Best Five Movie Taglines and Why You Should Have One

We are always selling something, our abilities to do a job, our version of an argument, the movie that we want to see this weekend, the fruits of our work, our books, our stories. Marketing and negotiating are abilities that should be ingrained in us, they should come naturally. Instead, we struggle to make those sales.

Few areas instill more horror into regular folks than Marketing (if you don't do that for a living, that is), specially for authors. The world of Literature is a complex world where you're in for the love of the art, hoping you might become the next JK Rowling, or simply because the voices compelled you (I'm with the latter if you wonder).

Those who view Literature as an Art are a very selective, posh, tiny group of writers and critics that will pretty much pander everyone who makes money out of their books; which, by the way, do not require of a dictionary to read. They are elitists against every form of marketing because Art is not for sale.

But if you're reading this, you probably aren't with them and so, you need to learn how to sell your work. An awesome blurb, a killer cover, a few nods from some better-known fellas, and a tagline are your best weapons. Today we'll focus on the last one there.

Taglines are nothing new in the marketing world. They have been proven to be an effective way to make a brand memorable. Think of Nike's "Just Do It," or Loreal's "Because You're Worth It." Movies, of course, were the natural progression; now, books, on the other hand, have not embraced the idea all that warmly. Once again, the elitists run the show by saying that your story should sell itself--if you so want to cheap your art, that is--so taglines are a sure sign of tackiness. Then again, we've stablished you are no snub. So, why haven't you written one?

There are genres that lend themselves perfectly for taglines, like Horror, Romance, and Young Adult in particular. Span-attention-challenged teens will have a hard time choosing between a bazillion Post-Apocalyptic sagas, or Paranormal Romances, and remembering titles/authors is just out of the question. This is how a tagline can set you apart and incline a reader toward the cash register with your book in hand.

Ok, so I got your interest now. But how to write one?

Well, it has to be short, powerful, intriguing, and memorable. It needs to reflect the style of your story and the atmosphere. I would make it two lines at the most. If there is comedy in your piece, make it sassy; if the language is that of young people, use idioms; if it is a mystery, ask questions. The closest thing that can give you an idea of how it is done are movies. So, I recommend you check the most memorable taglines in the genre of your book and used them as inspiration.

In this spirit, I have here the Five Most Memorable Horror Taglines I've found. Let's analyze them...

5. "It started in May in a small town. And every month after that whenever the moon was full... It came back." ~Silver Bullet (1985) 

This one tells you it is a werewolf story and that a whole town is involved somehow. Not the brightest, but still effective in setting the suspenseful atmosphere.

4. "They will make cemeteries their cathedrals and cities will be your tombs." ~Demons (1985) 

This one I like in particular because I hated the movie. You see, the tagline is so good that even if I couldn't handle the movie, I still remember it. It is dark, scary, and paints a bleak future for the human race. Bestselling features all.

3. "The last man on earth is not alone." ~I am Legend (2007)

Holy cow! Eight little words say so much! Now, this uses 'antithesis', a resource that will punch your brain and force you to re-read and think about the hidden meaning. The last man, but he's not alone?! Oh, shit! Elegant, simple, and effective.

2. "Between the world we see and the things we fear there are doors. When they are open, nightmares become reality." ~A Haunting. TV Show.

Now, this one appeals to our inner demons. We all have nightmares and we are thankful they stay like that, but messing with reality and blurring the line between dreams and our everyday lives is a scary prospect where going crazy, ironically, would be the best case scenario.

1. "When there's no more room in Hell, the death will walk the earth." ~Dawn of the Dead (1978) 

This movie is a classic and its tagline is just as memorable. Its prophetic kinda statement is scary as hell and it manages to put a grotesque image in our heads that has endured for decades. It is the reason zombies are at the top of the scary machine.

So, I hope these inspire you to go write an awesome tagline for your book. Do you remember a tagline that has stayed with you for years? Which one, and why?

Remember, research within your genre and go for it. Be bold, be different, don't be afraid.

Best Five Horror/Scary Animated Shorts

I love the feeling of being scared, of having my heart missing a bit, of holding my breath and covering my eyes in complete and unashamed cowardice. Not in the real world, of course, but in the fantastical world of my imagination--You may doubt it but I'm not that crazy.--Whenever I want to kick back, relax, and have a fun time, my mind inevitably drifts to the genre. Books, TV shows, movies, short movies, anything and everything good enough to cause any of the things I told you before brings me joy. So, it is no wonder that many of my Friday Fun posts relate to the genre and I hope you enjoy them as much as me.

Today I want to share with you more awesome animated shorts. Most of them were made by small independent filmmakers just trying to reach viewers. In that aspect we, writers, are no different than the hordes of artists fighting to make a living off their art.--Not that I can call what I do "art" but you get my drift.--In an effort to bring what little recognition I can to those unknown artists, I highlight today five of the horror/scary/suspenseful animated shorts that have given me the most joy to watch. Hope they do the same for you and you decide to share their work with someone else.

5. IN SICKNESS - This short has been critically acclaimed for the message of love it conveys. Though not strictly horror, it has a preternatural element and it is indeed scary and sad--being that it talks about sickness and death.


