Things are progressing very well behind the scenes of A is for Apocalypse. I’m aiming for an autumn release so be sure nothing gets rushed and it’s all as awesome as it possibly can be (and trust me guys, these stories are awesome). The thing is, A is for Apocalypse is meant to be the first of a series of anthologies… and I really need to sort out what the theme of the second anthology is going to be so the contributors will have lots of time to write their stories.
I can’t decide what B is for.
It’s driving me a bit bonkers and it’s threatening to take over my life. Truly. Jo, Dani and I will be going about our day and just randomly go, “B is for balloon?”. I really need to pick and idea and go with it, but I’d like your help.
What do you think B should be for?
It has to be a theme you’d actually want to read stories from that is wide enough to accommodate 26 stories from very different writers, all tackling it with a different letter in mind. It also has to be just one word.
My current short list (which changes daily hourly) is:
- Bounty
- Balance
- Broken
Braaains
What do you think about those words/themes? Any great suggestions I’m missing? What would you prefer B stand for as a writer? What about as a reader?
I will add my favourite suggestions to that list, so check back to see how it evolves and offer more feedback. I really want to know what you’re thinking about this, it will help me make a decision.
A word about bestiary: So… B is for Bestiary seems like a match made in heaven right? I love it. The problem is… just between you and I, I’m 99.9% sure that C is for Chimera. It seems to me like the potential for overlap/too much similarity between bestiary and chimera is high enough that it’s not a good idea for two books who will be back to back in the series. So that’s why bestiary isn’t really an option. I know, it seems like such a great choice, but I’ve thought about this one pretty hard.
Update: ‘Broken’ is getting a lot of love right now. Some of my favourite suggestions I’ve received include ‘Ballet’, ‘Battle’, ‘Bugs’, ‘Blood’, ‘Burning’, ‘Bell’, ‘Blasphemy’, ‘Beginnings’ and ‘Biohazard’.
Beguilement.
Bewitchery.
If I saw those as titles on the shelf, I’d bee compelled to investigate further… But then, I’m a Cat & we tend to investigate much…too much… 😉
Thank you for your suggestions 🙂 I kinda like Bewitched… but then I couldn’t do W is for Witchcraft. You can see my dilemma LOL
Also? I’m pretty fond of cats. Present company included. Even with the over-investigating 🙂
I think, of your list, I like Broken and Braaains.
Broken is really lovely ’cause it could mean so many things and I’d love to see it applied in fantasy and science fiction terms.
Braaains could also be fun if the authors try to make unique approaches to a somewhat tired speculative creature. Then again, there is SO much zombie stuff out there…
So far Broken is getting a lot of love… I’m leaning in that direction. It’s still pretty early into the life of this post though, so I’m trying to stay open-minded a bit longer 😉
I crossed off Braains because there were two strong anti-votes from A is for Apocalypse contributors because, as you say, there is SO much zombie stuff out there.
Bedazzled (not just a rhinestone t-shirt anymore!)
Banshee (too Celtic?)
Biohazard
Bliss
Bogus
Blank (hmmmm…maybe not: too terrifying for many writers! hehehe)
And I kinda like ‘Broken’ too.
LoL Blank sounds like the perfect way to scare contributors away. Would be a pretty easy cover to make though 😉
I like Broken too. Other options include Burning and Beauty. Oh, and how about Bwahahaha!
I’d considered Beauty… and I decided against it because coming up with that cover would be a nightmare >_
I like “Broken” from your list.
What about:
B is for Being
B is for Battle ?
Thank you! Battle could be fun. Well, not in reality, but as an anthology LoL Being would also be interesting to read, but I feel like it could be a nightmare to market LoL
(Being might require a Sartrean companion volume when you reach “N”.)
Hmmm, what follows an apocalypse? Beginnings? Birth? Oooo, how about Blame! An entire anthology of stories about blame could be fun.
It would be cool if all the words could follow a bit of a story arc:
Apocalypse
Blame
Compassion / Clemency
Could you maintain this through the entire alphabet? Who knows, but it would be fun to try.
That’s a fantastic idea, but I don’t know that I’m quite clever enough to pull it off LOL
I like Broken.
Bugs
Bastards
Bullies
Big
I would be all over BUGS.
