Werewolf June: Karen Kincy

Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body. From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?

Gwen Williams is like any other modern teenager with one exception: she's a shapeshifter. Never having known her Pooka-spirit father, Gwen must struggle with the wild, wonderful magic inside of her alone—and in secret. While society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in Klikamuks, Washington, who don't care for her kind.

Now there's a new werewolf pack in town, and Others are getting killed, including Gwen's dryad friend. The police are doing zilch. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen meets a cute Japanese fox spirit who's refreshingly comfortable with his Otherness. Can Gwen find the courage to embrace her true self and find the killer—before she becomes the next victim?

I'm guessing this will be a read like no OTHER. I can't wait to get my copy! Karen Kincy kindly answered my Werewolf June, brain-picking questions:

1. What is the most challenging thing about writing shifters/werewolves?

Imagining their animal natures, both mentally and physically. I love writing transformation scenes after researching the different bone structures of say, wolves vs. humans, and how they might melt into each other during a transformation. My pooka protagonist, Gwen, often shapeshifts into an owl, so I read up on the take off and landing mechanics of owls to inspire my descriptions.

Great research, Karen! Owls are fascinating raptors...so "wise", but deadly. ;)

2. Would you ever consider getting fangs or a special tat to show some wolfy love?

Not fangs, though a tattoo might be cool… probably not a werewolf, but a pooka. That would be a wild black horse rampant, with fiery golden eyes. Wonder if anybody else has a pooka tattoo? Must resist urge to Google that!

A pooka tattoo...very cool. Perhaps you could get a designer to create some temporary ones for you (and your fans!). Then we could all share the pooka love.

3. What's the most gothic / paranormal thing you own?

Hmmm. Does a copy of my book count? Okay, okay, I don’t know that I’m a very gothic/paranormal person. I own this spiderwebby black cardigan. But that’s probably more granny gothic than anything. Also, I found a creepy gnome-with-a-squirrel figurine outside of a dumpster in downtown Olympia, WA. I’ll admit it. I fail paranormally.

Granny gothic....HA! There's a new fashion trend for the masses - perhaps originally started by the Big Bad Wolf. Karen, you don't fail paranormally, I suspect you keep your inner goth....inner...and only let her out to play when writing. ;)

Thanks for joining us this week, Karen. Follow Karen on Twitter and check out her spiffy website. We LOVED Werewolf June and can't wait to shift with you again next year. We hope to actually meet our pack of loyal shifter authors someday. But for now we have to content ourselves with following them online.

You too can follow the Werewolf June pack:

Follow Karen on Twitter and check out her spiffy website.

Jordan Deen is very active on Twitter, her blog and other social media sites. Her "werewolf dating tips" tweets are hilarious. But you have to follow her to read them! (www.twitter.com/Jordan_Deen)

Check out Shannon Delaney's blog for exciting info on her book launch plans.

Sarwat Chadda and his role-playing pics shouldn't be missed! Check out his blog.

Kitty Keswick can be found on Twitter and her awesome website.

And me, can't forget my own fine self, Judith Graves.

Werewolf June, meet YA author Karen Kincy

We've had a fun month chatting with authors of the furry and fanged. We're rounding up Werewolf June with YA author, Karen Kincy and her novel Other. The heroine, Gwen Williams is a shapeshifter, she has a run in with a few werewolves and that leads us to our talk with Karen about werewolves and pack... something the Wolfy Chicks love to chat about.


1. How are your werewolves different or similar to traditional werewolf lore?



My werewolves reflect traditional lore in that the full moon urges them to transform into wolves; however, they can transform whenever they want, as long as they have enough control. Newly bitten werewolves, known as bloodborn, don’t really have that option. More about that in Bloodborn, the sequel to Other. Deviating from standard werewolf myth, my werewolves have cute, fuzzy, piddling creatures known as werepuppies. But don’t let one bite you—they’re still contagious.

Kitty: Werepuppies, ahhh, I want one! A fuzzy, bundle of joy that will eat my neighbors if I tell it to! I love it! I wish I thought of it, way to go Karen.




2. Do write about a pack?

Yes.

In Other, a pack of werewolves moves into the protagonist Gwen’s backyard—much to her displeasure. As far as she knows, werewolves only travel in packs to better slaughter livestock, terrorize townspeople, and end up on the nightly news. She hears the pack howling together at night, a song that both scares and tantalizes her…







3.What's your view on Alphas and Betas? Pack structure? Or lone wolf?



