Who's Your Mama?

By Pat Cunningham

Since I’m posting this on Mother’s Day it’s only appropriate to talk about those who gave birth to (or in some cases whelped or foaled) our shifter characters. In a romance the emphasis naturally falls on the gal and the guy with other characters, especially the parents, getting short shrift. Still, shifters have to have mothers, right? One day a year we ought to get to see them.
I’ve only written about two shifter moms so far. She-wolf Bernadette Chase has her picture next to “uberbitch” in the dictionary. Her sister Letty Meadows is much nicer and epitomizes a mom, as her five well-adjusted pups (including one Philadelphia cop) can attest. I’ll have to come up with a story that includes a coyote mom. They’d definitely need to stay on their toes to keep ahead of their kids, and vice versa.
How about you folks? Any jaguar matriarchs out there, whose strength and devotion to her clan were passed on to your heroes and heroines? Where are the mares who taught future stallions how to outwit the enemies they couldn’t outrun? Canines are notoriously family-oriented. Do mothers get to stay with the pack when their alpha offspring take over? What is the shifter retirement plan, anyway?
Let’s all thank our moms for their patience and understanding. They had to live with a writer. If you’re a mom, I salute you. This is your day. Enjoy!

Writing For The Market...

I just returned from RT last week and as usual many were wondering about the market trends. What's new, what should they be writing? Urban Fantasy is hot, especially with kick ass heroines. Young Adult is extremely hot right now as is mixing the genres--action and adventure with paranormal, suspense with romance, anything with romance...

Romance writers have always done this. You only have to look at what's been out there for the past thirty or so years. I have always loved action and adventure and for me it seemed natural to mix it with my erotic paranormal romance, ASSASSIN'S KISS. It was a good fit but I didn't consciously decide to hook up with the current trend. I have to admit that I wasn't paying attention to trends at the time. I was writing the story I'd always wanted to write.

It just happened to be on target. Trust me, I didn't plan it that way and that brings me to a very interesting question that gets asked frequently on the loops. Do you write to market trends or follow your heart and write the stories you love?

Hugs,
Paris
Adventurous erotic romance
http://parisbrandon.com
Head Over Heels-Ellora’s Cave
5 Hearts The Romance Studio
5 Angels-Fallen Angel Reviews
http://www.theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/headheelsbrandon.htm
Assassin’s Kiss-Ellora’s Cave
5 Stars Just Erotic Romance Reviews
5 Blue Ribbons Romance Junkies
4 Stars Romantic Times
IOU-A Carnal Reunions Tale-Resplendence Publishing
5 Cups from Coffee Time Romance & More
Ellora’s Cave Titles: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-524-paris-brandon.aspx
Resplendence Titles: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8_view_item.html?m8:item=151-201-101-449-1

Friday Fantasy

Good Friday morning, my friends. It's rainy here today, the perfect kind of day to just let your dreams run wild... So in that spirit, I have a question for you.

If you could live your wildest, most unrealistic fantasy, what would it be?

Would you fly off into space helping those who couldn't help themselves? Would you live on a island filled with sexy men or women there only to make your life pleasant? Or maybe you would find your favorite TV show or Movie and become a part of the show?

For me, it would be to actually be able to insert myself as a part in my most favorite stories. I could be Mary in J.R. Wards, Lover Eternal with a sexy vamp and his hidden dragon to love an protect me...mmm, just think of it, I wonder if I'd ever come back? ;)

I could Raise The Titanic as Dirk Pitt, I could band together with my childhood friends and take down a freaky, evil spider. I could try to find my own way when confronted with the realities of life as a greaser or as a socs.

The possibilities are endless in the stories I could live in more than just my mind. ;)

Psst...Here's a second silly question, just for the fun of it.  If you could open a book and physically jump right in, which would be your number one pick?

Redhead Shapeshifters

“Redheads have a fiery temperament. I love that sense of danger, not knowing whether the woman is going to smash a vase in a fit of wild anger or tear my clothes off in a fit of animal lust. That fire and passion will hold my interest over the long haul, no question.”

From ~ http://billwatters.com ~

Yes, I am a redhead and I love redheads. Since I’m a sun-sign Aries that should probably be no big surprise.

Actually, I’m in love with all colors, or I’m a confessed color-aholic, but that’s a blog for another time.

There’s always been this extra zing of excitement over the color red, though, as in tresses, and the coat color of animals... every shade and hue! Wahoo! I adore looking at them all, admiring their gorgeous redness.

