AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH FAITH MARLOW
- **Worldbuilding Brilliance:** Your stories often blend the real and the fantastical seamlessly. What inspires your unique paranormal elements, and how do you ensure they feel grounded within the human experience?
When I’m writing paranormal elements into a story, I have to make myself believe it first, even though I may be writing about an ancient vampire that can turn into shimmering fog. And while we as mere mortals may not understand that feeling, we can imagine the freedom, lightness, joy, and the excitement of knowing we are almost indestructible. If I can write emotions that we are all familiar with, I can describe the most fantastical experiences and it will work because the common ground of experience is supporting it.
- **Cupid’s Cauldron:** Chemistry crackles between your characters, even when they’re battling vengeful spirits or navigating ancient curses. What’s your secret to crafting such captivating romances that transcend the mortal realm?
A key to paranormal romance, or any romance, is your main character has to have a need that can be filled by the love interest. In Being Mrs. Dracula, when Valeria meets Lamond, she is jaded and cynical. She no longer believes in love or thinks that she will ever experience a meaningful relationship. Lamond is full of life and optimistic, willing to love despite the difficulties of their relationship. By contrast, Valeria provides stability, a sense of home, immense love and devotion, and companionship– things that he had never experienced. They find what they lack in each other and that makes them a powerful duo.
- **Beyond the Veil:** Do you have any personal experiences or beliefs that influence your portrayal of the paranormal in your writing? If so, how do they shape your storytelling?
There is a scene in Our Fearful Roots that was inspired by real unexplained experience that I had. In the story, Anita (the youngest character) hears her mother call her name from another room, even though she knows her mother has gone to the store.
When my family lived in a previous home, we would commonly hear our names called by another family member from another room only to find out they had not called for us.
I can’t explain what we all experienced, but I know it happened. I wanted to capture the uneasiness and quiet fear that we felt every time we realized what we heard our name called by our husband, wife, or parent, but it wasn’t them.
- **Spine-Tingling Twists:** Your plots are full of unexpected turns and thrilling reveals. What’s your process for crafting such suspenseful narratives, and how do you keep readers guessing until the very end?
As an author, you always want to provide readers with a unique experience. I think when writing an interesting story, it is just as important to have an idea of what you don’t want. I normally try to avoid overdone tropes and really think about how I would react if I were the character in their situation. Chances are, you would not fall back on a book you read or a movie you watched. You would figure it out yourself. So I try to do that deduction for my characters.
- **Balancing Act:** Paranormal romance often walks a tightrope between humor and horror. How do you strike the perfect balance between these seemingly opposite tones, ensuring your stories are both chilling and charming?
I think it helps to work the humor into an aspect of the character’s personality. Valeria is sarcastic by nature, or design after the things she has experienced. Lamond is charming and witty. Tackett is cynical and crabby. Each of these traits are parts of their personalities and can give a nice bit of comic relief to break the tension.
- **Research Rituals:** Do you delve into specific historical periods, folklore, or mythological traditions to enrich your paranormal worlds? If so, share some of your research rituals and how they fuel your creativity.
When I am writing a Being Mrs. Dracula story, I can fall into the rabbit hole of research if I’m not careful. Valeria’s story spans from the Middle Ages in the beginning of Being Mrs. Dracula, all the way up to the 1930’s in book three, Being Dracula’s Heir. I spent six hours recently researching how a radio from the 1930’s would sound and look like when you turned it on, how it was designed, etc. Adding elements of magic also leads to researching folklore for the region you are discussing, which can be so interesting but also a great way to lose an entire day of writing.
When I wrote Scorned Women: Medusa, I wanted to provide descriptions that were recognizable but I wanted to be as historically accurate as I could. So it was important to capture day to day life, housing clothing, etc. The same even holds true for the story I am currently writing that’s set in 1988.
- **Character Confessions:** Which character from your paranormal romances surprised you the most during the writing process? Tell us about their unexpected development and how it impacted the story.
When Lamond meets Valeria, he is a laborer working in the trenches of Paris. He was poor and uneducated, no family, no roots. While he was already an expert at using his looks to his advantage, he undergoes a huge transformation between from the end of Being Dracula’s Widow to the beginning of Being Dracula’s Heir. While he maintains a bit of his “rough around the edges” charm and sensibility, Lamond has evolved into quite the scholar. He is a voracious reader and quite the detective. It was important for me to give Lamond more to his character arc from having nothing to having anything he wanted. While Lamond enjoys all the luxuries his new life has to offer, he’s also done a lot of valuable self improvement, making him a more well rounded member of the team but person.
- **Fan Fiction Frenzy:** Many paranormal romance readers are also avid fanfiction writers. Have you ever encountered fan interpretations of your work that surprised or delighted you? Share your thoughts on the power of fan engagement.
While I haven’t encountered fanfiction of my own stories, Being Mrs. Dracula could be seen as a form of fanfiction, since it serves as a prequel and companion story to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. While I definitely took my creative liberties, it was important to me to be as accurate and respectful to the source material as possible. It is a classic and deserved nothing less.
- **Future Foresight:** What are some upcoming trends or tropes you’d like to explore in the paranormal romance genre? Any specific subgenres or themes calling your name?
Currently I am working on the first of four books in a series exploring familiar tropes in horror movies. I’m not giving out a lot of details just yet, but my girl Geri is going to defy the tropes, break the rules, and survive the quintessential 1980’s slasher. But unlike those stories, we will get to find out what happens to this final girl after surviving her nightmare.
- **Advice for Aspiring Authors:** What pearls of wisdom would you offer to writers who dream of crafting their own paranormal romances? Share your insights on navigating the genre and finding your unique voice.
I would say to a new author is don’t be afraid to let your voice shout. Write authentically and fearlessly in your own style. Don’t compare yourself to others but never stop trying to better your craft. We don’t need the “next” *insert well known author here* but we do need your stories written as only you can.
**Bonus Question:** If you could have any supernatural ability featured in your books, what would it be and why?
If I could have any supernatural ability featured in my stories, it would be to fly. I would love to fade into fog and stardust, just like Valeria, and fly fearlessly until dawn.
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