Tag: author interview

WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Gail Z. Martin

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Gail Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy and steampunk for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle, the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and the Assassins of Landria. Newest titles include Convicts and Exiles, Spells Salt and Steel Season One, Tangled Web, Vengeance, The Dark Road, Sons of Darkness, and Assassin’s Honor.

She is the co-author (with Larry N. Martin ) of the Spells, Salt, and Steel/New Templars series; the Steampunk series Iron & Blood; and a collection of short stories and novellas: The Storm & Fury Adventures set in the Iron & Blood universe. She is also the co-author of the upcoming Wasteland Marshals series and the Joe Mack Cauldron/Shadow Council series. As Morgan Brice, she writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance. Series include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Trail.

Wolf: Thanks for stopping by. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

Gail: Not really strange if you’re in Scotland, but I like haggis. I’ve had some very tasty versions, and I enjoyed them.

Wolf: I’ve always wanted to try haggis. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Gail: Probably a flamethrower, because you don’t need good aim.

Wolf: Scary. (Says the wolf who likes to make bonfires in pumpkins.) What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Gail: I think that doing crossovers with all of my Gail Z. Martin/Morgan Brice urban fantasy series is a nice thing for the characters, because it creates a community of hunters and defenders against dark magic, and opens up all kinds of new plot and character opportunities.

Wolf: I like the way you think. What’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Gail: Probably killing them, or letting them get captured, or having them fight really nasty psycho sorcerers. You know. The usual.

Wolf: So true. While walking in the woods you come across…

Gail: With my luck, a dead body. Or human bones. In a summoning circle. With a puckish demon and a surly werewolf.

Wolf: Hopefully you remembered to bring some protection items. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Gail: I’ve always wanted to be able to twitch my nose like Samantha Stevens on the old TV show Bewitched and have all of the house chores done!

Wolf: Have you tried moving your nose with your finger? It worked for Tabitha. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Gail: Lay down a salt line and call the Winchester brothers!

Wolf: Good idea. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Gail: Well, we’ve been warned by both The Walking Dead and Supernatural to hoard toilet paper, so there’s that. Matches, candles, a portable water filter, and Advil. Practical necessities!

Wolf: I like the Advil idea. What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)

Gail: Any ocean with a beach. I love to sit and look at the waves. I am very happy with a view of the ocean, with a good book and a frothy beach drink!

Wolf: I love oceans too, especially jumping in the waves or playing in the sand. What story are you working on now?

Gail: I’m finishing edits on Treasure Trail, the first in a new Morgan Brice urban fantasy MM paranormal romance series set in Cape May, NJ. Then I start into edits on Flame and Ash, the next Witchbane book, also under my Morgan Brice name. Then I’m back to being Gail, working on Sellsword’s Oath, the second book in the Assassins of Landria series and Inheritance, the next Deadly Curiosities book.

Wolf: You really keep busy. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Gail: I like to read books that I don’t need to edit! Reading is a big escape for me. I also follow a few shows on Netflix like Lucifer and of course, Supernatural. I’m doing the Supernatural rewatch over the summer, which is watching all 14 seasons before the new season starts in October. I like to play with our dogs. Larry and I enjoy sightseeing, visiting extended family, and taking time off to go to the beach!

Wolf: I wish I had time to do all those fun things. Thanks for visiting and check out Gail’s sites:

Social Media Links:

Join our Shadow Alliance street team so you never miss a new release! Get all the scoop first + giveaways + fun stuff! Also where I get my beta readers and Launch Team! https://www.facebook.com/groups/435812789942761

Find me at www.GailZMartin.com , on Twitter @GailZMartin on www.Facebook.com/WinterKingdoms at www.DisquietingVisions.com blog, on www.Pinterest.com/Gzmartin on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/GailZMartin and BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gail-z-martin I’m also the organizer of the #HoldOnToTheLight campaign www.HoldOnToTheLight.com Never miss out on the news with my newsletter http://eepurl.com/dd5XLj

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

August 14, 2019
Check out the interview I did for JVJ Podcast

I had fun chatting with Josh and the gang at JVJ Podcast. Stop by their website and give it a listen.

Don’t forget to get your copy of Star Touched

August 8, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – James Nettles

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

James Nettles has a thirty-year career consulting for dozens of clients from startups to Fortune 100’s, media contributor, speaker on privacy, futurism, coming disruptive technologies and their impact on businesses and individual daily lives, and is a science fiction and fantasy author. He is also a founding partner for Author Essentials.

In addition, having started writing in media and journalism, he has contributed to and written hundreds of articles and now develops content and materials for personal and professional development, technology, privacy issues, and Artificial Intelligence. He also is a science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary fiction author, using his background in cultural anthropology and sociology. His current series are the Home Summonings and Longbow Initiative urban fantasy series, and soon to be released technothriller series under the name James P. McDonald.