Just a few hours ago, as I write this post, I saw one of our male cardinals, a deep bright red, swoop and alight next to a purple verbena. May I assume synchronicity since I’d been researching ‘long red hair’ pics and found this amazing site ~ http://redheads.web-log.nl/redheads/english/index.html ~ a true wealth of information and, also, a fabulous inspiration for all of us redheads, or as we’re called by some, gingers. Personally, I grew up with Red and Carrot Top. Since my own shade is not what was considered to be carrot top, I got called ‘red’ at times.

Okay, I spent way too much time doing ‘redhead’ research. Still, it was there for the taking and will find its way into my future stories.

Referring back to the opening quote, it strikes me as perfect for a shapeshifter heroine. Of course, my heroines, Sun Rocket and Sable, are redheads. Sun Rocket has a flame-red human mane of hair and her fur is the same shade. Sable has dark auburn waves of hair that cascade past her derriere.

Yes, I can’t leave my heroes out. Nope, they don’t escape my passion for red. Prince Zio has a dark mahogany mane of hair and as a stallion he is a deep chestnut color. While Trail has dark almost black hair with traces of red, and as his stallion self he is on the edge of black with that burnt shading that’s seen especially in the bright sunlight.

Now, Duke, my black wolf shifter, in my current WIP ~ THE BLACK WOLF’S PROPHETESS ~ yes, I had to sneak a bit of paprika red in his coloring. Even my hellhound twins, Zol and Zin, besides having red glowing demonic eyes the size of car headlights ~ as humans they retain some hellfire hues in their hair.

So, what color(s) are your shapeshifters? And why? Any redheads? What about your favorite shapeshifters?

~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING SPRING

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls ~ In Print
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis ~ In Print
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes ~ In Print
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~ In Print
Branded by the Texans ~ Coming in August 2010 from Siren-BookStrand
~~~~~~

Do You Like To Win Free Books?

Well who doesn't?


For the second time I'm participating in the Get Hooked On A Series contest organized by Moira Rogers. Moira's one of my new BFFs. It's almost like she times this contest just for me when the first book in my new series comes out. Thanks Moira!

This is a great contest to enter, because one entry makes you eligible for thirty books! The odds of winning are great, and if you love series, this is a great place to learn about new ones. My book, Claiming Lady Marianne, is one of the first books in my Ladies in Peril series.

Here are the rules:

• All books are being offered as digital copies. If you don't read ebooks, please don't enter--no author will be expected to provide a print copy.
• The option to opt-in to receive updates from authors is just that: an option. It has no effect on your chances of winning. You will not be spammed! Having said that, please do not opt in if you do not want e-mail.
• Winners will be chosen on May 15th, 2010, by random drawing. Each book will have one winner picked at random from everyone who indicated an interest in winning that particular title.
• To enter, fill out the form and check the box next to every book you're interested in. You only have to fill out the form once to enter to win multiple books, just check as many boxes as you like. In fact, if you fill out the form more than once (whether by mistake, or by using 7 different email addresses) I'll discard all but your first entry.
• If you have questions or problems, contact bree AT moirarogers DOT com

Get Hooked On A Series

Plugging Away: The Follow-Up

By Pat Cunningham
Last week I wrote about efforts to market my book, A London Werewolf in America, by posting ads on grocery store bulletin boards. So how did it work out?
Um … ever seen that footage of the Hindenburg?
I posted the ads on a Saturday. I had full cooperation from the store managers. Once up, though, they didn’t stay there. At one store I went back the next day and somebody had covered up my ad with another, even though there was room on the board for both. I separated the ads and gave both prominent places. When I went back on Tuesday mine was gone altogether. I returned to another store on Thursday and my ad was gone from that board too, even though it had been date stamped and should have been left up there for a month. Since management was cool with it, I can only assume some customer complained or took them down themselves.
I should have been forewarned. Ephrata, Pennsylvania isn’t exactly the most progressive town on the map. Here in Amish Country we go beyond Bible Belt; we’re Bible Three-Piece Suit and Tie with a Top Hat. I suppose an image of a fully-clad man and woman about to kiss was too racy for some sensitive shoppers. More likely it was the word “werewolf” in the title. Did I mention one of our school districts banned Harry Potter?
I still believe it’s a sound idea, just not for this book in this area. The market I’m trying to reach doesn’t live around here. I’ll bet I’d have better luck in Harrisburg. Definitely in Philadelphia, where the story’s set. I may try again at a later date. If any of you want to give it a whirl in your areas, let me know how it turns out.
On a lighter note, drop by the Title Magic blog, www.titlemagic.blogspot.com, and see what I’ve done to the Western. I started this for a Samhain anthology before I got distracted by guy-on-guy vampires. It’s Jack and Jill by way of Louis L’Amour, with bad puns thrown in for a larf. Enjoy.