A Wolf On The Loose By Daniel Straka is now on a Virtual Book Tour from June 19 to July 22, 2016.
A Wolf On The Loose: Episode 1 (A Wolf On The Loose)
by Dan Straka
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Publication: February 21st, 2015
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon
A Wolf On The Loose is a weekly e-serial, containing 36 parts spread over 5 episodes. One part is released weekly, free, on Amazon for 5 days (Monday-Friday). Completed episodes are available for purchase.
Amid struggling with his addictions, former Marine Andrew St George goes AWOL from his rich family and lavish lifestyle. He appears months later in Miami with one intent; convince his friend, Emilio Cortez, to start a Private Military Company with him. Having left the Corps after his brother was killed in a drive-by, Emilio’s been stuck working three jobs to support his extended family, all of whom he lives with in a small apartment.
While Andrew and Emilio enter into the security business looking for an escape from their civilian lives, both struggle with their demons. From the slums of Miami, the glitzy South Beach nightlife, to Cartel controlled Mexico, the boys will learn that despite their best intentions, no one job is the same and that there are battles to be fought outside of war zones.
Interview with Dan Straka
1. Tell me about yourself & your book.
A WOLF ON THE LOOSE is a weekly adventure/thriller about two former Marines trying to find their place in the civilian world by starting a private security company in Miami, Florida. What they get, is more than they bargained for.
The genre, timeframe, and format allowed me to have the character’s living in our world, reacting to major events. The week-to- week format also gave the characters room to breathe; slice-of- life scenes that wouldn’t fit within a novel were able to be included.
The nature of the security company, and finding new clients with varying backgrounds, allows for social commentary on subjects ranging from police shootings to veteran’s affairs, gang wars, drug lords, and even nerd culture.
2. How do you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?
Originally I started a novel, based on a private military company (PMC), and the protagonist was a female journalist embedded with the PMC operating in Kurdistan. This plot had some legs, and may appear in future seasons, but at the time I didn't have enough "good stuff" to flesh out an entire engaging story.
Around that time I watched Showtime's "Strike Back", which was focused on two Special Forces soldiers engaging in alternative conflict theaters and in small scale battles. I thought, that's how I should do my story.
The plots of AWOTL are not about stopping a speeding train filled with bombs, on its way to DC. AWOTL is about the characters dealing with conflicts based on events that can, and do, happen in the real world, and their own struggles. That's why Andrew and Emilio are not action heroes straight out of Call of Duty. They are simply two former Marines, with their own hang-ups and issues.
3. How long did it take you to write this book?
I started preliminary work in the fall of 2013, and weekly releases began in January 2015. Thirty-six weeks later, Season 1 concluded in September 2015 with a nasty cliffhanger.
4. Do your characters ever surprise you?
Yes, not just the characters but the flow of the narrative. I'll start planning and typing out a scene, and as the characters are talking, things happen. I sit back and think, oh, I didn’t anticipate that twist. That's in the initial draft, and then I re-write. The best way for me to edit and keep that plot twist or excitement I uncovered is: read a scene, remember what I like about it, then crtl+x and delete. And rewrite it from memory.
5. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason.
I think the story overall is fun and engaging, and the writing is clean thanks to my editor. Even my wife likes AWOTL! She is a diehard Jane Austen and classics fan, and not a fan of thrillers. So I count that as high praise!
Like most writers, I'm happy with some scenes and wish I could tweak others. Really, I'm more interested in what readers think. How they feel. And I hope they get as excited to read AWOTL each week, as I was to write it.
6. What are you working on right now?
I'm actively working on Season 2 of AWOTL. This one requires a bit more research. And, I'm going a traditional publishing route with a sword and sorcery fantasy.
7. Anything you would like to say to your readers?
As part of the blog tour, I will be releasing one episode a week for free on Amazon, beginning on July 4 th . I hope you enjoy reading any, or all, of A Wolf On the Loose. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section, or as a review on Amazon.
Thanks for reading!
Thank you for the interview!
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