Tag: wolf
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WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Lexie Carver
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.
Lexie Carver’s love of horror started in childhood after watching the TV show Goosebumps and grew from there. She watched her first horror film, a slasher, at the age of 11. She watches horror films, goes to horror film festivals, and surrounds herself with darkly inclined muses. Lexie is a feisty woman who loves indie rock and can’t function without at least one cup of black coffee. She has an adorable dog named Remy who is quite a handful.Lexie prides herself on being a woman, a feminist, and a horror writer—she offers no apologies, pulls no punches. Her poems and short stories are meant to hold up a mirror to the fears and secret longings of us all. A Fine Day for Murder, is a collection of horror short stories featuring demons, stalkers, evil clowns, vampires, murders and ghosts and more. Into the Dark, a collection of horror poetry features story poems of lost love, demons, psychotic lovers, stalkers, werewolves, vampires, toxic love, and murder. The poetry compilation also includes some of Lexie’s photography, all of which can be found on her website, lexiecarver.com.
Two of her short stories, “Vampires Anonymous,” and “Death Proof Inc.” as well as her poem, “Behind the Glass,” were published in Sirens Call Vol 39, a female-owned horror ezine. She was also interviewed by Kettle Whistle Radio. Lexie spoke in 9 horror panels and moderated 1 horror panel at RavenCon 2019
Follow her on Twitter @Lexie_Carver for horror movie recommendations. She has written 132 fanfics for the TV show Supernatural, over 80 of them about Crowley, the King of Hell. She is affectionately known on Tumblr as the Queen of Hell. It was through her love of that show and fanfic writing that she met some of her best friends. Come say hi and stop by her table at the various conventions she will be attending this year.
Wolf: It was great meeting you at RavenCon. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Lexie: It’s a tie between a Phoenix and a red wolf. I’m constantly changing and evolving with outside stimuli. The old me “dies” and a stronger version rises from the ashes like a Phoenix. I’m shaped by my experiences. I love who I am now and I’m at peace with everything that has brought me to this point. I have a kinship with wolves. Like them, I feel alive and energized by the night. I feel grounded being in the woods. I have a small group of friends — my pack — who I know very well. I prefer that over a large group of acquaintances. I also mate for life. Wolves as spirit animals symbolically mean loyalty, instinct, freedom, intuition, protection, community, independence and communication. Fits me pretty well.
Wolf: Excellent choice. I kind of like wolves as well. You may have created a new creature. Maybe your next story will have a wolf phoenix. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
Lexie: If I had to pick a weapon it would be a double-edged dagger like the Haladie that was used in ancient India by the warrior class. Not only does it look badass but it’s easy to use and creates a hell of a lot of damage. It’s small, comfortable to hold (or at least looks like it is), and easy to move quickly through the air. If choosing a weapon for the Apocalypse, look no further. That being said, I am able to assess a situation quickly and I’m resourceful, calm under pressure, and quick to act so I think my brain could also be a weapon.
Wolf: Love it. That’s a cool blade. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Lexie: In “Vampires Anonymous,” I gave vampires a support group under the leadership of Lainie, to help wayward vampires find the strength to fight the monster within, to stay “human sober.” I also gave the group resources like a taxi service, guardians, and a halfway house. Here’s hoping that Lisa and Ethan don’t give up the fight.
Wolf: Super. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Lexie: Meanest? Hmm…well I am a horror writer so there’s always the possibility of death for my characters, but I did feel a bit guilty at everything I dumped on Nikki. In my short story called “You’ve Got to be Kidding Me,” I put the main character, a waitress named Nikki, through a terrible Monday night. She not only has to stay till 1AM to close the restaurant but she has to deal with drunk, handsy men, a horrible boss and superficial and jealous coworkers. To top it all off there’s a supernatural stalker waiting for her to leave the restaurant. But to Nikki’s credit’s she really does take all of this in stride and through her hardships she finds the strength to fight. I make her realize what’s important and what’s worth fighting for.
Wolf: Poor Nikki. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.
Lexie: Given that I’m a horror writer, my choice shouldn’t come as much of a shock to you. I’m a Venus Fly Trap, a carnivorous plant that’s pretty, deceptive, yet clearly dangerous. I lure bugs, mainly ants, spiders, beetles and grasshoppers onto my sticky leaves and then seconds later devour them. I may look pretty like any other plant but I’m so much more. As a closing note, Little Shop of Horrors featured a talking and homicidal Venus Fly Trap whose meal of choice was humans.
