[Interview_1] Lori Titus

In this interview, Lori Titus, author of the short story collection, Green Water Lullaby (Sonar 4 Publications, 2010) talks about stories and the effect they have on people:

When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was about ten years old.

I originally started by writing down nightmares I had, which always seemed to go away once they were on paper. At some point, I wasn’t having bad dreams anymore, but decided to start creating stories just for fun.

I used to take my stories and poetry to school, and would turn them in to my teacher for extra credit. Early on, my teachers encouraged me, that this was something I should pursue. So it’s always been a plan of mine [to get published], but figuring out exactly how I was going to do it was more difficult.

How did you eventually manange to do it?

I was surfing the internet one day and happened to notice that there were a lot of short story websites around which accepted work from unknown authors. I sent a couple of stories around, and finally got published on MicroHorror.

Once I got that first story accepted, I got busy writing more stories, and started submitting widely.

How would you describe your writing?

I’d describe it as paranormal/horror with a dramatic bent.

There are always paranormal elements, but the stories are all about people and how they relate (or fail to relate) with each other.

I believe that everyone is fascinated with the unexplained, with things that scare us, and things that we can’t see. My stories take the ordinary world and bend it a little.

I try to spark something in the reader’s mind, that question of “what if…?” So rather than appealing to any one group, I try to appeal to a human sense of curiosity.

Which authors influenced you most?

As a child I read a lot of classic authors, and [Edgar Allan] Poe will always be my favorite.

That said, I find that I am influenced by many authors, both known and up and coming. Some of my favorites include John Sanford, Dean Koontz, Tananrive Due, Stephanie Meyer, and Alice Hoffman.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have always been enthralled with people's stories, how they tell them, and which things they emphasize.

Every story you hear from a friend, a co-worker, or relative, has a theme behind it, a certain meaning they want to convey. I’m always interested by what people have to say, how no two people tell the exact same story in the same way. In this way, your life is often reflected in writing. There are defiant themes within the stories that are relevant to my life experiences.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

My main concern is writing a story that is entertaining, that holds the reader’s attention.

I want people to be able to relate to the characters, and I want to surprise them with what comes next.

I try to make the characters as relatable as possible. They may be in extraordinary circumstances, but they all have the capacity to love, hate, and make mistakes the way any ordinary person would.

My biggest challenge, like most writers, is finding the time to write.

I am very disciplined about what I write, but I do not write every day. I have been known to go on a “writing jag” where I will write a chapter a day for a few weeks, and then nothing at all for a month. Being an editor for Flashes in the Dark and Sonar4 helps keep my creative juices going when I am not writing my own stories. It also keeps me encouraged to plunge ahead with my own work.

When you write how does each session start? How do you proceed, generally?

I don’t write every day, but I usually have in mind how much I want to write before I stop. I may want to finish a particular scene or a group of scenes over a period of time.

I have a little office in my apartment, and I spend a lot of time there! Sometimes I write something by hand, but other times I go to the computer and start typing. I usually don’t stop until I have reached the end of whatever scene I’m working on.

How much writing have you done so far?

I have had stories published in three anthologies so far: A Demonminds Halloween 2008 (CreateSpace, 2008), Mausoleum Memoirs (House of Horror, ____) and Toe Tags (Lulu.com, 2009).

I also have another book of short stories which will be out next year. All of these are horror collections.

I also write an online novel for Flashes in the Dark called The Marradith Ryder Series. The first half of the series (or the first book, which is about 84 episodes) is already complete, and I am starting to work on the second half.

Marradith Ryder is a young girl who is not what she seems. She is abducted by a man who claims he was sent to protect her. At first, she doesn’t trust him, but soon finds herself the object of a hunt. Meanwhile, all the secrets her family has kept from her start to unravel.

How would you describe the stories in Green Water Lullaby?

Green Water Lullaby is an anthology of stories about the make-believe town of Chrysalis, South Carolina.

All the stories have a paranormal aspect, but there are equal portions of romance and action. There are stories about brothers at odds with each other, vengeful lovers, and a pregnant housewife awaiting the return of her husband, a soldier stationed overseas. There are ghosts, werewolves, and other things not as easily labeled.

