Author and guest blogger C. Fern Cook (The 'Wild' werewolf series) has this to say:
I know some of you readers are thinking, all right erotica. I know this genre is huge, but this is not my genre. What passion I am talking about is Dan's and Lizzy's passion for all living creatures. This is my passion too, so why wouldn't it show up in my writing?
If you have read any of my reviews or comments from readers, you will find statements like this: Her love of animals comes through in her writing. In the back-story of all my stories, you'll find animals. The horrors in Wild series are not for the squeamish.
The first of the Wild series, Wild Evolution, involves illegal trapping and loss of habitat for a local wolf pack. The second in the series, Wild Justice, deals with canned hunting facilities. The third in the series, Wild Legacy, encompasses the issue of unnecessary animal testing for medical labs.
Some of the bears in Wild Justice are described as having their teeth pulled and being declawed. This comes from the barbaric practice called 'bear baiting'. This is where they take domestic bears, declaw them, pull their teeth, and chain them up. Then they let the dogs loose. People have the audacity to call this training their dog to tree bears for hunting purposes. They do this in front of cheering crowds. I can't believe people could be so heartless. You'd think this happens in third world countries, but it happens right here in the US. The Humane Society of the United States just ran an article about this in their All Animals magazine September issue called 'Torment in the Arena'. This gives me nightmares. You can't get much more horror than that.
The canned hunting facility is where they fence off an area so the animal cannot escape. The hunter pays big dollars to hunt bears, wild African goats, boar, elk, or whatever they can get ahold of to make good trophies for the mighty hunters to hang in their dens. They hunt these animals down using four-wheelers and dogs. The animal has nowhere to hide. Packs of dogs tear the poor animal's flesh right off their bones before they are called off so the mighty hunter can get a good shot. The hunter's bullet is a release from the terror and pain the animal goes through for the all-mighty dollar.
In the US we still test to see if soap in the eyes will sting. Is that stupid or what? Everyone who's ever had soap in their eyes already knows it stings. Many rabbits snap their necks trying to wiggle out of the straps that hold them down so they can free themselves from the caustic solution dropped in their eyes. This is done to see if the solution will cause redness or swelling when the researchers already know it does. Again, you can't get much more horror than this, and that is why I choose to use real-life horrors in the Wild series. I have to admit I get some pleasure in letting the bad guys get what they deserve in the Wild series.
C. Fern Cook
Wild Evolution
Wild Justice
Wild Legacy
(books available in print through http://www.penumbrapublishing.com/ and ebook and print from online retailers including http://www.amazon.com/)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tidbits About Werewolf Folklore
Author and guest blogger C. Fern Cook (The 'Wild' werewolf series) has this to say:
When I first developed the story for the first novel in the Wild series, Wild Evolution, I wanted a rancher that shared his land with all creatures including the dreaded wolf pack. I wanted the rancher to interact with the wolf pack. Naturally, this fell into the werewolf genre.
In researching werewolf lore for the novel "Wild Evolution”, I came across some interesting tidbits of information:
* Lycanthrope is derived from the Greek language meaning wolf and man.
* It seems that there is werewolf folklore in all cultures.
* Only in the American movie culture does the werewolf curse cause an involuntarily transform to the werewolf state because of a full moon.
* The Norseman believed that a man would possess the characteristics of the animal if they wore the hide of that animal, such as a bear or a wolf.
* In American Indian culture, it is called the skin walker. The belief is similar to the Norseman; if you wore the skin of the animal, you would possess their attributes. In many Native American tribes, it is considered taboo to don the pelt of a wolf.
To spot a werewolf, look for these characteristics:
* born on December 24th
* has red hair
* the index and middle finger are the same length
* and has a craving of raw meat
I had an uncle that possessed many of these characteristics but I personally don't believe he was a werewolf. The most unusual tidbit of information about werewolf myths from around the world came from Argentina. They believed that the seventh son would become a werewolf. Many parents killed the seventh son or gave them up for adoption.
