Guest Post: Author Laura Bickle Considers the Curious Cases of the Supernatural Coyote

In short, he’s an incredibly appealing character to splice into a contemporary fantasy tale. He’s a vast, complicated character who’s likely curious about the strange things modern men are up to in his old stomping grounds. When Coyote turns up to pester Petra Dee, the protagonist of Dark Alchemy, it could be in any one of his guises, with any intent. Does he want to prank her? Help her? Bring her a gift? Or is he just interested in what she keeps in her refrigerator?
The land Petra Dee finds herself standing on is strange, full of old secrets that have sunk deep beneath the dust. The only character I’m certain who knows all the secrets is Coyote. He’s always known where the bodies are buried, where the wars are fought, and where the treasure is hidden. He’ll be a powerful ally…if he doesn’t get too distracted and winds up bargaining for shiny things with Raven.
Many contemporary fantasy tales have included Coyote in one or more of his guises. These are a few of my favorites:

The Mercy Thompson series, by Patricia Briggs
Mercy Thompson repairs cars in Washington’s Tri-Cities and keeps a low profile. She’s also a walker, a shapeshifter with the power to become a coyote. Mercy knows what it’s like to feel the exhilaration of wearing the coyote’s fur and the responsibility of that great power. Her coyote is a warrior, standing up against more powerful foes, but always honorable in the face of difficult choices.

“One Odd Shoe,” by Pat Murphy (featured in The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales, edited by Ellen Datlow)
Coyote sets the world to right by taking the form of a beautiful woman who brings a little bit of justice to a smooth-talking ladies’ man. This is Coyote as trickster, as a righter-of-wrongs and leveler of the playing field among humans.

The Walker Papers series, by C.E. Murphy
Murphy brings a coyote to the dreams of reluctant shaman Joanne Walker. In her work as a cop, Joanne needs all the help she can get. The coyote can show her how to use her blossoming healing powers, but Joanne will need to come to terms with who and what she really is all on her own.

The Iron Druid Chronicles, by Kevin Hearne
Coyote pops up frequently in a human suit, with his own ulterior motives. Hearne’s Coyote is one of a multiplicity of available Coyotes across the universe. This particular one is inclined to help druid Atticus O’Sullivan when it suits him, including helping to take down a fallen angel and faking Atticus’s death to satisfy some really ticked-off thunder gods. The immortal Coyote springs back to life and demands a favor, tricking Atticus into battling skinwalkers in exchange. From Atticus’s perspective, this is not a good deal. But this is how the game is played with Coyote.

Spiritwalk, by Charles de Lint
A man with the head of a coyote with one blue eye and one brown eye appears at the mystical Tamson House, a nexus for the Otherworld. Esmeralda bargains with him to help her find the scattered pieces of former owner Jamie, but the coyote-headed man known as Whiskey Jack drives a hard bargain. He will insist on payment.

Coyote Blue, by Christopher Moore
Samson Hunter left the reservation as a young man over a terrible misunderstanding. He remade his life and became an insurance salesman, boring and safe…until Old Man Coyote comes knocking on his door. Coyote introduces complete chaos into Samson’s life…when he’s not otherwise distracted by pretending to be a loofah in the women’s locker room at the YMCA, that is. And he gets annoyed when nobody will give him a light, despite all the work involved in his efforts to steal fire from the sun for mankind. It’s just not fair…but Coyote will make it fair.
Just as in the old stories, Coyote will do what he wants. What are your favorite guises for Coyote and other trickster gods?
Pre-order Dark Alchemy, available April 28.