Patricia Briggs Interview at DragonCon 2025
I had the lovely opportunity to sit with Patty and Ann for breakfast at DragonCon 2025 in Atlanta this past Labor Day weekend. It’s always fantastic to talk to these two, and despite an embarrassing pen incident when my pen cap flipped off the back of my pen and flew into the window blinds of the restaurant, we managed to have a great talk.
We talked a lot about Blind Date with a Werewolf. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy so even though it wasn’t out yet, we could discuss it. I promised to save this blog post for November so folks would have enough time to read the book first. Of course, it would make a great holiday gift for the readers in your life. 🙂
WARNING: I have tried to avoid spoilers, BUT, and please note I am being abundantly cautious, if you have not read the book, you may want to hold off reading this blog until you do.
Before you read the interview text, let me say how surprised I was that I loved this book so much. I was shocked. I had read the three short stories already released and I thought, “Meh, one more story? I’m buying a whole book for one more story?”
But I was so wrong.
It is one more story, yes, but also the whole ending. The magic here is that Patty weaves these stories together to tell a tale. It’s a novel, not a short story collection. You’re going to love it.
The Interview
JDB: Patty, what motivated these stories?
PB: Sparky (Ann, the trusty assistant) listened to a radio talk show that discussed weird Internet dating sites, and I got inspired. This led to the idea of a Muslim werewolf getting a date as a Christmas present, and I just thought it was such a fun idea.
JDB: Where are the three original short stories published?
PB: “Unappreciated Gifts,” story one, was originally published in A Fantastic Holiday Season: The Gift of Stories (the second volume of holiday stories edited by Kevin J. Anderson). Story two is new. Story three, “Asil and the Not-Date,” appeared in Fantastic Hope, edited by Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey. The fourth date is “Dating Terrors,” and is in Heroic Hearts, edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes. These stories were not originally designed to be part of a novel, but the idea blossomed the more I thought about it.
JDB: I love the end, the fifth date, and the epilogue. I think it is the best part of the book because it brings all the stories together and gives us insight into Asil’s beliefs and mindset. Having said that, I didn’t foresee who was sponsoring these dates.
PB: I’m so glad you said that! I’m glad you couldn’t guess.
JDB: I’m shocked I couldn’t because I’ve read every book and know your characters like they’re my friends. And because of this, I’m so glad that Asil finally gets a girlfriend. What does this mean for Asil?
PB: Yes, Asil finally finds Ruby and her team of ghost hunters. There’s a lot in store for them.
JDB: I’m happy to hear that because Asil is my book boyfriend, even though he doesn’t know it.
PB: He’d be happy to hear that. He would say of course he is. Obviously. He knows he’s gorgeous. He’s got a lot of hubris, but not undeservedly. He is truly a very powerful werewolf.
JDB: One of the things I loved is how he says he feels the “Eye,” upon him. He feels the power of Allah working through him. I love that aspect of his personality and spirituality.
PB: Yes, he absolutely feels that the Almighty works through him and that he’s uniquely qualified to serve as a servant of Allah. I mean, that’s part of his ego, right? He’s the handsomest, strongest (almost) werewolf, and is going to be led to places and situations where he is needed. Like Sherwood. Sherwood is in the Columbia Basin because they need him magically. We’ll see more of that. For Asil, he’s now in Seattle with Ruby. And Bonarata is moving in.
JDB: Ooooh. so, does that mean we’ll see more of the Seattle pack?
PB: Well, we’ve got a great cast of characters there, don’t we? Ruby and Asil, Tom and Moira, Angus, the ghost hunters, Alan Choo and Miranda.
JDB: I’m excited to see what happens! Let me ask you a question about the Lioness in the new story. Who is she?
PB: She’s an analog of Coyote, a Lioness goddess of all the lioness goddesses out there.
JDB: I thought she was Sekhet.
PB: That’s a good guess.
Alpha & Omega
JDB: Before we go, what can you tell me about the upcoming Alpha & Omega book. Is it about the baby? Please tell me we learn more about the baby? (I should mention that Ann broke out in laughter at this.)
PB: The book is about the baby. Charles and Anna now have a child they have to account for with the pack and the rest of the magical community. Charles and Anna sit down with Leah and Bran and come up with a plan that involves … (wait for it) … Angus. Angus had a mysterious presence in his area that he thought was a lone werewolf but now weird things are happening. Meanwhile, Leah and Bran babysit.
JDB: That is going to be amusing. Thank you so much for answering my questions.
PB: You are welcome.
It is a real mark of good writing that even secondary characters like Asil are so written that they can become protagonists in their own right. We have to really read the stories to appreciate how fully the supporting cast is depicted. No one is thrown away.
I totally agree. And I think we are about to see a full-fledged rounding out Tom, Moira, etc.