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

James: Given the chance, and it’s a bit of a stretch as an “animal,” I’d love to be Dionysus for a while. Yeah, he’s an old god, but who wouldn’t want to be a trickster deity over wine, ritual mayhem, and the theater?

If I was going the stricter animal definition, I’m going to stick with the tricksters, and go with the fox or wolf. They’re cunning, and willing to fully embrace who they are.

Wolf: I’m partial to wolves myself, but I’ll let you get away with Dionysus. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

James: A Bat’leth. Granted, in many ways it’s not the most effective, especially in a gunfight, but on the other hand, if someone shows up in a kilt swinging a Klingon weapon, they’re pretty likely to stop and wonder what’s happening. You might even get a laugh before you take their head.

There can be only one! (I might have hopped franchises.)

Wolf: Just don’t hop too high in that kilt. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

James: I gave Grey Forrester a Bat’leth in Pandora’s curse. Not that he got to use it… yet. But if I’m going with kindness, I wrote a short story a few years back for Valentine’s Day. It was for the Bloody Valentine Blog Tour. I wrote a little redemption story for Cupid a few years back.

Wolf: Creepy. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

James: Kill them? Turn them to stone? Make them babysit a werehamster at DragonCon? There’s way too many choices to make here, but the best ones become spoilers (like letting the ghosts torment the TV ghost hunter).

Wolf: LOL. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

James: Got to love the pups. My writing partner is frequently my 14 pounds of rescued mini-schnauzer fury. He sleeps on my shoulder while I’m writing, and thinks his little mohawk makes him a badass. But you can find all of our pups scattered through my books. Our grumpy 15-pound schnauzer is the inspiration for Scar, a mopey old hellhound that loves to show up just in time to cause trouble.

Wolf: My neighbor growing up had a schnauzer. Nice dog. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

James: Teleport. I used to travel 48 weeks a year, and I still travel a lot, but it’s a huge pain these days.

But I’d love to be able to pop in and see sunrise at a passage grave in Ireland, have lunch in Ohau and spend the afternoon snorkeling, and have an evening pint and watch the sun set in New Zealand before jumping in to do a convention.

Or just be able to avoid rush hour traffic.

Wolf: I’d go for that. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

James: Seeing as how I’m a future Darwin Award nominee, I’m loading the shotgun, and knocking on the door. Unless of course, I have my Damascus Steel Bat’leth (if you’re going to dream, dream big), you kick in the door, and scream, “Today is a good day to die!”

With my luck, I’d burst in on a meeting of the followers of the Great Old Ones who have now formed a Multi-Level-Marketing company. They’re happy to sacrifice themselves to my blade, as that’s part of how they get advancement in the organization, but you have to listen to their initial pitch first. It lasts 10,000 years, and restarts every time someone comes in the door.

Wolf: Arg. Run away fast. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

James: 1) A large, sharp carbon steel knife, 2) A full size parachute (it’s a self-contained camping kit!) 3) A mountain bike 4) Flints 5) a Cast-iron pan.

Bonus: A solar powered tank.

Wolf: Good luck with that tank. Which of your characters is your favorite?

James: Melvin. Melvin is a deranged angel in the Home Summonings series that shows up to “help.” Melvin is a little depressed; he’d like to undo the universe because the sky is the wrong color, but has grown to love pop culture, a little too much.

Occasionally, I’ll do a retelling of a story of myth or legend through his lens, but he’s a great deal of fun when you need to unleash some mayhem. And sometimes, he does really save the day, in his own way.

Wolf: Bring on the mayhem. What is your favorite body of water and why?

James: I love moving water, whether it’s the ocean, a river, a stream. If it’s a body of water I can throw a boat into, dive into, or stare at and listen to the water, I’m in.

Wolf: Moving water can be soothing. (unless it’s a rapid. Then it’s exciting.) What story are you working on now?

James: I’m finishing up the next Longbow Novella, it’s a heist story with gnomes. It’s been a while since I’ve had anything come out in that universe, and I’m ready to get it and Book 4 of Home Summonings out. After that, it’s back to the first book in the new technothriller series.

I’m also having fun recording the audiobook version of Business Essentials for Writers, and the video workshops that go with the book.

Wolf: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

James: You’re supposed to do something besides stare at a blank screen and check Facebook?

The work we’re doing with Author Essentials and other projects are keeping me pretty busy (plus trying to get some writing in), and I do a lot of conventions and events.

In my day life, I do a lot of consulting work and speaking, I’m heavy athletics judge for Scottish Highland Games, and love to do hot glass work when I have a chance, but it’s been a while since I’ve gotten in some torch time. I’ve also started doing some carving work again, and with the wife we are playing with electroforming, and I’m trying to learn blending that medium with the glasswork.

