She Named Me Wolf: Tenkara Smart on What’s real & what’s not?
Today we welcome author Tenkara Smart to discuss the inspiration behind her debut novel She Named Me Wolf, the first in a planned young adult series The Many Lives of Wolf.
Plus, Tenkara will be gifting 2 lucky readers Kindle ebook copies from Amazon. Entry open to readers in the United States and Australia. See entry form below.
She Named Me Wolf: What is real and what is not?
She Named Me Wolf is the first book in my series titled The Many Lives of Wolf. These fictional novels are based on the idea that one soul is reincarnating and drawing on his past-life experience to survive and thrive in the life he is presently living.
In Wolf’s unpredictable, abusive situation at home, he socially isolates from his school mates and relies on the support of his imaginary friends, a Japanese ghost named Polly, and his martial arts teacher. Ultimately, Wolf must make a decision that will change his life forever, and only his best friend, who happens to be a ghost, will help him make the right choice.
Is Wolf’s magical world real or is it all in his head?
Wolf, the protagonist, lives with an alcoholic father whose behaviour is unpredictable and who physically abuses his son, (though I have not gone into great detail on the physical abuse and found other ways to address this delicate topic). As the reader gets to know Wolf, his family, and how he copes with his reality, the reader must determine what is imaginary and what is real. Can animals talk? Are ghosts real? Can someone leave their physical body and travel? Though there are other stories from around the globe and throughout time of people having experiences with ghosts or astral travel, it will be up to the reader to decide what is real and what is not in the unique and magical life of Wolf.
Who is the true villain in the story?
The father is undoubtedly a villain when he drinks alcohol. Yet, when I completed the book, I asked myself, “Why does Wolf’s mother allow this to happen to her son?” Though it is Wolf’s mother who arranges for him to take karate lessons which is one of the most positive things to happen in Wolf’s life. Yet, at the same time, his mother fails to protect her son based on her own fears.
What about the other characters in the book?
Wolf’s animal friends are based on archetypes and reflect the personality traits of the boy: There is a motherly, crimson rosella; a disheartened, defeated galah; a mischievous, cheeky koala; an insecure blue-tongue skink; an unconditionally-loving dog, and a disciplined, focused ant, all of these reflections of Wolf.
And then there is Polly, the ghost of a Japanese girl who appeared one day in his cot when he is just a toddler. Polly is Wolf’s best friend and his spiritual guide, and she plays a significant role in the present life of Wolf as well as in his past life. Wolf is spiritually connected to her, and he can even smell her when she is in the room, describing her scent as the pure smell of “sunshine and morning dew.”
Where did I come up with this stuff?
She named me Wolf is a fictionalised account of a true story from someone I know and trust. As these stories were shared with me, I was so captivated and moved that I felt others might feel the same way, and I decided to write the series.
My books are based on the idea that we are vibrational beings living a human experience, and that we have lived before and can access the wisdom from past lives to make the right choices in this life. My first book, She Named Me Wolf, will introduce you to Wolf in this lifetime, and the subsequent books are stories from this one soul’s physical lives: When he was a samurai warrior in Japan; an executioner in London; a Chief in the Massai Mara, Kenya; an assassin in Belarus, and finally, in the last book, Wolf as a man and a highly skilled black belt in karate. By the end of the series, we will have glimpsed the many lives of Wolf and one soul’s journey through many lifetimes, seeking out the light in the darkness.
Tenkara Smart’s debut novel is available in Kindle ebook and paperback.
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Get your copy of ‘She Named Me Wolf’ from:
Amazon
About the Author, Tenkara Smart
Tenkara Smart is an American writer who has made Australia her home since 2018. She achieved a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Creative Writing at San Diego State University and then went on to advanced education in Copywriting/Graphic Design. Spending most of her life in San Diego, California, she eventually left the country and moved with her Aussie husband to Qatar before making Australia their home. Tenkara enjoys being active and loves travelling with her husband. According to TripAdvisor, she has been to 27% of the globe which is moving her closer to her goal of travelling to at least 50% before she leaves this life. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, or Twitter.
eBook Giveaway
UPDATED TERMS: Two readers living in either the United States or Australia have the opportunity to win a Kindle ebook copy of She Named Me Wolf. If you win and live in the US, Tenkara will gift you a copy of the book via Amazon.com. If you win and live in Australia, Tenkara will send you an Amazon.com.au gift card to the value of the book.
Entries close midnight 19 July 2020. Simply complete entry form below. You can improve your chance of winning by:
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The lucky winners will be randomly selected and announced on our Facebook Page.
SORRY, ENTRIES NOW CLOSED – See winners announcement.
