*I’m looking for a little reader feedback here, so suggestions, affirmations, or criticisms are welcome in the comments.
In putting together the first book of The Churchians, I realized that ‘Arrival’ is a terrible name. Here’s the original comic. It’s okay for what it is, but we can do better.
‘Crashlander’, ‘Crashlanders’, ‘Story Crashers’, and ‘StoryCrashers’ are all on the table. Many of you are long-time readers and know the history of Rory and The Professor. We’ll be doing a better transition comic – introducing Rory and the Prof – for the book. I’m partial to the first two because Old Hick referred to Rory as ‘Rory Crashlander’ here:
However… I think this comic is technically in book two. Book two is called ‘Shadow Saints’. It’s an awesome name and an awesome concept. You’ll find out in 3 or 4 comics. It’s explained in the second-to-last comic of Book Two. Yes, I’m Gen X. ‘Awesome’ was super-cool back in the day. Much, much better than ‘rad’, which completely changed meaning after Fukushima. And Chernobyl. And especially after the first 100 days of the Biden presidency.
Book 3, which I literally started writing yesterday, is going to be called ‘Night Veg’. I think. It’s about an 80% chance. When we reveal the meaning… let’s just say the tenor of the comic is going to change.
Another book, probably 5th or 6th, possibly 7th, will be called ‘Biblical’. It has to be. It can’t… not be. What do you call it after Kel says in the last comic of the previous book, “No. We’re going biblical.”, and looks up at the reader with tired, hateful, vengeful eyes?
That comic, just so you know, has been blocked out in my brain for more than 3 years now.
A fantastic name, which is sadly already claimed, is ‘Dust and Grace’. I… might have to steal it, since it isn’t a comic name. Yet. I’m not sure what book it will be, but it won’t be book 1, 2, or 3 because non-racist math won’t let it be. It will probably be book 4 or 5, because book 7 is also already taken. I haven’t named it yet but I’m pretty sure it will be the last Churchians book. Heaven seems a little pretentious. Hell seems pessimistic. And The Churchians: We Still Didn’t Manage to Destroy It, Despite Trying Really, Really, Really Hard seems unnecessarily long and accurate.
As you can conclude, we have very strong names for future books… but our name for book one is terrible. Help us, valued readers.
There’s probably a signed, grateful, paper copy at stake.
–> Codex & Q
Tempest in a Teardrop: The Churchians 
I like Crashlander….unless, in the long run, the Professor is going to be a major character, in which case, Crashlanders.
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WRT Dust and Grace. Titles can’t be copyrighted and if you’re writing in a very different genre with a very different cover, why not use it if it’s exactly correct?
I don’t like single word titles. They say nothing. I know you don’t want ‘Arrival of the Parallel Dimension Space Mushroom’ but two or three words in a title say so much more than one word.
You’ve got to sell this book! You want people to say “that sounds intriguing”.
Take your time because the correct title will arrive one morning just as you wake up. Or when you’re out weeding.
I’m not good at titles but I’ll give it some thought and if I come up with something useful, I’ll let you know.
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Crash Landing. Crashing in. Sudden arrival. Unexpected arrival. A mushroom’s tale. Wicked by default. A new beginning. The reformation.
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Lots of good idea there. I suspect Teresa is right – the title will write itself and then we’ll know. Writing: Such a mysterious process!
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Party Crashers
A Good Landing … ?
The _____ Crashers (Party, Harvest, Heresy, something something …)
Same thought as Theresa – the right one emerges.
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I actually like Arrival. And, since I know you won’t go for “Shrooms in Rooms” or “Stuck The Landing” or “A Strange Fungus Among Us”, Crashlander works, and it reminds me of Larry Niven.
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