Today’s guest is Angela of the Black Oak Pack, visiting from Sheryl Hayes’ urban fantasy, Chaos Unleashed. Chaos Unleashed is a ten thousand word novelette available for free when you join Sheryl’s email list.
Angela hated being sent as a diplomat to meet with other supernatural creatures. Wasn’t that how Montgomery Cooper started this whole mess with the vampires? But she had her orders, she reminded herself as she curtsied in greeting to the Queen of the Fae Court. And when she was Alpha, she would be sending others to do this.
“Your Majesty, Queen Titania, my father Alpha Shane, sends his greetings and the greetings of the Black Oak Pack. He also wishes to extend any apologies necessary to smooth over any distress the Chaos Wolf Jordan Abbey has caused. No, she is not a member of my pack, and to be honest I didn’t really get to know her until recently, but circumstances forced us to work together from time to time. In fact, I can tell you our most recent interaction which involves a Rottweiler and Rancho Robles Animal Control.”
Character Questions
What is the balance of science vs. magic in your land? Humans, and a lot of supernatural beings, believe that magic of the spell casting sort does not exist. Supernatural creatures do not live their lives in the open. Humanity is very much in control and would easily overwhelm the vampires and werewolves as the threat that they would be perceived to be. While there are some touched by the gods with psychic powers, wizards and magicians do not exist. Or at least, I haven’t met any yet.
Do you have a Worst Enemy, and why? That would be Jordan. She’s this bitten pup of a werewolf who doesn’t know the rules, and those she does, she deliberately breaks. She hasn’t shown me the proper deference since the day she was introduced to the pack, let alone to my father. And he lets her get away with things I would have been skinned alive for, under the excuse of her being a Chaos Wolf and “she might be a useful spy among the vampires if we can get her to join us.” Like that worked with Montgomery. Still, she did save Dad’s life and I am grateful for that. But she needs to learn her place!
Author Questions
What is your day job, and how does it intersect with your art? My day job is for an environmental laboratory where I mostly perform data entry. It allows my brain time to process plot issues in the background and present solutions. Usually, I will spend my breaks and lunch frantically typing out my ideas or scrawling them down on scratch paper for later. And since healthcare is tied to employment status in the US, I probably will not be quitting it, even if my books become extremely popular.
What publishing format/processes have you chosen, and why? As a self-published author, I try to have my books available in all formats that I can feasibly. Chaos Wolf and Chaos Hunt are available at most major ebook retailers, and as new ones come online, I add them into the mix. I also have paperbacks available for independent bookstores to order. Chaos Unleashed is only available in ebook formats due to the size of the story. The only format I haven’t created yet is audiobooks due to their production costs. I am still looking into how to do that without giving up too many of my publication rights.
Chaos Unleashed
How far would a werewolf go to help a friend? Werewolves and dogs don’t usually get along, but Jordan Abbey has formed a bond with her elderly neighbor’s Rottweiler. So when Rex goes missing during a dog-walking mishap, she’s determined to return him home. With her abilities, finding him should be easy. Except there is one problem. The vampire lord of the city has declared she’s not allowed to shape-shift within the city limits of Rancho Robles.
Better to ask forgiveness than permission, or so Jordan thinks. But there is another issue she has to face – Animal Control. Rumors are getting around about wolf-like dogs wandering the city, and they respond quickly to panicky stray dog calls. Jordan knows how to be discreet, or so she believes.
Will Jordan be able to find her friend without sacrificing her freedom?
Sheryl Hayes
Sheryl R. Hayes can be found untangling plot threads or the yarn her three cats have been playing with. She is equally likely to be shooing one of them off the keyboard as she is working on her novels and short stories. In addition to writing, she is a cosplayer focusing on knit and crochet costumes. Her crafty creativity has earned her recognition at BayCon, Westercon, Worldcon, and Costume-Con. You can find her online at her website and social media.
Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my website, Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.
I’ve helped take care of hundreds of dogs. But I’ve yet to meet a verified werewolf!
Seriously, sounds like an interesting story!
Also seriously is “And since healthcare is tied to employment status in the US, I probably will not be quitting it, even if my books become extremely popular.” I keep hoping the US will finally get around to following its ideals. The idea that an extremely rich nation won’t insure that everyone gets health care is, to me, abhorrent.
Thank you for hosting me, Deby.
Alden, I have several pre-existing conditions, so I’m lucky that I do have a job that has excellent health coverage. But instead of ranting about the state of healthcare in the US, I’d rather chat about werewolves. Have you met an unverified werewolf? 😉
I haven’t met an unverified werewolf that I can verify! 😀
More seriously, I’m glad you have excellent health coverage. And I plan to sign up for your email list!
Great to meet Sheryl. I admit to writing a werewolf tale once, but he was the monster in my tale.
I also like monstrous werewolf stories. “Reading the Leaves” features a more monstrous take on werewolves. And you also get that story when you join my email list. Is your story available to read anywhere?
It’s on Amazon. It’s part of my dark comedy series. It’s a weird cocktail of blood, heartache, and humor. Six stories and counting, all stand alone tales.
[…] – For fans of the Jordan Abbey Series, Angela Shane is making a guest appearance at Queen Titania’s Court. There you can find more information about how to get your free copy of Chaos […]