Better With Cheese

Deciding he wanted to eat something special and delicious in anticipation of his wedding, Ben and his groomsmen went out in search for food. Spying the 7-Eleven, Ben cried out, “Let’s get chili-cheese dogs!” And so they did. In their tuxes, immediately preceding the wedding. Thankfully they ate with care and arrived clean and handsome in time for the ceremony.

Some things are better with cheese. Pizza and chili-cheese dogs among them. Book titles, however, are not. When browsing for a book to read, I skim over anything that sounds cheesy or fluffy. The first introduction I have to a book is its title and cover. If they don’t appeal to me, I don’t buy the book. It might be an excellent read, but I’m never going to risk finding out if the title turned me away.

Which is why it is essentially important that my own novel has a title that captures the eye and appeals to the imagination. Unfortunately, however, I am not gifted at creating titles. I invented one at the beginning of this project, but now have decided it needs to be replaced with something that reflects the depth and heart of the story. Only I can’t come up with anything.

I’ve completed six novels in my lifetime. And I’ve always encountered absolute discouragement and fear at the conclusion, paralyzing me from taking the next step forward. I’m struggling with it again now. All the old voices are coming back to me. The ones that tell me that I’ll never succeed, that I don’t have what it takes, that I’m wasting my time trying. I guess in achieving any great dream, there are demons to fight and obstacles to overcome.

If you’ve followed my journey this far, I would ask you to pray that I’ll find the determination and hope to keep fighting. And that I would be able to think of a title that is more profound than cheesy. Discouragement is the most debilitating source of writer’s block, and I’m suffering from both of these now.

Thanks for reading my blog, and I greatly appreciate your prayers and encouragement.

And I’m especially thankful for that big, handsome guy in the middle. Without chili-cheese dog stains on his tux.