My werewolves stick closely to a real wolf pack structure, with a mated Alpha pair watching over the rest of the pack as a sort of extended family. However, most of these werewolves aren’t blood relatives, but outlaws who bonded together to save their skins in the face of prejudice, police, and people intent on hunting them down. Being a lone wolf means risking your life. It isn’t safe to travel alone.


Thanks Karen for chatting with us. Tomorrow we'll have more Karen and shapeshifter werewolf chat. For now, to get your Other fix check out these links.


Now, for proper links...

Website: http://www.karenkincy.com/
Blog: http://karenkincy.livejournal.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/karenkincy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/OTHER-by-Karen-Kincy/213594873360?ref=ts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6404356-other

For buying Other:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Other-Novel-Karen-Kincy/dp/0738719196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276102443&sr=8-1
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Other/Karen-Kincy/e/9780738719191/?itm=1&USRI=karen+kincy
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738719191

Werewolf June final author, Karen Kincy

Our final author is Karen Kincy and her novel, Other. Karen will be howling with us for a few days so stay tuned. To start the salivating here's a blurb from her book.


Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body. From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?

Gwen Williams is like any other modern teenager with one exception: she's a shapeshifter. Never having known her Pooka-spirit father, Gwen must struggle with the wild, wonderful magic inside of her alone—and in secret. While society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in Klikamuks, Washington, who don't care for her kind.

Now there's a new werewolf pack in town, and Others are getting killed, including Gwen's dryad friend. The police are doing zilch. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen meets a cute Japanese fox spirit who's refreshingly comfortable with his Otherness. Can Gwen find the courage to embrace her true self and find the killer—before she becomes the next victim?

Werewolf June: Jordan Deen

We're back with Jordan Deen, member of the Werewolf June brat pack, and young adult author of a wolfy series you're going to want to sink your teeth into. I know I do. This time I get ask Jordan a few brain-picking questions. Here goes:

1. What is the most challenging thing about writing shifters/werewolves?

The biggest problem I had writing 'The Crescent' was making believable fight scenes. In the sequel (just finished and off to the publisher) 'Half Moon' there is more action and fighting amongst the werewolves. I tried to identify with my animal instincts and imagine how I would fight in the situations my characters are in. It's difficult waging a werewolf war, and I wanted to capture the pain and agony of the main characters properly!


Did you watch any "nature" shows or do any other research for those fight scenes? (Oops, that's another question - hopefully Jordan will answer it in the comments...lol...) I found Discovery very helpful for just this reason. (Which is a big deal. Normally I switch channels as soon as those nature shows go dark side.)

2. Would you ever consider getting fangs or a special tat to show some wolfy love?

I actually just got a tattoo (at the end of May) of a Fairy reading a book and sitting on a Crescent moon. This tattoo is in honor of Brandon, Alex and Lacey- the wolfy main characters in my novels.
Awesome! I love me a wolfy-related tat. :)

3. What's the most gothic / paranormal thing you own?

I went through a period in high school when everything I had was gothic: clothes, jewelry, notebooks, poetry... you *name* it and I had it in black. I had a friend that ran with "vampires" and she inspired that very traumatic part of my life (kidding)... My mother was glad when the black eyeliner, eye shadow and hair dye went into a box never to be seen or heard from again! When I started 'The Crescent' I channeled that inner gothic side, but the sequel, 'Half Moon' reaches further into the darkened world of werewolves. I don't want to give any spoilers, but there is so much more despair in the sequel. Lacey's world will be tilted even further as she learns more information on her heritage.

Sounds like you brought real life experience to the table (well, sans eating raw meat, etc) which will make your characters ring true. Can't wait to dig into these books!

Can't get enough? Jordan has kindly provided us with the Half Moon synopsis:

Half Moon continues the story of all your favorites! We find Lacey, six months after the end of 'The Crescent', faced with the decision she's made. Continue to freefall into the world of Werewolves as Lacey learns her heritage, her legacy, and a few things she's never imagined in a million years.

Love it! Thanks for hanging with us, Jordan.

