Title Problem Solved

I have a group of friends who meet in the pub every Thursday for a humorous 'round robin' style discussion of whatever matters arise (youcanstickit.blogspot.com/p/pub-letters.html). 
They turned their attention to the problem of what to call my book last night and generously shared the results of their collective effort with me today. The Business of Death wasn't popular - the title should be lighter, even funny.

As usual, the Thursday night pub wisdom is immaculate in its reasoning and irresistable in its argument - and I'm indebted to Frank who came up with 'Over My Dead Body', because I'll be going with 'Over Your Dead Body'.

Logwood Chips

I'm going to be using this as a gallery. Here's a poignantly evocative image from my childhood:

Shakespeare Oddly Reticent

And there's another book with this title, too, and this one's published in the UK. So it's back to The Business of Death. The other book with that title is only published in the US and Australia. (There's no copyright in a book title). 

The only reference to undertakers in Shakespeare is in Othello, when Iago volunteers to kill Cassio by saying "let me be his undertaker".  

Notes to the text usually explain that was in the sense of undertaking to do a job, rather than removal of the remains and arranging a funeral. But that might be wrong. See http://overyourdeadbody.blogspot.com/2014/07/shakespeare-buffs-may-just-be-wrong.html

Eyre & Spottiswoode's Finest

And I've just changed the name of the book to In the Midst of Life: How we Deal with the Dead. I discovered that there's already a book called The Business of Death that's come out since I last googled. It's about a detective undertaker, by an Aussie, and so far only published there and the US. I've had to think of a new title and create a new blog. 

I got the new title by going though a copy of the Order of the Burial of the Dead I have, thoughtfully printed on waxed paper in mind of English weather by Eyre and Spottiswoode, in accordance with the provisions of the Prayer Book Measure1928.

Shakespeare and the Bible, you can't beat 'em.

http://inmidstoflife.blogspot.co.uk/

Introductions Got Out of the Way

My name is Robert Patrick Connolly, and I'm from Liverpool. My name in Irish is Roibéard Padraig O'Coingheallaigh. Hence Robocon.

I've just written a book called The Business of Death, about the practice, history, science and future of undertaking, and how we deal with the dead. You can find out about it on my Business of Death blog: https://overyourdeadbody.blogspot.co.uk

I'm looking for an agent or a publisher. All suggestions welcome.