~Shara

Lycanthropy is “the change of man or woman into the form of a wolf, either through magical means…or through judgment of the gods in punishment for some great offence,” according to Sabine Baring-Gould in The Book of Werewolves. In The Complete Book of Werewolves (yes, similar titles) by Leonard R. N. Ashley he states: “The werewolf is an outcast, shunned. Medieval laws stated that for certain crimes against society the offender must ‘become a wolf.’” In other words, the law won’t protect this man and he can be hunted and killed like a wolf. Ashley says the Catholic Church acknowledged the existence of werewolves, but considered them a form of possession or a glamour that makes the person believe he is a beast.

From True Werewolves of History by Donald F. Glut: “Generally…the term ‘lycanthrope’ refers to the unfortunates who believe themselves to be transformed into beasts without an actual physical metamorphosis. ‘Werewolf’ mostly pertains to those physically changed into animals or hybrids.”

You can change into a werewolf by wearing a wolf’s skin or by performing a ritual or using a magic ointment. Or you could just be insane or have a genetic anomaly. This forum thread discusses several more ideas on how to become one (http://forum.werewolfcafe.com/viewtopic.php?id=3817).

Or it could run in your family. Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf (1985) probably influenced my thoughts on werewolves the most. I’d never seen the black and white movies or read any books about werewolves. I might’ve seen one on Scooby Doo, but it was the image of Michael sprouting fur in front of the bathroom mirror that stuck with me. In fact, when I was creating the character of Haden Blackwood in Blame It on the Moon, I gave him a similar memory from his teenage years. But Haden was given to human parents for adoption, so he had no idea whether his case was a genetic anomaly or hereditary.

Did you know there’s a Werewolves Anonymous? “’Werewolves Anonymous’ by Kevin Creed, tells about the organization now with 257 members, that was started in early 1993 for victims of OCL (Organically Caused Lycanthropy) or testosterone poisoning, patients of Dr. Mason Grumler, Baton Rouge, LA.” (Resource: http://michaelhalm.tripod.com/id173.htm) Another interesting tidbit–there was a study saying that werewolves went extinct in the 1800s and one that recorded werewolves going at 60 mph.

Almost every werewolf site or book includes a list of classic movies like The Wolf Man, The Werewolf of London, or the She-Wolf of London. Ashley’s book has awesome reviews or comments on even the most obscure film. This page (http://www.werewolfpage.com/multimedia/posters.htm) offers a compendium of werewolf movie posters—now that’s cool! Hmm, could Chewbacca be a descendent of a pack of werewolves?

Since there are entire books on historical references to the werewolf in different cultures through time, I won’t try to cover those here. My question to you is, with all the pop culture about werewolves, do you prefer the beasts to retain a somewhat human form or to turn completely into a wolf? And do you like your weres scary or sexy? In Blame It on the Night, I went with the pack turning into actual wolves and staying sexy men (or women) the rest of the time. Do you think a werewolf has to change at the full moon, or do you like them to have the ability to shape-shift at will?

~Shara

“Things I liked about the book? It was both exciting and sexy. A lot of erotic romances like this have a little bit of action tossed in around the sex. Not this book! There’s action, from fights to murders to the mystery and all the odd places Guy and Olivia end up at. There’s always something going on, and I loved that. The mystery elements of it were so good. Usually I can figure out who did it a third of the way through the book, but this time I maybe figured it out a page ahead of when the lovely author clued the reader in. It was frustrating and fantastic! This is of course a situation where frustrating your reader is a good thing. Wanting to know who the murderer was and what would happen next kept me really involved.

“This is a follow up to a previous book. I read this one without having read it, so I can say that the book stands on it’s own and reading Blame it on the Moon isn’t necessary. That said, I really liked the characters that were brought over from that book. The continuation of Kitty and Haden’s story was touching and sweet. I highly doubt that their book was a ‘sweet’ book, but you see this couple together and continuing their lives together. I really liked them…

“If graphic violence and lots of sex don’t bother you, this is a book for you that you’ll enjoy and probably reread because the plot is so great and the mystery is that compelling.”