____

Jordan is very active on Twitter, her blog and other social media sites. Her "werewolf dating tips" tweets are hilarious. But you have to follow her to read them! (www.twitter.com/Jordan_Deen)

Werewolf June continues with Jordan Deen

Up next is author Jordan Deen and her novel The Crescent which is available now and the second book in the series, Half Moon releasing 1/14/2011, part of her werewolf trilogy.


Becoming a werewolf is not an option for seventeen-year-old Lacey Quinn, but death can be a strong motivator.

Here's a little breakdown of the Synopsis of The Crescent:


Lacey is so focused on her future that everyday life has passed her by. Counting down the days to her eighteenth birthday, Lacey is almost home free. But when she falls for the mysterious Alex Morris, she lands in the middle of an ancient war between two enemy wolf packs. Tempting dreams, tantalizing lies and a dangerous love triangle ensues leaving Lacey heartbroken and confused.

Lacey's fate rests in the hands of Alex and Brandon, but both are pulling her strings for their own agendas. Even as she slips further into the dark world of werewolves, Lacey struggles to find the truth and save the only family she's ever known.


Sounds really good, huh?


I had a chance to sit down and chat werewolves, packs and warring families with Jordan Deen and I'm sharing!

1.How are your werewolves different or similar to traditional werewolf lore? The Wolf Packs (Amana's and Mares) in The Crescent are heavily based in the real world. The difference is they have to find their bonded mate before they turn 18. If they don't meet their perfect other half, they will never transform and bring honor to their family. In The Crescent, you get a small glimpse of the werewolf hierarchy, however, in the sequel, Half Moon (due out January 2011, BRP), the reader will get so much deeper into the werewolf world and rules of bonding and mating. I'm so excited to share it!

Kitty: Sounds fascinating. I like how you tied their transformation to having a bonded mate. That’s different! I alsohave a little werewolf warring going on between the Johnstones and the Maxwell’s two ancient Lycan families.

2. Do write about pack? Great question! In 'The Crescent' I didn't dive too far into the packs mentality really other than their focus on Lacey Quinn and her destiny. 'Half Moon' will really get into how the pack works, how they transform, how they fight and how they love.

3.What's your view on Alphas and Betas? Pack structure? Or lone wolf? I'm very traditional when it comes to the idea of pack structure. I like there being an Alpha and a Beta. I like there being clear direction and organization of efforts. The reader will see that in 'Half Moon' and even further through the series to Full Moon-- the final book in the series. Lone wolves are so utterly attractive, like the James Dean of the dark world, however, you won't see one in 'The Crescent' trilogy. I've had so much fun writing these novels, I may just write another werewolf series with a Lone Wolf- who knows!

Kitty: I agree with you on the lone wolf very, er, yummy... great analogy tying it to a James Dean.

Well Jordan thanks for chatting with me, I can't wait to see what questions Judith has for you! For more Jordan Deen track her down at these dens...

www.JordanDeen.com
Twitter: @Jordan_Deen
Facebook- Jordan_Deen
Myspace: www.myspace.com/Jordan_Deen
Goodreads: Jordan_Deen
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-Jordan-Deen/dp/0982582366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275528084&sr=8-1
BN: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Crescent/Jordan-Deen/e/9780982582367/?itm=1&USRI=jordan+deen

Program to HOWL About: Prezi

During this fine day in WerewolfJune, I freely admit to all the werejunkies out there - I'm a geek and that I have many geek ways. I'm especially keen on creating graphics / tweaking my website, vlogging, etc.

I've been looking for ways to add some geeky BITE to my author presentations. Sure, there's Keynote or PowerPoint, but still, the majority of my talks coming up in October (as I tour with the Young Alberta Book Society's Lit Fest, TALEBLAZERS) will be geared to teens. They're visual. They want you to get to the point. They appreciate the unexpected.

Enter Prezi - a free online presentation tool worth a howl, or two. Prezi acts like a slideshow on roids...zooped up with Flash-based animation. Your show is interactive - you can zoom in on text / images to see the fine details, or pan out to get the big picture.

Planning your show is a blast - you'll feel quite artsy-fartsy and zen as you spin, stretch, place and sketch. There are limits to Prezi. As far as I can tell (I've only been playing around for a day or so) you can't add background audio or embed videos, you can't manipulate the templates (eg. no changing fonts or colours). Perhaps these options exist with the Pro (paid to use) version. I donno.

