Thank you, participating Posse Bloggers!
Dec 1
Indie Hoopla Gala (1 of 2)
Dec 2
The Blood Flow
Dec 3
Hell Fyre Risen (part 1)
Indie Author How-to (part 1)
Dec 4
Fated Dimensions (part 1)
My Inner Muse (part 1)
Dec 5
Laki Luvs Indies
Dec 8
Hell Fyre Risen (part 2)
Dec 9
Fated Dimensions (part 2)
My Inner Muse (part 2)
Dec 10
Siren's Dreamscape
The Blood Flow
Dec 11
A Saintz Dream
Indie Author How-to (part 2)
Dec 12
Indie Hoopla Gala (2 of 2)
Dec 1
Indie Hoopla Gala (1 of 2)
Dec 2
The Blood Flow
Dec 3
Hell Fyre Risen (part 1)
Indie Author How-to (part 1)
Dec 4
Fated Dimensions (part 1)
My Inner Muse (part 1)
Dec 5
Laki Luvs Indies
Dec 8
Hell Fyre Risen (part 2)
Dec 9
Fated Dimensions (part 2)
My Inner Muse (part 2)
Dec 10
Siren's Dreamscape
The Blood Flow
Dec 11
A Saintz Dream
Indie Author How-to (part 2)
Dec 12
Indie Hoopla Gala (2 of 2)
We want to welcome our tour guests Lori Titus and Crystal Connor to our interview couch. These lovely ladies co-wrote our featured title for this tour, The Guardians of Man, under the name Connor Titus. Our interview is being done in two parts. Crystal's interview is today and if you would like to check out Lori's interview you can catch it HERE. Shall we get started?
The Interview
How did your writing career begin?
Thank you so much for having me today. You know that’s a really good question. My writing career began because I was really in the right place at the right time and happened to meet the right person.
I was working as a mechanic in a Seattle boat yard and some of the guys told the welding instructor, who just happened to be an award-winning author, that I was an inspiring writer. He came up to me at lunch one day, sparked a conversation and convinced me to share a story.
I brought in a short story called The Darkness. He took it home with him and shared it with his wife, an editor.
When he came back to work the next day he basically lost his mind. He told me to stop fucking around and to take my writing seriously. He told me the only reason that The Darkness was a short story was because I was being lazy.
He was the first person outside of my circle of family and friends who told me I was good at what I did. Your family and friends are supposed to support the things that you’re doing and you have to be confidant in your abilities of the things that you’re doing but hearing it from someone who didn’t know me from Adam and was not in the least bit invested in me personally or otherwise definitely hammered it home.
He told me that I needed to be writing every day and that I needed an editor. That was the first thing.
The next thing that happened was I hired an editor. I just contacted an editor from craigslist, she was the wrong type of editor, she was an editor for technical manuals, but because I write science fiction and she wanted to broaden her portfolio she agreed to take me on as a client. But here’s the thing, not everyone is into horror. In The Darkness there is a scene where a priest in killed by a child in a science laboratory. Being a devout Catholic that was the point that she couldn’t move forward from.
Luckily for me she didn’t just drop me as a client. She gave my manuscript to another editor and then called me to invite me to lunch to talk about our project. I didn’t know she was planning on not working with me anymore until I got to lunch. She explained her reasons why and introduced me to her friend who she felt would be a better fit. Her friend just happened to be the editor-in-chief for a small publishing firm and the other woman with her was the CEO. I walked right into a business meeting wearing jeans and a tee shirt with a mouth full of bubble gum and was offered a small book deal before The Darkness was even finished.
I took the contract to a friend and after looking it over he explained it wasn’t a good deal for me so I didn’t sign with them. I ended up signing with another small publishing firm but unfortunately that relationship dissolved but I am still grateful because they’re the ones who put me on the map.
Did you have any other aspirations besides being a writer?
I was really just writing as a hobby, I wasn’t dreaming about a movie deal until after the second book in the trilogy because I made the decision to quit my job so that I could write full time.
What was the best advice you were given in regards to writing?
To start taking my writing seriously. The Darkness, my very first novel was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards in two categories, Cross Genre Fiction and Multicultural fiction and I dedicated both those awards to him because if it weren’t for him I’d still be turning a wrench somewhere.
If there was one thing you could change about the way you wrote your first book, if any, and why?
Lol, like the temporal paradox theory this one’s tricky. If I could go back and do things differently I might not be here today. Maybe I’d be sitting here collecting Stephen King sized royalty checks, but most likely not.
Everything that has happened brought me to here, and though I still have a long, long, long way to go before I can even seriously entertain the thought that one of my books would even be considered for a movie, or hell, a HBO/Showtime/Syfy series this is still an awesome place to be.
I am slowly making a name for myself, meeting all kinds of people who have read one of my books, being interviewed for blogs, basically just having a blast. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change a thing!
