YA author Hayley Dennings’s bloodthirsty romantasy debut This Ravenous Fate takes place during the lively Harlem Renaissance era. In the book, Elise Saint has returned home to Harlem from Paris where her father reigns as the leading manufacturer of vampire-hunting artillery and she’s next in line to inherit his empire. Meanwhile, every vampire in Harlem, also known as reapers, is seeking ways to destroy the Saint family, which includes her former best friend and now sworn enemy and reaper Layla Quinn. As Elise tries to settle back into her old life, she learns the ways of the family’s business and the dangerous politics of Harlem. PW spoke with Dennings about the Harlem Renaissance, her love for horror and queer representation, and how envisioning an inclusive historical fictional past continues to resonate with contemporary readers.
This Ravenous Fate has multiple genre-blending elements such as horror, romantasy, and mystery. Was this something you set out to do or did it develop as you were writing this book?
Honestly, this wasn’t something I set out to do from the beginning. When I sat down, I just wanted [to write] a historical fantasy. At the time, I never saw myself as a horror writer, even though it’s one of my favorite genres. I was mostly focused on the relationship between these two girls [Elise and Layla] and their trying to survive a hostile environment in the 1920s. When I finished my first draft, [I realized] it had some mystery elements, which I think fit perfectly for the time as organized crime was growing. It made sense to have that historical aspect surrounding a lot of the crime that’s going on, and then the horror just kind of seeped in, because I love gruesome descriptions.
Why did you choose the Harlem Renaissance as the time period? What was your research process like?
I chose the Harlem Renaissance for a few reasons. When I first came up with this idea, I was planning on setting it in San Francisco, which is where I live, and I thought maybe it’d be easier for me. But I realized I didn’t know what San Francisco was like during that time even though I was taking a class where we were studying Renaissance writers [ in general]. I had also taken another class specifically about the Harlem Renaissance years ago, and it just stuck with me. Time periods are fascinating [to me]. With the Harlem Renaissance it’s about celebrating Blackness—where Black people can be proud of their identities and culture, and expand their communities. Black people deserve to see themselves in books. I wanted to write something that I would have loved to have when I was younger.
Can you share some of the research materials that influenced you the most while you were drafting your book?
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Passing by Nella Larsen, and Jazz by Toni Morrison are just a few. I wanted to be honest about the sentiments and the vibes [during those periods]. One of the questions I asked myself was, “What were Black people doing at the time?” because whenever we talk about the 1920s, I feel like so many people think about partying. I wanted to tell a story that also was honest about the things that [Black people] were facing back then and how that still contributes to our time period now.
Do you believe the current trend of vampires in media is symbolic of the current state of society? How has that shaped your perception of vampires in your work?
I also was wondering why [a lot of] vampire [content] is coming out at the same time, and it’s exciting. [It’s] giving queer and BIPOC authors a chance to get in on it. I would say horror has always been reflective of the state of humanity and the times we’re living in. I think escapism was really big for a long time, especially earlier in the pandemic, but now I think people are starting to peel that protective barrier off. We’re going to be honest about it and show everyone the monstrosities of what’s going on in these times. It’s been interesting to see the way people are coping with events through storytelling. And horror is such a fascinating genre, [despite] many people [not taking] it seriously because of the gore. But I think [the horror genre] has such a beautiful and brilliant way of telling stories through non-traditional structures by using tropes that are hard to look at at first but can prove to be human, realistic, and relatable to people. I love seeing this rise of vampires.
I [also] love seeing Black people fill up their own lore with Black history and obviously queer people too. [For example] Carmilla [an 1872 Gothic novella by Sheridan Le Fanu] was one of the first vampire books, and it was a warning against homosexuality and lesbianism. So it’s cool getting to see people reclaim that and show that being a lesbian does not mean that you are a monster.
This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings. Sourcebooks Fire, $18.99 Aug. 6 ISBN 978-1-7282-9786-6
