Author of The Devil You Know series
This week I am chatting to Ben Schenkman about his latest release in the The Devil You Know series, Dueling Shoulder Angels.
Helen: Welcome Ben. Congratulations on your new release. I am very excited to learn more about your series. Tell us a little about it.
Ben: My current books are the first two in my series, The Devil You Know.
The first, My Boss is the Devil, focuses on a barista named Nick who is stuck in a dead-end job and dissatisfied with his life. He goes to work for the Devil and has to grapple with the concepts of good and evil. It subverts expectations, because the Devil isn’t what you expect in this story. He has to decide if the ends justify the means, and if it’s worth his soul to make a difference in the world.
The second, Dueling Shoulder Angels, which is just being released now, is a continuation of the story. No spoilers on the first book, but where the first book focused on the Devil, the second introduces God. It also expands the role of Amy, the goth witch/love interest from the first book, and has a redemption arc for another.
Helen: Your covers are very distinct. What were your thoughts behind the cover design?
Ben: I adore my cover(s)! The first book focuses on Lucifer, so has a devilish silhouette behind a faceless man in a suit. I always intended for the main character to be a bit of a mirror for the reader and let them put themselves in his shoes. The cover is a bit of a play on that, with the lack of physical details. There are also coffee icons throughout, which is one of the through-threads of the story. The color is perfect, it was always going to be red and fits with the Devil motif.
The second, introducing a secondary main character and God Themself, adds similar figures for those characters. We add occult symbols to the icons floating around, and change the imagery a bit. The green color is a nod to the “millennial green velvet couch” that appears in the book. My partner, in real life, has that couch.
Helen: You have chosen unusual book titles. Is there a special meaning behind the title?
Ben: My Boss is the Devil is a double entendre. It’s a colloquialism, but in this case it’s also literal. I started writing this book back in 2006, finished the first draft during NaNoWriMo in 2014, and shelved it until 2023. It’s always had the same title, I was very fond of it. I’ve had to reassure bosses of mine that the book is fiction, and not about them.
The second book, Dueling Shoulder Angels, is a play on the trope of the angel and the devil sitting on someone’s shoulders, whispering in their ears. Except Lucifer is a fallen angel, right? So it’s actually two angels, dueling for influence and control.
Helen: Sometimes the title just leaps out at you, and others it is hard work trying to find the right name. I have a new series and I am struggling to find the right titles! What made you write this particular book?
Ben: I was Nick, to an extent, when I started writing the first book. I was working a job with little prospects, and wasn’t sure about my future. I took some of that inspiration and asked, “What if someone like that got a chance to work for the Devil? What would happen?”
Helen: Writers are such curious folk. We are always asking question, which is why we come up with such great stories! When did you first realise that you had a passion for writing?
Ben: I’ve been writing off and on since I was a child. I remember writing stories in elementary school instead of playing outside with the other kids. I even won an award for a short story I wrote in middle school. I wrote poetry all through high school and into college, but then it sort of faded as a hobby with time. Getting back into writing in the past year has really been eye opening, reminding me that I still have stories to tell.
Helen: I’m glad you rediscovered your love of writing. Which genre do you typically write?
Ben: I write primarily contemporary/urban fantasy. I love the genre because there are so many interesting and magical things about the real world. It’s a way to blend mythology and magic with the intricacies of city life. All of my stories, so far, are set in New Haven, Connecticut. I went to college there, and it’s still one of my favorite stomping grounds. Urban fantasy is also one of my favorite genres to read, so I’ve read a lot of work in the genre.
Helen: How do you find the ideas behind your stories?
Ben: A lot of ideas just come to me when I’m not paying attention to anything in particular. I’ve got two new concepts in the background to work on that just came out of nowhere. I had a big document that I keep my ideas in, because otherwise I’d forget them just as quickly as they came. I love talking these things through with my partner, and my friends, and the best way to get ideas for stories is to just talk about them sometimes.
Helen: I agree, a friend of mine is my sounding board. She always gets to hear about my ideas first. Now you have caught the writing bug, what are you working on next?
Ben: My current WIP is the third book in my series. The current working title has been “The Devil’s in the Details” but I’m expecting to rename it before publication. It’s another continuation of the story, but adding in even more mythology. It’s the last book in the current series, but it leaves it open enough that I could write more in the same world later.