Wolf: Feed me Seymore. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Lexie: I’m definitely a dog person. I used to walk dogs and even the most aggressive, dangerous dog loved me. I will always remember a huge golden retriever running across the street, his owner screaming, “no” as he charges at me and licks my face. Mind you, I had never met that dog before, but he definitely wanted to say hi. I have a dog and we have a very deep and rich connection. I enjoy taking him for walks, which he gets so excited about. I take pictures and he smells literally every blade of grass. Suffice to say, our walks are usually quite long. He’s not a huge fan of other dogs — favors humans instead. He loves to snuggle on the couch while I watch a horror flick or on my bed while I sleep. I always wake up to an adorable fuzzy face staring at me accusingly as he waits for me to walk him. His favorite toy is a green devil duck. Ha!
Wolf: Sweet. My pup is curled up next to me now. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Lexie: My favorite character would have to be Bobo the clown from, “Never Fear, Bobo’s Here.” He is such a dysfunctional, klutzy, incompetent villain that’s also quite creepy. I loved blurring the line between horror and comedy. His character stands out the most to me and I remember him fondly. Leave everything you think you know about clowns at the door. Bobo is truly one of a kind.
Wolf:What story are you working on now?
Lexie: I’m working on a new compilation of horror short stories and poems right now actually. The new short story compilation that’s tentatively called Heroes Don’t Stand a Chance, will feature stories a bit darker than the ones found in A Fine Day for Murder. In my new compilation, I will be giving old horror tropes a new twist. My new poetry compilation will be more horror and less memoir at least at this moment. It will also feature more of my photography. Both are still works in progress but I’m excited to show them to you as soon as I can. Keep your eyes peeled.Wolf: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Lexie: When I’m not writing, I’m living out loud, taking photos, connecting with fans at conventions, and reviewing horror movies every day on Twitter. I love to stay active and do something artistic every day. I’m also a huge fan of the arts in general so I dig concerts, museums, art galleries, flea markets, theater shows, vintage bookstores and film festivals. I hope to one day travel the US exploring haunted locations. Horror is at the core of who I am and I feel lucky that I can do what I love.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
Lexie: Rumbling like an earthquake? Find a doorway. Rumbling like a roar from a demon or monster? Yikes! Why did I walk down this dark corridor? Did I get lost? Damn — I need a better GPS. Or maybe I was looking for something? It doesn’t matter now. The rumbling sound was terrifying, and the ground is vibrating — so yeah, gotta run. I’m going to be the smart chick in a horror flick, thank you very much. I’m positive I have learned from watching horror movies all the time and I wouldn’t investigate the sound. I would just run the other way and while I’m running, I’d look for a weapon.
Wolf: Good move. Thanks for visiting. Connect with Lexie through at links:
Social Media Links:
Twitter: Lexie_Carver
lexiecarver.comStar Touched
Wolf Dawn
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WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Elsa Wolf
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.
Today’s guest is Elsa Wolf.
A George Washington University graduate now living in the suburbs within the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Elsa Wolf began with a theater background, which developed into public relations and eventually into the ownership of a small equestrian business. Elsa spends her time writing, traveling, helping rescued horses, and supporting soldiers.
Wolf: I always liked horses. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Elsa: If I could be any animal, it would likely be a wolf running free with my pack. However, I would like to be reincarnated several times with my companions. We could learn from our mistakes and make each life better than the last.
Wolf: Excellent choice. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Elsa: The nicest thing I’ve done for a character is help them find the lost bits of themselves through unexpected sources. In my current novel, Buried Truths-A Daughter’s Tale, the adopted daughter decides to find her birth-mother when she accidentally comes across a novel about a mother giving up her baby.
Wolf: I hope she finds the answers she is looking for. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Elsa: I have had cats and dogs over many decades. My cats while loving and independent, cannot match the devotion of my dogs. One in particular, gave me unconditional love and was a wonderful hiking companion. He helped me feel secure in any environment.
Wolf: I’m partial to dogs myself. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Elsa: If I had a superpower, I would want to be able to teleport at will from place to place with another person holding my hand. I love to travel and explore new sites as well as visit old haunts. Teleporting would give me lots of options.
