[HNW] book title: please vote!

[Kathryn Newell]

Dear List:

Wow, these votes are great, coming in so early. I'll give it a few more 
days, then show what the "fnialists" are looking like. Now if only almost 
all of your votes didn't sound like they should be the title.... *sigh*. 
What a time to be cursed with indecision! "The Goodwyn Miscellany" came to 
me so fast -- wish this one would!

< Liadain waiting impatiently...<G>>

Well, I am slogging along. I started with 145 pages of charts. I've finished 
15 of them, making 130. I found I had already charted some partial 
pages --these were in "The Goodwyn Misc." file. So that means about 127. 
Then I found two plates which are duplicate patterns.  That takes it down to 
125. Gee, sounds better all the time. <BG>

And now to Chris's comments:

.< (1) Beware of trying to pack too many metaphors and modifiers into  one 
title. This is what subtitles were invented for. Title formulas  like "An X 
for the Y", "An X Y",  and "X of the Y" sound good and  aren't difficult to 
remember. If you have more concepts or more  explanations, put them in the 
subtitle (as has happened quite nicely  with the New Exemplar title).>

I agree. Elspeth and I were very immesered in the "forsoothly" Italian of 
the text. I'm not sure which of us came up with "Flowers of the Needle:", 
but the rest of the subtitle is "run-on forsoothly Italian and very much in 
the manner of the original books". To quote:

    "Flowers of the Needle:  A garden of delightful designs for needlework, 
gathered from the most august and ancient
     books writ upon the excellancy of the needle, with which you may devise 
and work most beautiful and glorious works
     in various  kinds of embroidery, which shall bear witness to your 
industry and skill".

< (2) If having a title that sounds historical is important, pick your 
historical period. and use words and phrases that were common in that 
period. >

I'm trying to strike a compromise between the original title, because the 
charts derive from "Flowers of the Needle". I wouldn't mind the title 
sounding historic, too, for the 16th century. While these are Victorian 
facsimiles, they didn't chose a Victoiran title for the series.

<( A couple of the proposals sound distinctly modern to my ear.)>

Which ones? I'm too close to the subject to judge.

< Also, I'd avoid the word "ancient" even if the Victorians did use it  for 
referring to the Renaissance. Today it tends to make people think of ancient 
Egypt or classical Rome.>

You have a point. In the 19th century it was often used for the 
*medieval/renaissance* period!

< If all the patterns you're including are charted, I'd amend that to 
"Charted embroidery patterns from 1530-1567." Books of charted  patterns and 
books of freehand patterns tend to appeal to two rather  different 
audiences, so if yours are all charted, make it a selling  point :)>

Gosh, thanks! I totally spaced that! This is why I have all of you guys here 
as a Second Brain, as well as a cheering section.

--Kathryn
SCA: Kathryn Goodwyn
"too many centuries...too little time"