Full Moon of Werewolves Schedule
About today’s guest: Michele Hauf
Michele has been writing romance, action-adventure and fantasy stories for over fifteen years, but as you will see below she wasn’t born with her current love of werewolves. She is, however, willing to share it with you. One lucky commenter will win a copy of THE DEVIL TO PAY and a chocolate. Just leave a comment on this post to be entered. Winner will be announced at end of Full Moon promotion. Last day to enter Saturday, April 25th at midnight central U.S. time.
I never used to like werewolves. Heck, I fear dogs, so you can imagine werewolves give me the heebie-jeebies. I admit I haven’t read any werewolf stories. My fears are based entirely on what I’ve gleaned from the silver screen.
My fear of shapeshifting wolves started with the movie An American Werewolf in London. It came out in 1981. I was…15 at the time. My mind was young, unblemished by silver screen horror; I’d never seen blood and guts—ever. You may look back on that movie now and laugh (CGI has advanced movie effects SO greatly) but let me tell you, that movie scarred me. I can still vividly recall the werewolf ripping out some woman’s throat and leaving her mangled on the grass. Hey, I creep out easily. Don’t even mention Silence of The Lambs to me unless you want to see me faint.
So my first brush with the wolf was not a good one. Follow that up with the goofy Teen Werewolf movies starring Michael J Fox, which just had me shaking my head, and I’ve avoided lycanthropes until very recently.
Although, there was an interesting sleeper that came out in 1992, Mad At The Moon, starring Mary Sue Masterson. It was a romance with a western setting. The movie was very cautious with the whole werewolf theme, utilizing the romance amazingly well. I was actually riveted. Hmm…I thought, maybe the hairy guys are not so bad after all?
I didn’t think much about werewolves until I stumbled onto the Canadian television cult-hit teen show, Big Wolf On Campus.
(I know, really dorky wolf costume, right? I think that was the point of the show though, to laugh at itself.) Dorky and goofy and utterly weird, this show featured a college boy who was also a werewolf trying to simply fit in. But it was his goth friend with crazy knowledge of every paranormal creature that ever existed, Merton Dingle, who stole the show, so I can’t claim I watched it because of the wolf.
Then came the movie Underworld. I went for the vampires; I fell in love with the werewolves. Blame it on Michael Sheen’s amazing portrayal of Lucien, the werewolf we all thought was the villain until we got a glimpse of his heart-wrenching past. The man just does werewolf so well, doesn’t he? 
Uber sexy, if you ask me. It was around that time I’d begun working on my Bewitch the Dark series that featured vampires and witches. I tossed a werewolf in there for a few pages, just to show that they also inhabited my ‘world’. Okay, so I’d gotten over my creep-out for werewolves thanks to Lucien, but I still didn’t want to write a full story about the hairy critters. Back hair, eww.
I also have to mention the excellent Blood & Chocolate (movie version) which further lured me into some kind of wolf-love for the hairy dudes. Okay, all right, already! So werewolves are lovable, too. And heck, they don’t have that nasty habit of sucking on your neck like vampires. In fact, I think they can be very playful and fiercely protective of their mates.
So I succumbed. I wrote a novella about a werewolf, “Racing The Moon”, which is currently feature in the MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS anthology from Silhouette. 
I wanted to explore what happens with werewolves and the full moon thing. Do they freak out? Start killing? Stalk cattle? Howl at the moon? Or maybe they get amorous? I have to say, I loved my wolf, Dean Maverick, in that short story so much, I then had to write a full-length novel for one of the hairy blokes. MOON KISSED comes out this September, and features Severo (who was the cameo-appearance wolf in KISS ME DEADLY). And then I wrote another; HER VAMPIRE HUSBAND features a female werewolf forced to marry a vampire, for my November release.
I’ve come a long way from An American Werewolf In London. But I still don’t want to watch that movie ever again. [shudder]
Read more about Michele’s werewolves (and vampires) at michelehauf.com
Buy Michele’s books:
Amazon
Oh I enjoy BLOOD & CHOCOLATE the movie…I am not into blood and gore with movies, but I found this movie not gross and really interesting. I read THE DEVIL TO PAY, the person who wins that will receive a terrific read! :D
I have to say Blood & Chocolate was my fav wolf film. It really humanized the characters instead of just making them monsters. And I agree whole heartedly that Lucian really stole the film in Underworld.
Hello Michele,
I’m with you on Underworld. It has to be one of my favorite movies. I can watch it over and over again. Would love to read your book, “The Devil to Pay”. Good luck on all the new releases coming out. Have a great day.
I have always enjoyed werewolves and vampires. One of my fave writers of wolves is Rhyannon Byrd’s trilogy.
oooh ooooh I love and own Michele’s luna fantasy books and I’m so happy to learn about more form this author. I loved underworld that is the only movie I have seen from those talked about above. I must pick up a copy of MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS and her other books.
warewolfs are sexy.
Hi, Michele, looking forward to Moon Kissed after reading Racing the Moon. Like that cover for Midnight Cravings.
(No need for this contest, already enjoyed Devil to Pay).
Looking forward to your read with this genre being my favorite I’m always looking for new authors to read!
Hmm, now I’m intrigued by Mad at the Moon – I’ve never heard of it before!
Seems many are in agreement that Underworld and Blood and Chocolate were great werewolf flicks. Any other great werewolf movies (not too bloody) you all can recommend to me?
