Bobby Fallon is a trickster–half human and half forest spirit of the wild hare clan. He lives in a small town in northern Wisconsin where he is the guardian of a small remnant of old-growth forest. Bobby has lived his life by the wild hare code of “feed, fornicate, fight,” which for most of his life just meant he was a small-time criminal with a lot of girlfriends. But it’s 2032, and Bobby’s life has been affected by climate change and America’s descent into authoritarianism. When Bobby’s best friend Arne is jailed for non-payment of speeding tickets, Bobby has to raise his bail money. Bobby has to think about bigger problems than his own day to day existence and this leads him into fighting in ways he’s never fought before.
Where will Bobby’s quest to solve problems bigger than himself lead him? Laura Koerber author of ‘Wild Hare’ has dropped into ItsWriteNow.com today to give us some hints about what’s happening with Bobby. Laura, I’m really curious to find out, what lead you to write a book about a half-human, half forest spirit?
A friend asked me how I was doing–just the usual casual greeting–and I responded, “The world is coming to an end, but my personal life is Okay.” I have been thinking about climate change and our future, and my response sums up my outlook. Since Wild Hare is set against a background of climate change with a focus on the daily events of ordinary life, I used my comment as the opening for the story.
How did you go about developing characters that would sit within this background of climate change?
You know, I am not sure. Bobby is not me, that’s for sure. He’s a relatively uneducated small-town gambler, con artist, and shoplifter. I’m a college-educated, middle-class female and very law-abiding. Our commonality is a love of nature and our feelings of rage and despair over the future and the death of the natural world. I think I created Bobby to do things I am not going to do.
Are there elements of Bobby’s life that show things that you did do, or have thought about doing?
I drew on current events and current politics. And I did research into the effects of climate change on the northern forests.
Do you feel that the messages that Bobby has to share are relevant today, or will they become stronger in the future?
It’s very much of our near future.
What was the central message you really hope that readers take away from this relevant tale?
Fight, but don’t become like the enemy.
Are there people who you feel won’t benefit from the messages shared by Bobby?
Conservatives.
How about the people who are your target readers, what have they said about this book?
Not many readers yet, but those who know me are kind of looking at me funny. Bobby is NOT my alter ego!
*Laughs* It kind of sounds that he might be your alter ego, but you never know! What has been the best and worst comments that have come out sharing this character who isn’t your alter ego with the world?
I haven’t gotten a lot of criticism except for my novel Limbo which many people don’t seem to understand. The greatest compliment is in a review of Eclipse Dancer. The reviewer said I had a writer’s touch that cannot be taught.
That’s fantastic feedback! How did you learn this writer’s touch?
By reading!
Were there steps that you took after reading many, many books that help you prepare to write?
I read a lot.
*Laughs* Reading can really do a great job of showing you what to, and what not to write! So, what do you think about as you write?
Pleasing my own narrative goal and sense of aesthetics.
Once you’d finalised your aesthetics for the inside of the book, who did you use to design the external aesthetics through the book cover?
Tamira Thayne
Well, it’s a job well done. Now that you’ve finished this novel, have you turned your creative juices towards a new writing project?
I am almost done with Coyote Summer which is about a teen who sees his best friend rape a girl at a high school graduation party. The event makes him re-evaluate his values. I have started on The Raven Tavern which is set at the same time and place as Wild Hare, but with different characters and involves people changing their basic values in the face of severity and loss.
It sounds like another great place to unleash your writer’s touch. Laura, thanks for sharing your adventures in writing today, and I hope to hear more about your adventures soon!
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Excited to read the book we discussed today? Find it here on Amazon: ‘Wild Hare ( ASIN: B07T17DNW9 )‘.
Want to find out more about Laura Koerber? Connect here!