I was invited to submit to The Beast Within 2, an anthology being published by Graveside Press, and from the beginning I knew I wanted to write a story good enough to live up to Jennifer Brozek’s standards. She has rejected others of my stories on several occasions, and so I was motivated to give her something extra special. The theme of the anthology is were-creatures other than werewolves. A writer could go in any direction with that, and I felt the paralysis of having too many choices.
Then, I was having dinner one evening with a Brazilian friend, and I got to wondering if there were any folk tales from the Amazon that might provide fodder for me. Indeed, there was one in particular that struck my fancy. In the end, I chose a location in Peru, not in Brazil, but still upon the Amazon River. I did extensive research and reading for this story, as much for my own pleasure as to buff up the background.
I’m really proud of how this story turned out, and the fact that Jennifer Brozek’s keen editorial eye approved of it makes me all the happier.
