Page 31 - Reader's House Magazine

Lose yourself in the haunting depths of “The Seeking” as Marlena Frank invites readers on a journey into darkness and dis- covery.
breathes with a life of its own, inviting readers to lose themsel- ves in its mysteries.
As the interview unfolds, Frank peels back the layers of her nar- rative, offering insights into the dynamics that drive her charac- ters and the challenges she faced in bringing their story to life. From the intricacies of world-bu- ilding to the pulse-pounding crescendo of the novel’s climax, Frank’s journey is as riveting as the tale she weaves.
In “The Seeking,” Marlena Frank beckons readers to embark on a journey into the unknown, where every page is a step closer to unraveling the secrets that lie shrouded in darkness. With her trademark blend of fantasy and horror, Frank reminds us that sometimes, the most terrifying truths are the ones we seek to uncover..
What inspired the concept of “The Seeking” and the ritualis- tic challenges faced by Dahlia and her community?
The initial inspiration came from a vivid dream I had. The scene with the Ritual came almost directly from it, straight down to the creatures watching from the shadows and the hor- rible feeling that something was very wrong. When I sat down to write the book, I crafted a world and characters that I wanted to lead to the bizarre and unsettling moment. I wanted that scene to feel surreal, dreamlike, and un- settling, and I think it delivers.
How did you approach the world-building in your novel, particularly in creating the eerie atmosphere of the forest and the creatures within it?
When I sat down to craft the creatures of the forest, I drew inspiration from the book Wri- ting Monsters by Philip Athans. I created monsters out of things
I found terrifying or unsettling, things that would prevent the pe- ople of Carra from stepping out of line. As a wildlife enthusiast, I honestly had a great time crea- ting these nightmarish creatures.
The Gray People were more subtle. I wanted them to feel like something that stepped
out of folklore, something that shouldn’t exist but does. That you would have to get used to living your life with creatures staring at you from the forest all the time, never really knowing if they were gentle or monstrous, is both terrifying and fascinating to me. Setting the world around Halloween just added to the spooky atmosphere.
Dahlia is a compelling prota- gonist; what qualities did you want her character to embody, and how did she evolve throu- ghout the story?
Dahlia is the middle child of the Priest family, much like I was as a child. But the dynamics of her relationship with her siblings aren’t very good. She wants
to protect her young brother, Dameon, so she’s always trying to keep him safe against a town that wants to capture him. Her older brother, Darik, thinks he has everything figured out, but his hubris ends up being his downfall. Dahlia doesn’t trust people enough to stay with anyo- ne during the Seeking. She do- esn’t want to risk her girlfriend, Bisa’s, life, or burden her mother with finding a place to hide her. She’s independent, determined, and sometimes a little too focu- sed on her own goals to see the real danger in her plans.
At the beginning of the story, she takes a lot for granted. She thinks she can hide from ever- yone and that her hiding place is foolproof. She can’t imagine the real danger that she and her family are in. As everything
falls apart around her, Dahlia sees the horror she has lived under for so long. She rejects it and is determined to find an alternative path forward. She loses that naivety that she once had and takes hold of her future with both hands.
The relationships
between characters,
such as Dahlia and Bisa, are central to the narrative. Can you discuss the importance of these dynamics in the story?
Bisa is Dahlia’s strength. She has the independence that Dahlia wishes she could have. Bisa
is raising her little brother on
her own meager income. She’s happy with the life she now has, the life that Dahlia helped her fight to get. While Dahlia loves her own family, the family’s re- putation, their power plays, and all the demands of being part of an Exalted family hold her back from who she wants to be.
As everything falls down around them, they rely on each other even more. Bisa grounds Dahlia with reason. She supports her, and she is always there to hold her when tears inevitably come.
The Gray People add a fasci- nating layer to the story. What was the inspiration behind their inclusion, and what role do they play in the world of “The Seeking”?
I wanted the Gray People to
be mysterious. They remind me of nature spirits at first, treated like folklore or deities. Nobody knows why they are there or what interest they really have
in the people of Carra. All they have is the tradition of the Ritual and the promise of their prote- ction. The more Dahlia learns,
the more the veil of mystery gets pulled back on these people. There are clues scattered throu- ghout the book about how they came about and how the world wasn’t always this way. But to Dahlia, this is the truth and has always been the truth. Until everything falls apart.
The climax of the novel is intense and action-packed. Without giving away spoi- lers, what challenges did you face in writing such a pivotal moment?
As with any action scene, especially one with so much build-up as in The Seeking, the trouble is trying to make sure the action makes sense. I want to make sure every character gets
a perspective and a chance to be seen. But also, the ferocity of the adversary is important. If they aren’t terrifying, threatening,
and tearing into the protagonist, then the climax wouldn’t have the impact it does. A hero is only as good as their villain, and the big bad in The Seeking is truly awful. When pushed against the wall, Dahlia must make a terrible decision and deal with the con- sequences.
Reader’s House II 31
D