[Ripley]

Mine is still a WIP:
A science journalist must use her investigative skills to stop an influenza pandemic caused by a time travel experiment.

 

[Ripley]

Ripley,

How about "No Time For The Flu"??

"Back To The Future: When Marty Had The Flu" ...

Pandemic Prevention Parable?

Sorry ... I'm tired ... I should go to bed ... but I love playing with titles ...

Raymond: Where were you when I was debating my title? I particularly like the Marty McFly reference.

I'm pretty happy with Dormant, though I'm giving myself on a bit of leeway to change my mind if "the one" pops up before my cover is done.

 

[Ripley]

Mine is still a WIP. This is more attention-grabbing, but I would like to make it shorter.

Before Sundown, reporting was just her job. No longer Dormant, the flu made it personal.

Science journalist, Jackie Davenport, must uncover the truth about a time travel experiment in order to stop the pandemic.

 

[Ripley]

Joseph,

What a great idea. I have been thinking about mine and would like to change it to:

Only one man can save the planet - he just died.

Philip: I'm intrigued.

I have been working on my tagline. This is the most recent iteration. I welcome comments, because I know it isn't quite there yet.

To stop the flu pandemic from sending the population to the brink of extinction, journalist Jackie Davenport must uncover the truth behind the government's secret time travel experiment. Humanity's future hangs on Jackie's courage and ability to convince with the scoop of a lifetime.

 

[Ripley]

Ripley,

While I'm not quite sure of the answer (yet) ... and I'm certainly no expert - I personally feel a good "tagline" needs to be short and sweet - something that is a very small "soundbite" - like a movie poster type of thing. "This summer - he will save the world - if he can only find his pants" ... that kind of thing.

Let's see ... hmm ... giving some thought to your tagline ... how about ...

"Rewinding the flu pandemic could be the story of a lifetime - or the end of humanity"

"One cough could be the end of the world if time cannot be rewound"

"The Pandemic Journal - just in the nick of time"

None of those quite "work" either ... but they are more "bite-sized" - which I believe is what you should be after for a "tagline" ...

I agree that it needs to be shorter, but brevity is not my strong suit. I like "rewind" as a concept (your second version really caught my eye) but the pandemic is caused by time travel, not solved by it.

Way too long. I know you think you need most of those words, bc it's your book and that's the nature of authorship, but you don't.

"To stop a pandemic, Jackie Davenport must uncover the truth behind a secret experiment."

I think those are the words you need from what you posted. Now I think you need to make it...more. Somehow. Um...yeah. This stuff is hard. (honestly I almost said, "make it sexier!" but then I found my shame.)

This is nicely succinct. I was trying to include details like the flu and time travel as ways to catch attention, but I probably don't need those.

Thank you for the help!