キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか？ しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか？ 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな？』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう？もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.26.2007
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
What a Girl Wants by Kristin Billerbeck
If the Shoe Fits by Marilynn Griffith
Win books and an iPod Nano! Contest ends January 31st. Get more info on my contest page!
Only Uni
That’s the working title of book two in my Sushi Series. I don’t think anyone even knows what uni is. And those who do probably think it’s one of the grossest things ever eaten.
(Uni is a type of sushi. It’s raw sea urchin gonads, and it tastes like garbage. It’s called “roe” but it’s not the sea urchin eggs—it’s the reproductive organs, “a yellowish or orange substance resembling a rather firm custard” (Wikipedia.com).)
Okay, enough about uni. If you haven’t figured out by now, I’m hopeless at titles.
So that’s where you come in! Any ideas for my new title?
Since the series is the Sushi Series, the name should reference Asian food.
Here’s the story 411:
Book Description:
This is the second book of a proposed four-book series about four cousins: Lex, Trish, Venus and Jennifer. This is Trish’s story, while each of the other books focuses on the other cousins as heroines. The cousins appear in all four books. They are all Asian American, fourth generation. Lex and Trish are full Japanese ethnicity, while Venus and Jennifer are half Japanese and half Chinese.
Sushi Series Overview
Four cousins—Lex the Jock, Trish the Vamp, Venus the Swan, and Jennifer the Oddball—commiserate their single status in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the only Christians in their large extended family, they vow to fight the stigma of the infamous family title, Oldest Single Female Cousin. But they have very different ideas about not acting as desperate as they feel about their bleak love lives. Who knew God would have His own plans of true love for each of them?
Book 2 story blurb
Flirty biologist Trish Sakai has alienated her best friends and her family because of her wild behavior with her artist ex-boyfriend, Kazuo. Then she finds her father kissing another woman, and her mom suffers a heart attack. Convinced God is punishing her for her sexual promiscuity, Trish comes up with three rules from First and Second Corinthians: 1) Stop looking at guys, 2) Only date Christians, and 3) Persevere in hardship by relying on God. If she follows them, God will restore her life to the way it was before her mistakes. If she can somehow regain her chastity, she won’t feel as dirty and unworthy as she does now. They’re only three rules. How hard can it be?
Spenser Wong finds himself attracted to his coworker Trish, but his dinner invitation gets slammed down with a lame excuse about Corinthians and rules. That cools his ardor pretty quick. But then Spenser discovers that his old enemy Kazuo needs Trish as the “muse” for his unfinished masterpiece painting due in a few months for a gallery show. Kazuo pursues Trish with everything he’s got, but Spenser decides to throw a wrench in Kazuo’s plans by pretending to pursue Trish himself.
Trish is going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Her three simple rules aren’t so simple anymore . . .
Well??? Any title ideas?
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
What a Girl Wants by Kristin Billerbeck
If the Shoe Fits by Marilynn Griffith
Win books and an iPod Nano! Contest ends January 31st. Get more info on my contest page!
Only Uni
That’s the working title of book two in my Sushi Series. I don’t think anyone even knows what uni is. And those who do probably think it’s one of the grossest things ever eaten.
(Uni is a type of sushi. It’s raw sea urchin gonads, and it tastes like garbage. It’s called “roe” but it’s not the sea urchin eggs—it’s the reproductive organs, “a yellowish or orange substance resembling a rather firm custard” (Wikipedia.com).)Okay, enough about uni. If you haven’t figured out by now, I’m hopeless at titles.
So that’s where you come in! Any ideas for my new title?
Since the series is the Sushi Series, the name should reference Asian food.
Here’s the story 411:
This is the second book of a proposed four-book series about four cousins: Lex, Trish, Venus and Jennifer. This is Trish’s story, while each of the other books focuses on the other cousins as heroines. The cousins appear in all four books. They are all Asian American, fourth generation. Lex and Trish are full Japanese ethnicity, while Venus and Jennifer are half Japanese and half Chinese.
Four cousins—Lex the Jock, Trish the Vamp, Venus the Swan, and Jennifer the Oddball—commiserate their single status in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the only Christians in their large extended family, they vow to fight the stigma of the infamous family title, Oldest Single Female Cousin. But they have very different ideas about not acting as desperate as they feel about their bleak love lives. Who knew God would have His own plans of true love for each of them?
Flirty biologist Trish Sakai has alienated her best friends and her family because of her wild behavior with her artist ex-boyfriend, Kazuo. Then she finds her father kissing another woman, and her mom suffers a heart attack. Convinced God is punishing her for her sexual promiscuity, Trish comes up with three rules from First and Second Corinthians: 1) Stop looking at guys, 2) Only date Christians, and 3) Persevere in hardship by relying on God. If she follows them, God will restore her life to the way it was before her mistakes. If she can somehow regain her chastity, she won’t feel as dirty and unworthy as she does now. They’re only three rules. How hard can it be?
Spenser Wong finds himself attracted to his coworker Trish, but his dinner invitation gets slammed down with a lame excuse about Corinthians and rules. That cools his ardor pretty quick. But then Spenser discovers that his old enemy Kazuo needs Trish as the “muse” for his unfinished masterpiece painting due in a few months for a gallery show. Kazuo pursues Trish with everything he’s got, but Spenser decides to throw a wrench in Kazuo’s plans by pretending to pursue Trish himself.
Trish is going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Her three simple rules aren’t so simple anymore . . .
Well??? Any title ideas?
Comments
Your books sound awesome!
also i don't know if it's just me, but does your blog look a little different?
Not sure what the relationship of uni is to story other than that it is a type of sushi. What about a different type of sushi? Is there one that looks yucky but surprises with a really great taste? (Can you tell I don't eat sushi?)
Or maybe, because you say "only" three rules, maybe you can work a title around that premise. Of course you could always go with something like "Sushi for Three" or "Salvaged Sushi".
Okay, I'm not great with titles either.
I like thinking of titles. I'll wrap my mind around it. I think Only Uni might be tricky for people because they might pronouce it "you-ni" like it's short for unicorns. So you'd lose the alliteration.
What about:
Tako Tales (only it's octupus -- ha!)
Tofu Tales (mmmm)
California Roll (there's one that's not too scary. Wonder what you could change roll to.)
Sashimi Secrets
Teriyaki for Two
OK -- better stop. Making myself hungry. :)
Can't wait to read your book!
I don't think it was all that fresh, because it ...well suffice it to say, I don't like it. And I've eaten some things I'll bet most of your readers never thought of eating!
Titles? How about:
Sushi for One
Sashimi Bar for One
Pass the Saki
What Good is a Single Chopstick?
A Long Road to Kotobuki
LOL!!! I love title brainstorming. As long as it isn't MY title!!!
Ginny Smith
oh...wait... I already have! LOL And it was a great book.
As for titles... um... I suck at titles.
So really there is no point in this post other than to have you tell me to shut up. :o)
Is there a line in your manuscript referencing the sushi or anything that might help give you a name...
Pick two sushi dishes that are 'simple' and the third would match her third rule - God.
Your readers could connect the title with Trish's rules or with Trish's hunky guys.
You did ask for ideas.