For many writers, the journey toward a finished novel is often long, laborious and unpredictable. Toledo native Len Francis Monahan’s path was no
different, and it eventually led him into
the American West.
Monahan will release his novel,
“Rattlesnakes, Ghosts and Murderers,”
on Feb. 14, through Greta Fox Publishing. It is the first installment in a
series of Western comedies.
Monahan, 64, now resides in the
Western U.S., but he has fond memories of his Toledo roots. He attended St.
James Grade School and Libbey High
School, where he was often chastised
for his wandering mind.
“Daydreaming is a perfect state for
a writer, it would seem,” Monahan said.
Monahan recalled renting canoes
and braving the waters of the Maumee
River as one of his favorite memories
of youth. He also remembered being at
odds with his father’s occupation.
“As I was growing up, my father
worked for the City of Toledo as a ‘garbage man.’ His occupation caused me
some embarrassment — such is the
idiocy of youth,” Monahan said.
He eventually came to realize that
his father’s intellect reached far beyond the confines of his trash removal
job, and now credits him with being a
vital inspiration.
“I am proud to proclaim my father
as one of the most intelligent persons I
have ever known. He was, in fact, himself a writer, and inspired me toward
that profession,” Monahan said.
Long before realizing his own potential as a scribe,
Monahan pursued his education at the University of Toledo, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and philosophy. From there, he set out on a trail to
discover his calling.
“ While in Toledo, I worked as a Merchant Marine, a spray painter for Kaiser Jeep, a psychiatric tech, a full-time musician and some other jobs I have tried to forget,” Monahan said.
In 1978, he married Elaine Welling. Monahan called his marriage “the
most fortuitous event” of his life.
Throughout the 1980s, Monahan began discovering his worth
as a musician, as well.
“During that period, I wrote songs
with an obsession and made my first
professional recordings, ‘Being Alone
for Christmas’ and ‘Christmas Lullaby.’ These songs played all over the
United States, England, Australia and
some other countries,” Monahan said.
Though he was encouraged by the
success, he was still hesitant to attempt
a career in music.
“I continued to do a bit more recording, but stopped completely until
1988 when I released ‘Another Road.’
That song jumped to No. 48 on the
national independent charts, and I
decided to release ‘Tapping at Your Window,’
which popped onto the
Top 100 Country Charts
in Cashbox magazine
and achieved No. 27 on
the independent charts,”
Monahan said.
In 1989, he and
Elaine decided to move
westward, and settled
into California’s Bay
Area. Monahan struggled
to find other musicians
there who were serious
about recording.
“In terms of my music
career, I guess I was much
better off in Toledo,” Monahan said.
Despite the disappointment, Monahan found a great deal of work in
writing. He worked for a major publisher and wrote and edited articles
for an estimated 5,000 national and
international publications. He covered business, industry, medicine,
education, law, economics, international news, U.S. military reviews and
even CIA reports.
“It was a constant education,”
Monahan said.
Twelve years ago, Monahan and his
wife moved to the Sierra Nevada, not
far from Yosemite National Park. This
is where Monahan found the inspiration for his current literary endeavor.
“One evening, as I sat on a friend’s
2,000-acre ranch and watched lights
belonging to the Mexican drug cartel
vehicles moving up and down the
mountain roads, the phrase ‘Rattlesnakes, Ghosts and Murderers’
sprang to mind,” Monahan said.
“At that moment, I realized what a
marvelous title it was.
The first book of the series,
subtitled “McKenna and Barnett,”
begins with an excerpt from a
ranch hand’s diary, which tells of
the events that lead to the crux of
the story. The plot focuses around
young protagonist Colt Barnett
and his adventures as the leader of
a ranch he inherited.
Kathy Lynn, who represents
Greta Fox Publishing, said that the
book is not designed for any specific
audience, but would most likely be
enjoyed by readers in the young
adult group and older. She said that
the novel should appeal to women,
as well, since it has a strong female
figure as a central character.
“It would also help if the reader
has a well-developed sense of humor,”
Lynn added.
As for the future, Monahan said
that the second book of the series
should be released in a year or so.
The third and fourth books will be
completed thereafter. He also plans
on traveling to Alaska to research
future material.
Regarding more immediate
plans, Greta Fox Publishing will distribute the novel through Amazon
and Barnes & Noble; it will be available for e-readers and in paperback.
Greta Fox also plans to knock on Hollywood’s door.
“Presently, we are trying to develop
a movie deal for the ‘Rattlesnakes,
Ghosts and Murderers’ series and have
some film companies looking at it,”
Lynn said.
Beyond the series, Monahan
said he will continue to write, not
necessarily for literary glory, but
because it keeps him distracted
from life’s deliberations.
“I don’t claim to have talked
to the spirits or breathed words
into incandescent clouds. I know
I will live, move on and eventually be forgotten like everyone else.
No amount of writing, working,
spending or owning can ever
change that. So, in the meantime,
I just keep myself preoccupied.”
