Interview with W.R. Gingell, Author of Wolfskin + Giveaway

I am pleased to welcome W.R. Gingell, author of Wolfskin, to the blog today. Ready for a fun Q&A?

Tell us about the main characters. Who is Rose? Who is Bastian?

Thanks for having me! Rose is the main character in Wolfskin: she is young, determined and not always thoughtful. She has recently been apprenticed to the Witch of the Forest, and is hoping to be involved in lots of magic. She gets a little more than she bargained for with Bastian, who is a man in the body of a wolf. He was cursed to the form of a wolf by Cassandra, when the enchantress discovered that he hadn’t been faithful to her. Bastian is desperate, devious– and perhaps redeemable.

What are some interesting things you learned while writing/researching Wolfskin?

Writing Wolfskin was the point at which I began to learn a lot about characterisation. This was partly from writing Rose and partly from reading other authors, who (like Frances Hardinge) get their characterisation so beautifully right. Rose was incredibly difficult to get on paper, and the first draft of Wolfskin I finished had an entirely flat Rose. I learned a lot while writing her. By the end of the fourth or fifth draft of Wolfskin I had begun to feel that I had a three-dimensional character. Rose had developed her quirks, dislikes, and unique tone of voice. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the learning curve that I went through on the journey to publish Wolfskin.

Is Wolfskin part of a series or a standalone story?

Wolfskin is a standalone story, though I do have plans for a sequel of sorts. It’s set in the same world that my Two Monarchies Sequence is set in, but you won’t need to read any of the other books to enjoy Wolfskin. 

In the blurb you allude to Little Red Riding Hood. Is Wolfskin based at all on that fairy tale?

Wolfskin is based on the fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood, but even more than the fairytale, it’s based on an old, old Sam the Sham song of the same name. It goes something like: “Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are lookin’ good; you’re everything a big bad wolf could want”. I’ve always loved that song!

Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers about Wolfskin?

If you like strong, stubborn heroines who sometimes discover that they can be their own worst enemy, you’ll most likely enjoy Wolfskin. If you like good-looking but flawed heroes who start out with the wrong intentions and begin to develop a heart, Wolfskin is definitely for you!

If you could have any fictional character over for dinner, whom would you invite and what would you serve?

Probably Feste from Twelfth Night. He’d be such fun! I’d provide cheese and pies and a picnic blanket, and he could bring his lute and his funny face.

What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

Wow, that’s really hard! I have so, SO many. Just one? Okay, I’ll cheat and have one of each! Leverage is one of my all time favourite TV shows, and Alice (technically a miniseries, but whatever) is one of my all time favourite movies.

What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favourite Disney-style fairy tale. I mean, a girl who reads? Yes, please!

Older fairytales– Snow White and Rose Red. I’ve always loved that one.

I love Belle because she reads-- good influence on us all. Please, everyone, pick up a book. Now would be good :)

Wolfskin

W.R. Gingell

YA Fantasy
May 1, 2015

Amazon | Goodreads

‘If you want adventure, you have to march right up to it and kick it in the shins . . .’

At fourteen, barefoot and running wild, Rose is delighted to be apprenticed to Akiva, the witch of the forest. She thinks it will be all enchantment and excitement, and not so much fuss about baths. The reality is much more sober and practical- that is, until she meets a mysterious wolf in the forest and is tricked into stepping off the path . . .

In young, naive Rose, Bastian sees a way of escape. Cursed to remain in the shape of a wolf after running afoul of a powerful enchantress, he has lived many decades under a spell, and now he is both desperate and ruthless. But by breaking part of Bastian’s curse, Rose has caught the attention of Cassandra, the enchantress who cursed him: and Cassandra is by no means ready to forgive and forget.

Meanwhile, wardens have been disappearing from the forest, one by one. Rose is certain that Cassandra is behind the disappearances, but can she and Bastian get to the bottom of the matter before Akiva disappears as well? And are Bastian’s motives entirely to be trusted?

Sometimes the little girl in the red hood doesn’t get eaten, and sometimes the wolf isn’t the most frightening thing in the forest.

About the Author

W.R Gingell is a Tasmanian author who enjoys reading, bacon, and slouching in front of the fire to write.

Author links:

http://wrgingell.com/

https://twitter.com/WRGingell

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7849833.W_R_Gingell

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