Helen: So you are busy writing, how do you fit it in to your daily routine?
Ben: I have a full-time job, a son at home (my eldest is engaged and lives with his fiance), a partner, a fire performance troupe, and other hobbies. The best thing I can do is to carve out a little time most days to write, even if it’s just thirty minutes. I mostly write when my son is asleep, after I’ve done all my other chores and exercise. But I also carve out time where I can. My partner and I do “coffee shop time” where we each bring a hobby (she’s an artist, knits, and is an avid reader) to a coffee shop and use that time for our creative pursuits. It’s a delight.
Helen: It sounds wonderful. Do you find you have to do much research for your books?
Ben: It really depends on the book, but I tend to do research in the moment. There are some things I need to work out ahead of time, but a lot of my research ends up being open Chrome tabs while I’m writing. If I’m hitting a part of a scene that I’m not sure of, that’s the time I’m going to take a quick break and do just enough research to make sure I’ve got it going in the right direction. My next book concept is going to take more up front research, though, and I’ve got a couple books on the specific culture/mythology I’m going to be working with.
Helen: It’s funny how we are constantly learning new things in order to write our books. Do you plan your books in advance?
Ben: I call myself a pantser with an outline, so I don’t know if that’s called a plantser? I tend to write linearly, with the story evolving in my head and making its way onto the page. The outline is ever-evolving, and I make notes throughout the writing of the book. But I don’t do a lot of pre-plotting, other than trying to map out rough word count beats. I like the “save the cat” story beats, and use at least a rough version of that in my writing process.
Helen: I think you have to use the method that works for you. Everyone is different, and as long as you are writing, that is all that matters. If you didn’t write urban fantasy is there another genre you would like to try?
Ben: If I didn’t write urban fantasy, I think I’d try and write epic fantasy or speculative fiction. My books would be much shorter than the chonks that a lot of authors seem to be putting out though. I’ve got an idea brewing in the back of my mind for a more epic style fantasy, but it’s going to be a minute before I get to that one.
Helen: I love world building so I tend to write epic fanatsy. Like you, I write what I love to read. What books have you read recently?
Ben: I’m currently reading the Debt Collection series by Andrew Givler, starting with Soul Fraud. He’s another contemporary/urban fantasy indie author. I would definitely recommend them, and it’s been really great seeing another author’s take on similar subject matter as my own books. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and the narrator he has is very good.
Helen: Hmmm … More books to add to the tbr list! Thank you so much for joining me today. It has been lovely learning about you and your books. Just to close us out, do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Ben: First, just keep writing. Words on the page are what matter. Second, decide why you want to write. If it’s about getting your story out there, and you don’t care about making money doing it, then your strategy is going to be different than if you’re trying to be a full-time author. You have to make a lot of choices in this business. Do you pursue traditional publishing vs self publishing? What genre you write in matters if you want to write books that “sell.” Considerations like these are important. You’ll save yourself some disappointment if you figure out what you want, to help guide you on how to do it.
About the Author
Ben Schenkman
Ben Schenkman likes many things in life: his 20-pound Maine coon cat, his family, his coffee, and his eclectic hobbies—not necessarily in that order.
Ben also likes to play devil’s advocate in his urban fantasy books by exploring the gray areas of good and evil with questions like, “Does the end really justify the means? Or is it all simply black and white?” Ben leaves these questions lingering in the ether to challenge readers’ conventional thinking and delve into the complexities of moral dilemmas.
As a native of Connecticut, Ben draws inspiration from his upbringing and college years in New Haven, where his novels take place. When he wants to escape being a writer, he’s a massive foodie who goes on gastronomic adventures, an overachiever who collects degrees in Theater, Nuclear Engineering, and an MBA, or the manager/performer of the fire dance troupe, HVBRIS—you know, the basics. No big deal.
Learn more about his work, or talk about coffee and cats, at his website.
Follow Ben:
Purchase Ben’s book, My Boss is the Devil:
Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback
Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback
Purchase Book 2: Dueling Shoulder Angels
Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback
Link to book on Amazon US: eBook | Paperback
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If you enjoy epic fantasy then check out my award winning Sentinal series, which is now complete. If you like fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love my SoulMist series, start with SoulBreather. Prefer Dystopian Science Fantasy? Then try Harmony. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
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