Wolf: That’s cool. I’ve been working on a series with a teleport. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?
Elsa: In a post-cataclysmic world, I would have a pot for cooking and purifying water, a flint to lite fires, a pair of comfortable hiking boots, a layered water-proof jacket as well as a knife.
Wolf: Great picks. What story are you working on now?
Elsa: I am currently working on a novel with a military man who falls in love in Savannah, Georgia and then is traumatized in combat. He only sleeps a few hours a night and has mystical experiences in Savannah and then Portugal.
Wolf: I’d like to read that. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Elsa: When I’m not writing I like to take long walks or spend time with friends locally or while traveling. During my solo times, I listen to audiobooks or sew quilts and costumes.
Wolf: Costumes. Awesome. How do you find your characters?
Elsa: I find my characters while I sleep and dream, I find them out in public spaces, I find them in people I know and morph them into a new character, and I find them when I’m traveling.
Wolf: Thanks for visiting. Connect with Elsa through these links.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100022567891468
https://twitter.com/WolfElsaWolf
https://elsawolfbooks.com/Star Touched
Now on audio
Wolf Dawn
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WOLF DAWN Is Coming!
Great News!
My short story, WOLF DAWN will soon be available on Amazon. Here’s a sneak peak of the cover.
Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers. But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.
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WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Bobby Sue Thompson
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: Welcome to Wolf Notes, Bobby Sue. Why don’t you start by telling me about yourself?
Bobby Sue: Thank you, Wolf. I’m really tickled you asked. You sure have big teeth.
Wolf: You do know that I’m a wolf, don’t you?
Bobby Sue: As sure as my mom’s pecan pie. Just kiddin’ with you. I grew up in south central Kentucky, not far from Tennessee. The rest of my family is in Oklahoma. At least I hope they’re still there. Haven’t heard a peep from out there since the Day of Reckonin’. Sure hope they’re okay.
Wolf: What’s the Day of Reckoning?
Bobby Sue: That’s the League of the Stars’ name for the Cataclysm. You know, the day all heck broke loose. Meteors, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Anyway, my folks and I were vacationin’ in Ohio during the Day of Reckoning. Well, I was vacationing, seein’ the sight and all. There was a big old conference for psychology professors that they couldn’t pass up on. The building collapsed. They didn’t make it.
Wolf: That’s horrible. So sorry for your loss.
Bobby Sue: Thank you. You’re sweet. I miss them horribly, but I’m doing okay. They wouldn’t want me to keep mopin’ about. Life has to go on. Got a great job working for Gareth here in Atherton. He runs a store and tavern. Real nice fella. He’s kinda like a substitute dad to all of us workin’ there, but that woman he has in charge, she’s a mean piece of work. Although, she does show the occasional bit of honey when Gareth is near.
Wolf: Interesting. I’ll steer clear of her. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Bobby Sue: I’d love to be a scissor-tailed flycatcher. That’s the Oklahoma state bird. I found this sweet little hairclip at the market the other day. I don’t often buy stuff, but this one just called to me. Someday I’ll make it back there and find out for sure who survived.
Wolf: That’s beautiful and it looks fantastic in your red hair.
Bobby Sue: Why thank you. I swear, your fur is almost as soft as Fifi’s.
Wolf: Thanks, but I’d rather not be pet…. On second thought, as long as you’re there, I do have an itch behind my left ear. Would you consider yourself a cat person or a dog person?
Bobby Sue: I love all critters, but they don’t all love me. The only one who can get near that crazy rooster of Gareth’s is Tatiana. Animals just seem to take to her like a fish to water. Would you like to meet her? I could introduce you.
Wolf: Thanks, but we’ve already met. I interviewed her last December. Today is Clear Sky Day. What can you tell me about that?
Bobby Sue: The Day of Reckonin’ spewed all sorts of ash an’ junk into the sky. Then one day we all woke up and it was gone. Boom. Just like that. Sky was clear. Sun was shinin’. Things finally started warmin’ up. It was the first sign of hope we’d had since the disaster. You should come to our annual ceremony and celebration in the town square. It’ll be a lot of fun.
Wolf: I think I’ll pass. People might freak out if I showed up.
Bobby Sue: Oh. You’re probably right.
Wolf: What can you tell me about the star-touched? Where’d they get their powers?