In order to stop the practice they finally made it a law in the 1920's that the seventh son would become the president's godson at baptism and receive a gold medal. This law is still enforced today. This just scratches the surface of werewolf folklore from around the world, but many of the myths have similar characteristics, I found that to be very interesting. I also found it very interesting that almost every culture has legends or myths about the werewolf.
I picked the skin walker folklore because of the Native American connection. My grandfather came from the Blackfeet tribe but would have nothing to do with the reservation or the U.S. government's Indian government programs. He said they were disgraceful. In his time they were.
I had an uncle who was from the Kickapoo tribe; between him and my grandfather, we spent a lot time out in nature. I have had an attraction to the Native American folklore because of my grandfather and uncle; so, the Native American skin walker legend is the one I chose to go with.
In Wild Legacy, I have chosen to continue on with this and expand the story to include the skin walker legend from the Norseman region. The continuation of the series will expand on this aspect of the legend, reaching back to the old country folklore in the next book.
C. Fern Cook
Wild Evolution
Wild Justice
Wild Legacy
(books available in print through www.penumbrapublishing.com and ebook and print from online retailers including www.amazon.com)
When I first developed the story for the first novel in the Wild series, Wild Evolution, I wanted a rancher that shared his land with all creatures including the dreaded wolf pack. I wanted the rancher to interact with the wolf pack. Naturally, this fell into the werewolf genre.
In researching werewolf lore for the novel "Wild Evolution”, I came across some interesting tidbits of information:
* Lycanthrope is derived from the Greek language meaning wolf and man.
* It seems that there is werewolf folklore in all cultures.
* Only in the American movie culture does the werewolf curse cause an involuntarily transform to the werewolf state because of a full moon.
* The Norseman believed that a man would possess the characteristics of the animal if they wore the hide of that animal, such as a bear or a wolf.
* In American Indian culture, it is called the skin walker. The belief is similar to the Norseman; if you wore the skin of the animal, you would possess their attributes. In many Native American tribes, it is considered taboo to don the pelt of a wolf.
To spot a werewolf, look for these characteristics:
* born on December 24th
* has red hair
* the index and middle finger are the same length
* and has a craving of raw meat
I had an uncle that possessed many of these characteristics but I personally don't believe he was a werewolf. The most unusual tidbit of information about werewolf myths from around the world came from Argentina. They believed that the seventh son would become a werewolf. Many parents killed the seventh son or gave them up for adoption.
In order to stop the practice they finally made it a law in the 1920's that the seventh son would become the president's godson at baptism and receive a gold medal. This law is still enforced today. This just scratches the surface of werewolf folklore from around the world, but many of the myths have similar characteristics, I found that to be very interesting. I also found it very interesting that almost every culture has legends or myths about the werewolf.
I picked the skin walker folklore because of the Native American connection. My grandfather came from the Blackfeet tribe but would have nothing to do with the reservation or the U.S. government's Indian government programs. He said they were disgraceful. In his time they were.
I had an uncle who was from the Kickapoo tribe; between him and my grandfather, we spent a lot time out in nature. I have had an attraction to the Native American folklore because of my grandfather and uncle; so, the Native American skin walker legend is the one I chose to go with.
In Wild Legacy, I have chosen to continue on with this and expand the story to include the skin walker legend from the Norseman region. The continuation of the series will expand on this aspect of the legend, reaching back to the old country folklore in the next book.
C. Fern Cook
Wild Evolution
Wild Justice
Wild Legacy
(books available in print through www.penumbrapublishing.com and ebook and print from online retailers including www.amazon.com)
Vampires Bite - see guest blog at Vamp Chix by Jamie Wasserman
Jamie Wasserman, author of BLOOD AND SUNLIGHT: A Maryland Vampire Story, has guest blogged about vampires at VampChix - go check it out!
http://networkedblogs.com/9VJIK
http://networkedblogs.com/9VJIK
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Interview with author Sandy Hyatte-James / Parallel Triangle
British author Sandy Hyatt-James has two books published. Parallel Triangle, a science-fiction romance featuring parallel worlds, is available through Penumbra Publishing. Leslie Dyer, sales and promotion representative for Penumbra Publishing, recently asked Sandy about her life and her writing.