For all the newbies, what would you tell them about a career in writing?
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big as long as you're realistic on how you’ll be able to make those dreams come true. Just because you write it doesn’t mean they will come…you have to do the leg work because, until you become a household name, no one is going to do it for you.
Go to Amazon/Goodreads or any other book reviewing site you can think of and look up your all time favorite author, who in your opinion is the greatest write that ever held a pen. Now note their negative reviews. If they are getting one and two star reviews, you’ll be getting them too. Your job as a writer is not to debate or enter discussions with people who do not like your book. Your job as a writer is to write. If there is something suggested that could strengthen your skill as a writer take that lesson and apply it to your next novel, if not let it go and move on.
Never, never, ever publish self edited work. Ever.
Though challenging, you should be having fun, the minute it stops being fun it might be time for you to explore other passions.
Thank you so much for having me today. You know that’s a really good question. My writing career began because I was really in the right place at the right time and happened to meet the right person.
I was working as a mechanic in a Seattle boat yard and some of the guys told the welding instructor, who just happened to be an award-winning author, that I was an inspiring writer. He came up to me at lunch one day, sparked a conversation and convinced me to share a story.
I brought in a short story called The Darkness. He took it home with him and shared it with his wife, an editor.
When he came back to work the next day he basically lost his mind. He told me to stop fucking around and to take my writing seriously. He told me the only reason that The Darkness was a short story was because I was being lazy.
He was the first person outside of my circle of family and friends who told me I was good at what I did. Your family and friends are supposed to support the things that you’re doing and you have to be confidant in your abilities of the things that you’re doing but hearing it from someone who didn’t know me from Adam and was not in the least bit invested in me personally or otherwise definitely hammered it home.
He told me that I needed to be writing every day and that I needed an editor. That was the first thing.
The next thing that happened was I hired an editor. I just contacted an editor from craigslist, she was the wrong type of editor, she was an editor for technical manuals, but because I write science fiction and she wanted to broaden her portfolio she agreed to take me on as a client. But here’s the thing, not everyone is into horror. In The Darkness there is a scene where a priest in killed by a child in a science laboratory. Being a devout Catholic that was the point that she couldn’t move forward from.
Luckily for me she didn’t just drop me as a client. She gave my manuscript to another editor and then called me to invite me to lunch to talk about our project. I didn’t know she was planning on not working with me anymore until I got to lunch. She explained her reasons why and introduced me to her friend who she felt would be a better fit. Her friend just happened to be the editor-in-chief for a small publishing firm and the other woman with her was the CEO. I walked right into a business meeting wearing jeans and a tee shirt with a mouth full of bubble gum and was offered a small book deal before The Darkness was even finished.
I took the contract to a friend and after looking it over he explained it wasn’t a good deal for me so I didn’t sign with them. I ended up signing with another small publishing firm but unfortunately that relationship dissolved but I am still grateful because they’re the ones who put me on the map.
Did you have any other aspirations besides being a writer?
I was really just writing as a hobby, I wasn’t dreaming about a movie deal until after the second book in the trilogy because I made the decision to quit my job so that I could write full time.
What was the best advice you were given in regards to writing?
To start taking my writing seriously. The Darkness, my very first novel was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards in two categories, Cross Genre Fiction and Multicultural fiction and I dedicated both those awards to him because if it weren’t for him I’d still be turning a wrench somewhere.
If there was one thing you could change about the way you wrote your first book, if any, and why?
Lol, like the temporal paradox theory this one’s tricky. If I could go back and do things differently I might not be here today. Maybe I’d be sitting here collecting Stephen King sized royalty checks, but most likely not.
Everything that has happened brought me to here, and though I still have a long, long, long way to go before I can even seriously entertain the thought that one of my books would even be considered for a movie, or hell, a HBO/Showtime/Syfy series this is still an awesome place to be.
I am slowly making a name for myself, meeting all kinds of people who have read one of my books, being interviewed for blogs, basically just having a blast. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change a thing!
For all the newbies, what would you tell them about a career in writing?
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big as long as you're realistic on how you’ll be able to make those dreams come true. Just because you write it doesn’t mean they will come…you have to do the leg work because, until you become a household name, no one is going to do it for you.
Go to Amazon/Goodreads or any other book reviewing site you can think of and look up your all time favorite author, who in your opinion is the greatest write that ever held a pen. Now note their negative reviews. If they are getting one and two star reviews, you’ll be getting them too. Your job as a writer is not to debate or enter discussions with people who do not like your book. Your job as a writer is to write. If there is something suggested that could strengthen your skill as a writer take that lesson and apply it to your next novel, if not let it go and move on.
Never, never, ever publish self edited work. Ever.
Though challenging, you should be having fun, the minute it stops being fun it might be time for you to explore other passions.
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.
The Darkest of Lore Blog | Twitter | Goodreads |
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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