Bobby Sue: That’s a tough one. I mean, it’s only been eight years since they came into their powers. And before you ask, I don’t know where they got them or how they got picked. The league has been tryin’ to figure it out since the first star-touched showed up. They don’t know, the star-touched don’t know, nobody does. Maybe we’ll figure it out some day, but gosh, give it some time.
Wolf: I guess you’re right. If you could choose any weapon, what would it be?
Bobby Sue: Weapons aren’t my thing. I prefer to talk to people. If the world hadn’t turned upside-down, I would have been a social worker so I could help folks.
Wolf: And if talk doesn’t work?
Bobby Sue: A big old stick to knock some sense into them.
Wolf: Remind me not to make you angry. If you could pick any super power, what would it be and why?
Bobby Sue: Not sure I’d want any kind of super power. They’re a lot of responsibility. People could get hurt if you’re not careful. And some folks get jittery around people with powers. I’d hate to see more riots like we had a few years back. But I suppose if I had to pick, it would be the ability to help fix what’s hurt inside a person’s mind. Psychologically speaking, not the physical stuff.
Wolf: That would be a great gift. Thanks for stopping by. To learn more about Bobby Sue and the star-touched, grab a copy of Star Touched.
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WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Nancy Alexander
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.
Nancy Alexander devoted her professional life to helping those in need. As a psychotherapist, she provided intensive, reconstructive psychotherapy to those recovering from childhood trauma; as a mental health educator, she developed and delivered comprehensive mental health staff training programs; as the chair of the Maryland Social Work Coalition, she advocated for healthcare, mental health and social justice reforms in Maryland.In 2017, she and her colleague, Linda Ciotola developed, recorded and launched a comprehensive online training series in Psychodrama, a reparative, expressive treatment modality. The training program can be found at www.ac-ts.com.
Nancy launched her career as an author in 2015. Five of her short stories have been selected for publication in Literary Magazines; three of her novels are available online and she has recorded seven audiobooks. Her most recent novel, Twisted Realms is available in paperback and kindle version, that audiobook will be released shortly.
She is currently working on her 4th novel, Sun Runner. Nancy has been publishing independently and has formed her own production company, NJA Productions.
Her blogs and her novella, entitled Elisabeth, can be found on her website at www.nancyjalexander.com
Wolf: Wow. You’ve been very busy the past few years. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Nancy: A wolf. Wolves are smart, confident and loyal pack animals. Wolf packs coordinate well with each other, care for their cubs collectively and have a high level of respect for pack hierarchy.
Wolf: Thank you. I’m a big fan of wolves myself, for obvious reasons. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
Nancy: I’d pick my body as a weapon… skilled in the martial arts. I’d always have my weapon with me and be strong enough, well trained enough to fight most foes. The advantage would be surprise, because no attacker would ever suspect I have these many skills.
Wolf: Remind me not to startle you in a dark alley. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Nancy: Let them be themselves. I work to create characters who are authentic and internally valid. Once they are created I let them take the lead in the story and support their needs, instincts, conflicts and emotional complexity.
Wolf: Super. I’ve always said people should be who they are. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Nancy: Superimpose my will on them or misunderstand them. My writing works better if, once characters are created, I respect who they are and let them do the things that each particular individual would actually do.
Wolf: You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.
Nancy: I am amazing, full of color, movement, beauty and grace. My flower blossoms are like the hibiscus plant but they cluster around one another forming complex patterns of splashing orange, yellow and red. I am tall and willowy; I stretch high into the sky like Jack’s beanstalk, moving past the clouds, flowing with the breeze; I reach toward the sun.
Wolf: Don’t go too close to the sun. You could get burned. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Nancy: I am both. I love all creatures domesticated, wild, farm, aquatic. I have had the pleasure of having many different species through the years of my long life and recognize the gifts each species has brought into my life.
I see cats as living sculptures who bring beauty, warmth and love into my world. Their cuddling warmth, calming purr and soft touchable fur, make them unique family members. They can also bring a sprinkling of chaos. Cats are to be loved, respected, admired and appreciated.
Dogs bring their pack mentality into my world, they are responsive, joyful, and intelligent; dogs move in concert with me bridging the gap between the inside and outside of the home.
