Fran Friel is that sweet lady who always bakes the cookies and brings them to work. She’s the kindly neighbor who you trust to babysit your child in an emergency. She’s the friend you give your spare house key to, granting her potential access to your personal privates.
She’s also the lady that wrote horrifying gems like “Gravy,” “Mama’s Boy,” and “The Sea Orphan.” She’s now a twice-nominated Stoker nominee and a favorite around the Apex offices.
JS: Fran Friel, multi-Stoker Award-nominated author. How many more Stoker nominations do you have in you?
FF: Just a minute—I’ll be right back.
Okay, I’ve checked the Stoker Nomination Tank and it read, FULL. I guess that means I might have a couple more in me. Let’s hope so, but of course it’s all up to the HWA readers and what takes their fancy.
I’m thrilled that they enjoyed the collection, and it’s a huge honor to be included in the collection category this year. Being in the company of King, Burke, Strand and Langan is marvelous, if not a bit intimidating. Perhaps someday I’ll break away from, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Those chiffon dresses are nice, but dang, a little haunted house sure would be a sweet addition to my ensemble.
JS: What’s your favorite story in Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales (and why)?
FF: Jeesh, that’s asking me to choose my favorite child. What if they read this? Well, truth is, I love them all. I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t write a story unless it sparks a feeling in me, in my gut or my heart. It’s got to have that zing, the thing that makes me want to discover what the story is really about.
For example, “Beach of Dreams” came to me in a powerful image—prone lifeless giants on a dark stormy beach. How could I not explore that? I had to know what those bodies were and where they came from. It was actually a hard story to unearth, like teasing out a knot in a delicate chain, but I love where it took me.
The same thing happened with “The Sea Orphan.” I got an image of a long woolen coat draped over an old sea chest. That one struck me right in the heart and I knew I wanted to know this story. When the tale began to unfold to me, young Will Pennycock’s life broke my heart. He was a brave and tender character whom I’ll always remember (and perhaps write more about, as a few readers have requested).
So yes, I love them all, even the loathsome ones like Frank in “Mama’s Boy.” Oddly enough, the darkest characters are often the ones who teach me the most about myself and about my work.
JS: I know I’ve teased you about this in the past…but what does your daughter/husband/friends say to you after reading one of your stories like “Mama’s Boy” or “Gravy”? That’s some rather intense stuff coming from such a sweet person!
FF: Thank you for the compliment, Jason. Well, I guess some people try to get in touch with their sensitive side. Fortunately, that’s always been there for me, but I suppose writing has helped me get in touch with my darker side. Balance is a good thing, don’t you think? *wink*
As for my family, my sweet husband is a gentle soul but he’s Scottish by birth, so he’s a bit twisted naturally. Hence, he’s unfazed by my work and, in fact, often suggests that my writing is too sentimental or needs more edge. He actually has great instincts and he’s my harshest critic, so if my work passes his muster, it’s usually met well by my readers. Truth is, the guy should be writing. He has brilliant ideas of his own.
My daughter is 21 now and she apparently likes my stories, but she’s not quick to share them with her friends. I can’t imagine why. *grins* The rest of my family has been supportive, if a little baffled by my dark bent.
Before I began writing seriously, I was a holistic therapist in private practice for 16 years. A few of my colleagues from that era of my life have been a little shocked by some of my subject matter, concerned that I’m bringing darkness into the world. To tell you the truth, I’ve struggled with that a little bit, but eventually I realized that I’m not bringing darkness, I’m uncovering what’s already there, giving it a face and hopefully shining a little light into the corners. And frankly, writing horror and dark fantasy has made me a better writer—a braver writer—allowing me to go where the story and the characters really need to go.
JS: I get a lot of comments about the cover art to Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales (the ol’ finger in a bag). Kids will come up to me at conventions and say “Ew, why is there a finger in a bag?” What inspired this imagery?
FF: One of my favorite parts of the publishing process for Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales was working with Billy Tackett. He’s a huge talent and real joy to work with. We tossed around a number of ideas from strong imagery in my stories. We decided to stick with images from the title story, “Mama’s Boy”—a buck knife, lipstick, a pink rose, etc. Billy did a number of rough sketches and we finally landed on the image of the finger in the baggie (from one of the main character’s “hobbies”).
I also liked the idea of the rose, because it feminized the cover a bit (after all, I am a girl) and it added the contrast of Frank’s imagined sweetness and his horrific reality. Both images were a good challenge for Billy. Conveying a transparent item like a baggie is hard to do in a painting, but he did an absolutely stunning job. He also told me that his mom had been after him for years to paint flowers (something a little less dark), but he’d never done it, so I’m honored to be the recipient of Billy’s first rose painting, and a gorgeous rose at that.
JS: You’re trapped in an elevator with an easily spooked elderly lady, but you want to sell her on your book. What’s your pitch?
FF: “I know you’re very tired, Mrs. Crabapple, but like I said, if you buy a case of my books, I’ll let go of the Emergency Stop button so you can return home to Mister Fluffy.”
You can get Fran Friel’s Stoker-nominated Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales from the Apex Online Shop. She maintains a website at www.franfriel.com.






APEXOLOGY: Horror