We recently connected with Titan Lightfoot Carrillo and have shared our conversation below.

Titan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

It’s always been my dream to be a writer who creates with other writers. The dream has been a long time in the making, but recently, I was able to take the first steps with the launch of Alien/Robot Press, a print I now use to reach readers and writers from Houston, Texas, or even the South in general. I wish to highlight the real, unique, and insightful voices of Houston writers everywhere with something to say, or show, or prove, adding to the artistic vision established by far greater minds long before mine. I’m especially hopeful to spotlight all the creative queer, weird, and marginalized art out there.

Titan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m the author T. Light Sylvan and the founder of Alien/Robot Press. Together, they have allowed me to release two works: a short story and my debut novel in the same series, The Devil’s in Texas. In learning the process to package and publish my own work, I earned a deep respect for the side of writing that few ever see in the back end. The marketing, the design, the polish, the elbow grease behind the scenes to make a cohesive vision and help it shine its brightest. The way I was able to accomplish my own dreams, I want to be able to help other writers accomplish theirs. Especially those writers who feel their work maybe doesn’t “fit” traditional expectations. Because, at the end of the day, there’s way more out there than meets traditional expectations, and I want to unearth it.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Art imitates life. If there is no value to be found in art, then what does that say about the life it imitates? Art speaks. Art responds. Art talks back to us, through the filter of the artist, a person who lives on the same blue orb as you and me. I recommend to find something that speaks to you. And if there is nothing, truly nothing, then it is more than likely that others feel the gap as well. Maybe it’s time to create some art yourself which fills that void.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

As a writer, I find myself of course standing of the shoulders of absolute literary giants. One of those giants is Albert Camus, the famous French philosopher and author of THE PLAGUE. He has written many other vital works – THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS and THE STRANGER, to name a few. But for me, there is something so incredibly revealing about all of humanity encapsulated in the literary plague, that Camus’ contemplative contribution to the phenomenon helped me grow not only as an artist, but as a person. I recommend THE PLAGUE to anyone and everyone: Read it deeply. Read it slowly. Read it twice. Your mileage may vary, but your understanding of something – anything – will change in some way. I challenge anyone who reads this book to walk away from it the same as when you started it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tlightsylvan.com
• Instagram: tlightsylvan
• Other: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/tlightsylvan