Today I am so excited to bring to you an interview with two authors who are collaborating on an exciting series called The Werewolf Whisperer!
The next book in this series is set to be released sometime before Thanksgiving.
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First of all, I’ve never interviewed anyone who co-wrote a book so I am intrigued!
Let’s begin by with introductions. Tell us a bit about yourselves.
Camilla: I am a writer. I’ve been a teacher, an actor, a waiter, a shop girl, a production assistant, an office temp, a bookstore clerk, a wine rep, a social media content manager, a restaurant manager, a caterer, a martial arts instructor, and a bartender. I am a perpetual student and devourer of books, movies, and TV shows. I am a dog lover and devoted cat servant.
I have written six books in the OF CATS AND DRAGONS series with Carol E. Leever, and three books and three novellas in the WEREWOLF WHISPERER series with Bonita Gutierrez. I’ve also published a short mythpunk noir called THE SEVENTH LANE.
Bonita: I’m an actor-author-producer by day, Jedi-ninja-warrior by night. I’ve worked in film and television, written feature scripts and shorts, and, of course, THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER series. I also manage my business, Nemesis Kitten Entertainment, and write a geek-centric blog — BONITA’S GEEKY BLOG-FU!
I have a background in Jeet Kune Do Kung Fu, train in Kali Eskrima (stick and knife fighting), and hold a black belt in Kickboxing-MMA. I’m an avid reader, lover of movies, and self-proclaimed hamburger connoisseur. STAR WARS and BUFFY are my jam.
Did you discover writing, or did it discover you?
Camilla: While I have a deep love for story, I am fascinated by craft. I studied writing in college and continued a windy road of exploration and self-education thereafter.
I always wanted to be a writer, but for a long time I lacked the courage. It took a lot to get over the resistance that kept me from writing, but the passion for storytelling ended up being stronger.
I completed a screenplay for a short film after taking Robert McKee’s “Story” seminar. My work was produced, and all of a sudden it seemed I was out of excuses.
Story inspired me. Craft honed my skills. And the work itself keeps me going.
Bonita: Writing discovered me. Though I always had stories in my head, I never thought about actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) until my husband — who’s a screenwriter — told me I should write my own scripts and get my work out into the world. One feature and short film later, I was working with Camilla on THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER. And the rest is herstory. 😉
What do you generally write?
Camilla: My love of reading fantasy and science fiction clearly determined my choice to write in the genre. But where did that eternal, unshakeable love come from? What formed my writing brain? What made me such a weird kid? I blame THE ODYSSEY. When I was eight years old I discovered the tales of Odysseus struggling to get home. I listened to the audio drama on my little kid record player over and over again — until I had the lines memorized, until I could recite the episodes in my sleep.
I didn’t know that THE ODYSSEY was a classic. I actually thought that it was my story, told just for me, my secret knowledge, my superpower. I felt that I knew something arcane about the world that nobody else knew (or so I thought). I was delighted to find D’Aulaires Book of Greek Myths in the library and couldn’t believe my luck when I found a book of Norse myths on my stepsister’s bookshelf.
Indiana Jones couldn’t have been more excited when he finally snagged that golden idol. I really thought I had uncovered ancient, forgotten lore. And in a way, I had because I internalized the hero’s journey so early on that it became my foundation for understanding story. Without realizing it, I judge all stories — subconsciously — against Homer. And that can’t be so bad.
Bonita: The moment I watched Luke Skywalker gaze out across the Tatooine desert, I was hooked on fantasy and science fiction. The wonder and excitement that I felt as a child sitting in a dark movie theater, watching the most thrilling film little me had ever seen sparked a life-long passion for movies and books. So, writing in those genres came naturally.
And under our Empyrean Press banner, we hope to push urban fantasy to the brink and beyond.
How did you both come to decide to work together on a book (or a series)?
Camilla: I came up with the idea of “The Werewolf Whisperer” during the shoot of my short film “Dog Breath.” While watching the on-set dog trainer wrangle the dog actors and manage the human actors, I thought “what if” a dog trainer could control werewolves like the Dog Whisperer can control dogs.
The backstory for Lucy Lowell, the Werewolf Whisperer, fell into place quickly, and I asked Bonita if she’d like to work on this idea as a web series. We were both actors and thought that this story would be a great vehicle to showcase our talent as performers.
Three months later, we had written more than a dozen webisodes. But by then, we had also realized that our imaginations had far outstripped our potential budget. It seemed natural to transition the project into a novel and then into a novel series.
Bonita: We’ve been collaborating together for a long time. In fact, the first thing we ever worked on together was a play back in college. Then, way, way, way later, we reconnected out here in Los Angeles. We’d both been working as actors and thought it would be fun to do something together again.
