Join us as we continue to discuss The Wolf Queen and ask author Cerece Rennie Murphy questions about her process, her characters, the plot, and everything in between. 
What are you reading right now?
I JUST started reading The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemison (like I’m on page 2.) So far, it’s fantastic!
In your foreword you mention Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folk Tales and how it inspired you to write the Wolf Queen. Are there other stories or books that influenced your writing?
The books that I think had the biggest impact on me were Frank Herbert’s Dune and Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed. I love stories about the journey to discover your true power. Every story I write is about that in some way, so those stories stuck with me. As a young adult, they pushed e forward, emotionally and spiritually. In terms of writing, I love how Toni Morrison wrote for all 5 senses. I don’t think I’ve been able to do that in my writing, but her fearless example reminds me that, above everything else, I want my readers to *feel* everything my characters are going through. I try to keep my narratives anchored on the emotion in a scene as much as possible.
The “will they won’t they” relationship between Nasir and Ameenah is heartbreaking, and I have a bad feeling her new wolf appearance is only going to make matters worse. Tell me there is some hope for them in book two?
Ameenah’s latest appearance certainly does complicate things, but these are two characters that believe in each other. So all I can say is, there is always hope. đŸ™‚
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