These stories were written over a period of six months, between my work on Marradith Ryder and other projects.

The book will be published through Sonar 4 Publications [and] will be available from Sonar 4 Publications in April, 2010.

Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into Green Water Lullaby?

The editing phase is always the most difficult, because I tend to pick my stories apart a lot before I settle on a final version. I think that I’m picky! But in the end, I feel my work has always benefited from it, so I just work at it until I’m comfortable with the product.

I like to change around the point of view, and I read the stories back to myself to see if it sounds like what I have in my imagination. I like that moment when I know I’ve almost got it where I want it.

I enjoyed writing all of these stories, getting into the psyche of characters that were very different from myself and each other.

What sets this collection of short stories apart from other things you've written?

The tone and the level of intimacy the reader will have with the characters in these stories is different. Each of these stories is like a photo with a shadow, lurking somewhere in the corner. Just within sight… but not easily recognized until you observe for a moment.

What will your next book be about?

There are two “next” books, because I am writing them at the same time. One will be about Marradith Ryder and another will be a sort of spin-off. There are also multiple, smaller projects in the works.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

I am very happy with the success I have seen so far, but I can see things going further.

The Marradith Ryder Series and the response to it has been great. I’ve enjoyed writing all the stories I’ve had over this past year and a half, including the ones that made it into anthologies.

I always like to keep going forward, to the next project. That said, I also think that being an editor for two online ezines has been a big achievement. It’s made me grow as a writer, and I now feel that I am included within a community of artists that I am very proud to work with. But my most significant achievement, I like to think, is somewhere down the road. I always like to think about the exciting things that come next.

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Related articles:

• Raven Starr [Interview], Conversations with Writers, August 8, 2007
• Lori Titus [Interview_2], Conversations with Writers, September 12, 2010

[Interview] Molly Roe

In this interview, Molly Roe, the author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires (Tribute Books, 2008), talks about her writing:

How would you describe the writing you are doing?

Until about five years ago, I wrote only academic papers, but I began writing fiction as an outgrowth of my genealogy hobby. At first the stories were just for my family and myself, but later publishing became my goal.

My writing combines family genealogy, Irish and coal region lore, local history, and imagination to create historical fiction for young people.

What motivated you to write for this audience?

Since I teach junior high students, they seemed the logical target audience. I read and evaluated middle grade and young adult library favorites and decided that an historical fiction novel similar to the Dear America series books would suit my style and abilities.

I also wanted my students to learn more about local history -- of which coal mining and the Molly Maguires are a huge part. Imagine my surprise when I found that the grandparents and great grandparents of my teen and ‘tween audience were also fascinated with Call Me Kate. Now some of my most avid fans are octogenarians!

Which authors influenced you most?

Two young adult authors, Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Suzanne Fisher Staples, have had a big impact on my writing. They are both Newbery Award recipients, and both grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, as I did. Last spring I had the enormous pleasure of sitting with Susan and Suzanne at a library luncheon. Both women are fantastic writers and unbelievably gracious people.

Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s historical fiction and nonfiction works relate to my area of interest, and she has been kind enough to give me advice about writing.

Suzanne, on the other hand, writes knowledgeably about an entirely unfamiliar but fascinating world. She worked in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan for twenty years and brings that exotic setting to life in her books. I could never hope to match her global experience, but I become a virtual world traveler by reading her books.

Have your own personal experiences influenced your writing in any way?

My personal experiences influence my writing since my beliefs often surface in my characters’ lives.

I feel strong ties to my female ancestors who were so strong and enduring through the tough times of past generations. I feel their sense of injustice over discrimination, I feel for today’s immigrants because of what they endured. I get angry at the cavalier attitude of big business just as they evidently did against the Coal Companies that ran their lives.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

A general concern is that people will stop reading for pleasure. The modern world moves so fast that many people say they don’t have the time to sit and savor a book. I think writers and publishers are dealing with this issue by changing to meet the needs of the “modern” reader who like to jump right into the action.