I'd also like to see if you can export your Prezi's and import them into other programs, like iMovie or Adobe Elements to work them into a larger presentation. Anyway - here's my first Prezi, which I intend to use at the beginning of my author talks as a general intro. I'd love to see what YOU come up with!

Werewolf month continues with Shannon Delany

I didn't get to see Trueblood,like Judith. I'm currently without HBO. (I'm trying to remedy that quickly, otherwise I'd be in Trueblood withdrawl, wait, too late, already there.) I did however, get my werwolf fix by renting The Wolfman. It recently went to DVD. I do like how the movie stayed true to the tradional werewolf lore, bitten, full moon, set free by one who loves you...yadda, yadda, yadda, however I do enjoy a good werewolf twist. That leads me to a conversation I had with Shannon Delany the debut author of the 13 to Life series (St. Martin's Press), which launches with 13 to Life in bookstores nationwide June 22.



1. How are your werewolves different or similar to traditional werewolf lore?

Some Differences:
1.) One of the big differences my werewolves have (considering traditional western lore) refers directly to the series' title (and is something readers will start to figure out pretty early if they're noticing the clues I set down). But enough about that. ;-)
2.) My weres aren't linked as firmly to the moon as some traditional tales.
3.) Mine aren't the evil maneaters that people once feared plain old wolves were.
4.) The werewolfism is passed genetically (at the point we meet them in 13 to Life) and even then it's still not completely understood.
5.) They are subject to forced transformation, but it's a rare thing.

Kitty: That’s pretty interest, Shannon. I too deviate from traditional Lore. I have Lycans that are born with the ability to shift into wolves at puberty. But only the males can shift, the women have the gift of sight…well until Kasey. She’s a hybrid so all bet are off.

Some Similarities between My Gang and Werewolves and Wolves in General:
1.) They do get furry when they wolf out.
2.) They do have different concerns and interests (generally) when in their wolfskin than when in their human form. This is especially true during their first few changes.
3.) They hunt.
4.) They are protective of what they want/need/love.
5.) They are fiercely loyal.

Kitty: I love the whole fiercely loyal bit; it makes for good conflict, too.

2. Do write about pack?

More in book two than in book one. Something dramatic happens (as it should ;-) at the end of 13 to Life that shakes up the pack in a big way and there's some scrambling. But, the scrambling Jessie witnesses in book two isn't much more than some very human families do under tremendous stress. My wolves just express themselves a bit differently than (most) people.

Kitty: Ohhhhh I love the big bad. And tormenting, oops, I mean, giving your characters conflicts to help them grow is essential. ( and fun too…) Since your novel is a series like mine, I agree it’s very important to up the tension in each book. Book two (if a trilogy, IMOP) is where things get interesting. It’s the middle, the peak of the conflict. The characters have had a chance to get to know their powers, they have grown and now facing more important issues. The pack is just hinted about in Freaksville, as Kasey doesn’t know who she really is until Furry and Freaked, claws come out and she meets the pack front on. But my pack is a little bit different from the traditional wolf pack, too. Hum, I wonder if Jessie (13 to life), Eryn (Judith’s UMS) and Kasey (Freaksville) met would they get along?

3.What's your view on Alphas and Betas? Pack structure? Or lone wolf?

Anybody who has attended middle school and high school will recognize our more brutal "animal" nature in the peer pressure and hazing done by teens as they struggle for a comfortable place within their school's social structure. For our species, attending school can give a great understanding of pack structure. Alphas and Betas (and the other ranks) exist regardless of having canine heritage. Without giving spoilers, I can say my Alphas and Betas are a more fluid thing in the 13 to Life series, more subversive in a way--but readers will have to wait until Secrets and Shadows (book 2) releases in February 2011 to really know what I mean by that.

Kitty: I really love your analogy of high school being like a wolf pack, sometimes we can feel as if we were thrown to the wolves…peer pressure, massive reports, trying to figure out your future in four short years. It can be a bit trying. I too think there is more than just the terms alpha and beta and how we can understand and react to wolves and er, werewolves.

Thanks, Shannon for taking some time to howl at the moon with us. It was a great pleasure trekking through Central Park with you this May. I can’t wait to read your debut 13 to Life. Hum, I wonder if Jessie (13 to life), Eryn (Judith’s UMS) and Kasey (Freaksville) met would they get along? Kasey’s a bit naive in Freaksville but that all changes pretty quick. Would make an interest short story for sure.

