Interview With Author Langdon Franz
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up a Navy brat and for the first twenty years of my life, I was moving every two to three years. I’ve lived everywhere from Maine to South Carolina to Washington State. Because of this, I didn’t have many friends growing up, so I found my solace in reading fantasy novels. By the time I was thirteen, I was already working on writing my own stories. They weren’t very good. When I was twenty-two, I joined the Navy, got married and moved to Washington State to operate a nuclear reactor on a submarine. Six years later, and I was out and moved back to North Carolina with my wife. I finished my Bachelors in Nuclear Engineering Technology in 2016 and quickly realized I no longer wanted anything to do with nuclear power and power plants. I began writing again, and by 2020 I had completed two books and started a third. But like my attempts when I was thirteen, they weren’t very good. I decided to pursue a MA in English and Creative Writing and finished it in 2022. One year later, and I’ve published my first book, Heirs of the Promise!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is Heirs of the Promise, Book 1 of The Immortal Arbiter Saga. A few things lent me inspiration for it. Brandon Sanderson’s three laws of magic was the foundation for my magic system. Ever since picking up the Mistborn series a decade ago, I’ve been hooked on hard magic systems. The Witcher series played a large role in my development of Arbiters. Like Witchers, Arbiters were created to combat enemies of the human race. But what happens when those enemies are considered by the populace, to no longer be a threat? What do the Arbiters, whose very existence was defined by a need to defend their land, do when they no longer need to defend it? The final thing that really inspired this series, and in particular, my creation of Kilal, the Immortal Arbiter, was a deepdive into mental health. As someone who has struggled with depression my whole life, I wanted to explore what the psyche of a 200-year-old man with similar issues, experiencing extreme trauma and loss, would look like.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brandon Sanderson and Will Wight have encompassed the majority of my reading over the last decade. I rarely read anything other than fantasy. But if it’s not fantasy, it’s cosmic horror. Sanderson was a HUGE influence in my writing. Everything from the 3rd person limited point-of-view of only a few characters, to his unique magic systems and overarching story stretching across his Cosmere. Over the last few years, I have fallen in love with H.P. Lovecraft and his Cthulhu Mythos which have ignited a desire to write cosmic horror sometime in the future.
What are you working on now?
I am about half-way through The Tower of Eyes, Book 2 of The Immortal Arbiter Saga. I hope to have it ready for publication by December 2024.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter. I do not do much promotion outside of Twitter…or X…I know I should, and my wife is constantly reminding me that I need to be more active on social media…I just don’t like to do that. I’d rather be writing!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write 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.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The same advice I can give to new authors. Write because you want to share your story with the world, not because you want to make money. Write because you’re passionate about it! If that is your goal, you can’t fail!
What are you reading now?
I just began The Melody of Three by Stephen Reeves. I’m also working my way through a graphic novel of The Shadow Over Innsmouth.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal for 2024 is to have The Tower of Eyes, Book 2 of The Immortal Arbiter Saga, complete and to my editor by July with a tentative publication date being December 2024. Additionally, I’ve begun work on note-taking and brainstorming for my next series.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson because I haven’t read it yet. Will Wight’s Cradle: Rise of Lords. It includes books 7-9 of the Cradle series (I know I’m cheating with this one!). Lastly, Will Wight’s Dreadgod.
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