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Friday, December 4, 2009

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

8 comments:

  1. Hi, Jeanmarie! I saw your post earlier today, but was swamped with work and just now had a few minutes to check out your post.

    As I said before, I love that cover! This sounds like a wondeful story!

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  2. Thanks Susan! I hope it's a story that readers will enjoy. :-)

    I'm so glad you like the cover too.
    Great to see you here!
    Happy Holidays!
    Jeanmarie

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  3. When I think history, werewolves don't usually enter the picture. You are building your world, and it certainly sounds like it will work well. Since most historical settings are so elemental, they are perfect settings for paranormals, especially shape shifters.
    Good luck with the books release in Dec. or Jan.

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  4. Isn't it amazing how the overactive imagination of a child can follow us into adulthood--and help us turn all those what-if's into the stories of our hearts?

    Moonlight Desperado sounds like a great read!

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  5. Hi Librarypat!

    I'd never before thought of historicals being a perfect backdrop for werewolf stories. I think it was the setting near the Medina River at night that inspired the shape shifter idea. With all the shape shifter myths handed down through the ages in probably every culture around the world, it's fascinating to think what if? and build this story world. Thanks for your good wishes!
    Jeanmarie

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  6. Hi Nicole!

    I think it's because we have such overactive imaginations that we become writers. ;-) And yes, the ideas become the stories of our hearts. Thanks for saying hi. I hope my readers will enjoy Moonlight Desperado as much as I have.
    Jeanmarie

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  7. Haha, oh, Jeanmarie when I first read the blurb I thought it said "inspired" not "imprisoned". Made the rest of the blurb sound a little odd. Imprisoned makes so much mroe sense!

    And I love the cover, very sexy. And I agree about your thoughts on werewolves being both tragic and heroic.

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  8. Hi Isabel,
    Thanks for your take on tragic and heroic shape shifters. And yes, just changing one word sometimes makes a huge difference in meaning. ;-) I'm so glad you like the cover. Thanks so much for dropping by!
    Jeanmarie

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