I talked about writing the novellas as pulp novels here on the Supernatural Underground with my post Writing Serialized Novellas--The Shadow Knows, and even as they follow the noir format, there is something a little different about Los Nefilim.
The protagonist Diago is gay, and rather than looking for love, he is already in a committed relationship with a member of Los Nefilim, Miquel. Although Diago and Miquel share intimate moments, the characters are not fetishized, because the stories aren't about falling in love and sex. That was a conscious decision on my part based on comments made to me by several readers, who were very tired of seeing gay men portrayed as always being on the prowl for sex.
If you give Los Nefilim a surface reading, the novellas are simply three adventure stories. If you look a little closer, you will see that they aren't about Diago accepting himself--or his father issues, or his son--as much as the tales are about the necessity of having supportive friends and family to help a person grow.
Diago's story has been a great deal of fun to write. In spite of all of the cool aspects of angels, daimons, and Nefilim, I think I enjoyed writing the intimate scenes of family and friends with Diago, Miquel, Rafael, Juanita, and Guillermo the most. Each of these small moments helped peel back another layer of not just Diago's personality, but of the unique people who surround and support him.
If you haven't had a chance to check out the individual novellas, Harper Voyager Impulse has now released all three novellas in an omnibus edition:
Collected together for the first time, T. Frohock’s three novellas—In Midnight’s Silence, Without Light or Guide, and The Second Death—brings to life the world of Los Nefilim, Spanish Nephilim that possess the power to harness music and light in the supernatural war between the angels and daimons. In 1931, Los Nefilim’s existence is shaken by the preternatural forces commanding them … and a half-breed caught in-between.
Diago Alvarez, a singular being of daimonic and angelic descent, is pulled into the ranks of Los Nefilim in order to protect his newly-found son. As an angelic war brews in the numinous realms, and Spain marches closer to civil war, the destiny of two worlds hangs on Diago’s actions. Yet it is the combined fates of his lover, Miquel, and his young son, Rafael, that weighs most heavily on his soul.
Lyrical and magical, Los Nefilim explores whether moving towards the light is necessarily the right move, and what it means to live amongst the shadows.
The Los Nefilim ominbus is available in an ebook edition right now at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, HarperCollins, and Kobo.
Currently the mass market paperback is available for pre-order and will be published on June 14, 2016. You can find the pre-order buttons for Los Nefilim at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, HarperCollins, and don't forget to check with your local independent bookstore--find the store closest to you at Indiebound.
So if you've been waiting for the series of novellas to conclude before purchasing them, now is the time! If you'd rather sample each novella--In Midnight's Silence: Los Nefilim Part One, Without Light or Guide: Los Nefilim Part Two, and The Second Death: Los Nefilim Part Three--they are all still available as ebook editions at $0.99 each.
Currently the mass market paperback is available for pre-order and will be published on June 14, 2016. You can find the pre-order buttons for Los Nefilim at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, HarperCollins, and don't forget to check with your local independent bookstore--find the store closest to you at Indiebound.
So if you've been waiting for the series of novellas to conclude before purchasing them, now is the time! If you'd rather sample each novella--In Midnight's Silence: Los Nefilim Part One, Without Light or Guide: Los Nefilim Part Two, and The Second Death: Los Nefilim Part Three--they are all still available as ebook editions at $0.99 each.
Will there be more adventures with Diago, Miquel, and Rafael? I can't say right now. A lot will depend on pre-orders and sales, but in my heart of hearts I hope so. I already miss Diago and his friends and their unique world.
If you're on the fence as to whether or not the stories are for you, there was a lovely review for the series at Fantasy Faction.
If you're on the fence as to whether or not the stories are for you, there was a lovely review for the series at Fantasy Faction.