Joe Mikolay's Blog - Posts Tagged "the-pack"
Hello Goodreads Members!
So, I've always thought blogging would be a good idea, but the issue was figuring out how to get people to read it.
Ultimately, I guess every blog is more for the benefit of the blogger than the bloggee. But, with that said, Goodreads has a ton of people already on on their site.
Which means there's a ton of people just a simple click away from getting to know me a little better, should they be so inclined.
At any rate, I'll be checking in from time-to-time with the pop culture tidbits that interest me which you can read at your leisure.
I'll close this one by mentioned my two books (so far) 'Misfit Toys In Love' and 'The Pack.'
I've been getting a great response to 'The Pack' giveaway. Almost 300 people submitted for a chance to win one of ten copies so far, and another 130 or so have added the book to their 'To-Read' shelf.
There's still almost a full month left to take your chances at winning a copy, so why not give it a shot?
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
'Til next time!
-Joe Mikolay
Ultimately, I guess every blog is more for the benefit of the blogger than the bloggee. But, with that said, Goodreads has a ton of people already on on their site.
Which means there's a ton of people just a simple click away from getting to know me a little better, should they be so inclined.
At any rate, I'll be checking in from time-to-time with the pop culture tidbits that interest me which you can read at your leisure.
I'll close this one by mentioned my two books (so far) 'Misfit Toys In Love' and 'The Pack.'
I've been getting a great response to 'The Pack' giveaway. Almost 300 people submitted for a chance to win one of ten copies so far, and another 130 or so have added the book to their 'To-Read' shelf.
There's still almost a full month left to take your chances at winning a copy, so why not give it a shot?
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
'Til next time!
-Joe Mikolay
The Pack For $0.99
As a very special Thank You for the great response to 'The Pack' I've decided to offer the Kindle version for $0.99.
This special offer will only run for the next week, so be sure to hop onto amazon.com and order yours before time's up!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
Thank you all again, and I hope you take this opportunity to Join The Pack!
This special offer will only run for the next week, so be sure to hop onto amazon.com and order yours before time's up!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
Thank you all again, and I hope you take this opportunity to Join The Pack!
The Three Stages Of Transformation In 'The Pack'
Not that anyone specifically asked but, in case anyone was wondering what the three main stages of werewolf transformation in 'The Pack' were inspired by, here are my main influences.
You'll note that "giant, fluffy, adorable wolfie from 'Twilight'" is nowhere to be found:
Half-Transformation: think Jack Nicholson in 1994's 'Wolf'
Wolf-Man: the final stage for most werewolves in my interpretation would closely resemble Benicio del Toro in the 2010 remake of 'The Wolfman'
Alpha Wolf: the rare beast's look was inspired by the fully transformed creatures in 1981's 'The Howling'
Hmmm, in hindsight I should probably give legendary special effect guru Rick Baker a shout-out.
You'll note that "giant, fluffy, adorable wolfie from 'Twilight'" is nowhere to be found:
Half-Transformation: think Jack Nicholson in 1994's 'Wolf'
Wolf-Man: the final stage for most werewolves in my interpretation would closely resemble Benicio del Toro in the 2010 remake of 'The Wolfman'
Alpha Wolf: the rare beast's look was inspired by the fully transformed creatures in 1981's 'The Howling'
Hmmm, in hindsight I should probably give legendary special effect guru Rick Baker a shout-out.
Year Of 'The Pack'
Wow, if the Amazon Kindle Store were an actual store, then copies of 'The Pack' would be flying off the shelves!
So, I figure what the hell.
I was going to just have the book on sale for $.99 for a week, but now it'll stay at that price for the rest of the year.
Black Friday and Christmas shoppers, be sure to spread the word.
And be sure to get your copy too, if you haven't yet!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
So, I figure what the hell.
I was going to just have the book on sale for $.99 for a week, but now it'll stay at that price for the rest of the year.
Black Friday and Christmas shoppers, be sure to spread the word.
And be sure to get your copy too, if you haven't yet!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
Another Satisfied Customer (Or Two)
So glad that more people have read The Pack, enjoyed it, and put up solid reviews on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
What do they have in common (besides being of the thumbs-up variety)? They're both asking for a sequel.
To that I say: Have a little patience.
I expect to have a sequel to The Pack out by the end of the year.
In the meantime, please keep reading and (if you like what you read) then continue to spread the word!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
What do they have in common (besides being of the thumbs-up variety)? They're both asking for a sequel.
To that I say: Have a little patience.
I expect to have a sequel to The Pack out by the end of the year.
In the meantime, please keep reading and (if you like what you read) then continue to spread the word!
Influences For The Pack- The Teens
Maybe I'm the only person who had this particular daydream when I was younger, but I somehow doubt it:
A great terror besieges your hometown, and all around you people are losing their shit and unable to do anything to stop it. You, however, are ready.
The moment is not too big for you, and you realize that means you're the only one who can stop the evil that's been unleashed.
Okay, maybe I was the only kid who had that daydream in middle school and high school. But that was the original seed that ended up growing into The Pack.
Of course, a majority of the influences were external ones drawn from the things that I watched or read in my formative years. You might be surprised to know that one of the primary influences wasn't horror at all.
"Some Kind Of Wonderful" is a highly underrated movie from the 1980's written by John Hughes. The key relationship in it is between the characters Keith and Watts.
