Welcome Terry Spears, author of all those temping werewolves.
Amber: Terry, why do you write fantasy?
Terry: First, thanks so much to Amber for having me!!!When I was growing up, I LOVED Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, and myriads of other fantasy tales of princes loving princesses. The first shape shifter story I read was East of the Sun and West of the Moon, where the prince is cursed to be a polar bear during the day, and a handsome prince at night. *sigh* I love fantasy. But I also loved true stories, ghost stories, mysteries, and mythologies and fables from around the world. All of these “loves” helped to shape what I write today.
In most of my stories, I make references to fairy tales and mythical characters: Little Red Riding Hood (Dreaming of the Wolf), Alice in Wonderland (Seduced by the Wolf), Zeus (Seduced by the Wolf), Poseidon (Seduced by the Wolf), Atlas (Legend of the White Wolf), The Three Little Pigs (Dreaming of the Wolf), and many more that I can’t think of off the top of my head. Someday, I’ll have to have a reader contest and let fans tell me what they’ve found in my stories that reference fairy tales and mythical characters!
Like my love of true stories, I wanted to create a world that seemed as realistic as werewolves living among us could be. My love of wolves originated from Jack London’s Call of the Wild and White Fang. I loved how he gave the wolf his own thought processes, and though I didn’t think about it consciously when I wrote Heart of the Wolf, since it had been years earlier that I’d read them, that must have stuck with me. When an interviewer asked me exactly what it was about the tales that had moved me, I reread part of one and smiled when I read about the wolf pup leaving the den and learning to hunt leaves, and “hearing” his thought processes as he ventured forth.
Amber: Why do think readers love fantasy?
Terry: It’s a way to escape the real world. If I wasn’t there, I’d have to be thinking about cooking dinner, doing the laundry, weeding the garden. Wow, I need to immerse myself in another fantasy. Amber: Why do wolves fascinate you?
Terry: I love how they mate for life, are family oriented, and work as a team. I love dogs, that have some of the same alpha and beta tendencies, who are loyal and dependable. But they don’t mate for life. When I lived in Oklahoma, we had a pair of road runners that would hop over our 4 foot tall split rail fence, run across the yard, and disappear into the woods. They also mate for life. I just finished writing the 7th book in the werewolf series—“Heart of the Highland Wolf”, due out Jun 2011 and mentioned golden eagles that also mate for life. I just think there’s something special about animals that do. Amber: Would you write fantasy even if no one read it?
Terry: Absolutely! Because I love it. And we have to love what we write. So if you’re looking for a series where wolves—werewolves that is—live among us—want some adventure, suspense, romance, mystery and fun, join me in the world of werewolves. They truly live among us!
Terry Spears is an award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, Heart of the Wolf named in Publishers Weekly's BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR, NOR Reader Choice for BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE.
Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth University and a Bachelors in Business and Distinguished Military Graduate of West Texas A & M. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses. Originally from California, she’s lived in eight states and now resides in the heart of Texas. She is the author of the Sourcebooks Casablanca werewolf romance series: Heart of the Wolf, Destiny of the Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Legend of the White Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf (2010), Wolf Fever (2010), Heart of the Highland Wolf (2011), Dreaming of the Wolf (2011), and the medieval romance series: Winning the Highlander’s Heart, The Accidental Highland Hero (2010); Deadly Liaisons, The Vampire…In My Dreams (young adult), Deidre's Secret (young adult), and numerous articles and short stories for magazines.
Latest News!!!
Two more wolf titles to Sourcebooks -
Two more wolf titles to Sourcebooks -
The Highland Wolf in Paradise & The Wolf and the SEAL
Release date-TBD
Find out more about Terry Spear's books at
her website
her website
and find her on these great blogs
Terry's Contest!
She's offering an autographed copy of a book, winner’s choice.
Just leave a comment answering the question:
If you could be a werewolf,
what would you love best about it?
