Shifters explained
This blog is purely about my "The Shifters" series with Dreamspinner Press. I talk about particulars, the origin of the series and some characters, and upcoming stories. So read on if you want to know what the future brings for my shifters!
This series has given me a lot of success and I know that's due to my fellow shape-shifter lovers out there. First, I want to give a great big THANK YOU to all my fans, I can't express how much it means to me that you love my shape-shifters as much as I do. Your enthusiasm has certainly influenced and motivated me to keep writing, and to have hope that I can be good at this "writing" thing. *smiles*
I myself am a HUGE shifter lover and I know the market for these sort of romances is big. But most of the ones I've read, and that come out, are about wolf shifters. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good wolf shifter alpha as I find wolves gorgeous and graceful. But I also know that there are many other great animals out there who should get the spotlight now and then. A lot of shape-shifting legends are about the main predator next to humans, and the wolf was once a top predator nearly all over the world, so it would make sense that werewolves would become such a common theme. But the Native Americans, especially, also had stories about bears, foxes, and numerous other animals. I realized I wasn't restricted to just wolves and that was how my series was born.
I started to think of all sorts of large animals, not just predators: wolves, bears, bulls, cougars, deer, etc. But then I started to think that there could be a few "special" shifters: those who can shift into animals that weren't in the same category as humans. With wolves and bears, they are nearly the same size or bigger than humans, and it makes sense that they could shift into such animals without any internal damage or something. But I wanted more variety, so I decided to create some "rare" shifters, namely birds, sharks and a few reptiles. These shifters are nearly extinct and so, aren't often seen. But I will deal with them nearly exclusively in Part 2 of my series. And, speaking of my parts...
Since I'm pretty confident now in the trajectory of my series, I think I can reveal my overall plan without ruining any surprises:
Part 1: Beginning (this part has 6 books that have already been published and basically introduces my world along with a few key players who will pop up again later on)
Books: Psychic Moon, (Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit), Love is a Whirlwind, Blind Devotion, Hunter and Hunted, Healing Minds, and Master's Blood.
Part 2: Scrolls (this part expands on an element which I introduced at the end of "Master's Blood". I won't reveal too much, but the next 6 main books will be about the journey of the Scrolls, what they are, the power they hold, and why the main villain, Arcas, wants them).
Part 3: Blood (this part links intimately with Part 2. I won't say much about it, but there will be a few familiar faces reappearing and events become more dangerous).
Part 4: Master Shifters (pretty self-explanatory, but just to elaborate a little: these 4-5 books will be about the different Master Shifters around the world. Just to refresh anyone's memory, Master Shifters are nigh-immortal shape-shifters who are said to be directly descended from the Master Shifter of All Shapes, Merlin. (my Merlin is NOT the Arthurian Merlin. He took the name/title because it fit him best).
Part 5: The End (Yeah. Pretty much explains it. There will be 3-4 books in this part. We learn all about Merlin, how the Agency was formed, and a few other secrets).
But I should also warn all of you, I reserve the right to change any of this! (But not very likely I will. It took me a while to plan this all out so it would make sense and that events from the past would connect to events in the present, and so on. I don't dare change anything too drastically now.)
There will also be a few holiday sequels for a few of my couples interspaced throughout. The plots for these books will have nothing to do with the overall series plot, and will exclusively deal with the couple(s) in question. In fact, I'm working on one right now. No, I won't tell you who.
The first book of Part 2 should be coming out sometime this year, hopefully around summer. I have it with a beta right now and hope to submit it by the end of February. Part 2 will be rather different from Part 1, in that not all the books take place in modern times. I'm trying to tell the story of the scrolls and that involves different centuries and different couples. I have 6 books for this part with the first three in the past. I suppose I can satisfy some of your curiosity and say that the different times are: England, late 1700s, Old American West, late 1800s, and Florida Coastline, mid-1970s. Yes, I do have a reason for those specific times. No, I won't tell you. *smiles* You'll just have to wait.
I just have to say that yes, finally, my sister gets her wish. She kept nagging me to write a western romance and finally I'm giving her that. Perhaps now she'll get off my back? Yeah, I don't think so either.
The last three are in modern times with the return of two, yes TWO, couples from part one.
They are... drum roll please...Derek and Brian from "Psychic Moon" and "Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit", and Poe and Nordik from "Master's Blood". Told you all that you'd be seeing Poe again. *smiles* I'm not ready to let him go just yet. And as Derek and Brian started this entire series, I figured I'd include them once again and see how they (and they're dogs) are doing.
Interested yet? I hope so. I’m working diligently on these books and am striving to release 2 a year if at all possible. As I work 40 hours a week at the pay-the-bills job, I'm not exactly leaking time out of my ears. But that's what weekends are for, right?
I love my weekends so very, very much.
So, yes, this series will have around 20 books in it and I hope all of them satisfy your thirst for sexy shifters!
That's all for me. And, please, if you enjoy these books, kindly leave a review at the site of your choice!
May dragons guard your dreams,
M.D.
