 Werecreatures or shapeshifters are humans with the ability to turn into a type of animal. The most common is the werewolf, but they can be any animal including - cougars, bears, panthers, coyotes and more.
Often they have other abilities too like superior strength and healing abilities. They may have heightened senses like their animal such as a powerful sense of smell. They are not immortal however and can be killed with extreme force or catastrophic injuries. Tales of werecreatures have been told for centuries and one of the earliest books to feature a werewolf was The Man Wolf by Leitch Richie in 1831. Werewolf and other werecreature stories continue to be popular with recent shows such as Teen Wolf, The Vampire Diaries and Wolf Like Me. Who is your favorite Werecreature?
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 1) Tell us about your Alpha book. When she was young, Jacqueline’s parents died when a rival wolf pack decided they wanted to rule their pack’s land. The rivals left the destruction to go pack before starting to move in. An Omega male from a different neighboring pack happened upon the battle grounds and heard Jackie’s cries. The Omega sensed she was an Alpha and could eventually take over his pack, if allowed. He went to his Alpha and they got a locket spelled by a witch to hide Jackie’s wolf. It would restrain her powers so that she could be raised an Omega and pose no threat. Omega’s are known for being caretakers and Jackie was raised no differently. As an orphan, she felt herself wanting to help all the other wolf orphans in the area. She turned her home into a foster home and the orphans were nicknamed Red’s Wolves. The future pack Alpha is sent around the pack to learn about each business and citizen so that he can lead them properly. He can’t help but feel a connection with Jackie. What would happen if he learns of her secret? What will happen if SHE learns the secret? 2) What do you love about Alphas? I love their confidence, which is something that I have always lacked. I also love their leadership skills and charisma. 3) Is this a series or a standalone? It is meant to be a standalone. 4) If you could shape-shift into an animal, what would it be and why? I would love to turn into a falcon. To be able to fly anytime I wanted and to be a fierce bird of prey? For someone that was raised in a family of alcoholics and domestic violence, those abilities would have been greatly appreciated as a child. Even now I would love the freedom flight could bring at times. 5) What is next for you? Way too many projects. More short stories for anthologies including a time travel YA, and a spin on the damsel in distress trope PNR. There’s also a novelette “Queen Maribelle” (the second part to my fae YA set), a Christmas wolf shifter PNR with a secret baby trope novel, and a novel about a son of Krampus. That’s just for this year under this author name…  Author Bio:
Lore Nicole lives on a family dairy farm with her husband and three children in Wisconsin. Books were always her escape in childhood and she hopes to provide that escape for others through her writing, besides spreading awareness. She is an advocate for endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and childhood brain tumor awareness. She addresses these issues, and others, in her writing. She normally writes young adult fantasy and adult paranormal romance. Want to follow for more stories? Find her newsletter, social media, and other check out the link below:  1) Tell us about your Alpha book. My Alpha book is not a typical Alpha book, or Alpha character. Werewolf Worries is the third book in the Paige Papillon Paranormal Mysteries, which tells of secondary character Zeke Randale and his life before he came to Chicago and met Paige. 2) What do you love about Alphas? I love subverting the trope, writing Alphas like actual Alpha wolves in the wild. Kind, wise, protective, not possessive. I love those characteristics and how I am able to craft a nearly perfect person from those traits, then figure out how to make them flaws. 3) Is this a series or a standalone? Paige's books are a 5 book series, finishing this July, and Zeke's pack, Moon Lake, will be getting their own eleven book series beginning in 2023! 4) If you could shape-shift into an animal, what would it be and why? Hmm. I'd guess a cat. Laze about, sleepover 18 hours a day, eat when I want, demand pets/attention. It would be great! 5) What is next for you? I finish the Paige Papillon Paranormal Mysteries in July, and in October, I release an alternate ending version of my debut, Stake-Out, which is darker and sexier than the version readers now know. I also have a dark romance boxed set called Deviously Yours in October as well, which will feature my first bully dark romance with an Alpha (non-paranormal kind) CEO.  Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series.
Her young adult Coven Series has successfully topped Amazon's Hot New Releases list consecutively. She is also the co-owner of Partners in Crime Book Services, where she offers a myriad of services alongside her business partner Annie Smith, including editing. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, where many of her stories are set. Ever since she was a toddler, her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things "dark". At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community. When she's not writing, she's going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading comics and manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee. She also writes contemporary books for adults as Samantha Calcott.  1 - Underworld - the Underworld film series stars Kate Beckinsale who is a vampire caught in the middle of a war between vampires and werewolves.