I think if I was a werewolf the thing I would like the most would be immunity to ilnesses. The speed, strength, and keen eye sight would be great, but not to have something as simple as a common cold to something as diabilitaing as cancer would be number one in my book. My husband was recently diagnosed with Cervical Dystonia. It's a form of Parkinson's Disease. His head turns to one side and spasms. He also loses the ability to hold his head up. He's always in pain and there's little they can do for it. He's a tough guy, so he tries to continue with normal tasks. Unfortunately, he can not ride his Harley right now, and it really bugs him. The worst for him is just not being able to do alot of the things we take for granted. He's been in the military for almost 17 years and now may be medically discharged because of this. I wish I had the magical bite to solve his problems. It's nice to read a great story and escape into a fantasy where there's going to be a happy ending. You can leave all the worries and stress behind for a few hundred pages and imagine yourself as the heroine and your husband has the alpha hunk and have your adventures together.
ReplyDeleteI would like being able to run free in the forest. Please enter me in your drawing. I can't wait to read Terry's book.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks so much for loving the stories, Stephanie. I so agree. My parents have both died of cancer, and I think that's probably what prompted me to write that the werewolves are able to be so much healthier than we are. And partly because the old werewolf lore never showed a sick wolf. Only killed because of some kind of trauma, silver bullet or such. So to me, they seemed semi-immortal.
ReplyDeleteThey'll medically retire your husband, right? My prayers go out to him and to you too.
Clarissa, I love hiking in the forests. Good luck!
I'd love the fact that werewolves seem to mate for life.. Having been someone who has had a hard past dealing with men.. I must say that finding a true partner in life would be the ultimate thing to make the whole shifting worth wild............ To see the passion that your chacters have for thier mates is so much what I'd want out of life but it truely doesn't happy that way often........ Love the books and can't wait to see the rest!
ReplyDeleteTerry, I love everything I have read by you, but my favorite by far is Bella and Devlyn's story! I thought it hilarious when she got "trapped" in the zoo! Their story was so romantic, I just fell in love!
ReplyDeleteWhat I would love best about being a werewolf, besides the freedom to run free through the woods would have to be finding my perfect mate who would be fully committed to me and our children. And really...burgers! I love me some good burgers! I could eat as many as I want and NEVER worry about gaining weight! ;)
astewart305(at)rogers.com
Terry, we'll find out in Dec. if they will medically retire my husband. If they find a treatment that works for him where he's able to do his job and can deploy on a ship that has his meds available, he can stay in.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the other ladies too. The mating for life is a nice aspect as well as not worrying about your weight. You'd just burn off any access calories while you're out for your evening trot. ; )
I would love the freedom of running thew the woods.Being asthmatic I always wanted to run but never could.
ReplyDeletesasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com
Thanks so much, Geraline! I'm thrilled your loving the books! I sooo agree with you!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Simple Love of Reading! I'm so glad you loved Bella and Devlyn's story. It's funny how everyone has different story characters they've fallen in love with. I so agree it would be fun to be able to eat anything you want and not gain weight. They love to run. Not something I liked to do in the Army, but if I could have been a wolf part time....and definitely a mate who is not fickle!!!
I hope everything goes well with your husband then, Stephanie. I hope he can make it until retirement. Absolutely on the mate for life which is one of the reasons why wolves so appealed to me. And yep, they keep the weight off, but they feel good doing it!
Ah, Stacey, I feel for you. One of my nephews was, and though my son and my other nephew both went into the military, he couldn't because of his asthma. So as a wolf, you would be free of that restriction and could run to your heart's content. :)
HI Terry! LOVE those wolfies of yours! I have all your books, with the exception of Seduced and Fever, so far.
ReplyDeleteI think being a werewolf would be ideal, in so many ways. Youre stronger, your senses are keener, you have more confidence, youre immune to all those diseases. But the most important part would definitely be the fact that you mate for Life. Thats a beautiful concept. Its everyone's dream.
Anyhoo! Keep giving us those YUMMY wolfies, and I look forward to your upcoming ones!