Werewolf June: Shannon Delany

After watching the season 3 opener for True Blood, I was frustrated by the teaser scene with the werewolves at the very end. Just NOT enough of them! Can't wait to see how Bill gets out of that hair-raising situation. In the meantime, BEWARE - there be werewolves afoot. That's right, because it's Werewolf June - which rhymes with MOON and that could be force to rhyme with Shannooon Delany. :) (Okay, lame segue, but I tried.)

Kitty and I had the fortune (hey, that rhymes with...ner'mind) to meet Shannon during the Class of 2k10 NYC tour and Book Expo America in May. To say Shannon is a powerhouse, a connector of people and resources, a creator of were tales - is to say too little. The woman is just plain awesome.

You'll see what I mean when you read her responses to my questions below:

1. What is the most challenging thing about writing shifters/werewolves?

I think the most challenging thing writing shifters or werewolves is the most challenging thing when writing anything and that's to get the magic that's in our heads down on paper and make the voice ring true to the character. I'm obsessive about reading my books out loud as a result. If it doesn't read well and seem to reflect that character accurately, it's tossed.

Super advice. I probably don't do this enough - dialogue I read aloud for flow, but the rest not so much. I've added yet another stickie note of writerly tips to the ones framing my laptop screen. ;)

2. Would you ever consider getting fangs or a special tat to show some wolfy love?

Pietr and his family sport what they claim is a tattoo. It's a saber on the left shoulder blade (based very much in old legend). That I could probably handle, but I shy away from tattoos after hearing the tale of the unicorn which became a giraffe with a lump on its head thanks to the inevitable evil that gravity works on the human form. ;-)

lol....too funny - I agree to a point - that's why my tat is on a relatively "stable" patch of skin age wise - on my calf. I also went with an artsy fartsy, swirly thing, that can morph all it wants and still look acceptable. Maybe it will morph into a wolf by the time I'm 80. That'd be cool. Pietr's tat sounds awesome and now I get the imagery on your cover. Nice. (Can't wait to get my copy of 13 to Life!)

3. What's the most gothic / paranormal thing you own?

Umm--I used to do Renaissance Faires dressed as a pirate, a gypsy and eventual just a matronly wench (being a mom will change more than your attitude)... Is there something I own that isn't of a gothic or paranormal nature? ;-) I'd have to say my swords (handcrafted springsteel). I learned rapier and dagger as a teen (heyyy--everyone needs a hobby!).

Now that sounds like time well spent! My mother-in-law (a fabulous seamstress), created a beautiful medieval gown for me (very Lord of the Rings). So far I've only worn it on "dress up" day at school. But a Renaissance Fair....and dagger training? Shannon - you're so damn cool.

Check out Shannon's blog for information on her "Start your day with serial blog tour" - at each blog stop you'll get a sampling from 13 to Life. Not to be missed, my friends!

Shannon Delany

When Judith and I started this blog Wolfy Chicks, we had an idea to chat about werewolves and other paranormal beasties and basically share the YA author’s journey to publication. Some of you have been there from the beginning of that bumpy road, you saw us sell to a publisher only to have that house close on us and rejoiced in having our titles purchased by a new and in my opinion better house! Yeah, Leap! We shared a lot in our little pack haven’t we?
But one HUGE thrill is to have one of the original Wolfy Chick followers sell her very own novel! Shannon Delany has been following us from the beginning and it is with great pleasure that I can introduce her to you. Shannon has an incredible road to publication story, one that well you only see in movies. She sold her werewolf tale 13 to Life via a textnovel contest. Yeppers, a text novel. That novel has gone through some changes and in just a few weeks you will be able to hold it in your hot little hands…get in line, I’m running for my copy, too.

Over the next few days we will be chatting with our fellow Wolfy Chick. She shares our passion for all things wolfy and is also a member of the Class of 2k10! We had the rare pleasure of meeting and hanging with Shannon while in NYC.


About the Shannon
Shannon Delany has written stories since she was a child. She began writing in earnest when her grandmother fell unexpectedly ill during a family vacation. In 2008 her greatly abbreviated version of 13 to Life (written in just five weeks) won the grand prize in the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world through Textnovel.com.

