How I Found a Happily Ever After in a Dark Fantasy

Guest Post by J. Von Tobel

When I set out to write my recent novel, Fated to be Monsters, there was only pain in mind. I was still writing dark fantasy exclusively and my stories went accordingly.

The worlds were bleak. The heroes were brave. The odds were against them.

The book was going to end with the FMC broken, alone, and betrayed. The man she loved taken prisoner and the vile antagonist would force her into self-imposed exile. Unwilling to accept this fate, the follow up was colored in shades of revolution and bloody vengeance.

This is not the version of Fated that was published on April 9, 2025. Now, the vile antagonist is the man she loves. The one she originally called lover is a pompous ass she discards. Anca is never exiled. The vengeance fueled revolution is swapped with righteous rebellion.

Fated to be Monsters by J. Von Tobel

What happened? The simple answer is that the characters refused that fate.

Anca Sulia, duty bound monster hunter with a snarky temper, and Eugen Furloc, banished ex-hunter and enforcer for the tyrannical throne, were defined by antagonism. Her family destroyed his own. He hated everyone beyond himself. They were supposed to be nothing alike. That wasn’t how it worked out. Every time they were on the page, there was a heat between them. They were drawn to each other. Curious. Intrigued. I couldn’t get rid of it. After trying a few things, I realized I didn’t want to remove it.

However, this didn’t mean I found the Happily Ever After (HEA) right away. Once I figured out that this story was about these two unlikely lovers, it took a while to accept that I was not going to get that bleak, heart-wrenching ending about failure. The next draft was vastly different from the first. Despite accepting a romantic subplot, I didn’t write a happy ending.

It ended with Eugen caving to his worser nature. In chains, he was dragged back as leverage against the throne he served. Despite the affection they had for one another, I couldn’t let myself see the light in them. This was the ending that my beta readers eventually received.

Though they loved the story and the setting, two things rose to the surface: They loved Eugen. The wounded, grumpy Executioner was a fan favorite. The second thing was every single one of them was disappointed with the ending. My readers had not seen his raging flaws as signs of damnation, but instead as the chains holding him back.

I originally wrote this book as a way to talk about toxic, masculine rage. I wanted to show how consuming it was. It is nearly impossible to shake off when you are in the throes of it. It was written from a dark place where doubt was the message. Despite my intentions, my readers didn’t see that. They saw the word hope written large.

Illustration by FondlyFramed

Hope that we can be better. Hope that the decisions we’ve made won’t come to define us. Hope that the person you love can be the person you need them to be. In many ways, the choice to pull an HEA out of this dark fantasy novel was a reflection of my own problems.

I struggled with anger for a long time. I found that Eugen wasn’t just the MMC. He was a reflection of my own demons. By writing a bleak end for him, I was reciting the frustrating cycle of taming my anger: tension, outburst, regret, tension, outburst, regret. After years of therapy and mantras, I was ready to let it go.

I found a Happily Ever After in Fated to be Monsters by embracing my own happy ending. I could conquer my anger. I could let it go for good and the ending to this book is my declaration that I am free of rage. I won’t spoil the book by saying what happens. However, I will end this article with the book’s dedication. Readers have told me how powerful it is. The words struck me when I came up with them and it warms my heart to know that others feel the same. 

For everyone who is angry and doesn’t want to be.

Biography

With a preponderance towards Dungeons & Dragons, sexy vampires, and Lovecraftian nightmares, it isn't surprising J ended up writing romantasy. A Chicagoan for ten years, J is an active member of the Chicago North Romance Writers.

J. Von Tobel is the author of the Fated Hunters Duology, the first in the series being Fated to be Monsters. Curse of Flame, their debut novel, is a dark fantasy novel which acts as the first chapter in a new trilogy. They hope to write more in this world and others beyond.

To find out more about J's books visit jacobvontobel.com or click here for more information about Fated to be Monsters.

---

Until next time,

P.S. — Be the first to know. Follow this link to subscribe to my newsletter.

About the Author

Award-winning author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and poet. She is most recently the author of The Passenger. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including mermaids and ghosts. Joie writes character-driven, emotional, atmospheric tales about heartache and hope.