Wolf: Sounds cool. Thanks for stopping by. You can catch up with James at these locations:

Short stories, fiction and more can be found at: https://www.jim-mcdonald.net/. https://JamesPNettles.com will be live soon (since I was finally able to get the domain) with more nonfiction, and the other stuff I’m working on.

Founding partner for Author Essentials (https://www.authoressentials.net and https://www.authoressentialsworkshops.com), with resources and workshops dedicated to the business of being an author.

ji**@**************ls.net
Twitter: @JPNettlesAuthor
Instagram: @JPNettlesAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmacauthor

https://www.facebook.com/james.nettles

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEssentials/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BooksandBeerCLT/
https://www.facebook.com/booksnbeer/

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

August 7, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Pete Prellwitz

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Author Biography: Pete Prellwitz was bitten by the writing bug at an early age and has never been cured. Starting with an awful (but produced!) Thanksgiving play in 4th grade, Pete’s writing skills fortunately have improved over time. With ten novels in print/ebook, as well as short stories in multiple anthologies, Peter also writes as H.K. Devonshire, Mars’ most popular Martian author, whose first Terran edition of Company A (2019) is now available, with three more Martian westerns in the next year.

Pete and his wife Bethlynne live in Jeffersonville, PA with one-and-a-half of their five sons and two dachshunds.

http://ShardsUniverse.net

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Pete: A dachshund, without a doubt. In my Shards Universe, dachshunds are found on every Earth-type planet, are comfortable in space and make excellent companions for the humans who live, work, and travel through space.

Wolf: Those are cute dogs. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Pete: A Ruger Vacaro .45 single-six revolver. In fact, I own one now. I use it only for shooting targets, but the feel is just right. When I was younger, I could draw the pistol from its holster fast enough to have a half-dollar, resting on my gun hand, fall into the empty holster.

Wolf: That is really cool. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Pete: I’m a pretty nice guy to my protagonists… eventually. I believe that novels and novellas should conclude with a positive ending. (Why pay money to get depressed when you can do that for free?) Because of that, for as much as it makes a satisfying, well-constructed story, my protagonists fare well. For a specific example, one character goes from being a 31-year old successful man who “wakes up” suddenly 650 years later as a 14-year old girl. Talk about messed up! Things work out very well for her by the end of the fourth book.

Wolf: I read the sample of that one. Looking forward to reading the rest. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Pete: Yeah… that’s where the “eventually” from the previous question comes to play. I’m outright nasty to my characters. I believe the distance a character travels from the nadir of the story to the zenith should be as great as possible. And since nearly all my characters have good endings, well… let’s just say what I’ve done to most of them pretty much excludes me from being on their Christmas card list.

Wolf: That sounds about write for most of the writers I’ve talked to. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Pete: Teleportation without limit. I’d pay the bills by working for NASA, gathering samples from various locations off-planet, and spending weekends with my wife pretty much anywhere we wanted.

Wolf: Great idea. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Pete: Though I love all my protagonists and more than a few supporting characters, Abigail Wyeth is my favorite. Horizons was my first published novel, but Shards was my first completed novel. Comprised of four books and nearly 300,000 words, Shards was written in 54 weeks. I lived with the protagonist, Abigail Wyeth, virtually every minute of every day during that time. And then again in subsequent edits, and its successful publishing. (The four books came out over a six-week period and held four of the top five ebook sales slots for a couple months at the time of release.)

Abigail was me, more than any other character I’ve written. Sometimes an author understands that; other times they deny it. Regardless, the author is always showing themselves in their writing. I understood that completely with Abigail, which made her a cathartic character in many respects, while also being her own person.

Wolf: So true. What is your favorite body of water and why?

Pete: Waters within 20 miles of about any tropical island. Bethlynne and I are both accomplished scuba divers.

Wolf: That takes courage. I never made It past the surface when snorkeling. What story are you working on now?

Pete: I’m under contract for four Martian Westerns by H.K. Devonshire. The first, Company A, is available on Earth now through Falstaff Publishing. The second, The Bombala Mines Fast Draw, was just finished and sent in for editing and production. I’ve started and am now writing the third novella, Dixie Gomez: Bounty Hunter, which I’ve been looking forward to, as most of my novels are from the female perspective.

Wolf: Nice. I’ll look for them. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Pete: I’m a big history buff, so that takes up a good bit of my time. I also enjoy the above-mentioned scuba diving, spending time with our dachshunds, and writing. (Yes, I like to write when I’m not writing.) Most of all, spending time with my wife doing anything is my favorite pastime.

