Marlena
Frank is the author of young adult fantasy and horror novels, short
stories, novellas, and book series. Many of her books have hit the
bestseller charts, including her debut novel, Stolen.
Readers’ Favorite has praised several of her books with 5-star
reviews. Reader’s House awarded her book, The Seeking,
with the Editor’s Choice Award of Literary Excellence in May 2024.
De Mode of Literature Magazine featured her in November 2021. Her
stories have appeared in anthologies such as The Darkest Lullaby,
Emporium of Superstition, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Georgia Gothic,
and The Librarian Reshelved.
Although
born in Tennessee, Marlena has spent most of her life in Georgia. She
has various professional memberships, including the Atlanta chapter
of the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy
Writers Association. She enjoys cosplaying, gaming, and spoiling her
adopted cats. Her drink of choice is a dairy-free chai latte. As a
wildlife enthusiast, she can share a plethora of weird animal facts
and talk about her favorite cryptids.
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GUEST POST
The Man Who Dealt in Death
Marlena Frank
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I started where so many authors start, with fanfiction. I wrote a bunch in junior high, high school, and into college. It was an escape from my rigorous degree program and a fun way to make friends. In 2010, I had the idea for a standalone short story, so I wrote it and tried to get it published. I didn’t really expect anything to come of it, but it was picked up by a small press called Short-Story.Me and was even included in their paperback collection. It was the first time I was paid for plucking a story out of my head and putting it down on paper. My friends had always told me I was a good writer, but it was in that moment that I thought maybe, just maybe, I could write books.
Invigorated, I tried my hand at writing novel-length pieces. I enjoyed fanfiction competitions that aimed at long stories. So, I tried doing NaNoWriMo and ended up finishing with a 50,000-word book. It was a rough draft and has never seen the light of day, but it was the impetus I needed. From there, I started writing regularly. I continued to find homes for my short stories and kept trying to write longer pieces. I eventually got picked up by Radiant Crown Publishing, now known as Aurelia Leo, for my novella, The She-Wolf of Kanta. It was an amazing experience.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Back when I was writing fanfiction, I really didn’t consider myself a writer. I wrote for fun. Even when I first published a short story, I knew I was a writer, but I didn’t really feel like it. It wasn’t until I had my novella published by Radiant Crown Publishing in 2018 that I felt like a writer. There was something about seeing a book with only my name on it as the author that really made it feel real. That is an awesome feeling every single time I get a book of mine in my hands.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
I’ve been told that a lot of my books have a cinematic quality to them! The Man Who Dealt in Death is one that has frequently gotten that commentary from early reviewers. There’s something about the Old West in 1893 with werewolves, vampires, and gunslingers that really lends itself to film.
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
The literary pilgrimages I’ve made were never intentional. I was visiting with family in Austin, Texas when I came across the tiny home of O. Henry. I was amazed because I used to love his short stories when I was in school, and it was remarkable to see it in real life. More recently I got to visit Peggy’s Cove up in Canada and was inspired to write a book about a lone lighthouse. I had no idea that inspiration would happen when I visited, but the story idea bit me and wouldn’t let go. I’m hoping that will be a novel that comes out sometime in 2025.
What inspired you to write this book?
I first wrote Night Feeders, the novella prequel to The Man Who Dealt in Death, back in 2011. The westerns I loved growing up included The Quick and the Dead, Wild, Wild West, and Maverick. I had this image of a werewolf detective roaming the Old West with a mission: to solve the case he was handed. After I wrote that short, this story came to me in a rush. I could clearly see the characters, the big baddie, and the world spread out, and I hammered out the first draft in a month. It was amazing, I’ve never written so intensely before. It’s so exciting to finally see it out in the world.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I just love how fun it is! The characters crack jokes even when the situation is dire, the world is always packed full of danger and interesting turns. The story is just an entertaining, romantic, and exciting page-turner from start to finish. It’s a blast to read and it was pure fun to write.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story, or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
I tend to have story beats that I follow as I write stories, but mostly I let the characters lead the way. They choose the dialogue, they come up with the romantic interests, and they ultimately decide how we get to those main story beats. It feels like a more fluid way of letting the story come to me. Of course, it does require me getting a good handle of the characters first, and that can sometimes take time. But once I get that part figured out, the story tends to flow.
What are some of the exciting aspects of The Man Who Dealt in Death?
My main protagonist is Colton Fen, a detective working for the Agency for the Betterment of Supernatural Creatures, or ABOSC. He’s a reluctant werewolf and although he’s in his 40s and has been through some tough cases, he’s still relatively new to being part of the agency. Meanwhile, his new partner, Rennick Dalton, is a vampire illusionist and a card shark. He is way more outgoing than Colton and he’s more comfortable in his supernatural skin. They have a rocky start working together and it takes them time to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They have a “buddy cop” relationship that evolves throughout the book. It’s a lot of fun to see how they start to respect each other and rely on each other more as the stakes get higher.
