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T3C Blog

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    Monday - January, 31, 2022

    From Artist’s Inspiration to Author’s Inspiration

    Barbara Reed - - No Comments.

    There is such a depth of inspiration that comes from art—art of all types, painting, sculpture, music, writing, and more. Creativity unleashed married with God-given talent has produced centuries of inspiring art.

    When I wanted to give my husband, author J. Daniel Reed a special birthday gift to encourage him to finish writing his novel The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable, I turned to the world of art as the source.

    “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” — Edgar Degas

    I searched through hundreds of depictions of wolves, but none of them had the quality I was seeking. Then I saw it— a majestic wolf howling into the night sky with the frost of its breath collecting before it. THIS was the one that spoke to my very heart and soul! I could almost hear its mournful howl.

    And so, the search began. Despite extensive internet searching I could not find this lithograph for sale. As a last ditch effort I contacted the renowned nature artist, Beth Hoselton, directly. What did I have to lose?

    Call of the WildShe told me that the lithograph titled Call of the Wild was made by etching the image on limestone to make the plate for the print. I liked the unique sound of that. I also learned that her wolf model was a Canadian wolf named Tamarack. I loved the name! I will always be grateful to Beth for going out of her way to get the lithograph to me in time for Joe’s birthday. Ah, the kindness of a stranger is a beautiful thing.

    Now, let me tell you a little bit about this acclaimed nature artist. From her biography: “Whether painting jaguars in Mexico, bighorn sheep in the Rockies, giraffes of the Serengeti, or songbirds in the South of France, Beth Hoselton captures the fascinating symphony of nature with both passion and intricacy. Beth was elected a signature member of Artists for Conservation and the Society of Animal Artists. She works in a variety of media including oil, acrylic and watercolor. Her original paintings are in private and corporate collections around the world.”

    I could feel that passion in her lithograph, Call of the Wild. In this excerpt from The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable you can see one of many examples of how the art became an inspiration for author J. Daniel Reed:

    “Jett began calling with soulful howls into the brisk night sky, frosted breath gathering under the moonlight in small twinkling clouds. His first offerings to the night consisted of gratitude for life’s good fortune. Just as Arn and Versa each pondered the prosperity of the pack the summer after the first litter was weaned, Jett’s profound comprehension derived from both the perspective of pup and now as an alpha.

    His songs reached far across the dotted valleys and into the range of Tria’s great ears. Joyfully she realized this meant her brother had now achieved Arn’s dream for Jett. No wolf had ever before sung into the night with wolf-speak, which you humans foolishly call howling.”

    See how that one image sparked this compelling scene? Whatever version of art speaks to your heart, lifts your spirits, elevates you to inspiration, I urge you to immerse yourself in the incomparable power it holds.

    Enjoy the ride.

     

     

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  • Sunday - January, 23, 2022

    Windy City Reviews of The First Wolf Pack

    Barbara Reed - - No Comments.

    Chicago Writers’ Association

    Book Review: The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable

    Fiction
     

    The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable. J. Daniel Reed, Terra 3 Communications LLC, November 15, 2021. Paperback and eBook, 220 pages.

     

    Reviewed by Lisa Lickel.

    J. Daniel Reed’s fantasy tale of The First Wolf Pack draws the reader into an imaginary world of two mighty predators who must decide to survive together or fight to the death.

    When an accidental hunting convergence brings two of the greatest ancient wolves into mortal combat, they realize they are so equally matched that they must use their great intelligence to seek a common goal: survival. Versa and Arn begin to care for each other. Together, they derive an ethic called the Wolf Ways.

    Told in the manner of the great sagas, the narrator, a contemporary dog named Bingley, reveals the secret of contemporary dog heritage through Versa and Arn’s story. Bingley’s tale is filled with lofty wisdom and bits of advice on how to be a family; not just any family but the best at parenting, the best at sharing the role of an alpha couple in a pack, the best at finding nutritious food and cooperation—the first Wolf Way.

    Versa and Arn are notably the first at many things, including digging an inground den to raise their first litter. As the family grows into the First Pack, Versa and Arn form the first wolf council, the Magnificent Ones, and establish the first Wolf Utterance. Soon the offspring grow toward maturity and ponder their parents’ ways. Why do they prosper and live in a pack and work together and not fight like the lone wolves?

    When an intruder assimilates into the alpha family, they teach him their ways, leading to harsh consequences. Eventually, other lone wolves outside the First Pack hatch a plot to attack, and the scattered family packs reunite, hoping initially to make peace and teach the others the Wolf Ways.

    The story occasionally lapses into buzzable page-turning moments, such as when Versa turns to Arn and asks, “Are you as amazed at this crazy, unique life we created? There are no lone wolves who live like we or that know what we know.”

    When Tria is suffering from her turmoil, it takes her father to remind her of her greatness and uniqueness and why she’s driven: “Only you, daughter, share our genes, strength, and cleverness,” he tells her, “and only you can teach the wolf ways.” The advice changes his daughter’s heart, much like taking a Dale Carnegie class, the narrator explains.

    The author has created an epic saga of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, or other Norse legends of old, even faintly reminiscent of Eden and the first humans. We learn how humans and wolves intertwine. Those who love poring over those tales will thoroughly enjoy The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable.

