Staci Lynn Bell speaks on Wolves and Writing

Staci Lynn Bell and her dog, Echo

Staci Lynn Bell is a new member of NCWN West. She lives in Clay County, NC with her two beloved dogs. Her poems have been published online in Wild Goose Poetry Review.

Recently Staci submitted a poem and a short fiction piece to an anthology, WOLF WARRIORS II, The National WolfWatcher Coalition.  Both the poem and prose piece fit perfectly and both were accepted. All proceeds from this book go to the charity, the WolfWatcher Coalition, and used to protect wolves.  

         

We decided to ask Staci some questions about her enthusiasm for wolves and how those of us who care about the work being done to keep wolves from becoming extinct can purchase the book.

Thank you, Staci for taking time to answer our questions.

GCB: When did your attachment to wolves begin?

SLB: Well, wolves and dogs were interchangeable to me as a child, so the attachment has always been inside of me. The original reason I have favored the German Shepherd Dog is due to their close resemblance to wolves.

GCB: You have a deep empathy for dogs and wolves. You feel what they seem to feel. Have you studied these animals in a way most people do not?

SLB: You mean besides devouring every book about dogs and wolves as a child, starting with Albert Payson Terhune’s short stories? Yes, it has and continues to be a lifelong passion of mine to study animal behavior. I don’t want to just look or interact with them with my “human” brain. I want to know theirs. I am more comfortable with their behavior than with most people.      

GCB: Your poem and story were both accepted for the anthology, Wolf Warriors II. You are the only person who has two pieces in the book. How do you feel about that?

SLB: I still can’t get over that my name is in a table of contents of a book , let alone that two pieces were published! I feel grateful and validated as a writer. I am humbled to have two pieces that are so close to my heart chosen for a book where all the proceeds benefit wolves.

GCB: Why is having your work published in this anthology so important to you? 

SB: Animals and their welfare are my passion. The plight of wolves is becoming catastrophic. Since the majority of humans can’t or won’t understand their language, I can speak for them.

GCB: You have spoken and written about the difficulties in your personal life from childhood into adulthood. Is writing about the plight of the wolves today, their being misunderstood and the battle between the ranchers and those who want to save the species, a way for you, as a writer, to express some of your emotions about your own life?

SLB: Absolutely. It is difficult for me to write about the atrocities I suffered as a child. Writing about the plight of innocent animals is safer. Of course the circumstances are different, yet chillingly similar.

GCB: What do you think about a wild animal like a wolf being shut up in a cage for months or years? 

SB: It is not natural, any more than it is natural to keep Dolphins in tanks. Wild animals are not here for humans to decide their importance or fate. Have you looked into the eyes of a caged animal or one that lives in a zoo setting, even if it is open like Busch Gardens? Their eyes tell a story. It is not one of hope. The confusion, sadness and isolation are unbearable for any being.

GCB: Is it better to keep a wolf caged for his protection or let him run wild with the chance of being shot?

SLB: I abhor hunting and the thought of any animal dying by the hands of humans infuriates me. That being said, locking a wolf in a cage takes away his spirit. That is a fate worse than death.

GCB: You are a poet and a writer of fiction and personal essay. What is your favorite way to express yourself?

SB: Did you say favorite or easiest? I would have to say personal essay. It is easier for me, that’s for sure! It is also my favorite way to write. I love detail. Fiction I rarely write and if I do there is more truth than not in the piece. Creative non-fiction is also one of my favorites. Poetry is more of a challenge for me, although writing poetry was one of the ways I coped during my childhood. I consider myself a storyteller and a wordy one at that. I have to say though that even though it’s more effort for me to write a poem, writing poetry has taught me a huge lesson in accepting re-writes and revisions. 

GCB: Do you find some subjects work better in prose than in poetry?

SLB: Oh, of course, but I really can’t say which subjects. It depends on what I am writing about and how I feel my message will come across the strongest. I usually just start writing and see where it takes itself. Sometimes I can do both. In other words the story can be written just as effectively in a poem as in a piece of prose. 

GCB: You had a career in radio for a number of years. How did that help you with creative writing?

SLB: Sometimes I think it was a hindrance, and other times I feel it helped. Having to write 30 second and 60 second ads certainly helped for poetry. To be effective, creatively, in a very short amount of time, teaches you to choose each word carefully. Being an on-air personality taught me the same thing. You basically have 60-90 seconds to tell a story, be entertaining, and again you must be able to tell a story with as few words as possible. Paint a picture, which is what a writer does, especially in poetry. The flip side is that I used almost no punctuation, grammar, proper nouns, etc. I have had to relearn how to structure sentences. Radio and television for the most part is ad-libbing. That is, of course, not the case in writing.

GCB: You are single now and you live in Hayesville, NC with your two beloved dogs. You recently bought your first home. You have joined the North Carolina Writers' Network which automatically gives you membership in NCWN-West. This is a major change in your life. How do you see yourself in the coming year? Will we be seeing more of your writing published and hearing you read your work more often?

SLB: I certainly hope so. It has been a struggle adapting, as my divorce is still recent and I marvel at the universe that seems to know what is better for me than I most times believe. In all honesty, I don’t know how I see myself in the coming year, but my plan is to keep on writing and moving forward. One of the reasons I stayed in this area is the incredible support of our unique writing community here in the Western North Carolina Mountains.  

GCB: Thank you so much, Staci, for your candid answers. We look forward to seeing more of your writing in journals and books.

Learn more about the plight of wolves:

The Wolfwatcher Coalition

North American Wolves

Wolf Warriors II: TheNational Wolfwatcher Coalition - This anthology captures the various faces of the wolf: from the fantastic to the horrific, from the snow-capped mountain peaks to the moonlit lake in the trees. The howls of these warriors will make you smile, make you cry, and, most of all, make you want to raise your own howl to join the chorus.