Wolf: Thanks for stopping by. You can connect with Pete through these links:

https://www.facebook.com/peter.prellwitz
http://shardsuniverse.net/
http://hkdevonshire.com/

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PS6KKMY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

July 31, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Jeanne Adams

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Jeanne Adams is the author of thrilling suspense, witchy paranormals, and intense urban fantasy. She’s also a happy fan of the macabre.

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Jeanne: So, if it’s a “real” creature, I’d be a Snow Leopard! Why? They’re totally gorgeous and powerful, have the most elegant fur you’ve ever seen, and are incredibly playful and fun. Kinda like me. Ha! If it can be a creature of imagination, I’m up for being a Dragon or a Gryphon!!

Wolf: All of them wonderful choices. The snow leopard sounds really cool. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

Jeanne: Gotta be Zebra or Gazelle at a restaurant called Carnivore in Kenya, West Africa.

Wolf: Sounds gamey. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Jeanne: I’m fond of a Bo – a 6’ staff – or a good rapier. Grins. A staff, if you learn to use one, is something that can be a “weapon of opportunity” in a situation where you might find yourself without a weapon. If you know how to use it, a broom, mop, or branch can save your life. A good rapier is light, strong, and, as a woman, be a weapon you can use without having the upper body strength a broad sword requires.

Wolf: I think a lot of folks don’t realize how deadly a staff can be. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Jeanne: Oh, I regularly put my characters through unmitigated hell, so that’s a tough question. I’ve beaten the devil out of them, tied them up and left them for dead, and dropped them in a canal with a head wound. But the worst was probably kidnapping my hero and heroine to a Central American country and dropping them in a hole and locking them in. Bwahahahah!

Wolf: That is evil. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

Jeanne: I’m tall, and getting taller every year. My leaves are a glossy, dark green, and my flowers bloom in May and scent all the proms and graduations with a lemony scent. (I’m a Magnolia Grandiflora! Tree)

Wolf: Beautiful. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

Jeanne: While I love them both, and grew up with Siamese cats and a gorgeous black cat, my eldest son is allergic so we just have dogs – three of them! We have two fabulous pups from the rescue arm of a group called Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac. They’re a bonded pair, which means they came as a matched set. Our other dog is a 3 year old Irish Water Spaniel. Irishers are considered a rare breed. I’m always showing pictures of them to people, kinda like you do with babies. Ha! People are always asking me if he’s a Labradoodle or a golden doodle…but he’s not!

Wolf: Ha. I have more pictures of my dog on my phone than my human children. While walking in the woods you come across…

Jeanne: A gold and red scaled dragon with a wicked thorn in his foot, which I, of course, remove, making him my forever friend!

Wolf: That’s a very good friend to have. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Jeanne: My sons and I talk about this all the time! I think I’d like the power to teleport – what a joy that would be, right? If you’ve read Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changling series, you’ll know what I’m talking about…

Wolf: Beats walking. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Jeanne: Oh, that’s just my friend who’s a giant space cat. She landed in my back yard after her fish-oil space engines malfunctioned. She’s been staying at my great aunt’s old house, keeping her company until we can find a source for enough fish-oil to get her going again. The rumbling? Oh, that’s just her purring. Rattles the whole house, right? Well, she’s pretty big, takes up the whole room down there. Oh, look at the time! She’s probably ready to be fed. Want to help?

Wolf: No thanks. Don’t want her to think wolf is on the menu. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Jeanne: Wow…that’s a tough one! Besides having my family and pets safe and with me, I guess there’s a few things we’d need. Here goes: 1) Keys to the biggest public library around wherever town I’m in. 2) My amazing multi-tool Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman multitool. 3) A water purifier with boxes and boxes of filters. 4) Keys to the Costco warehouse and all the stuff in it! 5) A lifetime supply of antibiotics! (And tea!)

Wolf: Technically tea is a 6^th item, but since you have access to a Costco, I’ll let that go. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Jeanne: That’s like asking which of your kids is your favorite! Ha! I love them all, but have to say that I have a special place for the characters in The Tentacle Affaire, my first Slip Traveler novel. (The second is due out in January 2020) That book was one of the first ideas I every wrote to completion, and while I had to rewrite it for publication, it’s near and dear to my heart.

Wolf: I’ll put it on my to-read list. What is your favorite body of water and why?

Jeanne: Oh! What a great question! I love Lake Lure in North Carolina. The mountains are so gorgeous and the lake is so amazing peaceful…yeah. Love that spot!

Wolf: I’ve never been there. What story are you working on now?

