My Writing buddies – 4

This friendly fellow is the werewolf (or one of) from Neil Marshall’s excellent 2002 Brit horror flick, Dog Soldiers; a long-standing (no pun intended!) writing buddy of mine – the model, I mean, not Neil Marshall!

When I think (or write) of werewolves/wolfmen, I am always confronted with choosing between the idea of a wolf-like creature (on all fours) or a man-like wolf (on two legs).

Ever since seeing The Wolfman with Lon Chaney Jnr, the standing wolfman is, and always has been, my preferred choice. And, although I love the movie: An American werewolf in London, I can’t help thinking what it might have been like with a creature on two legs like the one pictured – or something even more menacing!

In recent years, the Underworld series of movies with Kate Bekinsale, has seen some great (and frightening) wolfmen & wolfwomen – is that the right term? – however, in the written format (i.e. a novel), literary agents don’t want to see werewolves (or vampires for that matter) which is a shame because there has been some poor (IMHO) books out there and so the literary world are bored of this.

I disagree with this and have recently released two novels, Unnatural Selection and Radio Werewolf, with these themes/characters, and my readers (thanks to you all BTW) appear to be enjoying them. Why? Because there are still so many stories to tell about all things wolf and/or vampire (they don’t all have to be lovey-dovey teenagers!), and good stories and characters are always a draw, particularly when it’s served up with a good dose of horror. And blood-drenched teeth!

So, what’s your preference?

Unnatural Selection

When an ancient feud between the Mitclani and the Urbat—ancient vampires and age-old werewolves—finally spills out onto the streets of the world, many are caught in the crossfire; the victims either turned, brutally murdered or taken as food. Those left find themselves scavenging by day and fighting off Mitclani raiders at night. Alone and desperate, five occupants barricade themselves in a house in one of London’s elite neighbourhoods. They all have separate agendas but one common goal. Staying alive during the day is relatively easy, if you’ve got the right weapons, but keeping death from the door at night is another thing altogether. And, as if keeping blood-hungry vampires out wasn’t enough, to top it off the full moon is only days away, meaning the square could soon be rife with menacing wolves. It is survival of the fittest, where any moment an attack from otherworldly beings with large teeth and sharp claws is a possibility.

First review is 5 stars – Thanks Shoulanda, glad you enjoyed it.