Sex. What does it mean to you? I know when I first think of the word 'sex' I think of gender. Are you a boy or girl? I know that's not what everyone else thinks about whey they hear the word 'sex'.

If someone was going to suggest an erotic short story collection, what would you think of that person? Would you turn your nose and say, 'Ugh, where's the class?' or would you say thank you and then secretively purchase the suggestion?

That's kind of my dilemma. Do I smile and say, 'Thank you for the suggestion.' and go my merry way? Or do I smile and do as they request, which is to share their new story?

So I was asked to work today (Saturday) because I work for a company that deals with taxation and immigration, and a big tax day is fast approaching (if you haven’t filed already, your tax return is due Monday, April 18th or April 19th if you’re in MA).

So yesterday an idea hit me. I was at work (which is the WORST place an idea can hit me because I'm supposed to be concentrating on work, not writing!) and all of a sudden a short story idea popped in my head. Then barely two minutes later another one popped in my head, and within ten minutes a third filtered through.

These stories were completely different, yet all the same. I don't want to give any spoilers, but they all had a common theme. This got me thinking! Why not make a short story collection all based around this one theme? I've seen a lot of authors do this with other authors (collections), and other authors doing it for one particular genre (horror/romance). This idea just has to work!

I submitted 'Resurrecting Eve', a short horror story, to an unnatural disaster themed collection. Luckily it was selected to be included amongst several other really well-written ones. (I'm not 100% sure when that'll come out, but I'm told sometime this spring. There's some details posted about it on Goodreads - Unnatural Disasters {Daniel Pyle}.)

I also submitted another short horror story to a collection titled With Love ... Indie Writers United. All proceeds from the sales of this collection goes to Doctors Without Borders. It was our way of contributing to those in need of assistance, in light of the recent events that occurred in Japan.

I had also submitted two short stories with twist endings to a twist contest, though neither of them were selected. They're both now on my website under the Short Stories & Poems section (The Date and Repressed).

So anyways, why am I writing this blog (aside from the fact that I'm really excited for this idea and hope I can actually put it out the way I think it should be done)?

Well, it's to say that if I actually do get this collection out, I'm not going to use my 'real name' - J. A. Titus.

Why you might ask?

Well ... here's the deal;

A co-worker friend of mine read The Date and knew that it was for a twist contest. He has read some of my writing in the past and knows of my love of horror stories. He also thinks the horror pieces he's read (of mine), were really detailed and invoked gruesome images for him. After reading some of them, he  saw me in a whole new light (*snicker, snicker*).

So back to my co-worker friend reading The Date; he said he read it, thinking it was going to be a horror story and kept waiting for that *a-ha!* moment, which never really came (well, because The Date isn't a horror story; it's just got a twist ending). He said he enjoyed it, but had to re-read it to really get the gist of it.

Well poo!

When I asked him why he had a hard time initially, he further explained that he saw me as J. A. Titus 'the horror twist writer' and not J. A. Titus 'I can write other stuff, like The Kindness of Strangers, which is so, totally, NOT horror'. It made him sit on the edge of his seat, half expecting something tragically horrible to happen; and when it didn't come, he sort of felt let down. Like a movie that's been hyped to the max (*cough, Paranormal Activity, cough*); it has a few moments where your aching for something to happen and it happens, but it wasn't really what you expected and you feel let down.

I was shocked.

So ... I told him I will try to be more cognizant of this when I'm writing in a particular genre, and will try to separate what I can with my 'real name' and my 'pen name'. It makes things less confusing this way, don't you think?

So I'm not going to reveal my pen name (though if you're a savvy FB user, you can find it on my author page), but I will say I'm really going to try to make this work.

I will admit, I'm probably going to be lazy: meaning, I'm not going to create a separate website or twitter account or FB author page, just for this 'pen name'. I am who I am. I don't want to be confusing, but I just don't know where my writing will take me. So for now, all my writing will still be connected to this site, my regular twitter account and regular FB author page.

<3<3 Julie <3<3

Sometimes things happen in your life that you don't expect.  But then there are times that you are fully aware of something going on behind your back for not just several days, or weeks, or months, but sometimes even for years.  Well a bump did hit me last week, but after I got over my initial shock (though it really wasn't a shock because I was aware of happenings going on behind my back for over several months, if not even for over a year) I moved on to bask in some actual good news;

My short story, Resurrecting Eve, will be included in a short story collection with other fine authors such as William Meikle, Daniel Pyle, Robin Morris, Robert Duperre & Danielle Bourdan (just to name a few).  Because the majority of those authors have been doing so well independently, it really makes me feel like I'm part of a successful collaboration, and I'm really honored that my short actually was 'good enough' to join those other exceptional writers.  I'm not afraid to say I'm kind of insecure about my writing.  I have confidence one day and second guess myself the next.  It's always an on-going battle.  But this just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.

I was so excited (after hearing the news last week), that I even sat down and wrote another short story for another contest (a Twist contest).  I completed over 3000+ words in less than three hours.  It did need some extensive editing and I'm thankful for David H. Burton and Dave Conifer, for their wonderful advice.  Now it's the nail-biting time wondering ... will it be 'good enough' to join this second collaboration?

All this positive energy made me forget what happened to me on Friday, (that and some chocolate, and a long conversation with my M-I-L).  Made me think of what happened in a totally different view.  I didn't need to think of it as a negative, even though it was totally behind my back and, as intuitive as I am, I was the butt of someone's joke.  Someone's year-long planning.  But ... it's ok. :)  I'm actually happy it happened because I know I did a good job, and whether or not it is felt unanimously by all parties doesn't really matter.  I took a negative, and gathered all my positives, to make it into a positive. :)

That's my way of life ... always look on the bright side, even when the clouds are blocking your view. 

I can't wait until the Unnatural Disasters collection comes out.  Just from peers (& family & friends) reading it, I've received a lot of praise and support.  A fellow writer (she doesn't write fiction), said I gave her nightmares, and that she was afraid to continue reading it but had to in order to find out what happened.  She also said I reminded her of a young Stephen King.  That last comment was the second time she had said that, and it never gets old!  :)

So what's been positive for you?  Can you turn a negative around, like turning that frown upside-down?  I hope you have a wonderful week, everyone!

<3<3Julie<3<3