Jeanne: Thanks for asking! I’m finishing a novella called Lost Lives which will be out in an anthology called Who’s Your Daddy on Father’s Day 2019. Then this summer, the latest in the Outcast Station series I do with my friend Nancy Northcott. This will be a stand-alone prequel novel called Origins, an Outcast Station novel. I’m also part of a fabulous Kickstarter called Predators in Petticoats. I hope we’ll make the Kickstarter so I get to write the story! I’m also excited about a Christmas anthology called Christmas in the Castle that will be out at the end of the year!

Wolf: Wow. You’re busy. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Jeanne: All sorts of mischievous things! My eldest son is a Division I baseball player so we do a lot of baseball games. My youngest has been doing national-level Tae Kwon Do competitions, which is some travel and spectating as well. I’m training my Irish Water Spaniel for the show ring, so there’s daily grooming and work with him. I read alllll the time, because I’m a firm believer that if you don’t read and feed your mind, you won’t write well. Between all that and a genealogy hobby and writing all this stuff I’m committed to writing? Whew! I’m staying busy! Add in the wonderful reader and learning conventions I attend, and I’m happily jumping out of bed every morning to get started!

Wolf: Sounds like you don’t have much time to sleep. If this question were any question in the world, what question would you want it to be and how would you answer it?

Jeanne: Love this! Snork! Gotta say, one of my favorite questions is “What are you reading and what are you looking forward to?” So here’s how I answer it:

Nancy Northcott’s Herald of Day was great and I’m looking forward to book two! John Hartness’s latest Quincy Harker novel is great. I just started an Eric Asher novel, and am re-reading Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock books, David Coe/DB Jackson’s Times’ Children was great, can’t wait for book two! Gail Z, Martin’s Deadly Curiosities series is one of my fave and I’m jonesing for Ilona Andrews’ next installment in her Innkeeper and Sapphire Flames series. Just read Sarah Beth Durst’s Queen Of Blood. Soooo good! Also got Seanan McQuire’s Discount Armageddon and am loving that and am catching up with Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series.

What about you? What are YOU reading?

Wolf: Recent reads include Just A Drop In The Cup, by Diane Arrelle, Navigating the Stars by Maria V. Snyder. Can’t wait for the next in the series. Just finished The Weird Wild West anthology. Just started Deadly Curiosities. Loved Gail’s other stories. There are others as well, but there is only so much room here.

What’s everyone else reading?

Don’t forget to catch up with Jeanna Adams at these sites:

Twitter @JeanneAdams
Instagram @JPAGryphon
Facebook at Jeanne Adams Author
Pinterest at Jeanne Adams

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

July 24, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Patrick Dugan

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Patrick Dugan was born in the far north of New York, where the cold winds blow. This meant lots of time for reading over the long winters. His parents didn’t care what he read as long as he did. This started with a steady diet of comics and science fiction novels, Heinlein being his favorite in those days.
After two degrees and lots of odd jobs, Charlotte, North Carolina beckoned. Packing up his dog sled he headed for warmer climes and a lot less snow. After working for Blockbuster Video, he moved into IT to become a programmer. Still a voracious reader, he read all sorts of great books. Rothfuss, Butcher, Duncan, Sanderson, Hobb, Farland and Feist sparked his imagination and he started writing horribly. Bad short stories and worse novels would follow. Thankfully these are nowhere to be found.
The book (Storm Forged) was passed around to avid readers for feedback and, much to his surprise, people loved it. Enter John Hartness of Falstaff books. He had read it and loved it. It was picked up in August 2017 with the release date of May 29th 2018.
There are more books planned for the Storm Forged series with releases tentatively planned for 2019 and 2020. So there is a lot more to come!

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Patrick: I’d love to be a dragon. Being able to fly and sleep for long periods of time sounds really awesome given how busy I usually am.

Wolf: Dragons are cool. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Patrick: I love knives and swords since they are useful and can be beautiful. My favorite is the Karambit. The sweep of the blade is really elegant and easily concealable.

Wolf: That’s one cool looking knife. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

Patrick: I am a dog person. We just got a new Cavalier King Charles puppy named Blaze. He’s my writing buddy.

Wolf: Love the big eyes on Cavaliers. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Patrick: I write super heroes so I’ve thought a lot about this one. I’d go with teleportation. No more driving in rush hour and just an instant hop to target to get what I forgot, which I always do.

Wolf: Wish I could do that. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Patrick: A good utility knife, a water purification system, a solar powered light, a good pair of boots and a solar powered kindle with a lot of books on it.

Wolf: Excellent choices. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Patrick: In my published works, Abby is my favorite character. I hadn’t intended for her to be in the book at all, then she appeared and made herself at home. I think she is a damaged person dealing with a world that hates her and yet has a fierce love for her family. In my soon-to-be published, Its Gelsey, but you’ll have to wait to hear about her later.

Wolf: I look forward to it. What story are you working on now?