My dogs wanted to be with me, listen to me and be one with me. They have loved me as I have loved them. They were my dearest friends.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
Nancy: First I’d hide so I could evaluate the sound. Once I knew what it was I would decide whether to run away, stay hidden, call for help or fight. Hopefully by the time I was in this corridor, I’d have my ‘weaponized body’ ready to deal with whatever opened that door!
Wolf: Which of your characters is your favorite?
Nancy: The title character in my Elisabeth Reinhardt series is a fav in that series. She and I are a lot alike, especially when in our therapist role.
As to bad guys in that series, I’d have to say it’s Jake. He’s sociopathy to its core.
In my Olive Grove Series, my fav is Rafi… though he and Ari were identical, I like Rafi’s personality. Their twin-ship is always a pleasure.
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
Nancy: I’m working on my 4th novel, the 2nd in the Olive Grove series called Sun Runner. It’s action-packed, fast-paced, complicated and filled with exciting ‘spy’ things.
Wolf: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Nancy: I have a small private psychotherapy practice and provide consultation services to other therapists. A colleague and I have developed an online training series in a reparative, expressive treatment modality called Psychodrama. Our training series is available online at www.ac-ts.com.
I maintain a blog that leans toward social/political commentary on my website @ www.nancyjalexander.com
I am the president of the Maryland Writers Association, Howard County Chapter; I go to the gym and I see my children and grandchildren as often as possible.
Wolf: Thanks for stopping by. You can learn more about Nancy Alexander by visiting these links.
https://www.facebook.com/NJAProductions
https://twitter.com/njaproduction
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WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Alan Zendell
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.
This week I welcome Alan Zendell
Alan Zendell spent more than forty years as a scientist, aerospace engineer, software consultant, database developer, and government analyst, writing really boring stuff like proposals, technical papers, reports, business letters, and policy memoranda. But trapped inside him all that time were stories that needed telling and ideas that needed expression, so with encouragement and cajoling from a loving baby sister he plunged into fiction.Since then, he has written mostly science and extrapolative fiction, the genre he loved since he was nine. But his stories are about more than aliens and technical marvels. He creates strong, three-dimensional characters a reader can care about, because it’s people and the way they live and love that are important. It’s the things they believe in and how much they’re willing to invest to preserve them that make a story worth telling. It’s convincing interactions and well-researched credible plots that make a story worth reading.
And, of course, like any writer, Alan loves having an audience.
Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Alan: A dog, because everyone would love me, and I really love to be loved.
Wolf: What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
Alan: Ginger marinated chicken feet.
Wolf: What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Alan: Having lost lose lover find each after years of searching.
Wolf: What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Alan: Making those long-lost lovers believe they’d never be together again.
Wolf: You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.
Alan: I’m a giant redwood tree. But since I hate being stuck in one spot, I’ve been given the ability to relocate.
Wolf: Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Alan: A dog person.
Wolf: While walking in the woods you come across…
Alan: … a metal hatch leading to a World War 2 bunker filled with hundreds of things that were believed lost in the war.
Wolf: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Alan: The power to read minds and influence what other people think and do.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
Alan: Check my phone to see if there’s signal. Call for backup and use my laser rifle to bore a peep hole.
Wolf: The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?
Alan: Call someone I inadvertently hurt to make things right.
Wolf: Which is of your characters is your favorite?
Alan: Harry Middleton. He’s noble, a baseball star, and never compromises his love.
Wolf: Describe a meal you would be served while visiting another world.
Alan: Am I staying at the Marriott? If not, I’d love to sample all the local fruit I could. If that didn’t kill me I’d move on to fish and a sumptuous dessert.
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
Alan: I’m chronicling the worst month of my life (this one). Assuming I survive it, I will sanitize it some, because a story about your body suddenly betraying you at every opportunity might turn people off.
Wolf: What’s the most important thing you want for the rest of your life?
Alan: Good health for me and my family, and the ability to influence the world for the better. (It’s not about money because I have more than I need.)