Shannon was thrilled when St. Martin’s Press offered her a contract for a series about her 13 to Life characters. She expanded on the cell phone novel version, adding the subplots and characters she didn’t have time to during the contest. As paranormal as werewolves seem, the grief Shannon used to build Jess’s character is something she personally experienced with the loss of her own mother. Focusing on Jess and Pietr’s story of loss, love and dramatic and dangerous changes, Shannon came to better grips with her own struggle. The resulting novel has earned her blurbs from authors she respects most.

The first novel in Shannon’s YA paranormal series, 13 to Life, will debut in June 22, 2010.Previously a teacher and now a farmer raising heritage livestock, Shannon lives and writes in Upstate New York and enjoys traveling to talk to people about most anything.Shannon@ShannonDelany.com

Sarwat Chadda

Judith and I are continuing our chat with the very talented author Sarwat Chadda. It always fascinates me how people can take a similar topic (werewolves) and twist it, bend it, reshaping it into something totally new. I’m really enjoying chatting with fellow writers of werewolves, wolves and shape shifters. I just added four new authors to my TBR pile. Who needs food right? It’s Top Ramen for me for the next couple of weeks.

So without further interruption the chatting with Sarwat continues....



1. How are your werewolves different or similar to traditional werewolf lore?
I'm sticking pretty closely to the werewolf conventions. So getting bitten by a werewolf will infect you, they're vulnerable to silver (though not exclusively so) and very bloodthirsty. the last point may need emphasising. I wanted my werewolves to represent the rage, savagery and freedom of being a beast. My wolves are predators. They hunt, they eat human flesh and don't have any guilt trips about that. But they are loyal, family orientated and protective towards their kin and pack. One scene in Dark Goddess has a woman playing with her small son. The next moment, as a werewolf, she's breaking into a farmhouse to eat the family within. I love old school werewolves, bloodthirsty monsters without compassion or any human traits. Why mess with a classic?


2. Do write about pack?
Dark Goddess centres around the ancient Russian witch, Baba Yaga. She's a very powerful female goddess figure from prehistory, well before she became a fairy tale witch and I wanted her to regain her old glory, her old power. When researching the area I discovered stories that the original Amazons came from around the Black Sea, around southern Russia. The Russians called these warrior women Polenitsy. So it was a small step to take these Polenitsy and make them a tribe of female werewolves, priestesses serving Baba Yaga.
It's a theme I've developed from Devil's Kiss, the prequel. That's to take an ancient myth and give it a modern twist. In Devil's Kiss it centred around the idea of unleashing the Angel of Death on the modern world. In Dark Goddess it's about an witch sworn to protect the natural world from the corruption of humankind, and the lenghts she'll go to achieve her ambition. As we would cull any species that became overpopulous, so Baba Yaga intends to cull mankind. Her werewolves are her agents in achieving this.

3.What's your view on Alphas and Betas? Pack structure? Or lone wolf?
What's better than one werewolf? A huge pack of them! I almost built the book around the idea of my heroine, Billi SanGreal, being hunted through the snowbound forests of Russia with an entire pack of werewolves snapping at her heels. I've kept the pack rivalry, with the alpha female being threatened by the beta, who is also her granddaughter. Both worship Baba Yaga, but the alpha has her priorities focused on the pack, the goddess second. The beta has a fanatic's faith in her goddess, the pack be damned.

Ohhh I can really picture that scene with Billi being hunted, cold air coming out in ragged puffs as she struggles to run in the snow. I love snowy chase scenes. I have one in Furry. Luckily, I don't have to deal with snow anymore! I can't wait to sink my claws into Dark Goddess! I argee with Judith, I like the pic of sarwat dressed as a knight! Check out his website www.sarwatchadda.com

I asked Sarwat if we could post the picture of him dressed as a Templar Knight. We thought it was very cool.

Werewolf June: Sarwat Chadda

Welcome to Werewolf June and our first feature from our pack of were/shifter authors, Sarwat Chadda. While Sarwat provided us with a very slick pic, I'm kind of partial to the ones of him dressed as a Knight Templar, or sharing a moment with Buffy - wanna see for yourself? Get thee to his website.

An engineer turned author, Sarwat debuted with Devil's Kiss and is now promoting the second book in the series, Dark Goddess. Having just discovered his brilliance myself, I'm off to order copies of both.

