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October 26, 2011

Shameless Self Promotion by Karilyn Bentley


Thank you for joining me for a session of shameless self promotion. Wolf Mates, my werewolf novella, is out now and the Princesses have happily allowed me on today to blog about it.

So, how did I come up with the idea for Wolf Mates, and what’s it about anyway?

The story starts back in 2008 when I won the Got Wolf? contest on The Wild Rose Press. My short story, "Werewolves in London," was published in an anthology. In the story, a female alpha played a small, but significant, role. Margie, the heroine in Wolf Mates, was born. But what was she like?

Over Christmas 2008, I had the opportunity to meet my editor for coffee at Starbucks. We got to talking about books (naturally, right?) and she mentioned in passing something about a vegetarian werewolf, which stuck in my mind as humorous. And there it sat for a couple of years, almost forgotten. When I decided to write Margie’s story, I remembered the conversation and thought it would be interesting to make Margie a vegetarian werewolf.

Then I needed the rest of the story.

So in typical Karilyn fashion, I started writing the opening scene and hoped the rest of the story would appear. Luckily, my book recipe worked: Take one vegetarian werewolf, mix in an alpha male unable to act as an alpha, throw in a dash of evil, dictator pack leader (not our heroine! Don’t worry!), let the story stew over a summer and the end result is Wolf Mates.

Here’s an excerpt:
“Hey, in there. I’m going to open the door. Don’t even think about taking me down.” As if he could. If she knew he was her mate, she assumed he could sense that she was his. And a male would never hurt his mate. Although if he wanted to take her down and sex her senseless she wouldn’t oppose him.
Pull it together, Margie! How can you think of sex at a time like this?
She shook her head-who would have thought meeting her mate would cause sexual thoughts to overwhelm her common sense-and rapped on the door. “Do you hear me?”
“I do. Why am I locked in?”
She liked his voice. Maybe she could get him to speak more just to hear the melodious rumble as it crossed her skin. By the saints, what was she thinking? Hello, Margie, pull your head out of your hormones and channel your inner alpha.
After she pushed the code into the keypad, she turned the knob and pushed open the door. Spilled soup lay in twisting rivulets across the floor, flowing from the broken bowl. The tray lay behind the mess. Zane stood in front of the bed, arms crossed, completely naked with the exception of a silver torc around his neck. Oh yeah, she could get used to the eye candy. It was impressive.
Eye contact, Margie, eye contact.
Like meeting his eyes helped. Black brows and thick lashes framed amber eyes that gleamed with questions. Sleep-tussled black hair shot through with silver and tan hung in waves to his shoulders. Above a white bandage wrapped around his middle, tight curls dusted his chest and below the bandage the curls led in a trail from his navel to...
Eyes, Margie, eyes.


What is the oddest character trait you’ve written about in a heroine?







17 comments:

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Good morning, Karilyn, and congratulations on Wolf Mates.

I wrote a self-absorbed heroine who wore combat boots, wouldn't wear a seat belt, and had to have the most expensive latte available to driving school. Those traits rubbed the officer the wrong way and boy oh boy was it funny.

Excellent post!

chris keniston said...

ha ha !! Book Recipe - Love it !!

And apparently my book recipes work a lot like my cooking - it starts out with what the heck and I going to cook - I look in the cubbard - grab a can of this a can of that and start heating it up.

When I write I think what the heck am I going to write and I start with a hero and heroine - if I'm lucky- lol- sometimes I only have one and have to wait and see who pops up asking for the other role - and then fingers on the keyboard, I open the heroine's can and am amazed at the stuff that pours out!!

At the very end - I'm ever so delighted that everyone survived supper without food poisoning!! -

thanks for the fun post

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Vicki,
Thank you!! I like your heroine's attitude. :) Which story was it?

Have a wonderful day!

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Chris,
I like your dinner recipe. :) And your recipe for writing. It's always fun to be a pantser and see what happens next.

Hope you have a great day!

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

My short piece was "Drive My Car." I named the officer Witless Whitlock. LOL

Pamela Stone said...

Good morning, Karilyn,

Fun post. I wrote a feisty heroine once who pretty much had things together until she got ticked. Based loosely on the Runaway Bride, she'd hop in the most accessible vehicle and take off. Did I mention that they were typically stolen? My hero learned to keep his keys in his pocket.

Diana Cosby said...

Karilyn,
Congratulations on the release of, "Wolf Mates!" What a fun premise, and how fun to talk with your editor at Starbucks. Yum!
Not sure about an odd character trait, but my current heroine is a mercenary. :) Take care, fun interview, and I wish you every success!
*Thanks to the Plotting Princesses for interviewing Karilyn!

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Vicki,
I love it! Witless Whitlock! LOL!!!

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Pamela,
I love your car stealing heroine! That's hilarious!

Thank you for stopping by!

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Diana,
Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words! I like your mercenary heroine. It makes for an interesting and conflicted character that the reader can identify with.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Angela Hicks said...

Congratulations, Karilyn!

I can't think of any quirky character traits I've written. I wonder if that means I need to add one? Although I did have my heroine carrying so many weapons that she clanked when she walked. I guess that could be quirky.

Great post!

Angela Hicks

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Angela,
Thank you for stopping by!! I love your heroine, her whole life is quirky. :)

Have a good rest of your day!

Kathy Ivan said...

Hi Karilyn,

A werewolf who doesn't eat meat? How cool is that?

Great post, by the way, and we all need to do a bit of self-promotion all the time. I'm not ashamed to scream my self-promotion to one and all.

Quirky characters, hmm. Well, I do have a very macho cop who has to go undercover in a drag queen bar (and yes he does eventually have to dress the part).

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Kathy,
Thank you! I like the macho cop as a drag queen. Sounds hilarious!

I'm enjoying reading about everyone's quirky characters!

Have a great day!

Liz Lipperman said...

Great excerpt. I'm not into werewolves, but a vegetarian one intrigues me.

My favorite character is my ghost who says the funniest things. Here's one of her best lines when she talks about her ex.

"He has two emotions, hungry and horny. When I saw that look in his eye, I’d hurry up and make him a sandwich."

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Liz,
Thank you for stopping by! I like your comment about the heroine's ex. Funny!

Have a great evening!

Angi Morgan said...

CONGRATULATIONS on the release of WOLF MATES. Sounds like an amazing book!

~Angi