HUGS,
Kari Thomas, www.authorkari.com
Cool Interview. I Think "What I'd love about being a werewolf?"HMM!!!
ReplyDeleteI've struggled with my weight for the last 30 yrs. I've never seen or heard of a Chubby werewolf. So If I was a wolf, I'd love to exercise and I'd being running daily. And I'd have all the other keen senses and immunities. And of course, I like the fact they find and keep their Mate for Life. I like the outdoors and night, and sitting in moonlight the fact the wolves run and live near in the woods and water. I've read most of the books Terry's written. And my favorite are the werewolf stories. And my favorite book is still "Destiny of the Wolf" I'm a dreamer. I have wild dreams at times and the idea of loving Darien Silver under the pale light of the moon, naked in the woods in a dream is just so thrilling to me.
Terry is the Wolf Goddess and I'd love to win one of her up coming books.
LOL, that's too funny, Diva Donna. I agree about no chubby werewolves, so you'd have it made! Ah, I'm thrilled you love Darien Silver. :) You'll get to see the whole gang again in Wolf Fever (Book 6, Dec 10) and Dreaming of the Wolf too (Book 8, 11). :) I was listening to the cornstalks rustling in the wind and it sounded like water trickling down a rocky stream. I could envision woods all around me as tall as the cornstalks are. And in those woods...a wolf--werewolf or two. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteIf I were a werewolf what I would like best would be the fur coat and having one true mate. Of course since I live in Miami, I would have to move somewhere north, such as Montana or Maine; the heat down here in the summertime would just kill me with a fur coat, plus the shedding would be terrible. DO WEREWOLVES SHED, not sure??? All Kidding aside, the idea of one-true-mate, really touches my heart and would be the best thing that could happen to me.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Miamirue, it would be hot being a wolf down there. But they do have red wolves on an island in Florida. :) Yes, werewolves shed. :) Wolves shed once a year. So a werewolf would also, whenever they're in their fur coat and it's hot. :) I agree with one true mate! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with Donna in that it would be enjoyable to go run in the moonlight under a blanket of stars. I think my favorite book that I've read from Terry is To Tempt the Wolf. I just love me a man in uniform. I also like how although he wants to become involved with Tessa, he won't touch her until he's csrtain he doesn't have a mate and that his memory return to him further. I'm also anxious to read Meara's story in The Wolf and the Seal, but I'm most excited for Seduced by the Wolf. Leidolf still entices me, and the little 'lick' of a preview is so enticing! I can't wait until August!
ReplyDeleteI had fun with Hunter and all the problems he had with the pack and losing his memory, and getting hung up on a human female when he shouldn't have, but there's just something about her... :) Leidolf has a similar problem with lots of pack difficulties, only in a different way. I'm thrilled you loved the excerpt! :) I'm almost, almost done with Dreaming with the Wolf! Woohoo! :) I hoped to finish it by this weekend. :) And Meara's story will be fun to write!! I can't wait to get her into all kinds of trouble!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning about how you connect fairy tales to your plots. I love mythology and folklore and use it in my own writing.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a werewolf I'd enjoy being more athletically capable, swimming or running as far as I wanted. It would be fantastic!
With no pain either, Marsha!
ReplyDeleteLove the conversation. If I were a werewolf I would love having two bodies, two lives. Definitely not boring.
ReplyDeleteYay, Terry! It's all about the power of the beast. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm, my post to you, Amber, didn't make it. Yes, I'd so agree. Life as a werewolf would definitely not be boring!!!
ReplyDeleteHey, Sapphire! I love that: the power of the beast! :)
Hi Terry and Amber. Great interview. If I could be a werewolf, I think I'd just love being out in the night. Having sharper senses to explore the world around me.
ReplyDeleteMary, www.authormaryc.com
Has the winner been decided?
ReplyDeleteYou won Stephanie, Enjoy Terry's book!
ReplyDeleteYay!! Thank you so much! Terry is my favorite author. I'm so excited!
ReplyDelete