And a note: I’ve tried to find Mad At THe Moon, but it seems it was only ever on VHS. Haven’t seen it in DVD form anywhere. Sigh…
Michele, love your books and look forward to seeing more of the werewolves in them.
As for Blood & Chocolate, I haven’t seen the movie. We rented it last weekend and my daughter watched it. She had just finished the book–devoured it in about two days–and said the movie was awful, didn’t follow the storyline at all, so I opted to skip the movie and put the book in my TBR pile instead.
trish
Ok, first I’d like to say that Midnight Cravings, Moon Kissed, & Her Vampire Husband have all been added to my “to buy” list.
Next I have to say that I understand deep fears from movies. My dad let me watch Jaws when I was 4 and even a pool freaks me out (I swear the filter is an invisible shark just waiting to get me). I have yet to best that fear. Another summer of “No kids we can’t go swimming, but the sprinkler is just as fun”.
I loved Underworld & Underworld 2; however, I must be watching Blood and Chocolate wrong because I hated it. Not just because the Alpha was a… well bad name either. I did also enjoy Van Helsing.
LOL Michele…it amazes me that you write about the darkness, yet not particularly like it…
By the way…love Lucien in Underworld….
Nini :)
I loved the movie Blood and Chocolate excellent werewolve movie. I totally agree with you about Lucian he’s my favorite. Loved the movies especially Rise of the Lycans.
i loved underworld and can’t wait for the next one in that series. I’ve added your books to my wish list. They sound great.
I write dark stories, but they aren’t ‘dark’ to me. I don’t like the blood and guts horror stuff that is senseless, like serial killers and Freddy and Jason. I do love well-done horror characters with the romantic edge to them. Does that make sense?
Great post!
BIG WOLF ON CAMPUS ROCKED, I can’t believe that I forgot that show existed XD Back in the day it was almost an obsession for me
now I miss itI admit to not being much for werewolves either until recently with the influx of urban fantasy titles and less scary werewolves. Well less make me want to hide and pray for silver werewolves at least.
wow this book sounds great. You are a new author to me and I would love to read your books, I am definetly going to check out more of your work.
the howling, the first movie, though it scare the daylights out of me, and the 2 was so so, then they went way downhill
silver bullet ,though gary busey is a nutcase he was very good in that
underworld, 1 and 2, havnt seen the 3rd
blood and chocalate, (my daughter made me read her book and i fell in love with the characters
so of course watched the movie
my favorite were wolf there is lucian i was soo cheering for him in underworld!
Totally agree with you on Underworld. I love those movies.
I love the Underworld movies, I have yet to see the newest one but it is definitely on my To-Do- List.
I loved Blood & Chocolate the book and I haven’t seen the entire movie yet because I made the mistake of watching it with my family. They didn’t let me finish it because they dont’ like paranormal stuff. *shakes head*
Your book sounds great!
I really wasn’t that big into werewolves until I saw the Underworld movies. Those movies are all fantastic and have definitely showed me that there are plenty of things to love about werewolves – which has led me to enjoy reading about them. :D
Weres are just plain SEXY!
Thanks for the new books added to my TBR list..lol!! I have seen All Underworld movies and Blood and Chocolate and LOVE them!! I am all over anything paranormal!!
love the underworld and blood and chocalte!
Me and wolves hit it off right from the start. As a kid I watched the Discovery channel and then as I got older I moved up to the actual werewolf movies. I will admit that An American Werewolf in London did give me the creeps the first time I saw it. But all along I knew that werewolves were more then just kill or be killed. It’s awesome how today we even put some werewolves as the good guys. Underworld, Blood and Chocolate or even An American Werewolf in Paris show they are more then just serial killers under all that fur.
Hi Michele. When I began reading the paranormal genre, I was in it for the vampires. But especially after Underworld (Yum), werewolves sorta grew on me and I vehemently started reading any novels with werewolves on them. Good luck on the future realeases.
I loved Underworld, Blood and Chocolate and Skin Walkers. Something about those three movies.
I have read one book by Hauf and that was a long while ago and about a vampire. Don’t konw what happened to the book but I remember much of the plot
The Underworld movies are amazing! One of the few (as in less than 10, I know) movies I own. I’m really want to see Rise of the Lycans, but I have to wait for the DVD. I’m just not quite the fortunate to see it in theater. :( Well, then there’s always the dollar theater…. *starts plotting*
Just must say, love all of your books that I’ve read, Michele! I’m working on getting my hands on more. *grins*
Underworld is a great series, I just watched the new one and it was amazing!
Underworld is teh awesomenez! I haven’t seen Rise of the Lycans yet, but I most certainly want to!
I’ve also wanted to read/watch Blood & Chocolate, although a friend warns me the book and the movie are completely different, and my response was “When has it ever been the same?” *grins*
I love the Underword movies. I love books that have werewolves.
I never watched An American Werewolf, thank God! I don’t go for horror, but my kids talked me into Underworld 1 & 2, but missed #3. I’ve seen my share of werewolf show and I’ve got Blood Chocolate and a few more coming in rented DVD’s, but nothing beats reading about a werewolf romance !
Ah, good old Michele Hauf, well not old in “old”, you know what I mean! I am following her books since years and she always gives her stories a good twist so you keep on reading untill you know the end! Many sleepless nights reading! LOL
I have always enjoyed werewolf movies. Even the creepy ones. But I have to agree that Underworld is the one that really won my heart.
another one to add to the wishlist!