Hi again!
I hope everyone had a joyful Thanksgiving with family and friends! We certainly did.
Glad you could join me in my journey with Chinook. If you haven't read about how I came to write my story, please refer to my November blog post on my website https://www.pjwesley.com .
Since I featured a wolf in my book, #Chinook: King of the North", I'll start this month with a few facts about wolves. I thought it best to start at the beginning. Since I am not an expert in this field so I did some research about this fascinating animal and this is what I found.
Wolves (Canis lupus) are a member of the scientific family Canidae, which includes dogs, foxes, coyotes, and wolves. “Scientists once thought that dogs descended from gray wolves. But now, according to Becky Oskin”s 2015 article in livescience.com, “Through genetic studies, researchers know that dogs and wolves share a common ancestor instead of a direct lineage.” You can read the rest of the article titled, “Ancient Wolf DNA Could Solve Dog Origin Mystery,” https://www.livescience.com/50928-wolf-genome-dog-ancient-ancestor.html . It”s a short interesting read.
More Wolf Facts:
Average wolf characteristics from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The average male wolf height is 5' to 6.5' from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail and weighs between 70-115lbs (in Alaska, they can reach up to 145lbs.). The height at the shoulder is between 26-32". The female is slightly smaller at 4.5' to 6' long and weighs between 60-100lbs and the same height at the shoulder as the male.
These are just a few facts to get you started. Now, on to an interesting back story of #Chinook: King of the North." I will try not to spoil anything for those who have not finished it yet.
For those who knew my Mom, I named Will's Ma after her middle name. Mom, at my urging, would retell the story you will read in chapter 3. Yes, it is a true story. This took place in South Dakota in the early 1930s. Of course, I added my own characters and embellished the scene at the campsite. Other than that, it is all true. Mom and her friends were so frightened, they kept their dog hidden for a whole week!
Well, I hope you enjoyed this little newsletter. If you have any questions about the book, please email me at pjwesley@pjwesley.com and I will try to answer them in the following newsletters.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
P.J. Wesley
PS: If you no longer want to get these newsletters, please write me at pjwesley@pjwesley.com and I will take you off the list and no worries, it's OK, thanks!