Kristal Lee

After reading Kristen Lamb’s book We Are Not Alone: A Writer’s Guide to Social Media, I set out to improve the content and consistency of my blog. The first thing I did was sign up for her online workshop, Blogging for Brand.  Cybermates zipped through the first couple of assignments, brandishing their new-found blog-spirations in fabulous posts while I gnawed my fingers and gagged on my envy.  They were finding their niche while I flapped around like a bat with broken radar.
So, I sent out an SOS to my #WANA711 compadres and they flocked in support. Strangely enough, the Twitter pow-wow sparked a clown discussion.
I hate clowns. Creepy, killer clowns belong in horror films not toy boxes.

There is an online support group for people who hate clowns @ Ihateclowns.com and they cite 34 Reasons You Should Hate Clowns Too.

If you’re planning a trip to rural South Carolina this summer be on the look-out for the car-chomping lizard man.

Think your neighbor is a werewolf? Here’s five werewolf facts you need to know.

Love shifters? Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound series is celebrating the re-release of Pride Mates. 

OMG! You’ll never guess who’s playing Zeus in the upcoming film “Gods Behaving Badly.”  He needs more cowbell.

The gauntlet is on the ground and the first challenge of the 2nd Writers' Platform-building Crusade has been issued.

In 300 words or less, Crusaders must reveal tidbits of themselves that include:
· one secret
· one lie
· one interesting quirk
· one annoying habit
· one of your best character traits, and
· one of your favorite things in the whole world.
The post must include the random words, “bloviate,” “fuliguline,” “rabbit,” and “blade.”



I have accepted the challenge, so here are some randoms facts about me, in no particular order, without rhyme or reason.

Photo:Birdphotos.com

photo: whiterabbitcult.com

I'm quirky about movies. I love bloody, gritty vampire flicks like BLADE, UNDERWORLD, and VAN HELSING. Although, natural disaster films like TWISTER, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, and NIGHT OF THE LEPUS give me panic attacks. Professor X doesn't understand this, even though I've explained that I'm not afraid of fantastical beings such as vampires and werewolves because they are kindred spirits. I am, however, scared to death of tornadoes, apocalyptic storms, and killer rabbits.

I may have revealed something about me that isn’t strictly true, can you guess what it is? 

I'll reveal the untruth in Wednesday's post. 

I'm excited to have ASHLYN CHASE visiting today. Ashlyn is a multi-published author of light paranormal romances and erotic romances. Her 2010 release, Strange Neighbors was one of my favorite reads last year and she follows it up with this month's release of The Werewolf Upstairs.

Ashlyn, Welcome!

Thank you for the opportunity to reach more readers, Kristal.

“People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”

Ashlyn, thank you for sharing your inspiration and how you apply it in your writing.  I think you do achieve your goal to entertain rather than bore with your books. For me, your novel Strange Neighbors was definitely a fun read that still makes me smile when I talk about it with my friends. And now, the stand-alone sequel, The Werewolf Upstairs, is out and I can't wait to read it!  BTW, the cover is fabulous.

Photo: majorlycool.com

What no {husband} of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when {she's} staring out of the window.  ~Burton Rascoe

Sometimes it seems Professor X is more anxious than I am to see my stories published. On the weekends, which is when the bulk of my writing is accomplished, he always asks, "how much writing did you do today?"

Whenever I reply, "I did 3,000 words," his mouth folds with an expression more smirk than smile and with a nod he wheels on his merry way. I wouldn't say those days are rare, but neither are the ones where my response is simply, "I didn't get any writing done today." That garners a sigh, along with a chastisement that I won't get published by staring out the window.

That's true, if all that was happening was me staring out the window with a vacuous mind. Writer's rarely, if ever, have vacuous minds. We stare into space envisioning a sci-fi thriller, we peer beyond the backyard scenery into the past to ferret out historical plots, we gaze at the moon for a mystical glimpse into enchanted worlds.