Have you written anything else in this world?
You can find the novella, Night Feeders, that’s in this same world. It’s the prequel to this novel. It’s a glimpse into Colton working on his own with a vicious sheriff in an Old West town. He makes some big mistakes and you really see how he would be helped with a partner, even if it’s a reluctant one. Night Feeders is a great way to get introduced to the world, the supernatural elements, and step into the Old West of the Colton Fen series. During the release of The Man Who Dealt in Death, you can pick up Night Feeders for a limited time at a discount. So if this sounds like a fun read, go grab your copy and dive into the story that inspired this book.
Do you have any fun facts about this book?
I have a whole series of books planned for this world. I see these books as comic book style adventures that can be read on their own or read in a series. You’ll get to see the characters progress by reading them in order, but you can also read them on their own for individual adventures. Readers I’ve described this series to have said it sounds a lot like The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher as well, which was high praise to me.
What kind of research did you do while writing this book?
While this series isn’t purely historical, I’ve done a lot of research to ensure it’s as accurate as possible for the Old West. I’ve found a lot of interesting facts about what clothing was worn, the way women were treated, and the way gun holsters were worn. I even found old train maps, city maps, and estimates of travel time back then. So while this series isn’t what I would call historically accurate, there are werewolves and vampires for example, it’s got a lot of historical flavoring. I worked hard to create that historical immersion with a supernatural flair.
What are your favorite genres to read?
I read a bunch of different genres including biographies, popular science, fantasy, horror, fantasy romance, mysteries, women’s literature, true crime, comic books, and graphic novels. I have a hard time settling down to specific genres. I want to read all of them. I tend to read a bunch of different books at once too, hopping between each one.
Do you write one book at a time, or do you have several going at a time?
I wish I could say that I focus on writing a single book and that’s all I put my focus on. I would probably be a faster writer if I did that. However, I don’t. I tend to have a main book that I’m working on, but I’ll also be working on some short stories, or working on writing a novel on my phone while on the go. I’ll get an idea and jot it down in my notes app or in my notebook so I don’t lose it. I’ll be brainstorming the world for a new book while working on actively writing a current one. I don’t have a reason for it, it’s just how my creative brain works.
Pen or typewriter or computer?
My preferred writing method is with a fountain pen and a nice lined journal. I have a few Metropolitan fountain pens that I love and a variety of inks. I try to use different color inks for different novels and worlds because it helps me since I write across so many novels at once. I feel like writing by hand forces me to get the story down, to create the dialogue, and not get caught up in scenes I want to add in later or anything like that. Especially on a rough draft. It helps me get the story down on paper, and even if it needs a lot of work, it at least gets the story started.
I tend to flush that out a bunch when I transcribe it onto a computer. I use Scrivener so I can easily add new scenes and keep track of shifting POVs. But having that first draft written by hand really helps me focus on just getting the story down. I do write some directly into Scrivener or when I’m travelling on my phone, but those tend to be more snippets than full-length novels. I have to turn those into more fleshed out stories later, but it's great to have that flexibility when I don’t have the time or the ability to write long-hand.
Describe your writing style.
Character-driven stories are my favorites. I love seeing how characters evolve and where they take the story. I focus on fluid dialogue and realistic actions for the characters. I also tend to really have immersive world-building. In my fantasy books, the world-building is one of my favorite aspects, and of course even in the Old West fantasy world of The Man Who Dealt in Death, I can’t help but keep some very detailed world-building.
What advice would you give new authors?
There are a ton of ways to get discouraged when you’re first starting out as an author. Between all the rejections and the steep climb to get noticed by readers, there are a bunch of times you’ll want to give up. That’s perfectly normal, and I also got beaten down by that for a couple of years where I questioned if I wanted to continue my journey to become an author. I realized the stories kept coming even if I doubted myself. Even if gatekeepers have you questioning yourself, don’t give up. Keep writing. There are so many ways to get your work into the world today. Find what works best for you and your writing. Hold on to that. Don’t let go and don’t give up. The world needs your writing.
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading several books right now (which is no surprise to anyone). I’m reading Malorie by Josh Malerman, The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery, the Batman Arkham: Scarecrow comic book, and I’m re-reading Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. That last one is a slow read for me since I haven’t read it since I was in Junior High. I also loved Bird Box by Josh Malerman when it came out years ago and Malorie is fantastic so far. I have to pace myself with it because it’s an intense read.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It really depends. Sometimes I can knock out a rough draft really quick, and sometimes it takes years. While I knocked out the first draft of The Man Who Dealt in Death in a month, it’s taken me over a decade before it will see the light of day. Some books I can draft and finish up in six months or so. I try to have around two books come out every year, but sometimes that’s just not possible due to personal things going on in my life. Like this year, The Man Who Dealt in Death is my only book release, which is fine for me. It really just depends.
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