A personal challenge with writing is making the time to write. Since I teach, most of my day involves reading and writing. When I get home, grading papers consumes much of the evening. I don’t always have the energy to write. On the other hand, teaching is a part of my platform and motivation, so my career is a double-edged sword.

Do you write everyday?

I wish I would buckle down and write every day!

When the muse is with me, I get an idea and start off great guns. Sometimes, I try to picture my current heroine involved in an ordinary chore and wonder what tools she had to use, how long it took, etc. Research on the internet and in book and old newspapers also spurs my imagination. Usually a writing session ends when my eyes blur and the pins and needles in my legs become unbearable.

How many books have you written so far?

Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires is my debut novel. My other published works are academic articles and short stories.

Call Me Kate was published in November 2009 by Tribute Books. It is the fictionalized life of my great great grandmother, Catharine McCafferty.

Kate lived at a time when the Great Hunger struck Ireland, and droves of poor peasants were shipped to the US by their English landlords. Kate arrived in the US at a time when nativists persecuted immigrants, and her teenage years coincided with the Civil War.

Her family and friends had to depend on each other to survive.

Some factions of this group became militant in their struggle for safety, justice, and human rights. A group of Pennsylvania miners became known as the Molly Maguires. There is still controversy about whether the group were labor activists, criminals or even whether they actually existed. One fact is known: Twenty men were hanged for crimes committed by the “Molly Maguires.”

What will your next book be about?

The working title of my next book is Sarah’s Story: The Curse on Centralia. This one is also about the Molly Maguires, but this time the story follows Kate’s younger sister, Sarah McCafferty, to the town of Centralia.

A devastating mine fire that started in the 1960s has reduced Centralia to a mere six residents. Was the fire the result of a curse placed on the Mollies a hundred years earlier? That’s the question that inspired Sarah’s Story.

Possibly related books:

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Related article:

[Interview: Part 1 of 3] Brian Wainwright, author of 'Within the Fetterlock', Conversations with Writers, February 1, 2008

[Interview] Kathleen G. Collins

Kathleen G. Collins' work has been featured in magazines that include Today's Health and Wellness magazine.

Her work includes Depression: Cancer Of The Soul (Storyhouse, 1999) a short memoir about her experience of bipolar disorder, and Suspended (Sonar 4 Publications, 2009), a novella about three people who become the unwitting test-subjects for a new drug.

In this interview, Kathleen G. Collins talks about her concerns as a writer:

When did you start writing?

My first published sci-fi thriller, Suspended, released July of this year is actually the end result of many years of “journaling”. I have struggled my entire adult life with bipolar disorder and one of the many ways that my doctors and therapists have taught me to cope with the mood swings and frustrations of the medication's side effects was to write in a journal daily. As time went on, I discovered that I really enjoyed writing.

In 1999, I finished a short memoir about my experiences with bipolar, Depression: Cancer of the Soul, and after it was published, I thought, "Hey, why not go a little further and let my imagination run amok? I’ve heard that you write what you know about, and I know about medications and the side effects that can rear their ugly heads." The story of Suspended blossomed from there.

I let the anger at my situation and the paranoia tell the story of Beth, Bobby and Jack -- the three main characters in the story who get caught up in a conspiracy where they become the unwitting test-subjects of a new medication. It was not only cathartic, but fun too.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

My bipolar moods are definitely in control of my writing. I tend to cycle very quickly from depression to mania, anywhere from hours and days to weeks and it’s when I’m manic that I’m more creative and have the energy to write. Therefore, I try to take advantage of those times when I’m manic to start a new project or work on one that I’ve already started.

I have many influences that benefit me when I write.

I love sci-fi authors like [Stephen] King and [Dean] Koontz.

The idea of being able to immerse yourself into any kind of reality you wish to create is incredibly appealing to me. It's a great escape, if even only for a few hours.

Music has a huge impact on me both creatively and emotionally, as well. However, my mood picks the music, not the other way around. So, if I’m, say, frustrated or angry, I’ll listen to loud hard rock music, not something soft to try to calm me down.