And sometimes we wait. Wait for characters to emerge beyond the window so that we can invite them in and listen. Other times we're forced to watch as they disappear, taking with them our plans and predictions for their story. They aren't ready to tell their tales and we must wait until they are.

I remember working feverishly on a werewolf project in 2009. Everywhere I turned, I found massive road blocks to the plot, characters were running hog-wild all over the computer page. Out of control, unruly, and definitely not conforming to the character development worksheets I'd so carefully crafted.

I'm not sure if I was frustrated or relieved the day that stubborn Alpha Male werewolf launched himself off my computer screen and straight through the picture window framing my desk. His black fur, nothing more than a dark streak as he leaped over the fence and vanished.

He didn't venture far. I sensed him in the rustling brush in late afternoons, heard his howls riding the wind, felt his nearness in my writer's soul. He had oats to sow. I had other projects. Still, there were days when I found myself staring out the window. Wondering, wondering, wondering what would become of him.

Last fall, my wandering werewolf loped over the fence and nosed the back door. He was ready to tell his story and I was ready to listen. With rapturous delight I discovered my errant wolf had brought home not only his tale, but also a few friends with their own stories to tell.

I might've missed them all, had I not been sitting at my desk staring out the window.

Werewolf in Manhattan ~ Vicki Lewis Thompson
Penguin Group: Signet (Eclipse) ~ Mass Market Paperback
RELEASE DATE: January 4, 2011


Reviewed for The Season. Click on hyperlink to visit the The Season blog for a chance to win a free copy.

Gold Coin Rating: 3.75
Heat: BONFIRE


“Wanting her was dangerous. She was not of his kind, and if she learned what he was, she could put the pack at risk. Yet desire waylaid him each time he caught her scent.”~ book excerpt

Emma Gavin writes about werewolves. Her novels are so close to the truth that they’ve garnered the attention of Aidan Wallace, werewolf extraordinaire. When a renegade werewolf sends suggestive messages with an underlying hint of violence, Aidan acts as Emma’s bodyguard to send a warning to the errant wolf with ties to Aidan’s family.

Things go awry when Emma incites Aidan’s mating urge. Aidan is betrothed to another by means of a treaty between packs. He can’t risk breaking the engagement for a joining with a human without jeopardizing the peace. Besides, Emma doesn’t know that he’s exactly what she’s been writing about.

Aidan captured my heart with his fierce loyalty, torn between his obligation to his pack and loving the woman who should be his mate, but cannot be. He’s indulgent and protective of Emma and clearly makes some decisions based on emotion rather than logic.

As for Emma, I didn’t fall in love with her character because she was a bit stereotypical-- an introverted writer with a love for chocolate and coffee, and not as dimensional or multifaceted as Aidan. However, Emma is spunky, quirky. Not much else in the way of personality, except for her sincere compassion for Aidan’s predicament.

A Werewolf in Manhattan is definitely Aidan’s story. His character is the one who grows and matures. There wasn’t much development in Emma. Her character remained static as the story progressed. I realize that generally only one character undergoes considerable change, but I would like to have seen Emma experience some transformation in her journey. After all, I would imagine that finding out werewolves are “real” would inspire some sort of character change since it challenges a belief system.

Despite my initial reservations about a romance writer heroine, this story was engaging enough that I forgot about my initial prejudices. And all though I longed for something more substantial from Emma, A Werewolf in Manhattan was an enjoyable, sometimes laugh out loud, comedic read.
I went through it in one sitting and was smiling when I reached The End.

NYT bestselling author, Vicki Lewis Thompson kicks off her new Wild About You series with A Werewolf in Manhattan’s debut. A snippet of what’s to come in the second installment was included in the ARC and of course I couldn’t resist the teaser. I’m happy to say that the series definitely appears promising.

