A Conversation with Author W.D. Frank

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A Conversation with Author W.D. Frank

T head-shot oday in the Library we have W.D. Frank, who has dropped in to say hello and to share some insights into his life as an author.

You are very welcome, please introduce yourself:

Hello! My name is W.D. Frank. I am a prisoner in a dark dimension that is accessible from somewhere in Texas. One day, I intend to break free and conquer the world. However, any outside assistance would be greatly appreciated. I also do a bit of writing to distract myself from the unimaginable suffering my captors force upon me every day. I even managed to get published! The name of my book is Lucifer’s Ladder which was published on September 25th of this year. That should bring me one step closer to global domination… somehow.

Did you read much as a child? Are you an avid reader now? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?

Most of my childhood consisted of reading. Sure, I played a lot of video-games as well, but I spent most of my time immersed in horror novels and pretty much any book I could get my hands on. I am not exaggerating either! I would occasionally find myself reading my mother’s books on explosive children and those were about me! I was a bit of a problem child. To answer your next two questions, I still read as much as I can and I am not bound to any specific genre. I will read whatever happens to catch my eye. Although, I will admit that my favourite stories tend to have a touch of darkness and tragedy in them.

Are you self-published or traditionally published?

I am traditionally published! It makes me so happy to finally be able to say that.

Which genre do you write in and why?

That’s a good question. My stories tend to fit into both the horror and fantasy genres, but I would like to say (and hopefully I don’t sound too pretentious) that they are much more than that to me. I think of them as psychological dramas with horror and fantasy elements. Each of my stories is an exploration of characters that I created. I spend all of my energy exploring who those people are through a fantastical backdrop and because I am typically exploring the minds of psychologically tortured individuals, the story naturally becomes rather scary. I love the horror and fantasy genres with a passion, but those elements in my stories are mostly used to further express my characters … if that makes any sense.

Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?

David Lynch comes to mind. He inspires the hell out of me. I would even call him my greatest idol. That being said, there are projects from other people that have influenced my writing even more than he has. My ultimate inspiration is probably the Final Fantasy series. I realize that might sound weird to someone who has only heard about my book, but if you decide to read Lucifer’s Ladder, you will see some Final Fantasy in it. I took a lot of inspiration from Japanese role playing games in general, but Final Fantasy is the series that inspired the base concept of Lucifer’s Ladder. One of my other huge inspirations is Silent Hill 2. That is such a powerful, soul-crushing game. Play it if you ever want to experience one of the most beautiful horror stories of all time. Wait! What am I doing? I am supposed to be promoting myself!

Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?

Nope – not as far as I can tell, however, I cannot be sure. Sometimes we are subconsciously inspired. Maybe my readers can tell me?

What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?

For me, the worst part about the writing process is convincing myself to sit still long enough to start writing. Once I manage to type a few words, the rest usually flow forth with ease.

Do you have a favourite time of day to write?

I love writing at night… or at least past midnight. I operate best in darkness.

What is the best thing about being an author? And the flipside – what is the worst?

The best thing about being an author is being loved for creating the stories that your mind is already demanding you to create. (Seriously, guys! I have no choice! These worlds and characters need to be born or I am going to explode!) For me, the worst thing about being an author is that I barely have time for anyone else.

Is social media an essential chore or something you enjoy? Which forum do you prefer?

I love the social media game. Talking with people who love me and love what I do helps me feel a lot less lonely. Plus, it is nice to know that all of my hard work is actually being appreciated. I believe that feeling alone speeds up my writing.

If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?

Well, I would not be in the best place to say the least. Writing is pretty much a necessity for me. Although, I suppose if I had to pick another job, I would like to be an actor. At least I would still be able to vent that way.

It’s the last day and the earth is facing oblivion – what book would you read?

Probably one of my own books. Lucifer’s Ladder… most likely. I would like to reflect on what I have accomplished before I die.

Please tell us about your latest published work.

The book I am focusing most of my attention on right now is Lucifer’s Ladder; which was released on September 25th. The story centers around a narcissistic yet undeniably brilliant high-school student named Hugh Aaron who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. He soon learns that he has been chosen as a candidate for godhood by an entity known simply as ‘The Elder’ and that he has been tasked with liberating demonkind from the realm of torment that the current god (Yahweh) has imprisoned them in. Hugh makes it his mission to murder Yahweh and become god so that he can create an ideal world in his image. However, to accomplish that grandiose feat, Hugh must survive Yahweh’s ruthless army of angels … and the unrelenting beast of guilt that has been born from his violent and traumatic past.