biancadarc.com Blog

Sweat70

Time to get serious about writing some new stuff. I mean it. Really.

Who am I kidding?

I’ve been kind of lax about writing since right before Easter. Traveling a lot for family functions and getting all my promo gear ready for RT and all the other appearances I’m making this Spring is taking a lot of time away from my normal writing routine. However, I’m still writing — a little at least. I’m up to about 29,000 words since the start of the challenge. Not as far ahead as I’d like to be, but not quite as bad as it could be. Maybe next week will be better for writing. One can hope!

Creature Feature: Werewolves in Romance Fiction

Some of you may notice that I’m recycling a few of my “creature feature” posts from the old Fantasy & Enchantment blog that’s now been folded into the Beyond the Veil blog. I figured since that other blog is now defunct, but these posts are still kind of interesting, I’d post a few here and there. Enjoy!

What is the mystique of werewolves? When I was growing up, they were scary creatures from old movies that would tear you to pieces and howl at the full moon. But today they’ve morphed (pun intended) into something more: romantic heroes who turn shaggy every once in a while. A pet, guard dog, and husband in one – what a time saver!

Here’s what Wiki has to say about the topic: “Werewolves, also known as lycanthropes, are mythological or folkloric people with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or wolflike creature, either purposely, by using magic, or after being placed under a curse. The medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury associated the transformation with the appearance of the full moon; however, there is evidence that the association existed among the Ancient Greeks, appearing in the writings of Petronius. This concept was rarely associated with the werewolf until the idea was picked up by fiction writers.”

Of course, I’m guilty of being one of the aforementioned ”fiction writers” who have “picked up” on the werewolf phenomenon. I’ve also read a lot of werewolf and shapeshifter romance books written by my contemporaries and there are subtle differences in the characterization of the affliction between one author and another, particularly in the way the shifters change. Some authors have the change be total, from human to wolf. Some go from human to some weird wolf-like creature, like the werewolves in most of those old movies. In my case, I have given my characters the ability to shift from human to wolf, but they can sort of pause in the middle to that half-formed creature that has the strength and senses of the wolf and the ability to talk and walk upright like a human. Of course, I didn’t make it easy for them to do it. (The details are in my book, Lords of the Were.)

So what’s the allure of the werewolf? Is the idea of magic made flesh? Is it the wildness of the untamed wolf mixing with our domesticated lives – spicing it up a bit, if you will? Is it the return of the Alpha Male and the desire for his dominance – if only in our escapist fantasies? I really don’t know, but I suspect it might be a little of all three and some other things I haven’t thought of besides. What’s your opinion?

Update

Been a little lax on the blogging of late with the holiday and various issues. I was watching a lot of the coverage of the space shuttle and it’s amazing mission to expand the International Space Station. Next up – the new European unmanned vehicle will be attempting to dock with the ISS next week, so I’ll be watching that with interest. (I know, I’m a big geek! LOL)

In other news – I’ve been asked to escort Charlaine Harris around the sci fi con I’m attending next weekend (April 4-6). Pretty cool, huh? See, I’m local to the con and have gone to it for several years. Ms. Harris is a guest of honor and they like to make sure those folks have someone nearby to guide them to the right building/room – the con is held on the campus of Stony Brook, a very large SUNY (State University of New York) campus. You seriously need a map to figure out where you are. So I’m the talking map for the weekend. Plus, I get to be on a few panels with Ms. Harris and my friend, Michele Lang, as well as some very notable sci fi authors. It should be great fun! If you’re going to I-Con, look me up.

Happy Friday – hope you all have a great weekend!

Three New Print Releases!

Three New PRINT Releases from Bianca D’Arc

SONS OF AMBER – The first two Sons of Amber stories together in one print volume. When an alien virus decimates humanity, Dr. Amber Waithe creates a small group of men who are immune. These genetically engineered supermen are the Sons of Amber. Their mission: to repopulate the human worlds. Of course, nobody expects them to fall in love. BUY NOW from Phaze HARA’S LEGACY – 2008 EPPIE Award Winner! – The first in a five book series set on a futuristic Earth where an alien race has decimated most of the planet and only special people with psychic abilities survive in the wild places. The O’Hara brothers will do anything to protect the empathic woman they grew up with. But in a post-apocalyptic world, can they adapt to share her love if it’s the only way to keep them all safe? It’s a serious game of cowboys and aliens when three psychically gifted brothers try to protect the one fragile, empathic woman who holds all their hearts against a menacing alien threat. BUY NOW from MBAM – BUY NOW from Amazon I DREAM OF DRAGONS Vol. 1 – Wings of Change – One young woman could be the miracle that heals a dying dragon — and unites a family with her love. BUY NOW from MBAM – BUY NOW from Amazon

Sons of Amber – In Print Today!

The Sons of Amber compliation has just been released in print! This book contains the first two Sons of Amber stories – Ezekiel and Michael. Here’s the BUY LINK. And here’s a bit about the book:

When an alien virus decimates humanity, Dr. Amber Waithe creates a small group of men who are immune. These genetically engineered supermen are the Sons of Amber. Their mission: to repopulate the human worlds. Of course, nobody expects them to fall in love.

Ezekiel – Crash landing on a strange desert world, Ezekiel is rescued by an angel who nurses him back to health. The small community of humans could be the only uninfected colony in the galaxy and he must protect them at all costs. Likewise, he must protect Angela – his angel – the one woman he wants like no other in the universe.

Hoppy Easter!

First Day of Spring!

Sweat70

Checking in with just over 24,000 words total written since the beginning of the challenge. Going well so far, even with edits. A lot of the new writing has been expansion of my now-out-of-print first vampire story, One & Only. The story began life as a very short story of only about 3,500 words. It’s now over 22,000 words, which I think is a great improvement!

The story has a lot more meat on its bones now and if/when I find a new publisher for it, I think folks who’ve read the first version of it and this one will be happily surprised. At least I hope so!

I’ve got a lot of writing to do and little time to do it in before things get really busy with RT and all the other events I’m doing this year, so it’s back to work for me…

CAPA Blogging Today & Paranormal Update

I’m blogging today over at The Romance Studio Blog about my recebt CAPA win. Prince of Spies surprised the heck out of me by winning my very first CAPA. Many thanks to The Romance Studio!

WEBSITE UPDATE:

Since I get asked about those first three vamp stories A LOT – I just updated the paranormal index page on my website with an “Author’s Note” that attempts to explain what’s come before, what’s happening now, and what I hope will happen in the future with this series. I’ve also added a little chart that attempts to explain the internal chronology of the series, though they’ve been written so that each can be read on its own.

Check out the new content at: http://tales.biancadarc.com/

Sweat70

Checking in with just over 19,000 words total now since the beginning of the writing challenge. I’ve been working on various things, and slogging through edits, which slowed things considerably. But I’m hoping to get back on track for a few days this week while I wait for another round of edits that should hit sometime late this week or next. Wish me luck!

Here’s hoping everyone else doing the Sweat70 Writing Challenge is doing well!