Touch of Temptation by Rhyannon Byrd
Harlequin Books, Mass Market Paperback
Release Date: November 1, 2010
Reviewed for The Seasons
Format: eGalley via NetGalley

Rating: 3.5 Gold Coins
Heat: 4 (Bonfire)


Kellan Scott, “Watchman. Werewolf. And world-class fuckup,” is determined to do one good thing with his wasted life before he dies. That one good thing is to save the witch, Chloe Harcourt, from Gregory DeKreznick—the Casus who awakened her Merrick and will kill her to consume her power.

From the moment Kellan saw Chloe’s photo and learned of her plight, he’s been obsessed with her rescue. Meticulously planning and waiting for the right moment to slip into the Wasteland and bring her home. He’s determined not to screw this up, but right from the start things don’t go as planned.

Imprisoned within a Casus fortress, Chloe wants nothing to do with the hunky werewolf, fearing her family curse is manipulating his actions and toying with his emotions. But, her Merrick sees that Kellan is exactly what she needs to set her free.

Escaping the dungeon with Chloe in tow, Kellan meets up with family and friends have who’ve come to bring him home. Together they fight the Casus to get Chloe out of the Wasteland and back to the Watchmen’s safe house in England. If she falls into the hands of the enemy again, all hell will break loose. Literally.

With time and resources running out, Kellan sneaks away from the group to go after Gregory alone. Only, Chloe isn’t about to let Kellan sacrifice more than he already has and she’ll risk everything to save him.

Touch of Temptation is the sixth book in the Primal Instinct series and the first one I’ve read. Unfamiliar with the cast of characters and the complicated world of preternatural clansmen, I found the introductions, explanations, and references to minor and off-stage species distracting. There is a glossary at the end of the book, which would have been helpful while I was reading if I’d been aware that it was included.

Despite some confusion with the world-building, I found the core plot engaging and well-written. The author’s rich, detailed descriptions helped me see into the characters’ world, even when I didn’t understand it.

Kellan’s struggle to be the better man for once in his life is heart-felt and endearing from page one. He’s heroic, self-deprecating, and oh-so delicious. Chloe can’t help but to fall for him, even though she can’t trust that he’s acting on his own free will.

Rhyannon Bird’s fantastical world is filled with exciting adventure and imaginative characters. Kellan and Chloe, although not human, deal with issues close to the human heart: self-acceptance, trust, and love.

The plot twists and turns were sometimes a bit overwhelming, but overall, I enjoyed the read.





Click to Buy @ B&N

While internet surfing for Halloween trivia I came across a phenomenon called werewolf syndrome, also known as hypertrichosis. It is a rare congenital condition that causes an abnormal amount of hair to grow on the body and only about 50 cases have been reported worldwide.


The first documented case of werewolf syndrome was around 1566 with the birth of Petrus Gonzalez in the Canary Islands. He was taken from his family and presented to King Henri II who ordered the "furry boy" to be given a formal education. He married and fathered two children who inherited his hairy appearance.

In the early 19th and 20th centuries, individuals with this disorder found acceptance and viable work as circus and freak-show performers because of their strange, animal-like appearances.




Julia Pastrana (1834-1860), the original bearded lady of a freak show, had thick, dark hair distributed symmetrical over her body, including the palms of her hands. She was thought to be a “Digger” Indian from Western Mexico and stood only about 4 feet tall.




Meet the Kung Fu Werewolf~ Tai Djinn, (1849-1928) He was born in China and raised by Shaolin monks after his parents abandoned him because they believed he was afflicted with evil spirits. He became quite adept in the martial arts and mastered the skills of the seven Shaolin temples.

And in more current times, the wolf boys--Danny and Larry Ramos-Gonzalez, are talented circus performers from Mexico and were featured in an ABC News Primetime story in 2007.

There is no cure for hypertrichosis and it is mostly considered to be a "cosmetic" problem. The treatments are the same as for any hair removal, i.e., shaving, waxing, electrolysis, and laser hair removal.

For more information visit:
www.hypertrichosis.com
ABC NEWS
The Human Marvels