2 - Dog Soldiers - Set in Scotland, a group of soldiers happen across a werewolf and must survive the night. 3 - Red Riding Hood - a reimaging of the original tale with Amanda Seyfried as the heroine. A wolf has been attacking her village and when her sister is killed by it, she learns some horrifying truths. 4 - Ginger Snaps - a teenage girl is bitten by a werewolf and as she starts to transform, her sister tried to help her. 5 - Cursed - being a werewolf is a curse, and Christina Ricci is up against a vicious beast as it tries to kill her and her brother.  I have him. He is right there in my crosshairs, then I blink and he’s gone. I scan the area with my night vision scope. He has disappeared, along with the other one. “Fucking werewolves,” I mutter. I sling my recurve bow over my shoulder, check my quiver and climb down from the tree I have been sitting in for the past hour. My butt has gone numb and I’m going to be picking burrs out of my hair for weeks. It is a cold night in October. A thin mist has rolled in, obscuring my vision. I guess it makes this more of a challenge. Zipping up my leather jacket to my chin, I load my bow. My fingers are frozen and I fumble the arrow. Swearing under my breath, I finally get it loaded. There is no way I’m letting these two get away. Eden is hunter territory, has been for over thirty years since my grandfather drove the last pack out and they have no right to be here. There are clear boundaries and they know the penalty for crossing them. And if they’ve forgotten, I will gladly remind them. My booted feet make no sound as I move across the forest floor. There is hardly any light since it is a new moon tonight, hence their partially transformed shape. Wolves can shift at will, but only at night. On the night of the new moon, it is impossible for them to shift all the way. It doesn’t make them any less dangerous or ugly for that matter. They keep the claws and teeth along with their human skins. Probably why they are being so ballsy. As werewolves their instincts and sense of smell would tell them this was a no go area. Half transformed as they are, means they still maintain their ability to think. What there is of it. I don’t like them being on my turf, especially since they know who my father is, his reputation. Word must have spread about his injuries and since he has been out of action for the past seven months, they have decided to test the boundaries. A branch snaps twenty feet ahead. All thought ceases as I wait. I hold my breath, arms tense, ready to release the arrow. My hands are perfectly still. Hunting requires patience. It is the only part of my life where I have any and with good reason. Move too late, you’re dead. Move too soon, you give away your position and it ends the same. One of them creeps forward, sniffing the air. My scent is all over this forest, so it won’t help him. Hunting 101, it is almost impossible to disguise your scent from a werewolf, but if it’s everywhere, then they have difficulty picking up a distinct trail. I wait until he is fully in my line of sight, then I release the arrow. It penetrates his right shoulder and he cries out, the sound is more of a roar than a scream. I expect it to drive off the other one, but instead he comes to the first one’s aid. He hurtles from the trees, heading straight for me. No time to reload, I drop the bow and when he hits me, I use his own momentum to throw him. We flip over and I land on top of him. I drive a knee into his solar plexus and swing the knife I keep on my belt, towards his throat. He swipes the knife away and shoves me hard. I fall back onto the ground. Rolling away, I get to my feet, already squaring off against him. In this light, I can only make out his outline, but I can tell from his stance that he wants a fight. Good, I do too. Now the adrenaline is flowing, the wolf takes over and when that happens, he loses any fighting finesse he had. He swings wildly at me. I dodge each blow knowing that if one of them connects it could cause major damage. I spin out of his reach, but his claws catch me in the shoulder, tearing at flesh and my new leather jacket. He swings again. I duck under his arm and slash out with the knife I keep in my sleeve. I have a lot of knives. I cut his thigh which makes him back off. The cut isn’t deep, but the knife is laced with silver dust, which will irritate the wound and prevent it from healing. His friend has managed to break the arrow shaft, but the head is still in his shoulder. A little design of my father’s. Upon contact, the head expands, trapping it in the flesh and making it extremely difficult to remove. At least in any way that doesn’t involve cutting it out. A howl sounds in the distance, drawing both their attentions. They back away. The one I was fighting hesitates. “You stay, you die. Your choice,” I say. He gives me a low growl then takes off after his friend. Cowards. I did plan on killing one and letting the other go as a warning, but I think I have made my point. Eden is still under the protection of hunters. Well, hunter. Since I’m out here alone. I asked Dad once why Weres were so hell bent on coming back here. He told me that to certain packs, Eden is considered their ancestral home. They had lived here for centuries before we arrived. One thing is for sure, the death rate certainly went down after we took over. I retrieve my weapons and head for home, trying to ignore my throbbing shoulder. Contrary to what the movies tell us, a scratch or a bite from a werewolf won’t turn you into one. Werewolves are born, not made. One of Mother Nature’s little quirks. I like to think she has a wicked sense of humor. A short while later, Eden Manor