Moonlight Desperado Setting Near Castroville, Texas, and the Medina River

I thought you'd like to see some photos of the area of Texas where my novella, Moonlight Desperado, takes place.

One of the homes of my Texas ancestors became the inspiration for the house where my story unfolds. Built in Castroville, Texas in 1867, the Gerhart Ihnken home is shown below. The house faces west. The backyard is part of several acres of pastureland which slope down to the Medina River. This house reflects the architectural style of many of the Alsatian homes constructed in Castroville.

The builders of these homes were the families who came from Alsace Lorraine and settled Castroville in 1844. They traveled from France by ship. My family came in the L'Ebro. Most of the original settlers came from towns in Alsace Lorraine. Many of their homes show the same architecture and are recorded on the Historic Heritage list for Texas.


Some of the homes still have the giant old pecan trees growing in the yard.


Southwest of the Gerhart Ihnken home, the Medina River bends west before flowing south again. The photo below shows the trees growing in the Medina River along the bend. I couldn't resist describing the river and those moss covered trees, after I saw them late one day on a trip to Castroville for research about my family. Shadows beneath the trees and moss created the most mysterious and foreboding feeling.
Perfect for the beginning of Moonlight Desperado.

Scenes like the one with the trees in the Medina River are fantastic inspiration and give flight to a writer's imagination. And my werewolf writer's muse was no exception.

Have you been to Castroville, Texas? I hope you've enjoyed this quick trip to the country with me. When you're in the area, be sure to take in the atmosphere and dining in the old Alsatian town just west of San Antonio. Many thanks to the web site of Castroville for the photos. http://www.castroville.com/
Jeanmarie Hamilton
www.JeanmarieHamilton.com

Texas and Werewolves and Vamps, Oh My!

The title of this blog was inspired by a line in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. Wonderful characters and imaginary animals filled the screen during the movie. We haven’t lost our love for imaginary characters and animals, have we? The movies prove that every year, and now werewolves have hit the screen in a big way. The current popular movie, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, features both the villain and the hero as werewolves.

Fortunately, our entertainment doesn’t have to stop with movies. Werewolf fans can find plenty of exciting fiction books featuring werewolves. As a romance writer, I find werewolves make for both tragic and heroic characters. I can let my imagination run wild. I can envision the story with things I’ve seen and experienced in my own life. I’ll always remember following the narrow dirt road from the family cabin to the fishing hole, and the tree root which formed a menacing claw at the edge of the thick woods I had to walk through to reach the stream. When I was young I imagined the claw shaped roots to be a warning of danger which lurked in the trees’ shadows.

I remember a trip with my family across Texas, trees covered with moss at the shadowed edge of a river at dusk. We drove through the darkness of night and saw a flock of huge birds which flew in front of our car as we crossed a bridge over a river. I’d never seen anything like those giant birds before and had no idea what they were or why they were flying at night. I know they weren’t owls. They’ve become an important part of one of my romance stories about shape shifters which includes werewolves.

Adding romance to a shape shifter story heightens the stakes for the characters. A hero with an emotionally monumental past to overcome is perfect for a werewolf, a larger than life alpha male. He must not only overcome the evil villain, but he must face sacrificing everything, and put his life on the line to protect the woman he loves. Such actions endear him forever to a romance reader's heart.

Following is the story blurb for Moonlight Desperado :

In Texas after the Civil War, Mary Ann Beauclere is imprisoned by soldiers turned raiders. Outraged when Captain Craig Wolfe steals a kiss, and more, in front of the men, she follows his orders, desperate to protect her little sisters asleep upstairs. The outlaws demand bedding and food. Captain Wolfe helps her, and she softens toward the desperado, allowing his kisses, drawn to him as to no other.

Confederate spy, Craig despairs of finding his life mate. Hiding his assignment from the raiders, he only intends to protect Miss Beauclere, until he recognizes Mary Ann as the woman he will love forever. Her courage tempts him to dream of a future together. Will she love him, a werewolf? If not, he’ll spend his life alone.

When Craig claims her as his life mate, secret identities and a vicious pack member threaten their future and their lives. Can they save each other?

I hope you’ll enjoy reading Moonlight Desperado, my latest werewolf romance story, available soon, late December or early January, from Siren-Bookstrand Mainstream.

Jeanmarie Hamilton
www.JeanmarieHamilton.com

Weaving History with Shapeshifters

Even shape shifter stories can revolve around historical facts.

In my werewolf western historical, Moonlight Desperado, soon to be published by Siren-Bookstrand Publishing, the hero's original goal is inspired by Texas history.

The inspiration for the story came from a family story that happened after the Civil War ended. Raiders passing through Texas demanded bedding to sleep on outside my great great grandmother's home. Of course the characters have been changed in my story, Moonlight Desperado.

While researching the time period in Texas, I found an article about General Shelby passing through Texas on his way to Mexico. He stopped in San Antonio on his way. In a book I found at the library, a historian recounts the problem General Shelby had with horse thieves stealing their horses at night. The year that General Shelby crossed Texas turned out to be the same year my great great grandmother was ordered by raiders to provide bedding for them. The same raiders later came back and demanded money.

With a little imagination, my hero took shape, so to speak, as a spy for General Shelby trying to catch the men stealing the General's horses at night. My heroine became the woman alone that night with two little sisters asleep upstairs. Ordered to provide bedding for the raiders in her front yard, she stands up to the men, who include the hero, not knowing they're shape shifters.

According to historical records, General Shelby crossed Texas, bringing order to San Antonio on the way, and became tangled in the political unrest in Mexico.

I find it challenging to weave fiction and fact together for an exciting romance story. Look for Moonlight Desperado coming soon from Siren-Bookstrand. I hope you'll enjoy it.

www.JeanmarieHamilton.com