughter’s Daughter.” Followed by its moving sequel, “The Daughter’s Daughter’s Daughter.”
LikeLike