comes into view. It is a ten bedroom mini mansion on the edge of the forest. With room underneath for a state of the art lab, that dad had commissioned complete with a containment area for Weres. We have lived in many houses over the years and all of them have been big. The house itself is one of the original buildings built by the town founder. To me it’s just another old, musty building in a long line, but Dad likes his luxuries. He can afford it. The government has paid Dad a lot of money over the years to eliminate Weres. While the government would never admit it publicly, werewolves are a big problem across the globe. Most attacks are covered up as bear attacks or other wild animals. Since most packs stick to dense forests and other deserted areas, it is easy to write them off. Not many people automatically think Werewolf when there is an attack. Dad has traveled all over the world. Now with his injuries, he is only doing consulting work. We have been in Eden for nearly nine months. One of our longest stays anywhere. Since Dad is ‘convalescing’, he says I can finish my senior year here. As I approach the house, I can see lights on downstairs. Great, someone is still up. I stash my bow in the tool shed and hide my knives in my jacket before heading inside. The family is in the living room gathered around the fireplace. It’s usually only Dad and my stepmother Anne, but tonight we have visitors. My uncle Victor and his three children Kristinna, Charlotte and Owen. Three of the most spoilt morons on the planet. The two girls are older than I am and Owen is sixteen. The girls are tall with dark hair like their father. My hair is dark too, but I have a lighter complexion than they do, from my mother. Owen is blonde like his mother, some supermodel from Finland I heard. I have never seen Uncle Victor in a long term relationship with anyone. Other than his bookie. All eyes are on me as I enter the house. I try to act casual, hoping they don’t notice my wound. I say hello to everyone. “Ah, here she is,” Dad announces, “Did you have a good night?” I nod, “Yeah, just hanging out with the girls.” Anne sweeps across the room, the ice queen, tall and regal with ash blonde hair. She steps up to me and tugs a leaf from my hair. “Your daughter has been hunting,” she says. She never misses an opportunity to show me up. Crossing the room, she perches on the arm of the chair my father is sitting in. She gives me a malicious grin. “No, it’s not what you think. I was out with a guy.” Most fathers would lose it hearing that their seventeen-year-old daughter was fooling around with some guy, but for Dad, finding out I was hunting was much worse. I wait for him to start yelling, but instead he smiles benignly. “A wasted trip I imagine, considering there are no more Weres in Eden.” I try looking embarrassed, like he’s right, “Sorry, Dad,” I mutter. “It’s late.” His tone is firm. Apparently, my cousins don’t have a curfew. He shifts in his chair and I see him wince. His clothes hide most of his wounds, but not all of them healed well. He was ambushed during a raid and a group of Weres separated him from the rest of the team. He took out three of them, but was cut up pretty bad. The rest of the team just got him out in time. I think it shook him more than he likes to admit. I say goodnight and head for the stairs, glad for the pass. “Cheyenne?” Or not? I turn back to him. “Yeah, dad?” “Good news. Your brother is coming home.” “He is? When?” “Any day now.” I can’t wait to see Jared. It’s been five months since he was last home. He’s five years older than me and Dad’s second in command. He’s one of the most skilled hunters in the world and he taught me everything he knows, against Dad’s wishes. Despite all the moving around, Dad has always pushed me to live a normal life. My mother died when I was eleven, killed in a carjacking. She knew what my father was, but tried to shield me from the life. Since her death Dad has tried to do the same. After his ‘accident’, he’s even more adamant. The only reason he didn’t yell at me just now, is because he is trying to save face in front of the family. I don’t even know why they are here, although it probably has something to do with Uncle Victor needing money. Once every couple of months he shows up, looking for a handout. He tries to pass it off as a family get-together, but I know otherwise. I think Dad does too, but he still gives him the money. His problem, not mine. I hope they aren’t staying long. I head to my bedroom in the East wing. Yes, the house has wings. Pretentious I know. After a quick shower, I bandage my shoulder. The wound isn’t deep, so I doubt I need stitches, but it hurts like hell. I pull on a nightshirt, wincing as I raise my arm. Maybe I should get it looked at in the morning. I pack my weapons away into a case that I keep hidden under the bed. As I lift it off the dresser, I knock my mom’s picture off onto the ground. I pick it up to discover I have broken the butterfly shaped frame. “Sorry, mom,” I say. The picture is of her and me on my first day of kindergarten. I lift the pieces wondering if I can glue it back together. We lived here in town before and I started kindergarten in Eden Elementary school. We didn’t stay long though and I have very few memories of that time. I do remember that I was obsessed with butterflies back then, so mom bought me the frame. I set it back on the dresser and get into bed. I can fix it tomorrow. As I drift off, I hear another howl. Despite what dad thinks, the Weres are still out there. And closer than he thinks.  We will take a look at some of the best werewolf books to buy - other than those from our participating authors of course.