4. THE LADY AND THE RIPPER - Another short that's not really horror but that deals with the theme of death, this time in lighthearted manner that will get more than a chuckle out of you.


3. THE GIRL WHO WAS FORGOTTEN - This one is more into the gothic spectrum and hauntingly beautiful. Not horrific at all and even a little sad.


2. THE PASSENGER - This short is scary and hilarious all at the same time. It made me jump a couple of times and what fun I had!


1. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - In this case the subject matter gets darker dealing with domestic abuse and monsters--both, imaginary and real.-- It gave me the creeps and I hope it does the same for you. =)


Bonus. THE BLACKWATER GOSPEL - This short is not only scary and disturbing, but gruesome. The pacing is phenomenal, the writing amazing, and the animation a treat, so I couldn't pass it. I think it has a deeper message that is worth repeating but I do have to say it gets bloody towards the end. Totally worth it, still: Viewer be warned.

Have an awesome weekend, everyone!

A Different Tuesday, The Five Best Pixar Shorts to Date

I usually do book reviews every Tuesday but ever since those vacations up in Mexico, I've been chasing my tail trying to go back to my usual rhythm. Unsuccessfully, I should add.

With the kids out of school and in the house, I'm still trying to develop a new routine that will fulfill everyone's idea of a happy summer: Mommy's time to write and read, kid's fun stuff, house chores, and new puppy's training... easier said than done. But I'm happy to report I'm half way there. Today I sent a new review to Dark River Press, I'm finally reading another of the books I committed to review, and I'm writing for the blog, so I guess a happy dance is in order. And though I can't post my usual review here (since I'm behind my reading schedule), I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite Pixar shorts. These always make me smile and will go perfectly with my happy dance.

Hope you enjoy.

The Five Best Pixar Shorts To Date.

5. Jack Jack Attack.


Jack-Jack Attack. from gabrielhalivon on Vimeo.

4. Lifted.


Lifted - Pixar Short from Will Fletcher on Vimeo.


3. Partly clouded.


Partly Cloudy from Kristien Coteur on Vimeo.

2. Knick Knack.


knick knack from aplady on Vimeo.

1. Presto.


Presto from ithang on Vimeo.

Friday Fun: Best Five Hilarious Shorts

Another friday comes our way and we are already thinking of all the fun stuff we can do in this long weekend that officially opens the summer season. Pools will be open, Grills will take its righteous place on thousands of patios, and gas/airfare prices will not stop us from going somewhere while complaining all along the way. Hail to the most revered season for students all over the country, and longest three months of the year for parents across the northern hemisphere.

In accordance to such a momentous weekend, I decided to share with you a list of my favorite five, most entertaining and hilarious animated shorts I've seen. I hope you will make the most of this long weekend and that this humble post will kick start it with a welcome laugh. Enjoy!


5. Heavenly Appeals. What I like about this short is that it delivers laughs with a message of hope that fits perfectly our current spirits. After our naughty summer, there's still hope for us to be redeemed. Grated that we find ourselves a mean angel... but hope still.



4. Project Alarm. When I was younger I used to set five different alarms throughout my room. I still managed to be late for work quite often. My girls have proven to be a much more effective alarm, specially if they're hungry.



3. Oktapodi. Next time you decide eating octopus, think about it twice. They have feelings, too, you know?



2. Pigeon: Impossible. Tom Cruise ain't got nothing against this pigeon.



1. The Lady and The Ripper. I chose this animated short directed by Antonio Banderas as my number one because it has it all, heart, laughs, and a sweet old lady that won't play nice.



What do you think about these videos? Do you have any favorite shorts to share with me? Well, that's what the comments are for! Don't make me beg.

A Stephen King Complication

Another friday has come our way and I promised I'll go with fun and entertaining stuff on these days. First off, I'm dedicating this post to my idol and inspiration, Stephen King (not that he'll read this or even cares, but nonetheless). I'll share with you a list of my top five most favorite books/stories of his.

5 Best Stephen King Books/Stories Ever

• Pet Cemetery. I mean, really, this book made cry like a baby. So scary and tragic! And I wasn't even a mom back then. I do not dare read it again until my kids have reached a ripe-old age.

• The Shining. This one is a classic and we all know the movie version which is up there with the greatest ever. The book, however, explores many human themes besides the obvious supernatural ones and that gives it a deeper, more frightening sense. I had nightmares for weeks!

• Jerusalem's Lot. A short story from SK's anthology, NIGHT SHIFT. This story is sort of a prequel to Salem's Lot. It takes place decades (possibly even centuries, but the details are foggy since I read it such a long time ago) before the novel, it goes to show the reader how evil the land itself was, way before vampires got there.

• Salem's Lot. This is one of my favorite books because it is the only novel-length story SK has entirely dedicated to the vampire myth. It is so effective and human that, again, it goes beyond the paranormal scares and into our own inner monsters.

• The Boogeyman. Another short story from NIGHT SHIFT. I own my paralyzing fear to open closets at night to this one. Not only that, I cannot let my feet hang out the side of my bed and into the fangs of whatever thing might lurk under it. Seriously.

Of course, it is always hard to choose among so many great stories and books and these ones are the ones that spoke to me, personally. I'd love to hear all about your favorite five!