Blog: Americathebeautiful.blog
Facebook: Alan Zendell
Twitter: @alanpze -
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – A. L. Sirois
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. This week I welcome A. L. Sirois
A. L. Sirois is also a developmental editor, graphic artist and a performing musician. He has had fiction published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Fantastic, Amazing Stories, and Thema, and online at Electric Spec, Every Day Fiction and Flash Fiction Online, among other publications. His story In the Conservatory was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Other works include a children’s book, Dinosaur Dress Up (Tambourine Press / William Morrow). His graphic novel, THE ENDLESS INCIDENT, based on a video game, was published in February, 2016. Al has been playing drums for over fifty years in rock and jazz combos. As an artist, he has hundreds of drawings, paintings and illustrations to his credit. Al has contributed comic art for DC, Marvel, and Charlton, and has scripted for Warren Publications. He wrote and drew “Bugs in the System” for witzend #12, the famous comics fanzine started by for MAD artist Wally Wood. He lives in Rockingham County, North Carolina with his wife and occasional collaborator, author Grace Marcus. Together they are writing a Young Adult novel set in ancient Egypt.Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
A. L.: Tough one, because we don’t know what animals exist on other planets. Excluding those, however, I guess I’d have to opt for an otter. They seem to truly enjoy life.
Wolf: What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
A. L.: I don’t kill too many of them. I generally let them have happy endings.
Wolf: What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
A. L.: I had one experimented on by a government-sponsored institute. It didn’t end well.
Wolf: Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
A. L.: Both. We currently have a cat but are planning to get a dog.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
A. L.: Heh – this reminds me of that old adventure game, Zork. I guess I’d first make sure there’s no threatening little dwarf in the corridor with me, then I’d check my inventory, then I’d go open that door. Hopefully it isn’t the entrance to that blasted maze.
Wolf: If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
A. L.: Either a Glock or an epee. The Glock for its stopping power, and the epee because I’d have to know how to fence, which would be fun.
Wolf: The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?
A. L.: Make sure I know where my wife is so I can be with her.
Wolf: Which is of your characters is your favorite?
A. L.: Tough one. The one I thought about most while writing was a young woman named Arrizida Yokoi, the main lead in my novel Blood Relations. One of these days I must get back to her story, which remains incomplete.
Wolf: Describe a meal you would be served while visiting another world.
A. L.: A selection of flavored and scented gasses, some thick, some thin, laced with nanobots that enter your body via your taste buds and create a mild hallucinogenic effect.
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
A. L.: Several! One is a YA tale of time-travel, one is a chapter book reminiscent of Edward Eager’s work, and one is a solarpunk book. I do have several short stories clamoring for my time; I’ll get to ‘em eventually. I tend to work on stories in batches, between books.
https://www.facebook.com/al.sirois
https://twitter.com/realAlSirois -
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Steven Southard
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.This week I welcome Steven Southard
Submariner, engineer, and Jules Verne fan, Steven R. Southard pens stories that showcase people as toolmakers, gadget-masters, dreamers and tinkerers, creators of devices and victims of them. He’s written in the genres of steampunk, clockpunk, science fiction, alternate history, fantasy, and horror. His stories have been published in over ten anthologies, including In a Cat’s Eye, Hides the Dark Tower, Dead Bait, and Avast, Ye Airships! Another story will appear in the upcoming anthology, Dark Luminous Wings. Tales in his What Man Hath Wrought series span all human history as well as timelines that might have been, featuring the drama and danger of invention and discovery. Wolf: If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
Steve: I’d opt for the Centaurian Demilitarizer. Invented by the beings of Proxima Centauri B, it’s a bit difficult to wield without tentacles, but if aimed and fired at an enemy’s weapon, it renders that weapon useless. They haven’t had a war or a murder on Centauri B in the past millennium.
Wolf: What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Steve: Tough question; I’m pretty mean to all my major characters. Perhaps the meanest thing is what I did to the mission commander in “The Cometeers,” my steampunk version of the movie Armageddon. First, the story is set in 1899 and a planet-devastating comet is on its way toward Earth. Humanity launches a desperate, international mission to redirect the comet using gunpowder. Of the three manned capsules launched from the Jules Verne cannon, one doesn’t make it to orbit. The six remaining crewmen receive a radio message that one of them is a traitor, but the transmission fails before telling which one. Then their first attempt to divert the comet fails and they have no backup plan. That’s pretty mean.
Wolf: Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Steve: My gut reaction is to say I’m a dog person. My family owned a dog when I was young, and I’ve never owned a cat. Still, I’ve written about both animals in my stories—a basset hound in “Ripper’s Ring” and various mutated cats in “The Cats of Nerio-3,” a story appearing in the anthology In a Cat’s Eye. But your question goes deeper, doesn’t it? Cats and dogs are the yin and yang of pets. Cats go their own way and are their own masters, demanding much and offering little. Dogs are dependable, loyal, predictable, subordinate, and trusting. I’ve got a strong amount of both cat traits and dog traits in my nature, but perhaps I lean more toward the dog side.