PP: Sandy, how long have you been writing, and was there an inspirational source or defining event that got you started?
SHJ: I started writing after entering a short story competition at school and winning. From then onwards, I wanted to write all the time. I did, as well, much to the annoyance of my mathematics teacher! My most memorable inspirational source was Gone With the Wind, which I read as a teenager. The fact that hat the love interest was set in a rich backdrop of the American Civil War impressed me so much. From then on, I wanted to create romance without neglecting the wider picture, because the two complimented each other.
PP: Parallel Triangle deals with a love triangle – two women who both love the same man. How did you choose this storyline, and how popular do you think it is with the typical romance reader?
SHJ: At this moment, the trend seems to lean towards vampires or stories that contain graphic sex. The love triangle, however, has been around since writing first began. It’s a theme that never really went out of fashion, because it facilitates a unique tension that makes the reader what to keep turning the pages.
PP: Parallel Triangle features two strong heroines. Did you have trouble balancing the story – especially given that each of them is a love interest of the hero?
SHJ: No, I found it an interesting change from the ‘one man one woman’ model. Parallel Triangle has a different take on the triangle theme anyway, which usually features the man being in a relationship with someone else, until the heroine comes along and steals him, or vice-versa. In this case, Orion meets both Elizabeth and Jacosta at the same time and, due to circumstances, develops a relationship with each of them nearly simultaneously.
PP: One of your heroines, Elizabeth, is described as plain-looking, and the other heroine, Jacosta, is described as ravishingly beautiful. Is there any particular reason you wrote these characters that way?
SHJ: Yes. I wanted to illustrate that a man like Orion, who has the pick of women, wasn’t looking for beauty in them; otherwise, he wouldn’t have fallen for Elizabeth. The fact that he also falls in love with Jacosta, who is beautiful, is very much beside the point. What he sees in both women is their inner attraction.
PP: Your hero, Orion, comes across as an anti-hero in the beginning. Why is that?
SHJ: This posed problems for me at first, because he really is dislikeable, isn’t he? However, quite early on in the story, the reader begins to see that this is only on the surface. I wanted to get away from ‘perfect’ hero anyway, because life just isn’t like that. Everybody has flaws. Once that’s accepted, it becomes more interesting to see how Orion redeems himself.
PP: Your story puts some focus on a child abduction, with the child being placed in a dangerous situation. Was there a particular source or impetus for including this issue in your story? And, were you concerned that this subject might bother some readers?
SHJ: This posed another dilemma for me. Again, though, I wanted to show reality, especially in a story with a paranormal thread. It would have been easy to keep the horror of child abduction out of the story and focus solely on the love interest between the three characters. However, Elizabeth is from Earth, a place where child abductions happen frequently. This part of the storyline, therefore, apart from being the vehicle that puts Elizabeth in proximity with Orion, also gives a real perspective to the story.
PP: One of your support characters has learning difficulties. Why did you choose to include him in the story?
SHJ: When I was in the social work profession, I occasionally came across people like Ricky – adults who were essentially children in their minds and needed guidance. As with a child, I wanted to show his innocence and, importantly, illustrate how his lack of guile brought about his being involved with Kim Barton’s kidnapping scheme. Like most children, Ricky has an innate sense of right and wrong. This surfaces in him from time to time, which I believe makes him an important background character.
PP: Parallel Triangle has a science-fiction/paranormal theme. Do you read these genres?
SHJ: To the amusement of my family and friends, I’ve never shown much interest in those genres. It bothered me at first that people might look at these categories and think the book contained weird creatures or futuristic cyber people – which it doesn’t. Essentially, Parallel Triangle is a love story, which just happens to have a smattering of science fiction and paranormal in it.
PP: Can you tell us a bit about your background and living environment, and whether that has had some impact on your writing?
