Vanessa Len Q&A - Once a Villain
- Allen & Unwin
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
We chat with Vanessa Len, author of the stunning Only a Monster trilogy.
A&U: Hey Vanessa! Thanks so much for chatting with us. Can you tell us a bit about the Only a Monster trilogy and especially, the latest book, Once a Villain?
VL: In Once a Villain, our main character Joan has been transported to a new timeline where monsters rule over humans. Following her previous adventures, she’s utterly torn between the two loves of her life – Nick, a monster slayer, and Aaron, a ruthless monster. But now, all three of them will have to put aside their differences to fight together and restore the timeline – before it’s too late!
A&U: How has writing each book in the series differed for you? Has it gotten easier as you’ve gone on, or has each book presented its own challenges?
VL: For me each book has been easier than the previous one, and Once a Villain was the most fun to write! I loved being able to complete all of the relationship arcs that I’d set up in the first two books (and especially loved being able to further develop the romance).
A&U: We love Joan, your absolutely bad-ass protagonist! How did you go about creating her and finding her voice?
VL: Thank you! Joan is half-monster and half-human, and she loves both sides of her family deeply – even though monsters and humans are generally at odds in the books. I think one of her strengths is that she’s able to empathise with people, and she can see and understand multiple perspectives in most situations.
A&U: The world of monsters is really fascinating, and we absolutely adore the way you mix together a bunch of different elements (like time travel!). Where did that world building begin for you, and how did you go about crafting it?
VL: Before I started writing the series, I made a big list of all the elements I loved in stories, and the monster world was born from some of those loves (time-travel, families with powers, unusual perspectives …) After that, I spent a lot of time brainstorming and building the world and the characters. There are many, many characters and worldbuilding details that didn’t end up in the books, but I wanted it to feel as real as possible in my head before I put pen to paper.
A&U: Joan is the main POV character throughout the series, but if you had to write from another character’s perspective for a while, which one would you choose and why?
VL: I have some deleted scenes from Nick’s point of view – back when he was a monster slayer in the first book. I enjoyed writing from his perspective, but in the end I wanted Joan and the reader to discover the world of monsters together, and that wouldn’t have been possible if Nick’s perspective had been included. (He was too knowledgeable.) In terms of untold stories, I think that Aaron’s point of view would be fun – especially if he was having to haplessly deal with the human world!
A&U: The changing timelines is such a fantastic element of the books - what was the greatest challenge around deciding what would happen in each timeline?
VL: I’ve always loved stories with multiple timelines and alternative realities, and in some ways I think of the first book as a prequel to the complicated relationships in books 2 and 3. I wanted the characters and their relationships to evolve with each book, and the changing timelines were built with that in mind.
A&U: A very cheeky one, but what’s next for you? More YA fantasy, or maybe another genre entirely?
VL: Ooh, I can’t say too much, but I’m excitedly working on a new novel, and it is fantasy!
A&U: And lastly, what advice would you give for any writers out there who might be reading this Q&A?
VL: I would suggest writing what you love, and finding people who will support you in your writing (and who you can support in turn!).
Once a Villain
by Vanessa Len
The heart-stopping finale in the incredible Only a Monster fantasy time-travel series takes Joan into the darkest timeline in the monster world, as she fights to restore the world she remembers.
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