March. March! March!!! I doubt I'll be kicking off the month of March for GA like this any time soon, so let's do it in a fun and exciting way. I didn't have any questions via PM, so I had to put my workboots on and find some content. Fortunately, I didn't have to look far. With a slightly different format, I asked some wonderful questions for one of the site's exciting authors. This guy has one of my favorite stories of all time, and I revisit it frequently. Asking these questions brought much joy, so I hope y'all can feel my enthusiasm through your screen. 

So, different format! I wanted to ask the author questions, but not about specific pieces. I needed to know what makes them tick. Without further ado, I had the pleasure of chatting with the author of GA's hit shapeshifter story Running with the Pack, @WolfM!

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WolfM
8 Stories / 552,394 Words 

What was your inspiration to start writing? Has it changed since then, and if so, how?

I started writing as a way to escape into my imagination while living on the streets as a teenager. A pen or pencil, a notepad I found or managed to buy were a luxury that allowed me to try and build on fantasy worlds that were far away from where I was. Variations of what eventually became Running with the Pack started that way. I’d read them, add to them, and occasionally share them with others I interacted with until my backpack would inevitably get soaked in a rain storm and I’d have to start over.

My inspiration has definitely changed over time and it’s now the fulfillment of an idea. A character catching my attention in a dream and asking to have his story told is how a couple of my books took shape. In the case of Embers, a test chapter, my husband pushing, and suggestions from a wonderful man who has taught me more than a college writing instructor ever did was all the inspiration I needed. Yes, Daddy Carlos, I’m talking about you.

What drives you as an author? 

I’d say my primary drive is the desire to bring my characters to life in a way that’s relatable to others. I enjoy the challenge of creating a compelling story people want to take the time to read. I also want to improve my skills in this hobby I’ve taken up. Thinking I’d done a good job when I originally posted Running, only to finally agree to work with an editor and see how badly written it was, regardless of its popularity has taught me to accept help from others. I can’t thank Carlos Hazday enough for asking to work with me. There’s also the joy of finishing a book and feeling happy with its outcome, even before it gets shared with others.

Name a genre/subgenre you have always wanted to write in but haven't, and why.

Readers of my books will undoubtedly notice quotes or references to sci-fi series like Star Trek, Babylon 5, and even Dune. I’d love to write something in that genre, but the right idea hasn’t sparked yet. Robotic were-creatures just don’t seem right. Who knows, maybe my characters will take to space one day.

Which of your posted works are you most proud of? Which would you like for readers to look at more?

My two lowest-read submissions are both autobiographical. I’m proud of Alone in the Night since it was the first one I truly finished. It’s a subject matter most people would rather not thank about, teen homelessness. I wrote about the period of my life starting with getting thrown out into to streets at sixteen and surviving until I was living indoors again. This was a somewhat, possibly heavily, sugarcoated attempt to convey what I experienced. Its follow-up, Memories of a Street Rat is as the title states, memories of specific events while living on the streets. The chapters are harsher and describe the violence people like me were subjected to. It has a couple of happy memories too. I understand why they’re overlooked since it isn’t a happy read. People who’ve left reviews seem to feel they should be read.

Aside from being proud of the two I mentioned, I’ve got to include Embers from the Running with the Pack series as well since I was able to take my experience of fighting the 2019/2020 fires in Australia and turn it into my second-most popular book in the series. The fact I pulled it off with it being about the people and the fire as just a backdrop worked well. I feared it would instead read like a technical manual when I started it, so yeah I’m proud of it.

Would you care to tell GA what some of your works-in-progress are, or some ideas that have been in the back of your mind?

LOL. Okay, now that I’ve got that out of my system. When I comment on a chapter, I’m careful not to give hints to what’s coming next. With that stated, I’ll politely sidestep the question of ideas floating around my mind. Besides, I could get lost in there and never manage to finish this interview.

I’ve got several works in progress. The fact they’ve been sitting in that status since I finished Running with the Pack and before I started what became the second book in the series, I’m not sure they’ll ever see the light of day. Both have been languishing for close to seven years with probably five or six chapters each. If they get resurrected, I’d have to start from scratch since they both jump in and out of first and third person. They were done before I met Carlos, so I can easily say what I’ve got is very badly written. Lol.

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Thank you, @WolfM! It was an absolute delight to read your responses. Everyone, sound off in the comments if you've enjoyed Wolf's stories. 

As usual, I'm always looking for questions to keep Ask An Author alive and kicking. Send me a PM with three or so questions about a story you've read or are currently reading, and we'll feature the author. This is an exciting way to learn more about the Gay Authors community and what inspires our authors to write. As of now, there's no articles in the piggy bank. If this trend continues, it may cause the blog to be replaced, or even vanish. Check out some of the other AAAs and see what kind of questions are being asked, then take a gander at what you're reading. 

See y'all next month!