SHJ: Four years ago, I managed a team of child protection social workers. This meant I was dashing about, usually meeting my own shadow coming the other way! There wasn’t much time for anything else. However, when I did get some time, I usually spent it writing. My husband and I came to live in the Bulgarian mountains because we love its peace and rugged beauty. It also meant that I could write full-time. I think my experience as a social worker has impacted my writing. Through it, I met so many people from all areas of life – some nice, some not so nice. I believe this has helped me give authenticity to my characters.
PP: What other books do you have available, and what are you working on now?
SHJ: My third novel is a futuristic romance. I’ve just finished the first draft and I expect it to be out some time next year. After that, I may change genre, because I don’t want to become my writing to become formulaic.
PP: How may readers find out more about you and your books? How may they contact you?
SHJ: They can visit my web site at http://www.sandyhyatt-james.yolasite.com/ and contact me on: sandyhyattjames@gmail.com. I would be happy to hear from them and answer and questions.
PP: Do you have any other information or comments you’d like to share?
SHJ: Just that I hope Parallel Triangle gives as much pleasure to the reader as I’ve had in writing it.
PP: Thank you, Sandy, for taking the time to provide us with this detailed look at your work.
PP: Sandy, how long have you been writing, and was there an inspirational source or defining event that got you started?
SHJ: I started writing after entering a short story competition at school and winning. From then onwards, I wanted to write all the time. I did, as well, much to the annoyance of my mathematics teacher! My most memorable inspirational source was Gone With the Wind, which I read as a teenager. The fact that hat the love interest was set in a rich backdrop of the American Civil War impressed me so much. From then on, I wanted to create romance without neglecting the wider picture, because the two complimented each other.
PP: Parallel Triangle deals with a love triangle – two women who both love the same man. How did you choose this storyline, and how popular do you think it is with the typical romance reader?
SHJ: At this moment, the trend seems to lean towards vampires or stories that contain graphic sex. The love triangle, however, has been around since writing first began. It’s a theme that never really went out of fashion, because it facilitates a unique tension that makes the reader what to keep turning the pages.
PP: Parallel Triangle features two strong heroines. Did you have trouble balancing the story – especially given that each of them is a love interest of the hero?
SHJ: No, I found it an interesting change from the ‘one man one woman’ model. Parallel Triangle has a different take on the triangle theme anyway, which usually features the man being in a relationship with someone else, until the heroine comes along and steals him, or vice-versa. In this case, Orion meets both Elizabeth and Jacosta at the same time and, due to circumstances, develops a relationship with each of them nearly simultaneously.
PP: One of your heroines, Elizabeth, is described as plain-looking, and the other heroine, Jacosta, is described as ravishingly beautiful. Is there any particular reason you wrote these characters that way?
SHJ: Yes. I wanted to illustrate that a man like Orion, who has the pick of women, wasn’t looking for beauty in them; otherwise, he wouldn’t have fallen for Elizabeth. The fact that he also falls in love with Jacosta, who is beautiful, is very much beside the point. What he sees in both women is their inner attraction.
PP: Your hero, Orion, comes across as an anti-hero in the beginning. Why is that?
SHJ: This posed problems for me at first, because he really is dislikeable, isn’t he? However, quite early on in the story, the reader begins to see that this is only on the surface. I wanted to get away from ‘perfect’ hero anyway, because life just isn’t like that. Everybody has flaws. Once that’s accepted, it becomes more interesting to see how Orion redeems himself.
PP: Your story puts some focus on a child abduction, with the child being placed in a dangerous situation. Was there a particular source or impetus for including this issue in your story? And, were you concerned that this subject might bother some readers?
SHJ: This posed another dilemma for me. Again, though, I wanted to show reality, especially in a story with a paranormal thread. It would have been easy to keep the horror of child abduction out of the story and focus solely on the love interest between the three characters. However, Elizabeth is from Earth, a place where child abductions happen frequently. This part of the storyline, therefore, apart from being the vehicle that puts Elizabeth in proximity with Orion, also gives a real perspective to the story.
PP: One of your support characters has learning difficulties. Why did you choose to include him in the story?
