Happy Halloween from the Pack Podcast! In episode 15 (yes, we wish it were 13), Greg, Hasna, and Linda tackle the question every Mercy Thompson fan has whispered at least once: is Wulfe the creepiest character Patricia Briggs has ever written?

He looks like a teenager with an angelic face, but he's a witch-born vampire who's been around since the Renaissance, and nobody can say for sure what he wants. We dig into his creepiest moments in Blood Bound, the strange mix of witch, wizard, fae, and vampire that may explain why he's so unhinged, and the theory that he's a monster built by other monsters who outgrew his creators. We also debate Bonarata's fear of him, his fixation on Mercy, whether he's really an ally, and where he's headed after Soul Taken.

Plus: news on the Graphic Audio delay, the Steel Rain cover reveal, and a look at why some hosts predict Wulfe's redemption while others are not so sure.

Do you agree, or is there a creepier character we should be talking about? Let us know, because we're already plotting a Part 2!

Join our Patreon for the after-chat on Sunday, October 11 at 10 AM Pacific. Happy Halloween!

Pack Podcast Ep. 14 is here! Patricia Briggs finally brings her legendary assistant "Sparky" (aka Anne) out from behind the curtain — the woman who's been running the show behind the scenes for years, from bookkeeping to manuscripts to keeping Patty out of (occasional) trouble.

Plus: Steel Rain is officially finished 🎉, Dan Dos Santos has already delivered a cover Patty calls his best yet (reveal coming at DragonCon 👀), and Patty's already deep into the next Mercy book. We also swap convention stories from Bubonicon — George R.R. Martin, Martha Wells, and T. Kingfisher all made appearances.

Grab your tea (or coffee, Hasna ☕), settle in, and come hang out with the Pack.

#PackPodcast #PatriciaBriggs #MercyThompson #SteelRain #DragonCon #Mercyverse #UrbanFantasy #BookTok

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and episode overview
04:10 Patricia Briggs and Anne introduce themselves and discuss their recent travels
16:17 Highlights from recent book signings and conventions
20:06 Details about the upcoming Steel Rain book and its length
30:10 Cover reveal and promotional plans for Steel Rain
32:45 The unique experience of visiting the Olympic rainforest
33:21 Closing remarks and appreciation for fans and Patreon supporters

In this episode, we chat with renowned book cover artist Dan DeSantos about his work on the Mercy series, the art of cover design, and the creative process behind iconic book covers. Discover how his art influences genre marketing and the stories behind his most famous pieces.

key topics

Dan DeSantos' background in illustration and cover art

The process of designing book covers for the Mercy series

The importance of genre markers and visual storytelling in covers

Evolution of cover art over 20 years and maintaining consistency

Behind-the-scenes of creating Marvel and Magic: The Gathering artwork

The significance of tattoos and symbolism in cover design

Fan interactions and cosplay inspired by cover art

Upcoming projects and appearances at DragonCon

LINKS:

https://www.dandossantos.com/

https://muddycolors.com/

https://patreon.com/DandosSantos/

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cloverpressart/the-marvel-art-of-dan-dos-santos-a-deluxe-art-book-and-more/

https://www.patriciabriggs.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and guest introduction

02:11 Dan DeSantos' background and early work

07:57 Designing covers for the Mercy series

15:06 The role of tattoos and symbolism in covers

21:59 Creating iconic and marketable genre covers

28:01 Fan interactions and cosplay

32:04 Upcoming projects and conventions

34:00 Closing remarks and thank you