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We'd like to welcome to our blog, Author Connor Titus (which is the combined writing talents of authors Lori Titus and Crystal Connor). Because there are two wonderful authors who helped write this book, I asked if I could host them twice during this tour to give us a chance to pick both ladies' brains.
Today we are going to corral...sit down with Lori Titus. Crystal's session will be December 10.
Does writing violent or highly sexual scenes bother you? Why or why not?
A little bit. I always ask myself if what I am writing is necessary for the story. Violence and sex scenes both take a certain amount of choreography, and that means you have to do some careful writing. The right flourish can make a sexy scene really hot - the wrong thing can seem explicit and possibly make the audience uncomfortable. And if you're going for discomfort, you need to understand the motivations for that as an author. The same thing goes for violence. Sometimes it's necessary for the story, but the way it's handled makes the difference between a great scene or one that like an feels like an attention grab. Readers know when writers are holding back or showing too much.
The Guardians of Man started as an experiment to see what kind of story Crystal and I could come up with together. I sent her four or five word prompts, and she sent me back the first chapter of our book. We continued writing each other back and forth, and eventually split to write our own secret copies. Guardians is my side of the tale, while The End is Now is Crystal's version.
Which genres do you write, which do you prefer, and why?
I write paranormal, dark fiction with action and a touch of romance. I like to write the kind of books that I would enjoy reading. I also like to look for things that I don't see out there in the writing market and incorporate new or overlooked elements to my work.
Are you a full-time writer or part-time, and how do you organize your writing time?
I do have a normal day job, so my writing time takes place mostly on nights and weekends. When I am on a roll I write a lot, but if I am not, I don't force it. I go back to writing long hand if I feel blocked, and I find that usually works. Over the last few years I have learned to do other things less. I cut down on television and make sure the things that I do watch aren't fluff. I try to read as many good books and watch good movies or programs because these are all forms of storytelling.
Today we are going to corral...sit down with Lori Titus. Crystal's session will be December 10.
Does writing violent or highly sexual scenes bother you? Why or why not?
A little bit. I always ask myself if what I am writing is necessary for the story. Violence and sex scenes both take a certain amount of choreography, and that means you have to do some careful writing. The right flourish can make a sexy scene really hot - the wrong thing can seem explicit and possibly make the audience uncomfortable. And if you're going for discomfort, you need to understand the motivations for that as an author. The same thing goes for violence. Sometimes it's necessary for the story, but the way it's handled makes the difference between a great scene or one that like an feels like an attention grab. Readers know when writers are holding back or showing too much.
What gave you the idea for this particular story?
Marradith came about as a bunch of questions. I have always enjoyed stories that are about young women who are forced to take on a role greater than anything that they would have imagined for themselves. I wanted to play around with a character who lived under a power structure similar to the secret agencies found in La Femme Nikita or Alias, but adding a paranormal twist. I was interested to see how a young person would be hurt or hampered by taking on life and death responsibility, and just how it would also make her grow. The paranormal twist gives the story a different flavor and makes things fun. Despite some of the very heavy themes, Marradith's stories still have a bit of humor and irony.The Guardians of Man started as an experiment to see what kind of story Crystal and I could come up with together. I sent her four or five word prompts, and she sent me back the first chapter of our book. We continued writing each other back and forth, and eventually split to write our own secret copies. Guardians is my side of the tale, while The End is Now is Crystal's version.
Which genres do you write, which do you prefer, and why?
I write paranormal, dark fiction with action and a touch of romance. I like to write the kind of books that I would enjoy reading. I also like to look for things that I don't see out there in the writing market and incorporate new or overlooked elements to my work.
What about your book makes it special?
I think that the only thing that makes my book special- or anyone's, for that matter - is the heart that the writer puts into it. As an author, if you love your characters, readers can feel that. If you're interested in their flaws, their pain, their humanity, this comes across on the page. I make it my business to write about things that are uncomfortable, and show them with as much honesty as possible. Your characters can be on another planet, be clairvoyants or werewolves, it doesn't matter. What makes them interesting is their humanity, their flaws and weaknesses. Without those things, your characters lack depth. And without depth, there's no point.Are you a full-time writer or part-time, and how do you organize your writing time?
I do have a normal day job, so my writing time takes place mostly on nights and weekends. When I am on a roll I write a lot, but if I am not, I don't force it. I go back to writing long hand if I feel blocked, and I find that usually works. Over the last few years I have learned to do other things less. I cut down on television and make sure the things that I do watch aren't fluff. I try to read as many good books and watch good movies or programs because these are all forms of storytelling.
The Guardians of Man by Connor TitusIn the valley of Mt. Empyreal, the fight for humanity has already begun.
In the mountain community of Fate's Keep, the global power outage and the onset of winter are only the beginning of what is yet to come. Along with the first snowfall, an ancient evil has come. With time running out, will the Guardians be able to save mankind?
Buy the Book: Amazon
About the Authors
Lori Titus
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
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Amazon Author Page
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
Crystal ConnorWashington State native Crystal Connor has been terrorizing readers since before Jr. high School and loves anything to do with monsters, bad guys, rogue scientific experiments, jewelry, sky-high high heel shoes & unreasonably priced hang bags. She is also considering changing her professional title to ‘dramatization specialist’ because it’s so much more theatrical than being just a mere drama queen. Along with inducing insomnia within her readership Crystal also reviews indie horror and sci-fi movies for HorrorAddicts.net
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