Here are some questions provided by Matthew Harffy, the author himself, to engage with the content of Wolf of Wessex! Let us know your thoughts here or on the Discord!

1.     The novel’s chapters alternate between the point of view of Dunston and Aedwen. Who do you think is the true protagonist, or are they both jointly main characters?

2.     Dunston often finds himself forced into brutal situations, leading him to break the vow he made to his late wife to turn his back on violence. How consistent is his personal moral code, and where do you see it tested—or compromised—most strongly?

3.     The novel portrays violence as a frequently unavoidable part of life in 9th-century England. Do you feel the book presents violence as glorified, necessary, or tragic—or a mixture of all three?

4.     How effectively did the novel immerse you in Anglo-Saxon England? What particular details, scenes, or customs made the setting feel especially vivid or authentic?

5.     To what extent do you think Dunston’s life is shaped by fate, and to what extent by his own decisions? Are there moments in the story where a single different choice could have changed everything?

6.     Several characters seek justice through personal vengeance rather than the law. How does the novel challenge or endorse that idea, and what consequences are there to such actions?

7.     By the end of the novel both Aedwen and Dunston have been transformed by their experiences. Which of them has undergone the largest changes in your opinion?

8.     How satisfying did you find the novel’s ending? Were there story lines or character arcs you felt were missing from the conclusion?

Are zombies coming back?

For me personally, they never left. Zombies in media have definitely played a huge factor in my horror journey. Train to Busan, Resident Evil, The Walking Dead, and more are all media that I've loved.

In honor of the release of This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers, I wanted to dive deeper into a few zombie novels that I have either loved or are high on my tbr.

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers-(currently reading)-Pitched as The Breakfast Club meets 28 Days Later, the book follows a group of teens that barricade themselves in a highschool during the zombie apocalypse. Warning, this one does dive into some heavy themes such as abuse and thoughts of suicide.

The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey (read)--This one follows a world plagued by a fungal zombie apocalypse. It involves a teacher, a young girl, and the military in a journey for a cure.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (read)--In an alternate history, black girls are forced to attend a school to become "attendants" who protect white society from the undead. This book tackles racism and classicism.

One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford (tbr)--This one is a post apocalyptic novel that follows a scientist who hides her undead husband in hopes for a cure.

And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin (read)--Not a typical zombie novel. This is an apocalyptic novel that focuses on a hallucinatory virus that leads you to see everyone around you as monsters.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead (tbr)--This one follows a group of people clearing out underground manhattan of zombies and rebuilding civilization.

World War Z by Max Brooks (tbr)--A history of the zombie apocalypse told as a post war historical document.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay (tbr)--A tense novel following a rabies-like virus. It focuses on a pediatrician who races to help her friend who is eight months pregnant and has been bitten by an infected. She must get the vaccine quick if she wants to save both her self and her unborn baby.

Agnes At The End Of The World by Kelly McWilliams (read)-- A young girl escapes a fundamentalist cult only to get throw into a pandemic in the outside world.

What’s your favorite zombie novel/movie?

Hey hi hello! Apologies on the delay here--the first week of January kicked off my busiest quarter of university so far (two STEM classes...put me out of my misery).

You can fill out the January Google Form HERE.

Bindery has also launched their own Book Rec capabilities through the Bindery website & app. You can also request your recs by clicking on the "Get a Rec" button instead. At some point I hope to switch to that completely, but I'm still trying to figure out how exactly it works so for now, please fill out the Google form if you want a guaranteed response, but feel free to also use the Get a Rec function for additional recs! I will answer them, presuming I can figure out how!

Hope 2026 treats you all well!

Enter To Win A WHAT FEEDS BELOW PR Box (once available)

Box will include a finished copy of What Feeds Below and other goodies (still to be determined, tell me your wildest PR box dreams below!)

To Enter:

1. Create a video showing us your best Void Tavern Dance (note: you don't have to be a good dancer, you just have to have fun. You can watch our fearless leader, Tatiana's dance here:

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DTeT2IBkQgF/

   https://www.tiktok.com/@thebuffwriter/video/7595026468439215415

2. Include text in video: "When this banger comes on in the Void Tavern" You can choose ANY song!

3. include the image of What Feeds Below cover in your video, post on Instagram or Tiktok or BOTH

4. tag me (fromthemixedupdesk) and author Tatiana Schlote Bonne (thebuffwriter) in your post

5. use hashtags "whatfeedsbelow" and "horrorbooks"

One winner will be selected on February 1. If we hit 20 entries, I will also make a dancing video.