By any other name.

Today I received an email stating that someone is actually interested in publishing one of the stories I sent out a week or so ago. Exciting news. My published credentials are still limited enough that this is a fairly big deal. It's always exciting to know that some editor somewhere thought enough of my piece and the story will be out there somewhere in the Universe where people who have no connection to me might stumble across it and enjoy.

Here's the interesting catch. The editor is suggesting a change in the title. He says he thinks the name might be a turn off and discourage people from clicking on the story and reading it. I'm not sure I by that. The title is short and honest and pretty direct and accurately names the piece.

I see two possible objections to the name that might be in his head that aren't really in mine.
1. One word in the title is the name of a popular American icon. I guess there's some possiblity out there of a trademark issue or something because people are still making money off this name. But I think literary license would cover this.

2. Another word in the title points to a particular ethnicity. Could that be an issue? I've thought a little about this and I don't think I'm stereotyping this ethnity in this story. The ethnicity is not a fact that is germane to the character, but I think it does make him more interesting in some regard. But maybe ethnicity just shouldn't be used this way. I'm not sure. Or maybe as a racial minority I'm just being sensitive to this possibility.

Anyway, I've told the editor that I'd try and come up with a new name by tomorrow. And although I don't really have something I like, I think I'll defend my original title and make a few half heart suggestions. Really, I haven't come across anything else I like.