If you could travel in a Time Machine, would you go back to the past or into the future?
It may sound strange coming from someone writing a series based in the times of the ancient Maya, but my preference would be to go to the future… maybe a thousand years into the future, to see how mankind has evolved. This is a pivotal time in human history, when the world appears to be at a tipping point in so many ways. Science and technology is advancing at faster and faster intervals, yet we also continue to do terrible damage to the Earth and its inhabitants. Will we use our advancements to help our world’s ecosystem to flourish, and expand our global consciousness into a more peaceful and loving society? Or, will some cataclysmic event occur (either of our own doing, or some natural or cosmic event) that wipes out much of the life on this planet, resetting the Earth to spring up again from the ashes? I believe these are the changing times that they Mayan priests (along with so many other cultures) had predicted for these current ‘end’ times. However, my personal opinion is that I don’t believe the Maya were saying that the world would come to an ‘end’ at the end of the Mayan Calendar. They tracked cycles in time, repeating patterns, and I think they saw this ‘end’ period as point where we will all, as a race, have to choose a path towards ultimate growth or destruction. I also don’t think anything will happen on an exact day, right at the end of the Mayan Calendar (whatever day that ‘really’ is), but that their ‘end’ date is more like the date we have for the start of a season, which, as you know, it doesn’t change seasons from one day to the next, but we have dates for the approximate time when the transition is to occur. I am an optimist at heart, and I’d love to go far into the future to see that everything turned out for the best.
If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
1. Jacques Cousteau
2. Nostradamus
3. James Cameron
4. Steven Spielberg
5. J.R.R. Tolkien
If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
1. Mask and snorkel (to explore and catch fish for food). Perhaps I could use the mask as a magnifying glass to start a fire too.
2. A Kindle loaded with thousands of books.
3. A solar generator that would keep my Kindle battery charged for many years.
What is one book everyone should read?
Robinson Crusoe. I guess your ‘stranded on a desert island’ question before got me thinking about that one. But it’s definitely a must-read classic that pushes a man’s soul to the limit for survival and maintaining sanity. I also love reading the classics like this, as their writing was so elegant back then.
If you were a superhero what would your name be?
That’s a surprising question, and one that I’ve never considered. You’ll have to get back to me on this one… 🙂
If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
To fly, of course! That’s one thing that I love about scuba diving too, because in clear water you have the sensation of flying and levitating from one place to another.
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate with chocolate chips
If you could meet one person who has died, who would you choose?
Jacques Cousteau. His pioneering exploration of the undersea world captivated my soul as a child, and I’d love to talk to him about his adventures.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
If I went to a restaurant, I’d order French toast with eggs and bacon. Lately, my favorite morning food is instant crème of wheat.
Night owl, or early bird?
For writing, I find I do my best work late into the night. I’ll often get started around 7:00 or 8:00 and sometimes write until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning if I’m on a roll. Perhaps it’s because my conscious and unconscious minds were more closely connected then, and I could channel my more creative thoughts then. However, I’m mostly an early bird regarding tasks involving efficiency, busy work, chores, etc. In the morning, I find I’m better at editing the flood of writing that came out the night before.
One food you would never eat?
Snails
Pet Peeves?
Clutter.
Skittles or M&Ms?
M&Ms… but you probably knew that from my ice cream choice.
Please tell us in one sentence only why we should read your book.
By reading “The Serpent Passage” you will go on an adventurous and mystical journey, while also learning about a fantastic ancient culture through a fast-paced fantastical story that is experienced from the perspective of a young man from our time.
About the author: TODD ALLEN PITTS graduated from Marylhurst University with a degree in Communications, and he lives in Colorado. He was inspired to write The Serpent Passage while exploring Mayan ruins and working as a scuba instructor in the Yucatán.
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