Wolf: While walking in the woods you come across…
Steve: …a small boy, about ten years old, riding the back of a mechanical, clockwork lion. It’s the one made by Leonardo da Vinci in 1515, as depicted in my story, “Leonardo’s Lion.” Not meaning to startle the boy, I wait until he passes and move on. Emerging into a clearing, I see an enormous, metal spring, compressed but still standing over a hundred yards in the air. It’s the spring used to launch men to the moon in my story “A Tale More True.” I hasten back behind the tree line but hear loud footfalls. To my horror, there’s a Martian tripod fighting machine making its way through the forest, just like the one from my story, “After the Martians.” I hide within some foliage until I can’t hear the machine’s noise any more. Perhaps today isn’t a good day to be walking in these woods. But it’s a fine one for reading.
Wolf: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Steve: The ability to write best-selling novels without effort. But the world’s citizenry shouldn’t worry. I’d only use my power for good.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
Steve: Wait for my stomach to settle down. I shouldn’t have eaten such a large meal, especially before entering this sewer, particularly a sewer with an inexplicable door at its end.
Wolf: The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?
Steve: Change the channel, if I’ve seen this movie before. If I haven’t, I’ll make some popcorn and enjoy the show. Oh, you mean, what do I do if the real world were really ending? Still the popcorn thing, but with extra melted butter and salt.
Wolf: Describe a meal you would be served while visiting another world.
Steve: You and I sit in one of the famous floating dining halls of Tau Ceti e, with their hovering chair and table pads, all decorated in white and lit so as to best highlight the food. Cetean technology is a millennium or two ahead of our own, so their food seems almost magical. Completely synthetic, it is individually manufactured to optimize both nutrition and taste. Part of the preparation involves scanning the individual for dietary needs, favorite flavors, and vitamin deficiencies. My plate contains Lobster Newberg on a bed of rice, with a side of string beans and broccoli sprinkled with fresh grated parmesan cheese. A crisp, yet steely white wine complements the food. Ah, and now the robotic waiter’s brought the bill. Um, I’m a little short. Do you mind?
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
Steve: I’m writing an updated version of the John Henry story—the one where the steel-driving man competes with a steam-powered spike driver. In my story, a CEO competes with a robotic CEO, among the last occupations to be automated.
Wolf: Steve, there are millions of stories out there, and I can only read so many; why should I read yours?
Steve: My answer is that one of the main problems of our age is how we must come to grips with new technology since it advances so fast and changes so much. My stories focus on characters just like you contending with the good and bad of unfamiliar technology, facing and overcoming unforeseen problems, most often in a historical setting. Call this subgenre “technohistory” if you want, but there aren’t too many authors writing in it.
Website and blog: http://stevenrsouthard.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevenRSouthard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.southard.16 -
WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – H. L. Burke
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. This week I welcome H. L. Burke
H. L. Burke is the self-published author of multiple fantasy novels including the Dragon and the Scholar saga and The Nyssa Glass YA Steampunk series and Coiled.
She is an admirer of the whimsical, a follower of the Light, and a believer in happily ever after.
Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
H. L.: Cat-Dragon. It’s a thing. If it isn’t a thing, it should be. I fly and breathe fire, but am also soft and fuzzy and I purr and knock things off the table just to test gravity.
Wolf: What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
H. L.: Does a caterpillar I swallowed in middle school just to show off count as food? I tend to be kind of adventurous, and I did live in Japan for a while, so I’ve had authentic Sushi and whole dried fish on rice for breakfast and things like that. Squid on a stick? Good flavor, rubbery texture. I think the most, “huh,” thing I had in Japan, were various pastries I assumed were chocolate filled only to find out it was black bean paste instead. That never failed to fill me with chagrin. Beans aren’t something I particularly like, especially in dessert.
Wolf: If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
H. L.: Can I say cat-dragon here, too? Seriously, no one, NO ONE, messes with you if you have a cat-dragon. Especially mice-dragons. Mice-dragons are the worst and a cat-dragon is really the only defense against them. If it must be a non-sentient weapon, when I used to do some online RP’ing my character was armed with a frying pan. I swear this was years before Tangled. In fact, I’m 90% sure Disney stumbled onto a thread on my Tolkien fan forum and found a scene where my cat riding character was fighting off giant Mirkwood spiders with a frying pan and said, “Oh, that’s cool. We’ll do that.”
