Frequently Asked Questions

About Eric C. Holtgrefe

• What is Eric C. Holtgrefe's full background, including his education, early influences, and how he became interested in writing, art, and filmmaking? 
  • The TL;DR is that Eric has worked for both commercial and public organizations as a Systems Engineer. As a boy he read a lot of the golden age science fiction authors, this drove him into science and engineering. As an undergrad, Eric was involved with the Digital Media center at Saint Louis University. He's been making shorts, and 3D works in Blender for decades and loves to tell stories.
  • Eric's full work experience can be accessed on his LinkedIn here.
• What other works has Eric created before founding Wooden Hook Studios in 2024, or does he have prior experience in publishing or media?
  • Eric had a blog from 2010-2018 in which the earliest chronicles of the Felgenland Saga could be found. This blog was a great start into independent publishing as it allowed Eric to hone his craft.
• How does Eric approach his writing process, such as daily routines, research methods, or the integration of generative AI in his designs?
  • Eric and all authors at Wooden Hook Studios are committed to handwriting books from cover to cover. As a digital media company, artists designs are respected, while we also embrace new technologies. Eric uses AI as a research tool, often asking AI agents to assemble scientific data or simplify scientific technical papers on very specialized subjects (e.g., relativity, astronomy). As a result, Eric's writing can be infused with the best scientific knowledge ensuring his fiction is truly science fiction.

About the Studio and Its Operations

• Who else is on the team at Wooden Hook Studios (WHS) besides Eric, and what is the overall size and structure of this small independent imprint in the Missouri Ozarks?
  • Currently, WHS employs Eric, an editor (who wishes to be anonymous), our artist in residence (see her bio on the WHS site), and we're getting help from my children who are aspiring authors and editors.
• What is the "Apprentice" program mentioned on the authors page, and when will more details or participants be announced?
  • WHS is looking for a Missouri Ozark local who is looking for an internship making movies, 3D models, and digital media. If you know someone in a 40 minute drive from West Plains, MO, please reach out to admin@woodenhookstudios.com.
• How does the studio incorporate "traditional and generative AI design" into its creations, and are there examples of AI-generated elements in the books or media?
  • WHS was established as a digital media studio. As such WHS uses tools like Blender, Affinity Photo and Design, Krita, and other non-AI image generation software to create art and media. WHS also uses AI to enhance, revise, and animate many of the works created by our staff. AI is seen as a tool to create book trailers and other short videos that promote our works. WHS uses "ethically sourced AI models" and commercial services that promote artists and ethically source their training data from the public domain. WHS also builds and trains AI, so we are intimately familiar with how to acquire data and IP with respect and commercial consideration. If you are an artist and looking to contribute please contact our email (see above.)

About Products and Content 

• What are the full plots, genres, or series details for books like "Protector of the Union," "Love and Honor in the Felgenland," and "Innocence Lost," beyond the brief announcements?
  • Check out Eric's page here. As website evolution is occurring now and summaries will be made available over the next few weeks.
• Are there any video games, shorts, films, or images currently available, or are these still in development? If so, where can they be accessed?
  • These are coming soon, WHS is a very small studio. News will be announced on our site.
• What was the recent Kickstarter campaign for, and how can fans get involved in future funding or pre-orders for upcoming releases like "Protector of the Union"?
  • The recent Kickstarter was for the "Felgenland Saga" and successfully funded, see here for more details.