During Werewolf June Kitty and I will both be asking our packmembers questions - that's twice the info and double the were/shifting fun. Alright already, here's my interview with Sarwat:


Dark Goddess
ISBN-13: 978-0141325880 (UK)

Back cover blurb:

BILLI SANGREAL is a Knight Templar and has thrown herself utterly into their brutal regime, shutting herself off from everyone and everything. But when Billi saves a young girl from a savage werewolf attack, she discovers the attack was no random event.

This is no ordinary girl. Vasalisa is an avatar with an uncontrollable force within – and it’s not just the werewolves who want her. The Dark Goddess wants to sacrifice Vasalisa and use her powers to unleash unimaginable catastrophes and devastation.

Can Billi protect Vasalisa from the ancient goddess – and at the same time stop her from destroying the world?

And now for a few brainpicking questions:



1. What is the most challenging thing about writing shifters/werewolves?

Getting something new out of the genre. Establishing what you want to say about werewolves, what do they mean, in your story. The term Beast Within is what I've focused on, and how all of us have it. The werewolf though has thrown off all the shackles of humanity so is pure rage, pure passion, pure carnage.

2. Would you ever consider getting fangs or a special tat to show some wolfy love?

Some sort of cool abstract werewolf design would be good. Trouble his my body is so hairy finding a spare patch of skin to put it on would be a problem. Perhaps my hairiness is my werewolf homage?

3. What's the most gothic / paranormal thing you own?

A large Sisters of Mercy collection. I went through a major goth phase back in the 1990's, back when I read Anne Rice and nothing else. Never went for the look, just couldn't get pale enough, I'm afraid.
___

Thanks for hanging with us Sarwat! Can't wait to dig into your books. Want more from our pack member? Check out his blog.

Werewolf Month Line-up...meet the pack.

Howls to everyone. Here's the line-up for Werewolf month. Our Pack is full of writers of the furry and fanged. No vamps here, well not as the leads anyway. So join the pack this month as we sink our claws into some wolfy tales. (Sorry I couldn't help the puns...must punish my computer.)


Sarwat Chadda, his novel Devil's Kiss. www.sarwatchadda.com




Judith Graves, her novel Under My Skin. www.judithgraves.com



Karen Kincy, her novel Other. www.karenkincy.com





Shannon Delany, her novel 13 to Life. www.shannondelany.com



Jordan Deen, her novel Crescent. www.jordandeen.com




Kitty Keswick, her novel Freaksville. www.kittykeswick.com

Silver Bullets...

Silver bullets and werewolf lore are like peanut butter anf jelly, they just go together, right?
Digging through "werewolf historical information" I came accross a tale of a wolf-like creature, the Beast of Gévaudan, that terriozed a small town nestled in the Margeride Mountains in south-central France from 1764 to 1767. From the accounts, it was a wolf with manlike quilties. One of the first reported tales with use of silver being used to kill a werewolf.There's been a few books and films that used the Beast of Gévaudan, one of my favorite being, Brotherhood of the Wolf directed by Christophe Gans.

How did a metal known for it's pure and mythical properties slay the beast? Some may argue that it's impossible for silver be to used in bullets because it is a soft metal and would not survive the firing and traveling through a gun's barrel. It may be truth, but in my werewolf world, I've learned anything is possible.
Who says that the bullet needs to be delivered intact in order to slay the werewolf? Perhaps because silver is a soft metal it comes apart when fired and in turn acts like buckshot spraying many tiny peices into the beast? A small peice of silver would be harder to dig out and in turn do more damage...in theory. I'm no gunsmith or silversmith for that matter, I write fiction and sometimes that fiction crosses into to reality, sometimes it blurs the line. And sometimes, just maybe it could be plausible?

I haven't met a werewolf I needed to slay...yet. So my theory for now goes untested.

I did come along this nifty company that indeed does make silver bullets...they note on their website that they do not have gun powder in them, so they won't fire.



http://www.bulletforge.com

Werewolf June: Windigo

Ah – Werewolf June. How lovely to hang with you. We’re a few wolfy authors celebrating werewolves/shifters for an entire month! Tres fun. I’d like to feature a creature that has a small but important role in my book, Under My Skin (UMS). The beast in question is…..windigo.