Wolf: You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.
H. L.: I’m a plant.
Dang, that was easy …
Oh, what? More detail?
Gee, demanding, aren’t we? Hmm … plant me is an air plant. Roots are for suckers. I’m flexible. I can pretty much grow anywhere as long as you spritz me with water on occasion. Plus my hair is a mess and I don’t do well-organized gardens. But yeah, you have some pots hanging from the ceiling, I’ll swing there for a while. I’m just tiny and adorable but maybe a little big pokey.Wolf: Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
H. L.: I think the fact that I’ve managed to answer “cat-dragon” to two of these questions so far gives you a pretty good hint on where I fall on the “cat or dog” scale. I have a dog. He’s a nice enough dog. He’s just not as personally attached to me as my cat, Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is a humongous orange cat with the best personality. He just showed up on our doorstep one day and decided he was going to stay. We take a lot of selfies together, and he sleeps at the foot of my daughters’ beds (he rotates). When Coryn (my older daughter) was sick, he camped out next to her on the couch for three days straight.
He’s also still very “cat.” Once I walked in on him nudging a book towards the edge of the table and caught it before it hit the floor. He gave me a look that could kill because I’d ruined his “experiment.” He always steals my chair and sits on whatever I’m working on. He also does this thing where he’ll jump up next to me while I’m eating and try to steal my food. He’s amazing.
Wolf: While walking in the woods you come across…
H. L.: A glowing blue egg about the size of a cantaloupe. Warm to the touch, it emits a strange rumbling noise. Almost a purr … actually, exactly a purr. I pick it up and press it to my cheek. The purring intensifies. Then (crack) the egg hatches. A furry face with an adorable pink nose gazes up at me. It spreads its bat-like wings and meows gently. I have finally found my cat-dragon. I name him Englebriet.
Wolf: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
H. L.: Teleportation. I hate driving and there are a lot of things I would do if I could get there instantly. They say the journey is a point unto itself, but if the journey is being stuck in traffic or a tiny airplane seat, I think I’m okay skipping it.
Wolf: There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
H. L.: I summon Englebriet, my cat-dragon. He’s older now, about the size of a German Shepherd. He paces at my side, wings low, tail twitching. This is what he’s trained for, for beyond that door lies the lair of the insidious mouse-dragon who has been stealing the precious grain reserves from the nearby village. The door flies open, and the mouse-dragon flaps his wings and roars. His end is nigh, but the battle will be great (to be continued).
Wolf: The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?
H. L.: (My instinct is to just answer “My husband” and leave it at that, but that might be a little more PG13 than you’re looking for, though, honestly, yeah … so I’ll give you a back-up answer, and you can leave this off if desired.). Something fun. I mean, assuming there is nothing heroic I can do to stop it and I’m not simultaneously granted powers to go anywhere and do anything so I’m like here at home, I’d probably just find something pleasant to do with my near to me family and chill and wait. Death doesn’t scare me all that much.
Wolf: Which of your characters is your favorite?
H. L.: Ellis Dalhart from the Nyssa Glass series. He’s buoyant, supportive of the female lead (Nyssa), resourceful, and hilarious. Though if you don’t like puns, he might annoy you after a bit. He really, really likes puns.
Wolf: Describe a meal you would be served while visiting another world.
H. L.: Fresh off our victory over the mouse-dragon, Englebriet takes me to the land of the cat-dragons where we are treated to a feast of sumptuous tuna. There is a catnip sorbet and some fine catnip wine. It is a grand time.
Wolf: What story are you working on now?
H. L.: I finished the first draft of the third book in my Spellsmith & Carver trilogy at the end of August and am slowly polishing it up for release. I have not decided what I will be writing next, but I have a few things percolating.
Wolf: You look like you could use a cat-dragon. Do you want one?
H. L.: YES! SO SO VERY MUCH!
H. L. Burke’s work can be purchased on Amazon.
http://www.hlburkeauthor.com/
Social Media Links:
facebook.com/hlburkewriter
instagram.com/burkesdragons
twitter.com/typativemamacat