What’s in a Name?

I had initially chosen the title, The Killer Trail, because it conjured up a number of images for me and I thought it could work on a few different levels. This included the snow covered trail where the story began after Chris Ryder found the cell phone of a ruthless killer named Ray Owens. I also liked the title because I thought it represented the metaphorical path taken by Ray Owens, providing a glimpse into his life and the carnage and sorrow he leaves along the way. It all worked well…or so I thought.

I mentioned the title, The Killer Trail to a few friends before describing the story, and I was struck by what the title meant to them: A cowboy (cowgirl) Western tale set out on a dusty outback trail. Not exactly the image I was going for. This highlighted for me the importance of a title.

That brings me to the rationale behind the title, Fighting Darkness. I liked it because the Darkness represented the deadly external conflict between Chris Ryder and Ray Owens. The Darkness also represented the internal battles Chris Ryder faced with his own dark impulses and how far he would go in order to bring a killer to justice. On another level, Fighting Darkness could refer to the stigma experienced by individuals with mental  health challenges, such as the character Paul Butler.

In the end, Fighting Darkness may mean different things to different people. I think that is a good thing. I believe the common thread running through these themes is: struggle. Fighting Darkness is about the struggles in our lives, what ever they may be. I may have my own thoughts on what was intended, but in reaching out for a diverse reading audience, it is more important to leave it open to the interpretation of others.

What’s in a name? Quite a lot.