My agent followed up with my editor again to see whether a title decision has been made. The answer is "no."
Here's what she had to say to my agent about it:
First, about title, Jen Klonsky and I have been batting these around yesterday and today, and the tough thing is, nothing is feeling exactly perfect, but at the same time, Mindi sent SO many options that we feel bad going back to her without picking one from the list!
We did think about the word “Wasted” but worried it might be a tough sell at some channels to have the title itself overtly referencing alcohol like that.
Then we wondered if it would be a problem to use Wrecked, since it’s been a couple years since the E.R. Frank teen book by that name. But I think it really could get confusing within S&S to have another Pulse title with that name.
Jen, like me, likes “Live Through This” but we’re both having trouble fully separating from the song enough to be sure how a teen would view that name who has no knowledge of Hole.
We know it needs to have edge, be something a guy could pick up as well as girls, one or two words is ideal for this, and something very much like “Wrecked” since it has so many wonderful layers of meaning.
Do you think Mindi would shoot us if we told her those were our thoughts but we still weren’t sold on one specific title from that list, and tried to brainstorm further? I feel so bad! Don’t know why the title on this one has been so darn challenging.
I wrote back saying that I won't shoot anyone. I don't really care about the title at this point; I just want to have one! (I didn't say that part.) I don't really know what else I can do to help with this. Another list from me is not necessarily going to be useful, particularly since I actually prefer full phrases. (All the ones she did mention here came from my list, by the way.)
It seems like they're just waiting for the right word to materialize. One that has edge, that would interest guys and girls, and that has layers of meaning.
Huh.