Patrick: I am working on two stories. One is a steampunk novella set is a world ruled by wizards. The other is an Urban Fantasy about a witch coven.

Wolf: They sound like fun. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Patrick: I love to play video games. My wife and kids all play Warcraft and its fun to quest together. I also brew beer for the bar we have in the basement. It has been dubbed the secret lair after the store in Storm Forged.

Wolf: I’ll drink to that. How did you come up with the idea for your first novel?

Patrick: My son loved Power Rangers when he was small and we would watch them for hours together. It got me thinking that the normal people would be sick and tired of having their homes and businesses destroyed on a weekly basis and would tell them to leave since the monsters went where they were. I changed it to super heroes after they’d been outlawed and Storm Forged was born.

Wolf: What a cool idea. Learn more about Patrick Dugan and his writing at:

http://www.patrickdugan.net
Facebook
Twitter: @P_Dugan

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

July 17, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Jean Marie Ward

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Jean Marie Ward writes fiction, nonfiction and everything in between. Her credits include a multi-award nominated novel, two popular art books and editing CrescentBlues.com. Her short stories have appeared everywhere from Asimov’s to the anthologies of Zombies Need Brains. Her video interviews are featured on BuzzyMag.com. Learn more at JeanMarieWard.com.

Wolf: Thank you for stopping by for this interview today. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Jean Marie: When I moved into my first apartment, my dad recited all the usual precautions (Lock your door…Don’t drink with strangers…Avoid dark alleys…Go for the eyes…Kick ‘em in the nuts…) Mom smiled beatifically, presented me with a heavy cast-iron frying pan, and said: “It’s only murder if you use a knife.”

Wolf: I love your mom’s sense of humor. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Jean Marie: Finished their story arcs.

Wolf: That is rather nice. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Jean Marie: Left them dangling for ten years while I learned how to write a sequel.

Wolf: Ouch. They must have been pretty mad at you. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

Jean Marie: A blackberry bramble, insidious and prickly.

Wolf: Yet the berries are sweet. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

Jean Marie: Both, but I live with a cat, because it would be cruel to inflict me on a dog. I don’t do mornings, and I’m not human before lunch.

Wolf: I guess you won’t be going on any predawn walks. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Jean Marie: Persuasion.

Wolf: I think you already have that. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Jean Marie: Check the floor below to make sure there’s no water coming through the ceiling fixture in the room beneath. I’m terribly prosaic.

Wolf: Smart. What is your favorite body of water and why?

Jean Marie: The Pacific Ocean along the cliffs of Vandenberg Air Force Base. It holds all the blues in sky and space. I could watch it crash against those rocks forever.

Wolf: Sounds gorgeous. I’ll have to visit some time. What story are you working on now?

Jean Marie: “Siren Bridge”, a novella featuring an illusionist, a Wagnerian siren and a cast of reprobates up to no good in a Steampunk frontier; and “Stolen Souls”, a short story featuring a vampire in 1723 in the Louisiana Colony.

Wolf: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Jean Marie: Drag the husband to a restaurant and a movie, hang with friends, read, shop, think about my next story—anything except cleaning. I like cleaning about as much as I like morning. But don’t pay any attention to the neighbors who ascribe my pallor to Transylvanian heritage. I’m Irish-Italian, and you know how daytimers exaggerate.

Wolf: Too funny. Connect with Jean Marie through these links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeanmariewardwriter
Twitter: @Jean_Marie_Ward
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jmward14/

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

July 10, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Elana A. Mugdan

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Elana A. Mugdan is an author and semi-retired filmmaker based in New York City. She has received many accolades in the film industry, including a number of awards for her feature film Director’s Cut, which she wrote, directed, and produced by herself.

An avid reader, Elana is a lifelong fan of fantasy stories—particularly ones which revolve around dragons. She is described by her friends and family as “the weirdest person I know”, and wears that weirdness proudly on her sleeve. Some of her favorite authors include J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter S. Beagle, and Robert Jordan.

Elana currently resides in New York, living a quiet but eccentric life with her pet rescue snake, Medusa.

Wolf: Glad you could join us today, Elana. Love your costume. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Elana: The answer to this is obvious: I’d be a dragon! I’ve been a dracophile for as long as I can remember, and dragons have always been a source of strength and inspiration for me. Considering the fact that I am the World’s Foremost Dragon Authority, as well as the OG Mother of Dragons, I think I’d adjust to draconic life quite easily. Plus, flying and breathing fire and having the power to decimate my enemies? Yes, please.

Wolf: I guess I didn’t really need to ask that question. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Elana: Although there are plenty of cool weapons out there, there’s just something about a good old-fashioned sword that I love. I was always partial to them, and always wanted to be a master swordsman—I even took fencing lessons when I was young, since that was the closest I could get to actual sword fighting. However, the dreams of swordsmanship eventually fell by the wayside, and now I must live out those dreams vicariously through the characters in my books.

