Wolves, Graveyards, and the name Lupescu

For those who don’t know, Lupescu comes from the Latin lupus, meaning wolf; and so it means of the wolf in Romanian, mothertongue of my husband’s ancestors. Yes, Romania, land of werewoves, vampires, and Magda Lupescu; I married into quite a history and legacy.
*devilish grin*
Is it any surprise that my husband is allergic to large amounts of garlic?

Our ancestry being what it is, our family is fascinated with wolves. Truth be told, I loved wolves before I met and married my husband, and our oldest daughter has been drawn to wolves and other furry animals since birth, but those are stories for another day.

Interesting that Neil Gaiman’s 2009 Newbery Medal winner, The Graveyard Book, features a character names Miss Lupescu. I won’t give anything away, but let’s say that she lives up to her ancestry and etymology. (Perhaps someday I’ll return the favor.)

And speaking of wolves and children’s books, a writer-friend has written a lovely children’s book about wolves. Scotti Cohn, another Illinois native, has written One Wolf Howls available at Sylvandell Publishing: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/Wolf.php

This from Scotti’s website:

Spend a year with Scotti Cohn in the world of wolves in One Wolf Howls. This adventurous children’s book uses the months of the year and the numbers 1 through 12 to introduce children to the behavior of wolves in natural settings. The lively illustrations of Susan Detwiler complement the rhyming text and bring each month to life. From January to December, howl, frolic, and dance — while learning important lessons page-by-page!

Support an emerging writer and a small press, while getting a fantastic book to share with the wee ones (or wolf-lovers) in your life. It is a beautifully written and illustrated book, and I hope that it is well-read and well-loved. I know it shall be in our home.

Published by Valya

Valya Dudycz Lupescu has been making magic with food and words for more than 20 years, incorporating folklore from her Ukrainian heritage with practices that honor the Earth. She’s a writer, content developer, instructor, and mother of three teenagers. Valya is the author of MOTHER CHRISTMAS, THE SILENCE OF TREES, and the founding editor of CONCLAVE: A Journal of Character. Along with Stephen H. Segal, she is the co-author of FORKING GOOD: An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of The Good Place and GEEK PARENTING: What Joffrey, Jor-El, Maleficent, and the McFlys Teach Us about Raising a Family (Quirk Books), and co-founder of the Wyrd Words storytelling laboratory. Valya earned her MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her poetry and prose have been published in anthologies and magazines that include, The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Kenyon Review, Culture, Gargoyle Magazine, Gone Lawn, Strange Horizons, Mythic Delirium. You can find her on Twitter @valya and on Mastodon.social @valya

7 thoughts on “Wolves, Graveyards, and the name Lupescu”

  1. glitter_boobs says:

    Very intersting…

    This urges me to ask the following question: do you know Mr. Gaiman?

    I just received my copy of “The Graveyard Book.” Now, I’ll be reading it paying extra-special attention to Miss Lupescu’s character!

    BTW: that is a fabulous new picture of you.

    I miss you! Hurry home.

  2. traveler64 says:

    Careful, there! My Mom was born in Transylvania. Of Hungarian descent, true, but…

    Funny things happen during full moon.

    πŸ™‚

  3. charyvna says:

    Re: Very intersting…

    No, I don’t know him. Not yet. Someday.
    πŸ™‚
    Thank you, Melissa. I miss you too!

  4. charyvna says:

    Oh, don’t I know it!
    πŸ™‚

  5. swampwitch says:

    I have always loved your name too — and wondered why I never have seen Mark on a Full Moon…. πŸ˜‰

  6. charyvna says:

    Mmm hmm. Verrrrry in-ter-es-ting, yes?

  7. didoandbaba says:

    Coraline

    I can truly see your next book (the one you’re working on now,,) as a movie ala “Coraline”

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