Windigo derive from First Nations lore, they are shapeshifters and were once human – hunters who get lost in the woods during winter storms and resort to cannibalism to survive. Legend has it that the moment they feed on human flesh, they will forever crave it – never to be satisfied – no matter how much they consume. As they track and feed on wayward travellers, they grow in size and strength. They exist only in cool climates and have hearts of ice.

I first discovered windigo (wendigo, wihtigo – there are numerous spellings) in a curious little black book published in Saskatchewan by Western Producer Prairie Books, Windigo: An Anthology of Fact and Fantastic Fiction, edited by John Robert Colombo. In my first draft of UMS, I even had my crew of teen paranormal hunters quote from the book, and wrote to Colombo for permission – he’s one cool author with lots more “lore” collections out there. However, the scene ended up on the cutting room floor – perhaps I’ll work it back into Second Skin. ;) I've included a pic of Willow, my yellow lab, guarding the book.

As with werewolves, windigo can be killed with silver to the heart. Here’s a nifty excerpt explaining why the windigo are so feared:

“Like the vampire, it feasts on flesh and blood. Like the werewolf, it shape-changes at will. Like the Medusa, it may scare its victim to death. Or, striking more terror than horror in the heart of its beholder, it may allow its intended victim to escape with his life…yet that person will be transformed by the encounter…”

Pretty nasty, eh? I told you!

In the modern world, windigo have a medical explanation, Windigo Psychosis, similar to those diagnosed as having lycanthropy. A gruesome and tragic local connection, in Edmonton last July one man attacked, beheaded and gutted another on a Greyhound bus. There was no provocation. The victim was sleeping at the time of the attack. Check out this article where ethno-historian, Nathan Carlson, compares the incident to the windigo legend.

I did a quick search on Yahoo and ironically found this resort in Quebec: Le Windigo: Resort Village. Here's their slogan: Windigo Village, The perfect anti-stress formula - without compromise. Umm...anti-stress, eh? Hmmm...I'm thinking a stay might be in my future (there's GOT to be a reason they chose "windigo" for a name) and perhaps a new beastly tale will be born. Love the tunage they've got playing - very zen and yet...haunting...

I’ll finish with Ogden Nash’s poem, Windigo:

The Wendigo
The Wendigo!
Its eyes are ice and indigo!

Its blood is rank and yellowish!

Its voice is hoarse and bellowish!

Its tentacles are slithery,

And scummy,

Slimy,

Leathery!

Its lips are hungry blubbery,

And smacky,

Sucky,

Rubbery!

The Wendigo!

The Wendigo!

I saw it just a friend ago!

Last night it lurked in Canada;

Tonight, on your veranda!

As you are lolling hammockwise

It contemplates you stomachwise.

You loll,

It contemplates,

It lollops.

The rest is merely gulps and gollops.

June is werewolf month...

The month of June is werewolf and shifter month. Bet you didn't know that, eh? We are kicking off the month in celebration of all things furry and fanged. Several authors of werewolves and shifters have joined the pack; Shannon Delany, Sarwat Chadda, Karen Kincy,Jordan Deen and Leah Cypess, they share our passion for werewolves and shifters. Each week we will be hosting an author for a couple of days. So stay tuned for more info and give-a-ways.


To kick off the week I thought it would be fun to discuss a little bit of werewolf lore...

Silver and the Werewolf

Silver, ah, it's been around since ancient times. The symbol of the moon was used to represent silver. Our ancestors wore it as jewelry or ate with it as silverware, and used it as currency. (In most cases we still do.) This soft lustrous metal is used in mirrors, film, and electrical conductors. During World War I, before the advent of modern antibiotics, silver’s toxic effects on bacteria, fungi and viruses were used to prevent infection.
Hum, infection you say?
In the modern lore of werewolves or lycanthropy, silver is one of the only items that can harm a werewolf. One common modern belief is that the werewolf transmits its curse or disease by biting or scratching its victim. Then at the next full moon, oh there’s that neat reference to silver again, the victim in turns becomes one of the furry and fanged.
Could it be that silver’s germicidal effects kills the “germ” that causes lycanthropy? Eating away the infected agent? Is that where the silver bullet comes in?
Leaving you food for thought...next chat we’ll talk about the myth of silver bullets and other ways to become and kill a werewolf.Fun stuff,huh?