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    Monday - December, 20, 2021

    Awesome Gang Interviews J. Daniel Reed

    Barbara Reed - - No Comments.

    J. Daniel Reed

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    Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
    I enjoyed a very satisfying commercial real estate career until the pandemic placed a big speed bump on the road of my life. So suddenly out of work, I took the opportunity to chart a new course, to get off the hamster wheel, leave the world of responsibility and stress, and pursue a dream. For this last year, it has never felt like work.

    What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
    The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable, my first book, was inspired by several disparate factors; Love of dogs and wolves, fascination with ancient foundational myths, the grandeur of God’s creation, and contemplating the purpose of fireflies in the grand scheme of creation. Somehow these things coalesced into a story about overcoming ignorance, narcissism, suspicion, and self-pity.

    Do you have any unusual writing habits?
    I like to work early in the morning. I write for hours on end when it starts to flow. I don’t force myself to write when I am upset or agitated by things outside of my writing. Some evenings, especially while we are cooking dinner together, I love to tell Barbara (my wife and publisher) the progress of the characters, and the ways the plot and subplots are heading. Verbalizing this way allows me to hear things outside of my head, and my wife is very helpful with questions, comments, and suggestions.

    What authors, or books have influenced you?
    Dean Koontz, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage

    What are you working on now?
    A gritty story about xenophobia, bigotry, charity, and compassion set in 1920s and 1930s Chicago.

    What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
    As a newbie I am still learning. Right now, I use Facebook, Reedsy, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and am exploring others. My book is only available on Amazon at this time.

    Do you have any advice for new authors?
    Consider Keats Theory of Negative Capability. It gave me the freedom to not feel compelled to outline my stories, but instead, to tap into something creative that is within me but also something creative that is outside of me. I let the story tell itself, not trying to provide answers to every question that pops up during the drafting.
    If your characters wish to advance themselves, but you don’t know exactly where they might be going, trust them enough to follow them. They will tell you their story if you let them.

    What is the best advice you have ever heard?
    With respect to writing: I recently watched a long-form interview of Dean Koontz from 2012 that made me believe I could write novels and that I should. Koontz emphasizes that all work should have a moral purpose—there is an urgent need in our world for stories containing the hope to counteract the negative views that dominate our culture.
    Without quoting Keats, he did address something like Negative Capability when saying “Get in touch with something bigger than yourself, and let it speak to you.” And further described how his first best seller was born—he developed characters and then figured out how they became intertwined, at times following them.
    And he quotes T.S. Eliot: “the one thing that never changes, the eternal battle of good and evil.”

    What are you reading now?
    While actively writing fiction, I may read some non-fiction BUT I do not read the fiction of others. I am concerned that reading other works will potentially derail the uniqueness of my novel as it is in progress, and to potentially interfere with my creativity. While writing The First Wolf Pack, I read Ralph Martin’s A Church in Crisis. A long time ago my employer at that time gave personality surveys to people in leadership positions. I had a strong need to figure things out for myself, preferring to not follow instructions or to comfortably follow others. I needed to take things apart and rebuild them to know exactly how it worked, so to speak…then to rebuild it my way.

    What’s next for you as a writer?
    I want to finish my second novel during the summer of 2022. It is hard for me to look much further ahead than that. But, I do have two story ideas bouncing around in my head that might launch a third novel.

    If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
    The Bible, something from ancient Greece, perhaps Homer’s the Illiad and Odyssey, something from the height of English literature, perhaps Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and lastly, something by Steinbeck or Hemingway.

    Author Websites and Profiles
    J. Daniel Reed Website
    J. Daniel Reed Amazon Profile

    J. Daniel Reed’s Social Media Links
    Goodreads Profile
    Facebook Profile

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  • Thursday - December, 16, 2021

    Meet the Characters of The First Wolf Pack

    Barbara Reed - - No Comments.

    One of the most enjoyable (but challenging!) aspects of writing fiction is the development of each character—their names, their behavioral traits, and the nuances of each character’s personality. I have been asked if any of the characters in The First Wolf Pack were modelled after real people and I can honestly answer both yes and no. The characters are amalgamations of certain personality traits of people I have known, blended with the personalities of dogs I have had the honor to adopt.  After you have read the book, I’d love to know who was your favorite character and why.

    Get to Know the Wolves of The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable

    -Arn and Versa:  the first Magnificent Ones who establish The First Wolf Pack

    -Tria:  the one who must overcome her viciousness and emotional flaws to become the greatest wolf that ever lived, and in the process, saves her species from extinction

    -Jett:  Tria’s “twin” brother who is her equal in size and strength, but with calmness of heart

    -Fic:  the wolf who sees into the hearts of wolves and men and saves Tria from insanity

    -Bord and Casso:  emaciated orphan wolves adopted into The First Wolf Pack who are willing to risk their lives for their newfound pack

    -Barr:  the only wolf great enough for Tria

    -Ellip:  the beautiful, clever, smart aleck bitch who steals Jett’s heart

    -Ket the Elder:  the most evil and cunning of lone wolves who seeks to destroy The First Wolf Pack

    -Bingley:  the modern Airedale Terrier dog who is granted the right to speak human by the great wolf spirit and narrates the story—hence it is subtitled “a dog’s fable”

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