Wolf: Swords seem to be very popular. Most writers tend to do unkind things to their characters. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to one of yours?

Elana: Without giving away too many spoilers, I will simply say this: I once pulled a George R. R. Martin and went on a killing spree, murdering several major characters in an important battle scene in one of my stories. It was heartbreaking, but it had to be done. I’ve also written quite a lot of my own traumas into my main novel series, subjecting my protagonist to a slew of heartaches, losses, and betrayals.

Wolf: Yup. Dead is kind of bad. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

Elana: I’d definitely be one of those monster man-eating plants, like the kind in Little Shop of Horrors. A massive Venus Flytrap type of thing with writhing tentacle-vines and a gaping, fanged mouth. I wouldn’t hide in the shadows, though—I’d grow on a mountaintop, reveling in the sun, and I’d challenge every human who dared ascend my peek.

Wolf: I think I’ll stay away from your mountain. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Elana: If you had asked younger me this question, she would have probably said something cool like “time travel”, “teleportation”, or “shapeshifting”. However, now that I am older and wiser, I think I’d have to say: mind control. If I had the ability to control people’s thoughts, I could very quickly become rich, rise to power, and take over the world. Hm, that sounds very villainous, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, I’d use my powers for good—I’d force people to clean up the planet and start being nice to each other.

Wolf: Yet the first thing you thought of was world domination. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Elana: Quite obviously, I go to investigate. I’d be cautious, of course, but my curiosity would get the best of me. Besides, I’m the kind of lunatic who would love to find a ghost or some horrifying creature behind the door. So even if I’m walking into a dangerous situation, for me it’s still win-win.

Wolf: I like the way you think. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Elana: The essentials for survival: a backpack to carry supplies, a water purifier so I never have to worry about clean water, flint rocks to make a fire (matches are too easily lost, and run out too quickly), a gun for defense, and a blade of some sort—I’m not necessarily saying a sword, but hey, if the shoe fits, wear it! The blade would be for chopping wood, whittling, and helping me to look cool.

Wolf: Not to mention it would be great for defense. Do you have a favorite character?

Elana: I love all my characters for different reasons, but the one I love most is Cezon Skyriver, who is a minor character we keep running into throughout my main novel series. Simply put, Cezon is a criminal, and he is one of the funnest characters to write. In fact, I’ve so enjoyed writing in his voice that I’m considering writing an accompanying world-building novella starring him and his band of misfit delinquents!

Wolf: Good idea. What is your favorite body of water and why?

Elana: In my youth, I visited Moosehead Lake every summer. This is a beautiful lake in central Maine, and some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around it. I remember playing with friends upon its shores, swimming out to explore little islands, and skinny dipping by the light of the full moon. It is, bar none, my favorite body of water.

Wolf: Sounds beautiful. What story are you working on now?

Elana: Currently I’m working on Dragon Blood, book three in my YA fantasy series, The Shadow War Saga. It’s scheduled for publication on March 6^th, 2020. I’ve just finished the final round of editing, and I’m now sending it out to my beta readers to gather feedback!

Wolf: Thanks for visiting. You can connect with Elana through these links:

https://www.facebook.com/ShadowWarSaga
https://www.instagram.com/officialdragonspeaker/
https://twitter.com/dragonspleen

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

July 3, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Jennifer R. Povey

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Jennifer R. Povey lives in Northern Virginia with her husband. She writes a variety of speculative fiction, whilst following current affairs and occasionally indulging in horse riding and role-playing games. She has sold fiction to a number of markets including Analog, Daily Science Fiction, and Third Flatiron, and written RPG supplements for several companies. Her most recent novel is the urban fantasy Daughter of Fire.

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Jennifer: A housecat. I mean, they’re the most spoiled critters ever. Why yes, I am a little lazy.

Wolf: Lounging in a sunbeam sounds nice. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

Jennifer: Beaver sausage. I do mean the animal. It was actually quite tasty. And when somebody offers me weird food, I take it.

Wolf: So do I. You never know what you’re going to like. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Jennifer: Everyone knows I’m a sword girl. Sharp pointy things for the win.

Wolf: Ouch. I’ll stay back. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Jennifer: Pretty much everything I put Anna through in Lost Guardians. If I went into details, it would be spoilery, but…sometimes you have to do really ruthless things to save the world, you know.

Wolf: Indeed. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

Jennifer: Both. Both have their charms. Which says a lot about how eclectic my tastes are in general. Kittens? Puppies? Both are good.

