Who has two thumbs and is doing NaNo for the fifth time? This woman.

[ladyofleithian]

Currently, I have 1,812 words, and those weren't easy words to get, believe me, especially considering how I was worrying about them coming out right. It's original fiction this time, and very much outside my comfort zone. It's a supernatural horror story, and it involves a young woman who's raised by werewolves. As a human, not as a werewolf herself. It was one of those ideas that hit me and I had to do it. Any werewolf aficionados around here...I definitely welcome your suggestions.

Comments

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

Wow, how exciting! :D

I guess that if I had to suggest something (I really like werewolves too), it would be to not copy one of my pet peeves, which is when urban fantasy authors basically use werewolves as an excuse for the male romantic lead to be abusive and controlling towards the heroine. There are so many times where I've seen authors write werewolf packs as essentially ultra-violent, misogynistic, patriarchal cults that treat their female werewolves (if there is more than one, sometimes the heroine is the only female werewolf around) like broodmares. You listed your story as supernatural horror, though, so if you're aiming to portray the werewolf pack as monstrous, then that's another story.

I don't know how close your werewolves are to real wolves, but there's also the fact that what many people think of as the 'alpha male' and 'alpha female' of wolf packs are essentially Papa and Mama Wolf. Usually a wolf pack is just parents with their children (variations include adoption of other wolves or the siblings of the parents) and once the cubs are old enough, they disperse to find their own mates and thus form their own packs.

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

Hey! Good to see you. *Hugs* And very appropriate icon. Also, definite thanks for the encouragement and everything -- I admit I am very nervous.

And God, I haven't read the books you mention, but that just sounds horrible! I'm definitely not going there. In terms of their portrayal for this story, well...that's honestly a good question. I am struggling with how werewolf-y (for lack of a better term) to make them. They're definitely more reclusive creatures who mostly hope for a better life than their ancestors did, I know that -- unfortunately, the arrival of the story's villain kind of throws a wrench in there.

And good question in terms of how close they'll be to actual wolves. I think they'll be a blend of human and wolf traits -- there'll be more human stuff like being able to walk on two legs in wolf form, and there'll be more wolf stuff, mostly some stuff I found while researching wolves and how they work. But that's really cool, that whole bit about how wolf families work! I may have to include it.

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

*Hugs back* I'm sure your story will be great!

/I haven't read the books you mention, but that just sounds horrible!/

Many other people have ranted about this, but I think that maybe the funniest comment that I saw about it was from a Goodreads review of an urban fantasy book:

"Ugh I hate that OH THEY'RE OLD excuse for these supernatural creatures and their sexist, racist bullshit. OK SO THEY'RE OLD. GREAT. NOBODY EVER CHANGES OVER TIME THOUGH, AMIRITE? And the author has control over these worlds. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THEM FUCKING CAVEMEN WITH A WOLF FACE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO"

Your ideas sound neat! I'm looking forward to reading your story when it's done. :)

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

*Hugs* Here's hoping. And thanks!

All I can say is that Goodreads commenter is awesome. And maybe it's a good thing I've stayed away from urban fantasy stuff.

Again, thanks! And I'm definitely looking forward to showing you when it's done.