1 - Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - Bitten is the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series which features the only female werewolf in the world. Elena never asked to be bitten, but she is pulled into the supernatural world and must learn to navigate it. A great urban fantasy series. 2 - Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King - a young disabled boy takes on a werewolf that has been terrorizing his small town. Later adapted into the movie Silver Bullet, the story is one of King's lesser-known works but still a very enjoyable read. 3 - Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - While the main character is in fact a werecoyote, werewolves are featured in this much loved series. The series began in 2006 and features Mercy Thompson who is out on her own after leaving her pack. But trouble is never far away. 4 - Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - A young woman knows that wolves live in the woods near her house, but has no idea that they are in fact werewolves. A young adult romance series. 5 - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris - Though this series is primarily about vampires, werewolves do feature heavily as the series progresses. A seven season series was made for HBO starring Anna Paquin.  Wolf Song will be my book for the Alpha Queen boxset. It features a young woman called Aria, who left her pack to pursue her dream of being a singer. No one is very happy with her decision, but she figures if she can get far enough away, they might leave her alone.
Unfortunately, her father and brother dies and circumstances bring her back home as the new pack Alpha. She was never meant to take the position, but if her pack is to survive, they need to appear strong. My idea sprang from the gorgeous cover above, which I bought as a premade a few years ago. I loved the idea of making the main character a singer. I read up on wolves and discovered that they have the ability to project their howls, to make it appear as if there are more of them than there are. So I wondered if that would translate into their human form and decided that I would give Aria the ability to hit every note and being a wolf gives her this incredible vocal sound. When she does return home, she is completely against the idea of becoming Alpha, since she has always tried to follow her own path, but pretty soon she realizes that she is more capable than she thought. The Alpha Queen boxset came from the fact that there are not a huge number of books that feature Alpha women, so I decided to showcase the talent of the amazing authors taking part and we put together the set. I am very excited about it and I believe it will do well. If you would like to preorder a copy, you can do so below.  So what is an Alpha?
If you are a fan of the TV show Teen Wolf, you might know that an Alpha is the leader of the pack. They are the strongest, fastest and the other wolves, or werecreatures, must answer to them. If they don't, they could be punished, killed, or exiled from the pack. Of course Scott had to prove himself and he would never kill a fellow pack member, but it depends on the pack in question. We will be taking a look into the worlds created by our authors to see who their alphas are and what makes them superior to the other wolves. We will also be showcasing our new set Alpha Queen later in the month. The set will feature female Alphas and is set for release on September 1st, 2022.  This month we will be focusing on Alphas. This will include a look at werewolves and other werecreatures. We have several authors lined up, eager to share their stories and interviews with you. So sit back and enjoy and why not let us know who your favorite werewolf is?
 There is a disturbing new trend on TikTok, where users are encouraging readers to buy books from Amazon, read them, then return them for a full refund. The point behind this seems to be to impact Amazon but very little impacts Amazon. They are after all worth billions. This trend does, however, have a major impact on indie authors. When you buy a book from Amazon, depending on the price, Amazon will take 30-65% for themselves and charge a delivery fee for the book. When it is returned, the money is taken back off the author, but the delivery fee remains. This means indie authors are being charged for their books to be downloaded and lose out on royalties. This needs to stop!
As an indie author, I currently don't make enough to pay all my bills, though I am working toward that particular goal, but I know many authors who rely on their income to feed their families and pay the rent. It may not seem like much to these readers, a few dollars, but it can make all the difference to the author. Returning an item after you have used it or consumed the content is STEALING. Amazon will always come out on top, that is an unfortunate fact. Most indie authors are not happy with their policies in general, but they are the top provider of ebooks and most indie authors make the bulk of their income through them. It is in fact an issue with Amazon's return policy that is causing this problem in the first place. When it comes to ebooks, Amazon's policy is that they can be returned for a full refund within 14 days. This gives readers plenty of time to read an entire book and simply get their money back. I have seen many authors threatening to quit writing for good over this because if they cannot guarantee an income, what is the point in continuing? For readers, this means that you will be missing out on more books or the conclusion of a series. If you don't want to pay for the books you want to read, there are alternatives. Visit your local library. Check out the books that are being offered for free in deals or as permafrees on book sites. Or if you want to save some money, purchase Kindle Unlimited. It is $9.99/£7.99 per month and you can borrow and return books to your heart's content while the author still gets paid. Please help stop this trend. And to all the readers out there who would never dream of doing this, who are helping to support our career - thank you! If you would like to help us, please consider signing the petition to change Amazon's policies. |
 
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About the Author:S. K. Gregory is an author, editor and blogger. She currently resides in Northern Ireland. “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” 
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