SHJ: When I was in the social work profession, I occasionally came across people like Ricky – adults who were essentially children in their minds and needed guidance. As with a child, I wanted to show his innocence and, importantly, illustrate how his lack of guile brought about his being involved with Kim Barton’s kidnapping scheme. Like most children, Ricky has an innate sense of right and wrong. This surfaces in him from time to time, which I believe makes him an important background character.
PP: Parallel Triangle has a science-fiction/paranormal theme. Do you read these genres?
SHJ: To the amusement of my family and friends, I’ve never shown much interest in those genres. It bothered me at first that people might look at these categories and think the book contained weird creatures or futuristic cyber people – which it doesn’t. Essentially, Parallel Triangle is a love story, which just happens to have a smattering of science fiction and paranormal in it.
PP: Can you tell us a bit about your background and living environment, and whether that has had some impact on your writing?
SHJ: Four years ago, I managed a team of child protection social workers. This meant I was dashing about, usually meeting my own shadow coming the other way! There wasn’t much time for anything else. However, when I did get some time, I usually spent it writing. My husband and I came to live in the Bulgarian mountains because we love its peace and rugged beauty. It also meant that I could write full-time. I think my experience as a social worker has impacted my writing. Through it, I met so many people from all areas of life – some nice, some not so nice. I believe this has helped me give authenticity to my characters.
PP: What other books do you have available, and what are you working on now?
SHJ: My third novel is a futuristic romance. I’ve just finished the first draft and I expect it to be out some time next year. After that, I may change genre, because I don’t want to become my writing to become formulaic.
PP: How may readers find out more about you and your books? How may they contact you?
SHJ: They can visit my web site at http://www.sandyhyatt-james.yolasite.com/ and contact me on: sandyhyattjames@gmail.com. I would be happy to hear from them and answer and questions.
PP: Do you have any other information or comments you’d like to share?
SHJ: Just that I hope Parallel Triangle gives as much pleasure to the reader as I’ve had in writing it.
PP: Thank you, Sandy, for taking the time to provide us with this detailed look at your work.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Book 4 of America's Galactic Foreign Legion available
DEMILITARIZED ZONE, Book 4 of Walter Knight's sci-fi military humorous series AMERICA'S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION is now available on Kindle at Amazon...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/BUY
and in multiple ebook formats at Smashwords.com...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/BUY
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/BUY
and in multiple ebook formats at Smashwords.com...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/BUY
Friday, September 17, 2010
Part 2 Author Interview with Blood & Sunlight's Jamie Wasserman
Valencia Wood of Ellicott City Patch Blog continues her interview with Jamie Wasserman, author of Blood and Sunlight, the vampire romance thriller...
Patch: When we last spoke, you were talking about your writing journey and background. Please continue with that conversation.
Jamie: I take a little heart in that I'm told Stephen King writes in much the same manner. There is a bittersweet story he relates in his memoirs about a dying woman who wanted to know how the Dark Tower series would end. Sadly, she wouldn't be around to read it. King told her that he didn't know himself, that the story was creating itself as it went along.
To see the entire interview, visit http://ellicottcity.patch.com/articles/part-2-the-art-of-writing
Patch: When we last spoke, you were talking about your writing journey and background. Please continue with that conversation.
Jamie: I take a little heart in that I'm told Stephen King writes in much the same manner. There is a bittersweet story he relates in his memoirs about a dying woman who wanted to know how the Dark Tower series would end. Sadly, she wouldn't be around to read it. King told her that he didn't know himself, that the story was creating itself as it went along.
To see the entire interview, visit http://ellicottcity.patch.com/articles/part-2-the-art-of-writing
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Author Interview with Jamie Wasserman, Blood and Sunlight
Valencia Wood, columnist at the Ellicott City Patch blog has posted a great interview with Blood and Sunlight author Jamie Wasserman. She writes, "In this twisted tale by first-time novelist Jamie Wasserman, Ellicott City is the hometown of Melanie, a waitress and college drop out; [ ] the local sheriff; and Lucas, Melanie's [would-be] boyfriend. With plenty of small-town gossip and drama, Wasserman pushes the theme of vampires, fantasy and fairytales made popular by Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series into a harsher reality."
To see the whole interview, click here!
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