[Stan Thomas]

My first book, Human Wrongs will be out in a couple weeks. I'd like opinions on the effectiveness of my tag line:

When a black law professor agrees to defend a racist killer, the stakes are much higher than a mere guilty verdict…

Thanks, Kindlekins!

 

[Aimee Laine]

I read it a couple times. The only part that keeps tripping me up is the 'racist killer' because not knowing his race, I can assume many things. If he was something OTHER than 'black' then it would seem to make it more powerful because then it's throwing a huge conflict on the line that goes above and beyond the verdict. But by NOT saying it, it seems I can't be for SURE and thus the potential controversy is a little lost.

Just a thought.

 

[Guest]

My first book, Human Wrongs will be out in a couple weeks. I'd like opinions on the effectiveness of my tag line:

When a black law professor agrees to defend a racist killer, the stakes are much higher than a mere guilty verdict…

It is pretty standard procedure for a defendant to select an attorney that is the same race/gender etc as the victims. Nothing unusual about someone racist/accused of racism deliberately hiring a blank attorney. Happens all the time. like men accused of rape commonly hire female attorneys. There is nothing in the tag line that says your book is presenting anything actually unique.

 

[Stan Thomas]

I should probably add that a short synopsis, with more details, follows the tagline.

Thanks for your feedback. Value it.

 

[Stan Thomas]

I agree. A white supremacist hiring a black attorney is not unusual.... and it's not the point of the book. It's the reason the attorney accepts. Kind of a high stakes chess game.

 

[Guest]

I agree. A white supremacist hiring a black attorney is not unusual.... and it's not the point of the book. It's the reason the attorney accepts. Kind of a high stakes chess game.

If it is not the point of the book then why is it the focus of your tagline?

The whole point of a tagline is to point a laser at what makes the book original or unique, or what is going to be the primary focus. If the race element is only a cursory part of the plot, it shouldn't get any of that prime real estate. Save it for the rest of the blurb...and even then only if it is relavent to the overall plot.