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.
Dawn Vogel’s academic background is in history, so it’s not surprising that much of her fiction is set in earlier times. By day, she edits reports for historians and archaeologists. In her alleged spare time, she runs a craft business, co-edits Mad Scientist Journal, and tries to find time for writing. She is a member of Broad Universe, SFWA, and Codex Writers. Her steampunk series, Brass and Glass, is being published by Razorgirl Press. She lives in Seattle with her husband, author Jeremy Zimmerman, and their herd of cats. Visit her at http://historythatneverwas.com or on Twitter @historyneverwas.
Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Dawn: A cat. Naps all day, and people give me love and food when I’m not napping. That sounds pretty excellent.
Wolf: It does indeed. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Dawn: Some might argue that it’s letting them survive situations that appear to be certain death. There’s a scene in the manuscript for Brass and Glass 3 where one character escapes an extremely dangerous situation with just a mild concussion and another character escapes basically unscathed. A crueler writer would likely have killed one and maimed the other.
Wolf: I suppose that can seem nice from the right point of view. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
Dawn: In Brass and Glass: The Cask of Cranglimmering, Captain Svetlana Tereshchenko has to go to a party in order to get some information. It’s a very elegant party, and very much not her speed. So her crew dolls her up in a borrowed dress that necessitates a corset as an undergarment AND a corset as a fashion accessory, pins a very tiny hat to her hair, and sends her in on her own. Basically, any time someone gets to dress Svetlana for an event, she regrets this option immediately.
Wolf: Eek. I’d regret that too. Corsets are torture. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Dawn: Definitely a cat person. I’m not fond of dogs of either extreme (very small or very large), but I have found virtually no cats that I can’t come to terms with.
Wolf: Hope you’re okay with wolves. If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Dawn: I’ve wanted telekinesis since I was a kid. As I’ve gotten older, it seems even cooler. That way, when I go into a room and forget what I wanted, and then remember what it was as soon as I sit down, I could just bring the thing to me!
Wolf: Wish I could do that. Of course, remembering what you want is the hard part. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Dawn: Because I write a lot of short fiction, I’ve written a whole lot of characters, so picking one of those is nearly impossible. If we’re limiting it just to the characters in my novel series, Brass and Glass, my favorite is Indigo, the ship’s mechanic. He’s a teenage boy who was raised at the fringes of the “civilized” world, so he’s got some unusual speech patterns and other quirks. So writing him is always a bit of a challenge but also a delight, as he sees aspects of the world through a very different lens than his fellow crewmembers.
Wolf: Sounds like an interesting fellow. What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)
Dawn: I love the ocean, particularly the northern Pacific Ocean in the damp and dismal Pacific Northwest. I would much rather be on a cloudy gray beach than a sunny one. That being said, however, I really love water in just about any format. I feel more alive when I’m near or in the water.
Wolf: Interesting. I like the ocean as well, but am very much an east coast gal. What story are you working on now?
Dawn: At the moment, I’m working on three VERY different stories. I’ve got a sci-fi noir detective story, a space opera story, and a post-apocalyptic story with mechas and climate change that really is only barely spec fic when you peel away the trappings.
Wolf: Sounds like you’re very busy. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? (Assuming you have time.)
Dawn: Gaming, watching TV or movies, and crocheting. Normally crocheting happens while one of the other two is going on.
Wolf: Thanks for visiting. You can connect with Dawn through these links:
Website/Blog: http://historythatneverwas.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historythatneverwasdawnvogel/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/historyneverwas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Vogel/e/B004Q2XCJY/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/268206.Dawn_Vogel
STAR TOUCHED
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population. Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
LJ Cohen is a Boston area novelist, poet, blogger, ceramics artist, geek, and relentless optimist. After almost twenty-five years as a physical therapist specializing in chronic pain management, LJ now uses her anatomical knowledge and myriad clinical skills to injure characters in her science fiction and fantasy novels. When not bringing home strays (canine and human), LJ can be found writing, which looks a lot like daydreaming.
Whimsical Words welcomes guest author, A. L. Kaplan. A. L. Kaplan’s love of books started as a child and sparked a creative imagination. Born on a cold winter morning in scenic northern New Jersey, her stories and poems have been included in several anthologies and magazines. Her novel, Star Touched, released October 2017. She is the Maryland Writers’ Association’s Vice President and served on the Howard County Chapter board for several years. A. L. is a member of Broad Universe and holds an MFA in sculpture from the Maryland Institute College of Art. When not writing or indulging in her fascination with wolves, A. L. is the props manager for a local theatre. This proud mother of two lives in Maryland with her husband and dog.
A. L. Kaplan’s latest book, Star Touched, is a fast-paced read for those who love science fiction. A quick summary for my…
Author Biography: Rachel Mankowitz lives on Long Island with her family, including her two dogs, Cricket and Ellie, and the memories of all of the dogs that came before. She has a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Manhattanville College, a Masters of Fine Arts in fiction, from Queens University of Charlotte, and is working on a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. And yes, that is a lot of student loan debt. Rachel’s first novel, 
Debbie Kaiman Tillinghast is the author of The Ferry Home, a memoir about her childhood on Prudence Island, a tiny island off the coast of Rhode Island. Debbie began writing as she embarked on a quest to reconnect with her island roots, starting with a cookbook for her family.
Debbie: Since my book is a memoir, I changed this question to, “Which story is your favorite?” I love the story called “Sleds and Sundays.” The island where we lived year-round was more isolated in the winter. Since the population dwindled to about fifty, my sister and I had fewer friends nearby, and my father’s store was closed so my dad worked fewer hours. My winter memories are cozier and more intimate than summer ones.
Karen DeMers Dowdall, PhD, MSN, BSN, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and spent her elementary-grade school years in the small farming community of Salmon Brook, settled in 1680 by a stalwart group of Europeans. She grew up exploring Salmon Brook’s Forest Preserve, swimming in Salmon Brook, and ice-skating on a “haunted” pond in winter.
As a life-long animal enthusiast, Tracie Barton-Barrett is a speaker, Licensed Professional Counselor with a specialty in pet loss, and former psychology and sociology instructor. Buried Deep in Her Hearts is her debut novel, and she hopes it will help the reader to relate, reflect, and heal after the loss of a beloved animal. She’s facilitated pet loss support groups and presented and written articles on the subject. She and her husband live in North Carolina in the US and are owned by their two cats, Rutherford B. Barrett and Oliver Monkey.
So, ever the devoted student, I delved into pet loss research, copying as many articles as I could, proud of my newfound labeled and neatly stacked folders. But, they just sat there. Collecting dust. For years. It wasn’t until the anniversary of our Kimball Kitty’s death (whose story is featured in my book) when it hit me: Make it fiction.
Wolf: You really like water, don’t you. If this question were any question in the world, what question would you want it to be and how would you answer it?
