About Langdon Franz:
I am a Navy brat and have lived everywhere from Maine to South Carolina to Washington State. I spent the first ten years of my life in Maine and the most previous ten years in Raleigh, NC where I live with my wife and two daughters. I currently have an Australian Shepherd, Diesel, a Husky, Nala, and two cats, Yanni and Lilah. All four of them were rescued.
After working for an Associates of Science, I joined the Navy for six years and operated a nuclear reactor on a submarine. When I finished my time in the navy in 2013, I worked at another power plant before eventually going back to school and earning my Bachelors in Nuclear Engineering Technology. Eventually I realized I hated nuclear energy and went back to school for my MA in English and Creative Writing which I completed in 2022.
What inspires you to write?
I grew up friendless and struggling with depression. I found my way to cope with life was to delve deep into a fantasy novel. It provided a means of escapism, I needed at that point in my life. As I've grown up and continued to read, I realized I, too, wanted to create worlds and stories others can escape into.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
In the last decade, if you've seen me reading, it's either been a book by Brandon Sanderson or Will Wight. Rarely, I can be found reading a random cosmic horror story in the veins of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert W. Chambers.
Tell us about your writing process.
Heirs of the Promise was 100% written by the seat of my pants. I've tried outlining, but everytime begin writing, my characters IMMEDIATELY break away from the outline and do their own thing. So pantsing it was. However, for The Tower of Eyes, Book 2 of The Immortal Arbiter Saga, I have had to force myself to create a general outline of the book. Heirs of the Promise introduced so much worldbuilding and history that I can no longer just wing it. I've had to actually start planning out the story to ensure a cohesive world. When outlining, I take notes either in a journal or on Google Drive, both of which are readily accessible when I need to reference something.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Absolutely! They tell ME what they are going to do and say and think. Not the otherway around. During my first attempts at writing Heirs of the Promise, I did not understand this. I thought I could tell Kilal and the others what I wanted to do. It took me a while to give up my control over them and let them dictate the flow of the story.
What advice would you give other writers?
Right because you want to share your story with the world, not because you want to make money. Write because you're passionate about it! Also, if it's possible, seek out an education in creative writing, whatever that looks like for you. I completed my MA in English and Creative Writing in 2022 and it has transformed me into a different writer. Not only that, but throughout the program I was able to work on Heirs of the Promise and get dozens of eyes on it which helped tremendously in its creation.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I initially tried to get hooked up with a publisher. But after a few dozen rejections, I settled on self-publishing. After hooking up with an editor who believed in me and love Heirs of the Promise, she was able to put me in contact with Atmosphere Press, a small indie publisher, who loved the book and wanted to work with me. As far as advise to new authors? It's getting harder and harder to get picked up by a publisher and easier and easier to self-publish. Go with your gut, and don't see it as a mark against you if you have to self-publish. You've created a novel which most humans can't say. Be proud of yourself!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It's becoming easier and easier to not just self-publish but self-promote through social media. I think the chasm between traditional publishing and self-publishing will continue to grow, and I believe traditional publishing will eventually become a small niche. But I'm wrong on most things, so probably this too.
What genres do you write?: Fantasy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Langdon Franz Home Page Link
Link To Langdon Franz Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Twitter
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
