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The Man Who Dealt in Death
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The Colton Fen Series Book 1
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by Marlena Frank
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Genre: Paranormal Weird Western
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Deep beneath the desert town of Peridot, something evil lurks.
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Werewolf detective Colton Fen is used to strange mysteries, but when he
arrives in Peridot on his latest assignment, he’s less than pleased
to be assigned a partner. Rennick Dalton is a blood-drinking,
illusion-wielding card shark who doesn’t have the best reputation.
The two unlikely partners will have to put aside their differences if
they hope to stop the horrible acts taking place beneath the streets
of Peridot.
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Together with the help of sharp-shooting
actress Mary Silva, they’ll track the demonic creature that
slithers beneath the desert. But the demon is waiting for them. It
wants to turn them into one of its many disturbing minions — or add
them to its grotesque collection.
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Step into a dangerous
and fantastic world set in the old west of 1893, where supernatural
creatures and unexplainables live alongside cowboys and gunslingers.
THE MAN WHO DEALT IN DEATH is Book One of the COLTON FEN series.
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Colton hated waiting rooms. He didn’t enjoy sitting in a cage while someone more important carved out time to see him. It always rubbed him the wrong way and made him feel unimportant. It didn’t help that waiting rooms were for things he didn’t enjoy, such as seeing a doctor, being suspected of a robbery, or, in this case, meeting his new boss.
He drummed his fingers on the edge of the table beside him, ignoring the sweat marks left behind on the thick varnish. The room was full of chestnut furniture that smelled freshly polished. The oily scent clung to the back of his throat. It wasn’t that strong to humans, but to werewolves, it was a mild form of torture. He tried to keep his leg from bouncing.
The heavy door at the end of the room opened and a tall man with dark, umber skin emerged. He wore an immaculate tan suit, quite rich, which was strange for someone who worked at the Agency.
“Mr. Fen,” he said with a wide smile, “sorry to keep you waiting. Come on in. I just have a few more things to finish before we can talk.”
Colton rolled to his feet, removed his Stetson hat, and wiped his sweaty hand on his duster coat before shaking the man’s hand. His new boss’s wealth had taken him off guard, but it was Colton’s inability to figure out what he was that made him uncomfortable. Almost every member of the Agency was some kind of supernatural being. He wasn’t a werewolf, and he didn’t smell like a vampire. Colton didn’t have an inexplicable sense of dread come over him, so he couldn’t be a wendigo, either. Nothing about him seemed unusual, and that normality made Colton uneasy. He was just a rich human who was far more put together than Colton.
“Not a problem, sir. I’ve got nowhere to be,” he said.
His new boss chuckled. “It’s good to meet you in person. Grady speaks highly of you.”
“I’m surprised. Grady doesn’t speak highly of anyone. It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Tep.”
“Please, call me Mekhu.” He gestured into his office. “Why don’t you come in and take a seat?”
Colton had the strange sensation of walking into a sacred space when he stepped through the threshold. While the waiting room smelled of buffed oils, this place was the exact opposite. The window was open, letting in the sounds of the bustling city below along with all the scents that came with it. Beneath the city smells of horses and the occasional automobile, some unusual ones lay just below the surface. It was difficult to resist openly sniffing the air. He wandered away from the open window and toward the bookshelves. There were some books, but what caught his eye were the trinkets sitting on a low shelf, intended to be missed by casual guests.
Little jars stood with various animal heads on top used as lids. One was a cat, another might have been a bird with a long beak. Colton was no historian, but he could tell they were ancient. He squatted down to look more closely at an ornamental human skull in the back, but he suspected there was more to it.
“Are you an anthropologist, Mr. Tep?” Colton asked.
Mr. Tep sat at his desk rifling through paperwork, and looked up to give a wide smile. “I see you’ve found my collection.”
Colton stood up straight and put his hands into the pockets of his coat. “I guess that’s where you got the money from, selling off whatever you stole from those tombs in Egypt?”
He laughed. “You’re mistaken, Mr. Fen. I’ve never stolen once in my life, merely claimed what was mine.”
Colton smirked. “I guess one man’s otherworldly riches are another man’s property.”
Mekhu pursed his lips. “The Agency for the Betterment of Supernatural Creatures: we employ the skills and knowledge of many shades of the supernatural, as you know, Mr. Fen. That also means that it doesn’t take much to offend.”
It took Colton a minute to realize he had said something wrong, and he hadn’t even sat down yet. “Sorry, sir.”
Mekhu smiled again. “Why don’t we just do what’s best for both of us and start over? How does that sound?”
He swallowed down the lump in his throat and settled down in the seat opposite his new boss. “My apologies. I have a bad habit of poking around too much.”
Mehku laced his fingers together. “Always the detective, I see. I understand your compulsion, Mr. Fen, but it’s that attitude that will end up getting you killed on assignment in the Agency. You need more tact.”
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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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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.
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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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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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$10 Amazon gift card.
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ebook of Night Feeders by Marlena Frank.
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