A few pre-emptive words on FIEND

In which I explain why it's a departure from my previous works; also, upcoming appearances

There will undoubtedly be a few people who, having read my previous three horror novels, will think FIEND is something of an abrupt departure. So, I wanted to set the record straight in case anyone is wondering what the heck is going on here, if it looks like I’ve lost my damn mind or whatever.¹

The idea for FIEND came to me a year and a half ago (seems longer!) The TV show Succession was ending. I had come late to the party and was binge-watching to catch up. I came to really admire the writing, and then the premise, and—long story short—started to wonder if there could be a story for me there. One question I was thinking about a lot at the time was why do rich people do the fucked up things they do? Why do families like the Sacklers (and the Roys) get to skate by without punishment? Why is it impossible to hold them accountable? We are trained, through storytelling, to expect justice. Where is our justice?

Evil is easier to spot, or more tolerable to think about, when it’s dressed in old-timey trappings. A vampire, a monster, a zombie: something that is clearly not us and so easier to see the badness in, to pin the evil on. As opposed to when the monster is your neighbor, looks like you, sends their children to the same school as yours. You get my point.

Marry these two thoughts together and you get FIEND. It’s the story of a modern-day economic juggernaut, a dynastic family with ties to the old world—in this case, Albania.² Only there are rumors that something else is responsible for their success, something sinister and otherworldly. Could it possibly be true? This is the 21st century, after all. Do we still believe in the boogeyman? The story asks you to decide if the evil at the heart of the Berisha empire is mere cruelty and greed or something else, something not so easily dispensed with. A power that a cruel, greedy person would like very much to wield.

FIEND is not historical horror. It’s my first novel-length work of contemporary horror. That’s a departure, right there. It was not calculated. The story came to me almost fully-formed. The initial idea was a little different from the finished product. The main character, Maris (the middle daughter) was more of a do-gooder. Do-gooders are hard to make arresting. They often act defensively rather than proactively. I conceived of her this way because, I think, in the back of my mind, I worried about having an unlikeable main character. Much has been said and written about unlikeable main characters and I won’t rehash those discussions here. I believe, however, that times have changed and readers are less obsessed with this. I think they’re more open to being challenged by damaged but complex characters, as long as the story is well-written.

The whole family in FIEND is unlikeable. I’ll admit that up front. But, like the Roy family in Succession, I guarantee you will not be able to take your eyes off them. They may do horrible things but you’ll understand why, what has driven and shaped them to be the monsters-in-human-form that they’ve become.

And then there’s the horror element, the evil at the heart of the story. I won’t say much here because I don’t want to give anything away, except to say that it was fascinating to write. There’s a tension around it that you will feel from the first time it comes up, until the very end when the pieces come together. I think I’m kind of known for writing non-typical horror, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

UPDATE: Since I wrote the paragraphs above, I gave my first public reading of pages from FIEND and was relieved/thrilled at the reception!

LATE-BREAKING NEWS… FIEND is on Netgalley and Edelweiss! So, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers, I would very much appreciate if you would request a copy, read, leave a review. The fate of my sweet little monstrous book is in your hands.

FIEND is a quick read. A brief 200 or so pages. Written like a thriller, to keep the pages turning. If this sounds good to you, would you consider pre-ordering?

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Appearances: I had to wait until the organizers made their announcements before I could say anything about these events. (In general, with FIEND coming out in 2025, I will be doing horror events this year, as opposed to thriller/mystery.)

Horror Readers Weekend, May 2-4, Fredericksburg, Virginia: I’ve heard good things about this new weekend get-together. This is the first time in Fredericksburg and it’s second outing (the first held in NY’s Hudson Valley). Small and intimate, the organizers pick lovely settings and make time for plenty of socializing. I will only be there for the author events on Saturday, due to other commitments. There are plenty of authors already confirmed for the event, though; be sure to check out the full list.

Stokercon, June 12-15, Stamford, Connecticut: Please say hi if you see me running around the fringes.

Celsius 232, July 15-19, Aviles, Spain: I’ve been hoping to get to this Spanish conference of science fiction, fantasy, and horror since The Hunger won an award in 2019, but covid and illness have prevented me for the past few years. 2025 is the year!

1. If anyone IS wondering. Which is unlikely. Still, you never know.

2. I’ve wanted to write something with Albania in it since I worked the Balkans in the 1990s. Albanians are tough motherfuckers, let me tell you.