If you haven't seen this movie, then you really ought to. But the part that left the biggest impression on my was that Keith and Watts are childhood friends who- as fate would have it- are meant to be together in the end, even though they didn't see it themselves. Therein is the inspiration for Michael and Ellis' relationship in The Pack.
Of course, that also ties into the old high school fantasy that your best friend also happens to be a beautiful and funny girl who you fall in love with. Or, I suppose, you realize that you were in love all along.
Hemming even closer to heart of The Pack was the original "Teen Wolf." The relationship between Scott Howard and Boof plays out much the same way as in "SKOW" only one of them happens to be a werewolf. It's no coincidence that I namedrop this movie specifically in the book.
Natalie's story was something more akin to Stephen King's more disturbing subplots. She was a victim who was taken to the breaking point, and then pushed well past that point into an entirely new sort of traumatic existence. In her transformation from prey to predator, she ultimately ended up as prey again to her own uncontrollable urges.
I rounded out this group of characters with Kristen and Jeff, who were a sort of yin and yang pair of twins. Of course, their inherent differences lead to the Greek tragedy that befalls them.
A great terror besieges your hometown, and all around you people are losing their shit and unable to do anything to stop it. You, however, are ready.
The moment is not too big for you, and you realize that means you're the only one who can stop the evil that's been unleashed.
Okay, maybe I was the only kid who had that daydream in middle school and high school. But that was the original seed that ended up growing into The Pack.
Of course, a majority of the influences were external ones drawn from the things that I watched or read in my formative years. You might be surprised to know that one of the primary influences wasn't horror at all.
"Some Kind Of Wonderful" is a highly underrated movie from the 1980's written by John Hughes. The key relationship in it is between the characters Keith and Watts.
If you haven't seen this movie, then you really ought to. But the part that left the biggest impression on my was that Keith and Watts are childhood friends who- as fate would have it- are meant to be together in the end, even though they didn't see it themselves. Therein is the inspiration for Michael and Ellis' relationship in The Pack.
Of course, that also ties into the old high school fantasy that your best friend also happens to be a beautiful and funny girl who you fall in love with. Or, I suppose, you realize that you were in love all along.
Hemming even closer to heart of The Pack was the original "Teen Wolf." The relationship between Scott Howard and Boof plays out much the same way as in "SKOW" only one of them happens to be a werewolf. It's no coincidence that I namedrop this movie specifically in the book.
Natalie's story was something more akin to Stephen King's more disturbing subplots. She was a victim who was taken to the breaking point, and then pushed well past that point into an entirely new sort of traumatic existence. In her transformation from prey to predator, she ultimately ended up as prey again to her own uncontrollable urges.
I rounded out this group of characters with Kristen and Jeff, who were a sort of yin and yang pair of twins. Of course, their inherent differences lead to the Greek tragedy that befalls them.
Influences For The Pack- The Older Generation
I really dig stories where one generation tries to do their best, only to fail spectacularly. It then falls to their children (or grandchildren, or great grandchildren, etc) to finish what they began.
That was partly where I was coming from with that group of characters in The Pack. At least, that was the case when it came to Jack Halliday.
The other main inspirations for Jack- or any experienced Venatores- were the wise old warrior/clinical expert sort of characters in the vein of Abraham Van Helsing from Dracula, or Dr. Sam Loomis from Halloween. I was always drawn to those types of characters, as they were unafraid of the evils they faced, since they were familiar with them.
This, of course, is the opposite of characters in The Pack such as Officer Hernandez or Dr. Kahler who are trying their best to save lives but are simply not prepared for the monsters they are confronted with. Think the merc/cleanup group in Predator, or the colonial marines in Aliens.
Which brings up to Caleb Slade, and the titular pack of werewolves. Slade is a very charismatic character, in many ways he's like a cult leader. The manner in which he- and by extension his packmates- makes the outcasts and the damaged feel special and accepted is very seductive.
In some way, Slade presents himself as more of an anti-hero than a straight up villain. His origin chapter, and his magnetic presence, make him a character that many reader would gravitate towards. Which makes it all the more startling (and, frankly, fun) when I pull out the rug, and finally display his truly brutal cruelty.
That was partly where I was coming from with that group of characters in The Pack. At least, that was the case when it came to Jack Halliday.
The other main inspirations for Jack- or any experienced Venatores- were the wise old warrior/clinical expert sort of characters in the vein of Abraham Van Helsing from Dracula, or Dr. Sam Loomis from Halloween. I was always drawn to those types of characters, as they were unafraid of the evils they faced, since they were familiar with them.
This, of course, is the opposite of characters in The Pack such as Officer Hernandez or Dr. Kahler who are trying their best to save lives but are simply not prepared for the monsters they are confronted with. Think the merc/cleanup group in Predator, or the colonial marines in Aliens.
Which brings up to Caleb Slade, and the titular pack of werewolves. Slade is a very charismatic character, in many ways he's like a cult leader. The manner in which he- and by extension his packmates- makes the outcasts and the damaged feel special and accepted is very seductive.
In some way, Slade presents himself as more of an anti-hero than a straight up villain. His origin chapter, and his magnetic presence, make him a character that many reader would gravitate towards. Which makes it all the more startling (and, frankly, fun) when I pull out the rug, and finally display his truly brutal cruelty.