When it came to working on THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER, Camilla had me at the title.
What are some unique challenges that go with creative collaboration? Benefits?
Camilla: As long as you are on the same page about the overall project, little disagreements are quickly resolved. I’ve always believed in the synergy of people working together, creating something bigger than the sum of its parts.
I have also written a number of short films with my husband, P.J. Ochlan, which we have gone on to produce. We work separately and then put the pieces together. Since he has directed our films, the final say on the end product is usually his. But I have always been perfectly comfortable with that. We share a sort of shorthand and a clear understanding of what the other’s intentions are.
My OF CATS AND DRAGONS series also has two masters — Carol E. Leever and me. Carol and I have been best friends since high school, and we share a very strong creative bond. I would have to say that our worldview and values are nearly identical. We know each other so well that working together is sheer joy, fun, and delight. We almost read each other’s thoughts, yet we are always captivated by the other’s creativity and storytelling. We love the stories we create, and maybe that’s why our readers have responded to the Of Cats And Dragons tales with such affection.
Bonita: There’s something reassuring about working with a partner. A feeling of security. That you’re not alone in all of this. I think that’s why I’m a fan of collaboration. And maybe why I gravitated to theater. The very nature of theater (and film and television) is working in partnership with others to create a story. It’s a very exciting process. That doesn’t mean it’s always hunky-dory. Inevitably, there will be obstacles to overcome, differences to work through. But if you and your partner (s) have the same vision for the work and work to communicate, those challenges will be overcome.
You both have written and published two books thus far for The Werewolf Whisperer series, and the third one is set to be released in November. Tell us a bit about the premise of this series.
What if a mysterious werewolf virus struck Los Angeles and turned a good percentage of folks into beast creatures? What would happen to society? (Though THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER was published in 2014, we had some pretty prescient thoughts concerning pandemics.)
And if a crazy werewolf disease were to rampage through the land, then what if there was one woman who could control the monsters? What would she do? How would she be treated? Who would stand with her?
And what if the spread of the virus was only the tip of the iceberg, and we really find ourselves at the beginning of an extinction event? How do you get to the truth? How do you get to the core of what is really going on? How do you stop it?
The Werewolf Whisperer is an action-adventure urban fantasy for the thinking reader. We wrote a story that has great complexity and depth. We didn’t shy away from showing human failings and frailties. It’s big and bombastic in some ways — lots of fighting and craziness — but it’s also very focused on simple human emotions.
We recently completed the third novel — BLOOD & BONES. We’re damn excited about this story. Our girls Lucy and Xochi have been on quite a ride. BLOOD & BONES brings this part of their journey to a shocking conclusion. Lots of devastating consequences. But Lucy and Xochi’s story is far from over. They still have a lot of roads to travel.
Be on the lookout for BLOOD & BONES this November.
Where can we find and purchase these books?
The Werewolf Whisperer series and novellas are available on Amazon exclusively. You can also get there by going to WerewolfWhisperer.com.
Do you have any advice to anyone who’s interested in starting on a collaborative project like a book?
Camilla: Trust is the number one thing in a close collaboration. Creating together is very personal — you are sharing the contents of your imagination, your heart, your soul. If you have any hesitation about the other person, they are not the right collaborator for you.
Bonita: I agree with Camilla. I’d also add dedication. All parties involve must be equally dedicated to the project. Otherwise, it will fall apart.
Do you have any other comment or advice you’d like to share with writers in general?
Camilla: Be clear why you are writing. If it’s about telling the stories inside your brain, then keep at it. Those stories need to be told by you. If you are interested in communicating your stories to other people, then study your craft. Be curious. Be brave. And never ever give up.
Bonita: Write and keep writing until you finish the story. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not. Writing is re-writing and re-writing and re-writing.
Thank you, ladies! I for one will definitely be checking out this series!
Interested in buying one or more books in The Werewolf Whisperer series? Be sure to click on the image below for each book!
WerewolfWhisperer.com – check out this site for these books and more!
To connect with each author:
Camilla:
Bonita:
A writer & her adolescent muse 
Interesting! I’m not sure if I’d be well suited to collaborate with someone this directly or not. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
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I didn’t think I’d ever like collaborating either until I participated in a writing tournament called Author vs Author. Now, I’ve been looking for a way to collaborate on a book with someone but have no idea on how to go about it.
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I agree, I can’t see myself collaborating in writing a book. I’m a slow writer. What if the other person is more prolific? Though I can see how two different minds, experiences, etc can bring something unique to the reading experience to readers.
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Collaboration is definitely not for everyone. I’d love to try it for one book just as an experience though. 🙂
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