Today I’m excited to be a stop on The Godkillers tour! Not only is John F. Allen an amazing author who really gets urban fantasy, but he’s an upstanding guy and a good pal of mine. Before we get to his guest post, let’s re-acquaint ourselves with the book, shall we?
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In The God Killers, the first book of The God Killers Legacy, former professional art thief Ivory Blaque is hired to procure a pair of antique pistols and gets much more than she bargained for when several attempts are made on her life.
Her client turns out to be a shadowy government agent who reveals that she is descended from a race of immortals, and that the pistols are linked to her unique heritage and the special psychic gifts she possesses. He uses the memory of her father to guilt her into working for him.
Ivory eventually gives in to his request, and in return, he presents her with her father’s journal, which was written in an unbreakable code. Bishop believes that she is the only one capable of breaking the code and unlocking the plans of the vampire hierarchy. But when the city’s top vampire is a sexy incubus with an attraction for her and she’s assigned a hot new lycan enforcer to protect her, she finds herself caught between two sets of rock hard abs.
To regain her autonomy, clear her name, unlock the secrets of her past, and protect the lives of those closest to her, Ivory must play along with the forces trying to manipulate her. Ivory’s life is rapidly spiraling out of control and headed for an explosive conclusion which she just might not survive.
I’m always curious as to writers’ process (maybe this makes me feel somewhat more sane or like I “belong,” so I’m always hungry for posts about some aspect of an author’s title, whether it’s the character development, how they outline, or other mechanics and development. Today, here are some thoughts from John about the title of his book…
WHY DID YOU TITLE YOUR NOVEL THE GOD KILLERS?
One of the questions I get from quite a few people is, “Why did you title your novel The God Killers?” When I tell them that the title refers to the mystical pistols the protagonist, Ivory Blaque carries. Expressions of dawning acknowledgement usually follow.
When I was thinking of a title, I thought about the theme and focus of the story. In The God Killers, everything centers on Ivory’s encounter with and possession of the pistols. So, instead of simply naming the novel after the protagonist—which most authors avoid doing—I decided to name it after the pistols themselves.
Afterwards, I was pleased with the logical way in which I’d arrived at that conclusion. I focused on how awesome the weapons were and how kickass Ivory was. However, what I failed to anticipate was the reaction and reception of Christians to the title.
Being a Christian myself, I was pleased that the pistols were named The God Killers as they were weapons forged to kill mythological and wannabe gods. Unfortunately, that’s not how the general public took it.
Whenever I’m asked what the title of my novel is and I answer, I can see most people cringe and sometimes frown upon hearing it. The look says, “Oh my God! You heathen blasphemer!” I’m then tasked with explaining what the meaning behind the title is and that it’s not about killing Jesus. Although it’s ironic that Bill O’Riley has a book coming out this month with that very title.
Anyway, I digress…
Those sorts of reactions became very problematic for me as I tried to explain that
1) The word “god” in The God Killers referred to mythological gods.
2) The term “god” is not exclusive to the Christian/Judeo deity and it was not how that deity refers to itself. The term is a man-made construct…again I digress.
In hindsight, I would probably have considered this as a possible issue and chosen another title. I won’t let the reactions discourage me, as the titles to the next novels in the series will be quite a bit less controversial…or will they?
REMEMBER TBIYTC (The Best Is Yet To Come)!!!
John F. Allen is an American writer born in Indianapolis, IN. John began writing stories as early as the second grade and pursued all forms of writing at some point, throughout his career. John studied Liberal Arts at IUPUI with a focus in Creative Writing, received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and is a current member of the American Legion. John’s debut novel, The God Killers was released in 2013 with Seventh Star Press.
John currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife, son and daughter.
Author Links:
Website/Blog – http://www.johnfallenwriter.com
Facebook Author’s Page – https://www.facebook.com/#!/johnfallenwriter
Twitter – https://twitter.com/johnfallen1970
Facebook Fan Club Page – https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/650402134970441/
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Very nice! It’s certainly a title that catches the eye, so that should be good, and I enjoyed your explanation.