LoL you don’t say? 😉
Belladonna (poisons, herbs, wort-cunning)
Beyond the Pale (outside the comfort zone, not in Kansas anymore, etc)
Banishment (exiles, outsiders, human or otherwise)
I like Cat’s suggestion of “Banshee”, although 26 banshee stories might make diversity difficult. Rhonda’s suggestion of “Broken” could lead to a lot of variety.
So… I probably shouldn’t say this, but when I read ‘Belladonna’ the first thing that pops into my mind is the porn star, not the plant LOL That could either be really good, or really bad for marketing and sales 😉
Porn star? I was thinking Stevie Nicks, but now that leads to all sorts of images I probably should erase.
LOL I feel like I should apologise now… sorta 😉
Beasts?
C is going to be for chimera, so I feel like there may be too much overlap for ‘beasts’ to come right before that >_
Broken is very evocative.
How about:
Banned
Banished
Blackmail
Blaze
Branded
Oooh good ideas 🙂
Or how about:
Birthright
Burial/Buried
Could see both having a lot of milage.
B is for Broken was the first one that popped into my mind 😉
Also, B is for Beginnings ?
Beginnings is good 🙂
Yes, Bestiary would have been good. Hmm. Now I’m walking around thinking of things beginning with B.
I suppose “Books” doesn’t work?
Now I’m walking around thinking of things beginning with B
LoL Welcome to my world, dude 🙂
I think ‘books’ might be a little too open? Also, I don’t know if ‘open’ is the word I want there, but it’s the one I’m going with LoL
God! This is addictive! And no matter what I’m doing…I can’t stop!!
Behemoth
Backwards (probably bring out too many time-travel stories)
Babylon
Blindsided
Bargain
And last, but not least…
Bordello (Ah, yes…the denizens and activities thereof)
Okay…last one, I promise (with fingers crossed behind my back)
Bitch. As is tales of females…the strong…the wily…the evil…the breeders…ooo…ooo…that’s another!
Breeding
Now please…take this letter ‘B’ from my head!! O.o
LoL I really like the idea of ‘Bitch’ and I’d considered it… but again, I was thinking it could be a wee bit troublesome for marketing. Especially since I hate censoring titles on book covers (though I understand why it’s done, obviously) so there would be a dilemma there.
As for taking the letter B from your head, it’s been stuck in mine for weeks, so welcome to my world LOL
Oh I like Broken! I think that and Blood are my two faves so far. ™¥
Broken really is getting a lot of love.
I like Broken but it seems veeerrrryyyyy open to me as a writer :P. I think “Blood” and “Bargains” are both cool and make me think and “Beginnings” is good, though I’m kind of like… but it’s not the beginning! The beginning was A!
Other B words I thought of (apologies if any of these are repeats!): blaze, bronze, betrayal, beggar, bohemian, bird
Very open could be good, no?
Or maybe just BENT.
Not completely broken, but twisted nonetheless. Kind of like a psychopath who walks among us. Mwaaahaaaahaaa
Just couldn’t stop, eh? LOL
B is for Bewitched
But I love that “Broken” concept too!
But if B is for Bewitched, W can’t be for Witchcraft 🙂
I’m currently enjoying the fantatsic “Bad Blood” by Bastille – is “Bad Blood” an option? Or do you want single words?
I’m hoping to stick with just single words.
Let’s not forget Bride
or Baby…for all the nascent strangeness out there….
(really, this has GOT to be settled so I can get the ‘B’ out of my brain.) ;D
If it helps, I’ve made my decision, just not an announcement yet 😉
Brain
Blood
Bradbury (!)
Biosphere / Biome
Burning
Beauty
Bradbury is a fabulous idea. Alas, I think Shadow Show
may have been one of the best anthologies I’ve ever read… don’t want to try and follow directly in those footsteps, I don’t think LOL
I like all three of your choices, Rhonda, with “broken” possibly being my favourite. So many possibilities there.
“Bedlam” is another B-word that could take authors in all kinds of interesting directions.
Can’t wait to see what you choose!
Bedlam. I hadn’t even considered that one 🙂
Also, thanks for popping by Kern, I’ve missed you!
Bodacious (parodies on dark fictions)
LoL that could be fun 🙂