Wolf: And so soft. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Jennifer: Teleportation. I hate wasting time on travel. (Road trips are a different thing, of course). But breakfast in Paris, lunch in London, with no travel costs? What’s not to love.

Wolf: I’ll go for that. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Jennifer: Call for backup. Then open it. Ya know, once I have backup. Hopefully it’ll actually be something cute on the other side…

Wolf: Won’t know until you open it. What is your favorite body of water and why?

Jennifer: Probably the ocean. You can take the girl out of the island, but not the island out of the girl. Childhood seaside trips and all.

Wolf: Sweet. What story are you working on now?

Jennifer: The working title is Arana. It’s a companion book to Transpecial, takes place on a starship and involves first contact…and a very haunted MC. I’m about to start the third draft.

Wolf: I look forward to reading it. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Jennifer: Ride horses. Play video games. Silly video games. I mean, I used to be a Farmville addict…

Wolf: Thanks for visiting. You can connect with Jennifer through these links:

Website: http://www.jenniferrpovey.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrpovey
Tumblr: https://jenniferrpovey.tumblr.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ninjafingers

Star Touched

Wolf Dawn

June 26, 2019
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Scott Fowler

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Wolf: Scott Fowler is visiting us today. Tell a something about yourself.

Scott: Ever since I could remember I wanted to be a writer. Over my forty odd years on this Earth, I’ve written quite a bit and continue to do so when my home and work life allow. I reside in Jessup, MD with my wife and son.

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Scott: I always thought wolves were cool. Especially those lone wolves that roam the forest by themselves.

Wolf: I just so happen to like wolves as well. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

Scott: I usually eat pretty normal Americana food. I supposed the alligator steak I once ate is about the strangest. Should we count all the flies and spiders we end up eating every night as we sleep?

Wolf: No. Definitely not. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?

Scott: Nothing works better than a good sword at your side, ancient, powerful, and sturdy. A well-made sword can be beautiful and practical.

Wolf: I agree. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Scott: I’m generally not very nice to my characters. I see truth in the troubles one goes through rather than in one’s accomplishments. I supposed giving a lonely teenager a loving relationship was the nicest thing I’ve ever done to a character.

Wolf: Aww. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Scott: Too many mean things to choose from, actually. I suppose luring a college student to the basement of his professor so he could be decapitated was pretty high up there. I once trapped a man in a world of solid ice where he was stuck in a tiny space trying to survive. That story will be in my forthcoming book.

Wolf: Gives me chills. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

Scott: I’m small bush, rotting, with long roots under the surface spreading out in every direction, searching for moisture that isn’t there.

Wolf: Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

Scott: Since I’m allergic to cats, that pretty much makes me a dog person.

Wolf: Sorry. While walking in the woods you come across…

Scott: An abandoned cemetery from decades (perhaps even centuries) gone. The ground is now more swamp than solid making the tombstones half-sunken in the ground and cockeyed this way and that. It’s dusk. The sun’s about to disappear under the horizon. At this point, your imagination will conjure up images of what happens in this graveyard at night. And you don’t want to be there.

Wolf: True statement. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Scott: I’ve always liked Spider-man’s ability to climb walls. Then again, I’ve always liked the sensuality of the vampire. Bram Stoker had Dracula climbing walls so maybe the powers of a classic gothic vampire (no sparkling) would be good.

Wolf: Speaking of gothic, there is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

Scott: For God’s sake, don’t open the door!

Wolf: What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Scott: A good sword, a good book, pen and paper, good music, and my family by my side.

Wolf: Which of your characters is your favorite?

Scott: Kenny Myer from Back Looks The Abyss has a special place in my heart. He came from very deep within me and has the most of who I am as part of him than of any of my other characters. I believe it’s very difficult for a writer to create characters that don’t have some aspect of themselves incorporated with them. Some, obviously, incorporate more than others.

Wolf: So true. Describe a meal you would be served while visiting another world.

Scott: Since I am primarily a horror writer, this could go in any number of frightening directions. I supposed being served another human being would be a “meal.”

Wolf: Ick. What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)

Scott: I’ve always found the ocean to be a fountain of good stories, out in the middle of nowhere, fighting nature or each other just to survive. There’s much above and below the surface that lends itself to great story telling.

Wolf: Who influences you the most in your writing?

Scott: It’s hard to write horror without some sort of influence by Stephen King. He’s had such a huge impact on the genre, it can’t be ignored. I’ve read King since I was child and particularly love his short fiction. Of course, I’ve been influenced by other writers. I gain a huge amount of inspiration from anthology television shows like The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, and Tales From the Darkside.

Wolf: Glad you could stop by. Connect with Scott Fowler through his website: https://scottwfowler6.wixsite.com/fowlerfunnyfarm

STAR TOUCHED

WOLF DAWN

June 19, 2019