csr August CSR Discussion Day: Electricity by MozLover21
Whew, a long month and a long story! At least they went together, right? I hope you enjoyed the Electricity (and welcomed back football!) this month. Now how about my interview with MozLover21? My questions weren't so easy, so make sure you read the thoughtful answers before you comment with your thoughts on the story below!
Whatâs something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
I love horror movies. Theyâre my guilty pleasure. But somehow my fondness for this genre always becomes an issue in my friendships and relationships, because nobody that I know enjoys watching them. And their usual assertion that the movies are âtoo scaryâ is baffling to me, because I find reality far more terrifying than any horror.
If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
âKnow YourselfââIâve recently become interested in ancient Greek mythology, where the principle of knowing yourself is an important theme, and one of the mottoes carved on the temple of Apollo. It sounds simple enough, but knowing yourself comes with a good dose of eating humble pie, because it requires examining your flaws and limitations. But if you continually go through that process, you can end up improving and refining yourself into the best version you can be. And that doesnât mean a perfect human, but it does mean someone who is better equipped to deal with the suffering that living often entails.
What brought you to GayAuthors?
When I first published âElectricityâ on another website, one of the readers recommended that I try publishing on GayAuthors for a more targeted audience that preferred a unique storyline over an entirely love/lust driven plot. It was a great suggestion as I find the readers on GayAuthors profoundly helpful in providing useful feedback. They also truly commit themselves and become emotionally invested in the stories they enjoy. It makes it a more rewarding experience for me to interact with an enthusiastic group of readers.
Whatâs the first thing you do before you start to write a story?
My writing process is something Iâm always actively seeking to fine-tune. Ideally I would be the type of writer who could make a detailed outline and diligently work on it chapter by chapter. Unfortunately for me, thatâs never how it happens. First of all, my ideas pop into my head during the most inopportune times, like when Iâm driving on the freeway or heading into a meeting and unable to write them down. And typically, the scene Iâll have in my head isnât the beginning of the story, but a fragment somewhere in the middle or towards the end. So then I have to work my way back and untangle what happened before, and slowly put the puzzle pieces together. My first draft is always a wreck, and itâs a painstaking process, but the moment when it all finally clicks into place and I can see the bigger picture, is a moment of great satisfaction.
Do you like other stimulus around when you write or do you need a quiet environment?
Iâm not someone who can write in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. I typically need a peaceful environment. At times I can listen to specific music that contributes to the vibes of a particular chapter. For example, at the moment Iâm working on a story where one of the characters is a famous rapper, and itâs been useful for me to blast some Drake, some J.Cole, or some Kendrick while I write those scenes. But for the most part, I need silence. Iâm particular about my visual stimulus as well. I canât write if thereâs things scattered on my table. The only objects allowed are a cup of coffee, a notebook with a pen, and the current books Iâm reading.
Sports and Journalism⌠Why those themes? Any personal experience with them?
I have some experience with both. I was a writer for my high school newspaper and Iâve published a few articles in the past six years. I also played basketball in school. Aside from simply admiring the commitment and determination it takes to be the best in either one of these areas, for me, the two are also greatly intertwined. I believe journalists are an integral part of what transforms an ordinary human being with great athletic ability, to an otherworldly entity. For example, respected sports journalists can make or break the public image of an athlete, and shape the way in which theyâre viewed by the world. An athletic feat happens fast and then itâs gone, it can only be replayed on TV, it canât ever be relived. But writing is frozen in time, and if your moments of glory and your character are written about with admiration, youâre immortalized.
When writing âElectricityâ I knew right away that Andrewâs character would be a pro athlete. Then when I started brainstorming Aubrey, I wanted him to be the person capable of becoming Andrewâs biggest nemesis or his greatest strength, and I quickly realized that it couldnât be a fan, or a fashion designer, or an Instagram model, but that it had to be a journalist. It had to be someone with the power to bring him down so that he could rise from his ashes and become a better man.
How did you come up with the title for âElectricityâ?
It was inspired by a scene from the movie Billy Elliotâwhich, for those who donât know, is about a working-class boy in England who uncovers his passion for ballet, and has to overcome his fatherâs objections as well as the stigma associated with male ballet dancersâwhere Billy explains what he feels when heâs dancing. He compares it to a feeling of electricity.
Whatâs funny is that I didnât think anyone would ever make that association, but one of my readers actually emailed me asking whether that was the inspiration for the title. I have incredibly astute readers, nothing gets past them.
My idea behind the connection between Aubrey and Andrew was a natural electric current that charges both of them up, and helps transform them into better people. And that was also the danger factor in the story, because with electricity there needs to be a fine balance, otherwise you can get a short circuit and burn everything down. Iâm intrigued by ideas that contain duality, and this was a major theme for me in âElectricityâ. Andrew and Aubrey could work together and create this wonderful form of revolutionizing energy, or they could potentially destroy each other.
Do you have a favorite scene in the story?
The story has many scenes that are dear to me, but one that comes to mind in this particular moment takes place in chapter 16, when Andrew is reminiscing about his college football coachâs speech regarding failure, and how the worst failure is never trying at all. I think having a mentor is so crucial to our development as humans, and unfortunately many of us grew up without a good mentor. If we were lucky enough we encountered a âCoach Deanâ in our lives to help guide us along the way and shield us from falling into dysfunctional patterns. This is another crucial theme for Andrew, who has a cordial, yet somewhat distant, relationship with his father, and who ends up falling into a very unhealthy mode of living. And it can be difficult to rewire yourself once youâre steeped in your ways. Thatâs also where the idea of âelectricityâ comes inâan electric bolt to jolt Andrew out of his toxic behavior.
This is why that scene holds weight with me, because I respect the idea of an individual being able to get their life together. In this case, Andrew rising out of his alcoholic stupor and deciding to actively pursue this slim chance at love, rather than giving into disenchantment and bitterness. At the end of the day I truly believe that if youâre committed to something, youâll find a way.
If your story were made into a movie, who could you picture playing Andrewâs and Aubreyâs parts?
In my fantasy universe, I could see Tom Hardy as Andrew. As for Aubrey, I think Wentworth Miller during The Human Stain period would have made a good choice. As a side note, I was watching a lot of basketball in-between working on âElectricityâ, and both Aaron Gordon and Klay Thompson influenced Aubreyâs looks.
Would you like to share anything about your current or upcoming work with readers?
Iâm working on a couple different projects at the moment. I recently started a Patreon (www.patreon.com/mstories) and I have a new story on there titled âYou Donât See Meâ, which has a darker theme than my previous work. Iâm also working on my other story âWhere Does Crimson Flowâ here on GayAuthors. And Iâm halfway through finishing my first book, a thriller about a father searching for his sonâs killer. Last but not least, Iâm toying with the idea of writing a horror screenplay that my friends and loved ones can finally enjoy
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