♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #198
As a writer, what would you choose as
your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
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At the outset of revamping my site, I penned an article about my series: The Trailokya Trilogy: A Land of Wolves and Lions. Thus the site mascot was drilled down to one of two critters. By lion, if you are familiar with the series, I mean puma. How do I choose between the two?
The puma is a form that Captain Maiel takes, usually when angered. I also support wildlife conservation of that particular species, being that they are so severely endangered and a long time favorite animal. Yet, do either of these things warrant the animal adopted as the site mascot? I don’t think that it does.
The wolf has a similarly special place in my writing, my experiences, and my conservation focus. They serve as the loyal companion and colleagues for several of my characters. I also write a lot about dogs. Their heading the team here at Blue Honor would be consistent with the themes of the site.
Wolves have long been maligned; treatment they do not deserve. They are amazing creatures with great integrity. They symbolize nobility, strength, loyalty, and wisdom. This does not even touch upon the fact that it is their species that gave rise to the wonderful animal called Dog.
The above attributes are those to which I aspire. Thus, I believe the mascot of the site would have to be the manifestation of such. With all these things in alignment, I can’t imagine a better animal to symbolize my work.
Let’s hop on over and see what the other authors have to say. Click on one of the links below to continue…

They look like they’re going to start howling at the moon!
🙂 they do love their moon and howling.
It is interesting to study the divergent beliefs in regards to wolves depending upon the the relationship of the speaker to the wolf. Ask most ranchers in Wyoming and Montana about a wolf’s characteristics and they won’t be what you listed. Never mind the politics and financial factors in legalizing wolf hunting.
All based on archaic beliefs about wolves. There’s no science to support their claims. So it’s also politics. Scientists have a very hard time dealing with ranchers on many fronts. There’s a penchant to take the easy road to money for many humans. I personally believe there is a lot more that ranchers could do to secure their herds without resorting to violence, but they aren’t willing to, believing that if they could cull the population of wolf to zero that it would matter to them. They ignore what’s actually killing off their herds. And, they ignore the impact of decimating a niche predator from the environment and how that would be a higher price than they want to pay. Wolves simply don’t go after their herds as they claim.
Then there are also hunters who want clear access to any and all animals regardless of their endangered status, because they love to kill and have trophies. (I’m not talking about those who hunt for food.) “Sport” hunters disturb me. Their desire to kill is a red flag (sociopathology). They whip up ranchers as a means to enable their bloodlust, hitting them with misinformation and keeping them at odds with scientists.
It’s a cluster, for sure. The sad part is how easily manipulated one group is by another for the sake of being able to kill. But, that seems to be a common theme in human history.
https://oregonwild.org/wildlife/wolves/wolves-misunderstood