... Mark Del Franco on Urban Fantasy, Detectives and Elves from Germany
... Mark Del Franco on Urban Fantasy, Detectives and Elves from Germany
: I think urban fantasy is popularand will remain sobecause the settings of these novels are familiar to readers. A reader might be uninterested in, for example, high or epic fantasy because they cannot relate to those worlds. The same reader may have no problem entering into an urban fantasy environment. In the mass market media, people point to the television series Buffy, The Vampire Slayer as opening up the acceptability and popularity of using fantastic and supernatural elements in the real world. Most urban fantasiesand its sister genre, paranormal romancepresent worlds that readers can envision themselves in and, as result, connect much more readily with the characters in what if situations involving magic and the supernatural.
: It was an accident! Believe it or not, I actually dreamed the first chapter. The image of this dead fairy in a city alley stayed with me. As a writer, I kept asking myself what would be the story behind the scene. I am a fantasy fan, but also a fan of detective novelsPatricia Cornwell, Robert Parker, Michael Connellyit seemed natural to combine my two favorite genres to find the answer of how a dead fairy would appear in a modern city.
: Hard question, because I think my particular approach is a very even blend. Ultimately, Unshapely Things is a detective story with fantastic elements, although those fantastic elements are very prominent. If you took away the fantastic elements, you will still have a detective story.
: I live in Boston and love the city. All the locations in the book are either real or changed slightly. For instance, the Weird neighborhood is based on a warehouse area where many artists and college students lived. It is gone nownew development is being builtbut I took that neighborhood and made some choices about how it would be if the development didnt happen and down-on-their-luck fairies moved in.
: A little of both. All cities have crime. Boston is a very prosperous city, but there are poorer neighborhoods. People forget that sometimes. I am giving a snapshot of a particularly bad neighborhood that probably exists in all large cities. It is also a very multi-cultural city. Racism still exists, but not as bador open anyway--as it once was. Weve made progress. I tend to take existing conditions and exaggerate them to create drama.
: I love mythology and history. As societies, the ancient Celts and Teutonic peoples had many similarities. As I developed the world of Connor Grey, I wanted the opposing fey to resemble each other, but have differences. Much American fantasy uses Celtic mythology. I think the Teutonic world is similar enough for readers to feel a familiarity, but new enough to keep it interesting. I also wanted to play a little politicsGermany and the U.S. often work together for common goals, but they also disagree on many, many things. I wanted to capture some of that friction and cooperation.
: In reading earlier sagasthe Prose Eddas, the Mabinogianyou realize that many of the magical and supernatural beings were really quite rude or had menial jobs like herders and servants or were unattractive beings hiding in the forest. Over the centuries, those images fell away to more pleasing ones. Of course, in fantasy literature, Tolkien had a profound impact with his use of elves as beautiful, elegant people and many writers use that template. Part of the appeal of urban fantasy, I think, is bringing the grittiness back to fantasy to reflect a more real world.
: I did not write the first book knowing there would be a series, but I realized it could be one. As I wrote the background for Unshapely Things, a bigger world developed and I knew I had a bigger story. I was fortunate that my publisher agreed. I have four books under contractthe third book, Unfallen Dead, will be coming out in English in the U.S. in January 2009. I can easily continue the current story arc for seven to nine books. The world is so rich for me, though, I have no problem thinking about what happens after that.
In terms of themes, I dont like to self-analyze too much because I want readers to draw their own ideas from reading. I will say, though, that I am very interested in issues of identityWho am I? What can I do? What cant I do? I also like to think about trust and relationships. Is everything and everyone how they seem, or am I missing their side of the story? Another thing that interests me is how very different groups figure out how to co-existthe very essence of living in a city.
: Unshapely Things is the first, in which Connor must hunt a serial killer and stop a world-wide cataclysm. Unquiet Dreams comes next. Connor must solve the murder of a young boy as well as a German diplomat, and ends up fighting against a madman. Your readers will be pleased to know that they will learn much more about the German elves in this book. The third title, Unfallen Dead, has more murders to solve, which leads Connor to the Land of the Dead where he meets the German elf Bergin Vize who wrecked his powers. This story shows Vize as much more complicated than just a bad guy. Im writing the fourth book now, which means its top secret until my editor sees it. All I can say is, things get worse for Connor and the Weird. Oh, and he might get a dog.
