Monday, March 16, 2009

HEX HALL...

is now the official title for The Book Formerly Known as DEMONGLASS!

Just got the word from Editor Jen today that everything is official, so I was free to announce it. Yay! As you know, the title process has been a struggle, and so I was so happy/relieved to come up with this title, which really feel perfect.

Basically, we changed the name of the school from Prentiss Academy- which really had no meaning other than I liked it!- to Hecate Hall. I loved the symbolism of Hecate, because not only is she the Greek goddess of witchcraft, she's also the goddess of the crossroads. I felt like that was a perfect symbol both for the school, where "monsters" are sent as punishment, and for my MC, Sophie, who as a half witch/half human, lives her life at a kind of crossroads.

We had originally decided to call the book HECATE HALL, but we had some real issues with pronunciation, which is something you really have to think about when writing for teens. As I learned from teaching high school, a lot of kids will hesitate to ask for a book if they're not sure how to say the title. So we tossed around a lot of ideas before I came up with the idea of turning our whole title search/issues with how to say Hecate into a giant meta-joke. What if, I thought, the kids at the school refer to it as "Hex Hall" because A) it's mostly populated by witches, and B) no one knows how to pronounce Hecate. Luckily, everybody really liked that idea, and HEX HALL was it!

Now that we have a title, REALLY exciting things can start happening, like COVER ART!

You guys. I am so excited for cover art. You have no idea. And luckily, Hyperion has insanely gorgeous covers. Seriously.

I feel like I'm in very good hands!

17 comments:

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

congrads - loveit!

Maureen Lipinski said...

Plus, change one letter and you've got... :)

Seriously though, love the title! Very memorable and effective!

Rachel Hawkins said...

Shelli: Thanks! I love it, too!

Maureen: Holly and I have taken to calling the sequel HEX HALL 2: HEXUAL HEALING. Fingers crossed it flies with Disney! ;)

Maureen Lipinski said...

What about--I WANT TO HEX YOU UP?

Serenity said...

I'm so happy for you!!! Hex Hall sounds perfect. I'm off to check out the cover art now.

Stephen Duncan said...

What the Hex all this about a title change?

You'll hear a lot of that in Auburn. ;)

It's awesome, btw!

Ronald L. Smith said...

Hex Hall. Lovely alliteration. Can't wait to see your cover. You must be so excited.

OfficiallyMRS said...

I just got my arc copy of hex hall and I am insanely excited to read it!!!!!! :)

Anonymous said...

I can't wait for it to come out it looked really good

Anonymous said...

I can't wait for it to come out it looked really good

Agnieszka Fulinska said...

I found your blog! Awesome :)

The title was a hell for us here in Poland to translate. You probably already know that the publisher decided for what translates back as "Girls from Hex Hall". I don't think it's perfect but better than anything else.

Unknown said...

I love the title! It's awesome!

Anonymous said...

i saw it on the back of j-14. the cover art can really ake the book look good.. now off to read it !

Anonymous said...

i loved it im really into this witches and warlock stuff! it was really good!

Austin Price said...

Im buying it at the bookfair tomorrow! ms. knight said you will be there in the morning so im hoping to get you to sign it. I enjoyed hearing you talk about it, your a funny person haha(:

Ore said...

Will there be a movie for the book

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