I am also a big fan of art. I love to sketch, paint, design, photograph and, well, anything creative. My all time favorite artist is Salvador Dali. My mother lives in St. Petersburg, Florida where the Dali Museum is located and she always sends me Dali paraphernalia every year for Christmas. I always look so forward to it. My favorite piece is "Lincoln in Dalivision" of which I have a beautifully framed print given to me before he died. I treasure it. My husband thinks Dali is weird and awful. That’s okay, I love my husband anyway!

What were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into Suspended?

I’ve been writing off and on since college, but nothing of great substance until my memoir in 1999. I do think it’s important, though, to be as honest as you can in anything you write and I think I’ve been pretty consistent in that aspect.

The most difficult part of getting Suspended completed and published was finding the publisher. As a novella, it is too long to be a short story and too short to be a novel. Thankfully, Shells at Sonar 4 Publications recognized it's potential and took it on.

I haven’t agonized at all over anything I’ve written. Even some of the difficult facets of my memoir such as mental illness, hospitalization and suicide. They were simply too important not to be included. In Suspended, there are some graphic scenes, but they were actually some of my favorite parts to write. I know that sounds kind of strange, but that’s my odd mind at work!

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

I think my biggest challenge as a writer is inspiration. I am still very new at writing substantial pieces so it does take some time for me to get motivated to write, but once I get started though and an idea pops into my head, my fingers just start typing away and it’s sometimes hard to stop… especially when I’m really manic!

I am unable to work because of my medical status and, of course, the nasty medication side effects -- that does give me more time to write, but my writing so far has not been very lucrative. But, you know, I’m perfectly okay with that. I didn’t start writing to make money. I do it to make myself feel better and if I can make someone else feel a little better too, then, that’s a huge bonus.

What kind of support networks do you have?

I’ve pretty much been on my own in this whole writing thing. As a matter of fact, when Suspended was finally published, very few of my friends even knew I was writing a book.

When my memoir was published in '99 that gave me the confidence to go on to something bigger, like Suspended. But again, I charged ahead… alone.

I would love to be able to mentor someone but I don’t think I’d be very good at it. It’s somewhat difficult for me to verbalize ideas. I’m much better at sitting quietly alone with my thoughts and a computer and the time to think before writing something down.

How would you describe your association with Sonar 4 Publications?

I see online publishing, like my publisher Sonar 4 Publications, as nothing but a good deal for everyone. It gets writers like me out there with my stories and it’s an affordable way for people to buy books, not to mention the fact that it’s eco-friendly. It’s truly a win, win and I hope more people realize that.

I've always thought that it's so important that a writer have fun and if they really want to get published, not to give up and stick with the reputable publishers. It took a good couple of years to find a good publisher for Suspended, so, I hope budding writers hang in there and keep trying.

Do you write everyday?

I don't write everyday and I’m not currently working on anything but I do have an idea for another sci-fi fiction novel. It will be based on actual facts like Suspended is but will be a completely different premise.

I really enjoy doing research and learning about different subjects then putting my own strange spin on them.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

My most significant achievement is definitely my novella, Suspended. I am so proud of it because I think it’s not only an interesting and unique premise but that it’s intelligent reading as well.

That's not to say I haven't had failures. Everyone does. I can think of two right now that were actually rather embarrassing. Back in 1985, I think it was, I wanted to do something different for my family for Christmas. So I decided to do a piece of art for each member. One for my Mom and Dad and one for each of my three sisters. I would use a different medium for each. Now, my parent’s was done in colored chalk and was a lovely sea shell scene. It turned out beautiful and it’s still to this day hanging proudly in their foyer. My sister Kim’s piece was an incredibly intricate and colorful Alice in Wonderland scene done in ink. I really loved hers too. Well, Christmas was creeping up fast and it was at this point in my life that I came to realize that I don’t do so well creatively under pressure and deadlines. Let’s just say the last two pieces were trashed and I made a dash for the mall.

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Related article:

[Interview]Tabitha Suzuma, author of 'A Note of Madness', Conversations with Writers, April 30, 2007