More than a good combination of words
Plenty of words pass by while writing, but a book title has to do something different. It must carry the atmosphere of the story and be recognisable as part of the series. It also has to stay with the reader without defining the story in advance.
That is why a title is more than a name placed above a manuscript. I look at its meaning within the story, the feeling the words create and the connection with the other novels. Sometimes a title seems right immediately. Even then, I prefer to leave it alone for a while. If it still feels right a few days later, it has a better chance of being the one.
English and Dutch
With Black Voltage, there is another consideration: the titles need to work in both English and Dutch. A literal translation is not automatically the best title. The words must sound natural in both languages and evoke the same feeling.
Dead Reckoning became Gegist Bestek in Dutch. Divided Shores became Verdeelde Kusten. Each title has its own sound, but together they must clearly belong to the same world.
Book three has a name
That decision has now also been made for the third novel. Its English title will be Beyond the Silence. The Dutch title is Voorbij de Stilte.
The title fits the direction in which the story is developing: beyond the familiar, towards a world where silence does not automatically mean safety. For now, I do not want to reveal more than that. The story itself should show what lies beyond that silence.
With a title and the first cover, book three has become a little more tangible. The manuscript still has its journey ahead, but it now has a name and a face.