So, as the release date for ‘In With the Pack’ approaches, I thought I’d take this opportunity to talk a little bit about the book itself. When I opened up the question forum, I had a lot of the same questions so I thought I would go ahead and address them on the blog. I truly pride myself as a multi-genre writer. It is in my opinion, that if you take the time to only write in one particular genre and the idea of another type strikes you, then you are doing yourself a disservice as a writer, but also to the characters attempting to reach you to tell their particular story. However, with that said I also recognize writers that are only comfortable with one genre and prefer to stick with that. Just, for me it’s extremely hard to because of the fact I’ve always got characters coming to me on such opposite ends of the spectrums and where they place themselves. So, below I have three of the most asked questions about ‘In With The Pack’. Now if you are afraid that I’m going to reveal any kind of spoilers don’t worry about that. I won’t reveal anything that would ruin the book. I appreciate all of those who submitted questions, and are curious about the book. It excites me because this was truly an undertaking to write about such a strong character, and his story.
What inspired me to write about a wolf?
I loved this question! As I had stated above, I have prided myself on being a multi-genre writer. Malakai actually appeared to me about two years ago. I was going through some tough emotional times, and the more I attempted to find a way to cope and deal with it I caught the sight of a Timber wolf in my mind’s eye. It was always the same that he approached me and the muse. Often times it was through a brushy area and just seemed to watch me. The idea of writing about an animal in itself really excited me because of the challenge that it presented. Not only, to come up with a story that keep people riveted but also a story that would be genuine and heartfelt, but I also embraced the challenge of writing about an animal, and the fact they are so limited to the kinds of things that they have the ability to do compared to a human character. I’ve always felt a kind of connection to the wolf, and as I proceeded through with the novel of ‘In With The Pack’ I’d continued to research native American legends, and the importance of the wolf in their culture. I’d found a description of animal totems, and the significance that they play in everyone’s life. I became totally enveloped more-so after the research I’d done and the novel came freely to me after that. Another driving force behind the inspiration of the book was Celtic music. It was easy to listen to any kind of a pan flute piece, or a piece involving a violin and I could see my pack. The Muse seemed to be absolutely driven by that type of music for this book it seemed to put her at ease and scenes where easily writeable if I had some soft music playing in the background. It was exciting getting to see everything come together like it did.
What was the motivation behind the story?
Malakai came to me VERY much a loner in his own right. I started typing one night as I listened to him narrate to me. The more I wrote about this particular character I felt I could sympathize with him and his current plight that he had going on in his life. The more I wrote about him, the more he began to unravel his story to me. Originally, his story was about twenty pages long. It was more of a dictation to me and more of a revealing of what he’d been through. At that point, I figured I was living vicariously through him because of the kinds of issues that he was having, but soon found that we were completely different. His dictations had been broke up into actually three different short stories about significant changes in his life. The more I wrote about him, and the more he evolved as a character I began to wonder if he hadn’t been seeking me out as a way to help himself out. He questions everything as you will come to find out in the book, and maybe he just needed someone to bounce his own ideas off of. He started off incredibly depressed, and just in a black void. I felt compelled to help this wolf as I wrote, but as we all know characters will only take so much suggestion before they put their foot (or paw in this case) down. The story took off and evolved quickly as I wrote with him.
What kind of frame of mind was I in?
As I had stated, when I first started writing about Malakai I was in a very depressed mood. So the character reflects it at some points of the story. I was feeling kind of hopeless at the time when I started writing, but felt relieved after the three sections I had written. Two years go by, and Malakai appears to me again. But the wolf had come completely different to me. In fact, this time he was much more ambitious and curious about the world. So as we began to see him tell me his story my frame of mind had completely changed, from this dark and dreary back history to one of hope, and one of change. Malakai seemed to welcome that as I wrote on with his story, and things began to be whispered to me by other characters that appear in the book later! The overall result went from being depressed and alone in the world to realizing that if you search hard enough you will find ‘pack’. Or what Malakai considers being ‘pack’. What exactly is that? I cannot, and will not say because that is up to you as the reader to find out.
A very special thank you again to all of those who submitted questions to me about the book. I am looking forward to meeting all of those who will be attending the book signings as well. I will have the dates, times, and places announced very soon! I will be traveling a little bit of all over the place. A few places here in the LC-Valley, St. Maries, Idaho, Sandpoint, and more to come!