About Engagement and Availability

• Where can I purchase or download the books, and are there options for physical copies, audiobooks, or international shipping?
  • The best place to look for the books is Eric's Amazon page here. Audiobooks are available on: Amazon/Audible, Spotify, and Elevenlabs.
• How can fans participate in giveaways, events, or promotions like the free book offer for "Love and Honor in the Felgenland" tied to new releases?
  • Yes! Please check our website for announcements here.
• What specific classical literature or historical parallels inspire the stories, and how do they tie into the Christian worldview and traditional morality emphasized?
  • WARNING MILD SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT!!!
  • In Innocence Lost:
    • John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) and Paradise Regained (1671) - The discovery of consciousness as a "particle wave" is framed as "God’s secret," echoing Milton's exploration of divine creation and human hubris in defying mortality. This parallel critiques transhumanism: eternal life via "shells" is a false regain of paradise, leading to "darkness" (corporate greed, AI manipulation) that cannot be unseen.
    • William Shakespeare's The Tempest (1611) - At a character's funeral, Jason recites from Act Four, Scene One. In the novel, it underscores the fragility of transhuman "immortality": consciousness can be "rolled out" into archives or lost in decanting failures, reducing humans to ephemeral "spirits" in quantum waves.
    • Age of Exploration and Colonialism (15th–18th Centuries) - Like Christopher Columbus or Ferdinand Magellan, Greg's team faces unknown perils (hostile landscapes, "xenomorphs" or tardigrade-like creatures) and internal threats (sabotage akin to mutinies).
    • Space Race and Apollo Era (1950s–1970s) - The Aquila's design and decanting process parallel Apollo missions' life-support innovations and cryogenic tech, while time dilation (35 years subjective vs. objective) evokes relativistic effects in space travel, akin to Einstein's theories tested in the Space Age.
    • Christian Worldview - Consciousness discovery as "God’s secret" blends theology and physics, suggesting science reveals divine design rather than replacing it—echoing Intelligent Design or Aquinas' synthesis of faith and reason. Themes of creation and fall parallel biblical narratives, with redemption through sacrifice.
    • Traditional Morality - Amid immortality's allure, characters embody virtues like chastity, forgiveness, and humility. Jason insists on waiting until marriage for intimacy, upholding biblical sexual ethics against a hedonistic trans-human society.
    • Overall, the novel uses these elements to argue that technology amplifies human flaws but faith and morality redeem them, turning "innocence lost" into wisdom gained.
  • The Felgenland Saga:
    • Homer's Iliad and Odyssey - Epic journeys and heroic trials of characters like Jurgen Wulfjaeger and Heinrich von Machthaber. (e.g., Jurgen's survival of ambushes and shipboard trials  parallels Odysseus' encounters with Cyclops or sirens, emphasizing resilience against overwhelming odds.)
    • Shakespeare's Hamlet - Court intrigue, inheritance disputes, and moral dilemmas. (e.g., In Love and Honor, Max Fraser's reluctant inheritance of the Earl of Bonnie Dundee title after his brother's suspicious death evokes Hamlet's hesitation and family betrayal.)
    • Shakespeare's Henry V - Leadership in war and rallying troops. (e.g., Heinrich's motivational speeches amid terrorist attacks parallel Henry's calls for brotherhood in arms. The saga's emphasis on honor in combat ties into Shakespeare's portrayal of chivalric warfare.)
    • Virgil's Aeneid - Founding myths and duty to empire-building. (e.g., The Felgenland Union's expansion mirrors Aeneas' founding of Rome after Troy's fall. Characters like Raimond von Machthaber embody pietas (duty to family/nation).)
    • Biblical Narratives (e.g., David and Goliath, Exodus) - Underdog heroes facing giants; exodus from oppression. (e.g., Jurgen's battles against superior Terran forces (e.g., outnumbered patrols on Nakdong) parallel David's slingshot victory. The Union's flight from Terra's tyranny resembles the Israelites' exodus. Max Fraser's grenade throw against a heavy weapon team evokes David's precision strike.)
    • Scottish Highland Clans and Jacobite Rebellions (17th-18th centuries) - Clan rivalries, inheritance feuds, and loyalty oaths. (e.g., The Fraser, MacDonald, and Campbell clans in Love and Honor mirror Scottish clans (e.g., Glencoe Massacre parallels Ultra-Violet terrorism).)
    • Holy Roman Empire (Electors and Emperors) - Elective monarchy and noble intrigue. (e.g., The Protector's role, with dynasts electing successors, parallels the Holy Roman Emperor's election by prince-electors. Evidence: Raimond's maneuvering for Heinrich's succession (Protector) evokes Habsburg dynastic politics; vassals like Angus MacDonald scheming for power mirror imperial court rivalries.)
    • Napoleonic Wars/Roman Republic vs. Empire - Total war against a tyrannical foe; transition from republic to autocracy. (e.g., Union's war with Terra's Directorate mirrors Napoleon's conquests or Rome's civil wars.)
    • World War I Trench Warfare - Brutal, attritional combat. (e.g., Nakdong battles in Protector (e.g., patrols, ambushes, heavy weapons) parallel WWI stalemates. Evidence: Use of drones/HUDs for tactical maps echoes early reconnaissance tech; squad losses (e.g., Marko’s team shredded by hassium rounds) mirror machine-gun massacres.)
    • Crusades/Religious Wars - Holy wars against "infidels." (e.g., Union's Christian Orthodoxy vs. Terra's atheism/secularism. Evidence: Invocations of "Allfather" and saints before battles (e.g., "Pray for us") parallel Crusader zeal; Ultra-Violets as heretics evoke Protestant-Catholic conflicts.)
    • Faith as Strength in Adversity - Characters pray before battles (e.g., Max Fraser's plea: "I hold the Allfather... dearer than my own life") or invoke saints (e.g., "Saint Balthazar, pray for us"), mirroring biblical reliance on God (e.g., David's psalms)
    • Redemption and Forgiveness: Jurgen's journey from peasant to hero involves moral growth, forgiving betrayals, echoing the Prodigal Son or Peter's denial/redemption. Heinrich's internal struggles reflect Paul's "thorn in the flesh", seeking grace amid weakness.
    • Providence and Destiny: Events like Max's discharge to become earl suggest divine intervention, akin to Joseph's rise in Egypt. The Union's "eternal struggle" frames as a holy war against godless Terra, paralleling Israel's battles.
    • Community and Church: Ceremonies (e.g., weddings with nuptial blessings: "What the Allfather has brought together...") emphasize sacramental marriage. Clan oaths invoke "Allfather, our Union, and the protector," blending faith with patriotism, like medieval Christendom.
    • Honor and Duty: Heroes prioritize loyalty (e.g., Jurgen's refusal to abandon comrades: "We never leave our brothers behind"), reflecting chivalric codes and biblical commands (e.g., "Greater love has no one than this..."). Betrayal (e.g., Ultra-Violets) is punished, upholding justice.
    • Family and Fidelity: Inheritance plots stress filial piety. Marriages emphasize fidelity (e.g., vows: "faithful... until death parts you"), contrasting modern individualism. Traditional gender roles appear (e.g., women as helpmates, men as protectors), but with strong female characters (e.g., Hannah's Navy piloting heroism).
    • Sacrifice and Humility: Characters like Heinrich sacrifice personal desires for the greater good (e.g., rejecting easy marriages for duty), echoing Christ's self-sacrifice. Moral failings  lead to growth, promoting repentance.
    • Critique of Modernity: Terra's atheism and tyranny represent secular decay, while the Union's faith-based society upholds virtue. This aligns with traditional morality's emphasis on absolute truth, family hierarchy, and communal responsibility over individualism.
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