by gibbs williams
Member since:
November 25, 2005

A SECOND REQUEST TO HELP ME NAME MY MEMOIR

June 03, 2006 11:32 AM EDT
views: 51 | comments: 15

                GATHERITES HAVE BEEN HELPFUL

I have a previous posting requesting help in naming my memoir. THe responses I have received have indeed been helpful. Since I am about to send in the required two chapters to publishers for possible publication I am aware that a catchy title is all to the good. Therefore if there are additional ideas I would be happy to hear from one and all.

My initial title was as follows:

                WRITE SMACK IN THE MIDDLE 

                                  MY ODYSSEY: 

    TREATING HEROIN ADDICTS IN THE SIXTIES  

          & WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF      

                                   A MEMOIR            

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My most recent is:

                            SMACK IN THE MIDDLE:

           MY ODYSSEY TREATING HEROIN ADDICTS

                                 IN THE SIXTIES

                                      A MEMOIR

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Comments: 15

Barbary Chaapel Jun 3, 2006, 11:43am EDT
I like your second title, Gibbs.
Max Babi Jun 3, 2006, 11:45am EDT
Hey Gibbs,

How about : Crawling Out Of The Snakepit, or
Lifting Power Of Sheer Will, or
Bootstrapping?

cheerz!
gibbs williams Jun 3, 2006, 12:21pm EDT
Thank you Barbary. Max: I began Odyssey - a therapeutic community in 1967 as a budding psychotherapist. I began as an observing participant and was transformed into a participant observer. It was a mixed bag of good / bad experiences. The Garden of Eden/ the bowels of hell.
gibbs williams, Jun 3, 2006 | delete
Kathryn E. Jun 3, 2006, 1:08pm EDT
Gibbs, I think it needs to be a bit snappier than what you have...Fewer words...."Smack in the Middle" actually says a lot more than you think it does..."Smack in the Middle: A Memoir" - that would entice people to open it up and see what it is about...Ironically, longer titles detract from encouraging people to open up a book.
Today's Illusion Jun 3, 2006, 1:42pm EDT
Ok, how about
Smack in the Middle,
Looking back at Herion in 1960's America.

Smack in the Middle is such a good tie to the mid century and the drug.
Patty C. Jun 3, 2006, 1:48pm EDT
How about

Smack in the Middle: A 1960's Odyssey

I agree that you are heading in the right direction with the second choice above. The "write" part didn't work. I like the idea of shortening it, using the most powerful words to get attention. Exactly how, I'm not sure. I do like the "Smack in the Middle" phrase.
John S. (arizona) Jun 3, 2006, 2:13pm EDT
I like the comment "The Garden of Eden/The Bowels of Hell" myself.
sea gull l. Jun 3, 2006, 2:49pm EDT
how about "where have all the flowers gone"
or "Lucy without the sky of diamonds"
or "Space Odysee 1960's"
Madame Donna C. Jun 3, 2006, 2:56pm EDT
I like the Smack in the Middle part of the title, but the word "Odyssey" is a bit trite to me, takes me back to James Joyce, not heroin. It also reminds me of Jason and the Argonauts. I would search for a better word to better define the work contained in the book. Although "Write Smack In the Middle: Treating Heroin Addicts" looks pretty good. Also, I am always drawn to shorter titles; I like the majority of the words to be between the covers of a book.
gibbs williams Jun 3, 2006, 4:26pm EDT
Donna - Perhaps Odyssey will take on more meaning when you know that the name of the therapeutic community that I am referring to is Odyssey House. In that context the story is about my personal and prefessiona Odyssey, Odyssey House in its first 17 months, and the interactive odyssey we shared.
Madame Donna C. Jun 3, 2006, 5:10pm EDT
Oh, excuse me, I didn't know that. I'm sorry. Then I will have to consider a thoughtfully composed title suggestion once more using Odyssey. That changes the whole connotation for me.
donna f. Jun 4, 2006, 12:50pm EDT
How about "Odyssey: Getting off the Horse, and on with Life"
Jake S. Jun 4, 2006, 2:54pm EDT
My vote is for

Smack in the Middle | Treating Herion Addicts in the Sixties

(And use the line just like I did -- it's real trendy. It's the symbol above backslash on your keyboard (by your right pinky).)

Although, to be honest, from a purely commercial standpoint I'm not sure tying it to the sixties is a good thing..

I also agree with John S. that "Garden of Eden/Bowels of Hell" is good.

I understand your comments on why you want to use the word "Odyssey" in the title but I don't think the tie-in to the name of the program is that important for the title. If you do, maybe remove a "layer" of hidden meaning and go with something like:

Odyssey House -- Smack In the Middle
Jake S. Jun 4, 2006, 3:02pm EDT
More:

Smack in the Middle | Inside the World of Addiction

Smack in the Middle | Sleeping with Heroin Addicts

By the by, I also think Smack in the Middle is very good on its own. Let the publisher suggest more if they want it. They'll probably change it anyway and all the suggestions (including my own) seem too wordy/long to me.
Mary Cartledgehayes Jun 6, 2006, 5:16pm EDT
If you're still taking votes, mine is for Smack in the Middle.
Tantalizing. Energetic. Succinct. What more could you need?
Best of luck.

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