Instead of creating resolutions, I’m adding to and reordering my To-Do List.

I think we all feel guilty about our weight and health after a month of sugar and chocolate binges, a gallon of eggnog, and several nights of creative drinking. Still too many candy canes left, even after the tree comes down.  Naturally we have the urge to join gyms and re-double our dieting efforts, but I find myself discouraged before I even begin, because how many times in the past have I done the same thing only to fail? They say set the big, concrete goal and break it into smaller steps, but I’m wondering if the big concrete goal is my hang-up. Like, why bother completing the smaller steps when I’ll never reach that big goal (judging from past experience)?

Whereas, adding daily exercise and a daily smoothie to the To-Do List doesn’t seem like much of a commitment, in fact it seems downright do-able.  I haven’t failed if it hasn’t gotten crossed off yet. It just carries over–each day a new opportunity to get it done. Might as well add “Write 1-2K” to the To-Do List as well. But then, what motivates me to take that opportunity today, when I’ve ignored it so many times before? Perhaps that big goal, that prize, is necessary after all, but then why has that not worked in the past?

Frustrating, isn’t it? Oh yeah.

“One good solid hope is worth a cartload of certainties.” -The Fourth Doctor,  Warrior’s Gate

A fresh new year, a fresh new To-Do List, and 365 days of hope. Time to get my butt in gear!

~Shara

“This book was good, Lanel made the plot juicy and addicting.”

It goes on to say: “The pack of Guy has one simple rule never get involved with a human or suffer the consequences which was new to me. I’ve never read a book that had that type of plot in the werewolves genre. Anyways I really enjoyed reading this book, it was different from what I’ve read before and enjoyed it.”

Get your Kindle copy here! For other formats, including EPUB for Nooks, get your copy at Loose Id.

And wishing you all a HAPPY HOLIDAY!

~Shara

Today I’ve been trying to arrange holly and boxwood etc that I “borrowed” from my friend’s mom’s yard. I’ve decided I have no clue how to arrange flowers or pokey green leaves as the case may be. Here’s some pics of my attempts, one a circle on a plate, the other in a vase.

I have one more craft I plan to try for Christmas presents. Past that, I think I’d rather burn cds and search for old books. I’m not very handy with gift wrap either, but at least I’ve improved during the years.

~Shara

BONUS: Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free copy of BLAME IT ON THE MOON, the prequel.

Next up, I’ll be visiting Lynn Chantale’s blog Decadent Decisions–catch me there Fri, Dec. 9th!

~Shara

For me it’s been a discovery, since I started with the new Doctors, gobbled them up, then started hunting down the old shows. These start with The Unearthly Child and grumpy William Hartnell in 1963. What a wild ride…and very hard to explain to someone who has never seen it. Well, even if they’ve seen one episode, it still can be hard to explain. This article has a basic run-down.

But as we’re gearing up for Thanksgiving the countdown has begun on the big annual event–the Doctor Who Christmas Special. Used to be we had to wait until spring in the US to see what aired on Christmas Day in the UK. No longer–we get it on Christmas Day, too! Forget the shopping, the tree, the present–sit me down with a cup of eggnog and the Doctor Who Christmas Special!

Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll!

Shara

Now what?

Sites are now so interactive that they help you post to both Twitter and Facebook. GetGlue is one of my fave check-in sites, because I’m a TV addict, so now I can say “I’m watching Castle” instantly to both my friends on Facebook and on Twitter. How annoying is that if you’re my friend on both? Someone asked me what GetGlue is. A place to check in to say what I’m watching on TV. More than that, a place to get stickers for telling people that I’m watching such and such on TV. Love me some stickers!

But then, what to do with the stickers? I’ve been adding them to my snail mail, like birthday cards. But how many snail mail birthday cards do I send anymore?

Occasionally all this brings me to a moment of self-realization. I get on the computer to tell everyone what I’m doing, but everything I’m doing is on the computer…so what I’m actually doing is sitting here…staring at the computer. Thank God, for finger exercise (ie typing) or I’d exert no energy at all!

~Shara