Tell us about yourself:

My name is Alan Loewen (a writer's pseudonym). I am a happily married 52-year-old man with three boys ages 14, 12, and 9. My wife is a stay-at-home mom and a dedicated homeschooler for our sons, so she is quite busy.

I am presently employed full-time as a member of the clergy and I pastor two small country churches located near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I have dreams of someday having half of my annual income coming from writing. I also occasionally moonlight as a parlor magician which means I entertain small groups of people with illusions and sleight-of hand, but I'm no David Copperfield. I also advise Christian non-profits on fundraising.

What have you written before Infinite Space, Infinite God ?

Actually, ISIG is my first real professional sale. Everything else has appeared in what are known as "4-the-Luv" markets, but I'm still quite fond of the stories that have appeared in markets like Pawprints Fanzine, Beauty From Ashes Poetry Review, Gateway SF and others. Since ISIG, I have made another professional sale of a light children's fantasy coming out in the October, 2007 issue of Beyond Centauri Magazine, published under Sam's Dot Publishing.

How did Mask of the Ferret and Canticle of the Wolf come into being?

Canticle of the Wolf came from my deep respect for Saint Francis of Assisi. Though a Protestant, I have learned the value of studying and emulating the deep, living faith of men and women who lived out their devotion to Christ in ways that were selfless as well as practiced during times of great danger. I have a special admiration for the Celtic saints such as Saint Patrick, Saint Brendan (after whom my eldest is named), and Saint Dubricius.

When I read the legend of Saint Francis and the wolf of Gabbio, the idea of making the wolf a sentient time traveler and before I put hand to keyboard the closing image the wolf saw of Saint Francis was one that came clearly to my mind's eye.

Mask of the Ferret has an interesting genesis. Ken Pick is a respected writer amongst a small fandom in California. He had a character in search of a story and I had a story in search of a character. I wrote the story and then sent it to Ken who turned it into a Ken Pick-style story and made it fit into his universe.

The reason we work together so well is because of the mutual respect we have for each other and the reality that when I give him a completed story, I trust him enough that I give up all emotional ties to my original. Ken has never failed to impress me with his rewrites.

And the future?

I have one completed children's novella that needs to be expanded just a little more to make it marketable. I also am working hard with Ken to finish the novel of which Mask of the Ferret is only the first chapter.

I'm still a strong believer in short stories and will continue to write and submit in that mode (I have two stories out now being considered as I write this).

It is my hope the literary world might see more of me and I'm working hard toward that end.