#wolfer

Hmmm tough to say! I’m definitely influenced by Leigh Bardugo’s magical realism within the exploration of a niche subject. I also think I mimic her pace of toggling between pov character introspection and plot action, classical canon allusions and pop culture jargon. I think I tend to sprinkle in more biology/naturalism because that’s part of my background.

I’m also really influenced by Barbara Kingsolver’s characters and their rumination on the feminine world. My Hermione is always thinking about her relationships, reflecting not just on the people in her life but how the changes she’s undergoing throughout the story will impact them. Hermione is a very cerebral character but I like to write her also as someone who’s gaining information from her body as well as her mind, whether it’s her intuitive navigation through an altered world in The Price of Water or the fumbled reaching for her magic in Wolfer.

I wonder if Wolfer!Tom would even bother to celebrate it with Hermione. Was it even a popular holiday back then 🤔

Happy V. Day, Non!

A little search on history blogs tells me that not only did 1890s Californians celebrate Valentine’s Day, but this era greatly amped up the commercialized element of the holiday, with glitzy, ornate heart-shaped pop-out cards that cost as much as $50, which is more like $1,500 in today's money!

But love letters weren’t the only custom—the 1800s saw another Valentine’s trend that lasted all the way into the early 1900s: vinegar valentines. These were mean valentines that might have sometimes been a joke between friends, but often were downright cruel cards offering rejection in pointed, sometimes racist or sexist terms.

Here are some examples:

Wow, doesn't that one look familiar! One major theme in these is hating on women who are suffragettes. (Don't ever forget, the power that has kept women down for millennia gets really noisy when we lift our heads.)

This one is from Hermione to Tom.

I can see Wolfer Tom not only investing big bucks in a swanky valentine for Hermione, but also a few vinegar valentines for his frenemies in Bishop Creek.

Tom would probably send this one to Ron but make it look like Hermione sent it:

It’s so good thank you and sorry this is not a comment on the story.

Have a good day!

Hey lovely! I'm delighted you're enjoying wolfer!

Thanks for dropping by--and I do appreciate your comments you left on the fic about the 1890s! I just had the chance to see some really cool Gilded Age architecture and feel very inspired.

Lots of themes coming up in wolfer about America's first attempt at pure capitalism in its rawest form (which failed spectacularly!)

Stay tuned!