Full Moon of Werewolves: Love those Werewolves by Linda O. Johnston & a Prize!

April 10, 2009 | Werewolves | 30 comments

Full Moon of Werewolves Schedule

About today’s guest: Linda O. Johnston

Linda was born a writer. She can’t remember a time she didn’t write, though her earliest scribbles, while in diapers, were not decipherable even by her.

One lucky commenter will win an autographed copy of Linda’s Silhouette Nocturne, ALPHA WOLF. 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, March 25th at midnight central U.S. time.

I love werewolves!

That’s why I write about them, of course. Not to mention other shapeshifters. But werewolves are my favorites.

Here’s why: Canines have always been dear to me. I got my first dog when I was eight years old after studying Dog World Magazine for quite a while, and have had them as pets ever since. I admit that the breed of dogs I’ve had for many years does not resemble my visualization of werewolves. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are sweet, loving, adorable lap dogs. I feature my older one, Lexie, in my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series.

Werewolves, in their shifted form, look like real wolves to me.

One great thing about being an author is that you can take an existing legend and put your own spin on it. My werewolves are sometimes different from other authors’. For one thing, I write about Alpha Force, which is a covert U. S. military unit comprised of shapeshifters. My shifters must change during a full moon, and they have also developed a special elixir that allows them to change whenever else they choose. It also enhances their humanity while shifted. They use their abilities for national security reasons, and their assignments take them to many unusual locations. They can excel in missions that regular military personnel could never accomplish.

My first Alpha Force book ALPHA WOLF, a Silhouette Nocturne, was published in January and is still available on-line. I’ve also written a shorter Nocturne Bites, CLAWS OF THE LYNX, also about Alpha Force, but the shapeshifter is–you guessed it!–a lynx. She was fun to write about, too, but Alpha Force has more werewolves than other shifters, partly because that’s who I prefer writing about. And, yes, there will be more Alpha Force stories to come.

As I mentioned, other authors’ shapeshifters are often different from mine. For example, some only change during the full moon, and/or they may be able to change simply by deciding to do so. They may have more human traits while shifted and more wolfen traits when not shifted. Their wolf forms may even look somewhat human–traveling on two legs, for example, instead of four.

My werewolves can be dark and deadly, but they maintain enough of their human side to be sympathetic. And that human side is absolutely romantic… and sexy!

I have another theory, by the way, about why I love werewolves. I live in L.A., and once owned a piece of property formerly owned by Lon Chaney Jr., the original Wolf Man of the movies. I now live right down the street from that site. Could be that he somehow spoke to me! In any event, he inspired me to write about werewolves, and the result was Alpha Force.

I’ve had fun reading the other Full Moon of Werewolves posts so far. I’m in great company! One thing I gather is that all of us who write about werewolves do so with love. Love of the paranormal genre, and most particularly love of people who have secret abilities that govern who, and what, they are. Our depiction of our shifters may be different, but we’re all wrapped up in our stories–and our lycanthropes.

Long live werewolves!

Buy Linda’s books:
Amazon

30 Comments

  1. kanarytx

    I love your posts. What surprises me is how many different concepts all of you have. I love it.Thank you for your post

  2. Jessica Kennedy

    I’ve read Alpha Wolf and did enjoy it! I wanted to post my review but it seems I never reviewed it! I’ll have to do that sometime!

  3. Zita

    Thanks for the post! By the way, Lori…how come lately the posts with prizes say we have to enter by March 25 when they’ve been posted after that? :razz:

    Zita

  4. Roberta Harwell

    Enjoyed the post and your take on werewolves and shapeshifters. Have a great day.

  5. Erin

    Alpha Force sounds wonderful! Please enter me in the contest.

  6. Ashley Madden

    I agree, great cover!

  7. Lori Ann

    Great post! I love to read about werewolves too. Alpha Wolf sounds really good.

  8. Jody F.

    I’ve really enjoyed the Nocturne books I’ve read and yours sounds like another winner. Thanks so much for chatting with us!

  9. Pamk

    wow special forces and shifters what more could a girl want love. that cover btw.

  10. Ley

    This was such a good book! (Gotta love the library :lol: ) I loved the different take on werewolves. That’s what makes this genre so much fun. Everybody does it different!

  11. Colleen

    Wonderful post! You can not go wrong with handsome military men as shifters, Yummy! :wink:

  12. flip

    Your alpha books sounds great. Actually, what I love the most about shapeshifter books is the alpha qualities.

  13. Ilona

    I have read some of your stories before but I somehow missed this one along the way. Guess that means another one for my wishlist :D

  14. Estella

    I enjoyed reading your take on werewolves!

  15. Teresa W.

    Sounds like my kind of read and the cover is great!

  16. Marie

    This book sounds great! I’ve never read a book about werewolves before :eek:

  17. Barb P

    Hi Linda! Just wanted to let you know that I’ve read Alph Force and enjoyed it tremendously! I definately look forward to reading more. Have a fantastic Friday.

  18. bridget3420

    Me likey the cover!!

  19. Jamie

    That cover is awesome!! I love it!!

  20. Pam P

    Great that you all have your different takes on the shifters, more interesting for we readers.

  21. Amy S.

    Alpha Wolf sounds great!

  22. Audrey A

    I love books with military heroes and I really love books with werewolves above all other types of shifters. There really is just something about werewolves that gets me. Alpha Wolf sounds like my kind of book.

  23. Caffey

    Don’t put me in for Linda’s Nocturne since I am subscribed to them and get them in the mail every other month (that’s how Harlequin does the Nocturnes, but others they do every month) but haven’t gotten the Bites cuz I can’t read them on my ebook reader. I think its so neat that your werewolves are military heroes too! Yours are so unique Linda! I too like how unique your heroes are. That’s whats so neat about paranormals, you can make them what they want to be!

  24. Sue

    Hi Linda!

    I love reading about guest authors so far too and none of them are alike in their depiction of werewolves. This is why I read paranormal. There are so many ways to spin a shifter stories. I am intrigued in your concept of werewolves working only in the military. I will be looking forward to more of your books.

  25. blackroze37@yahoo.com

    love how they have a drug to help maintain humanity, if they want too

  26. Venus Cahill

    Linda,
    I loved Alpha Wolf!!!

  27. Karin

    I haven’t read Alpha Wolf yet, but it sounds really good and has a fabulous cover! I look forward to reading more about your spin on the werewolf myth.

  28. Carmen R

    I love the idea of shifters in the U. S. military.

  29. blackroze37@yahoo.com

    that was a compliment, lol looking back, it doesnt sound so