Werewolf Stories

Werewolf poaching? Sounds cool.

A good werewolf story is scarce, same with films. For every good one you run across there seems to be another one hundred that blow chunks. For me personally, I never saw the werewolf as something cute and cuddely or something you could stuff into a three peice suit and sit them inside a board room. I see them as something feral and a bit of a throw back to when the "earth was still young and where the laws of nature still held sway over the laws of man". Yet, at the same time, I never saw them as something that was supposed to be mindless killing machines. In the stories I have written about this creature, they are both good and bad among them, it all depended on if the human side could handle such a transformation and whether or not they corrupted what came naturally to the animal. But no matter their circumstance, they were always potentially extremly dangerous. Or, that's the way I went into their story anyway.

-B- said:

A good werewolf story is scarce, same with films. For every good one you run across there seems to be another one hundred that blow chunks. For me personally, I never saw the werewolf as something cute and cuddely or something you could stuff into a three peice suit and sit them inside a board room. I see them as something feral and a bit of a throw back to when the "earth was still young and where the laws of nature still held sway over the laws of man". Yet, at the same time, I never saw them as something that was supposed to be mindless killing machines. In the stories I have written about this creature, they are both good and bad among them, it all depended on if the human side could handle such a transformation and whether or not they corrupted what came naturally to the animal. But no matter their circumstance, they were always potentially extremly dangerous. Or, that's the way I went into their story anyway.

Click to expand...

I agree one hundred percent.

Like I said before my own werewolf work is not your standard victim getting bit turning into mindless killing machine at the full moon.

I created mine as if your looking at two different races blended together. The human half and the wolf half. Both parts make a whole but the human side brings all of what makes us human to the werewolf.

Mine is also a departure. The result is a DNA hybrid, an error made my a genetisist, from an ice age fossil. I don't use the term "werewolf" in the entire manuscript. No lycanthropy, moons, silver bullets or howlings. I thought it was extremely important to creat something unique and different in this genre. Unfortunately, and so far, I'm meeting with resistance, which is totally astonishing to me.

Tri

triceretops said:

Mine is also a departure. The result is a DNA hybrid, an error made my a genetisist, from an ice age fossil. I don't use the term "werewolf" in the entire manuscript. No lycanthropy, moons, silver bullets or howlings. I thought it was extremely important to creat something unique and different in this genre. Unfortunately, and so far, I'm meeting with resistance, which is totally astonishing to me.

Tri

Click to expand...

Maybe you went too far away from the idea of a werewolf. What I mean is its okay to not use all the stereotypical traits of a werewolf. Instead of lycanthropy you used genetics that is a good twist. But if you want it to be a werewolf tale you made need to give the 'wolf the weakness to silver or the full moon transformations.

If your trying to shop it as a werewolf book without anything pertaining to a werewolf. That is probably why your having a hard time.

I think it has resulted in confusion because it was tagged as a paranormal thriller. When in reality, it has little to no paranormal aspects in it. Which makes it a straight thriller. In fact, one of the rejections said, "These Crichton-esque thriller are a hard push right now." It's actually more Island of Doctor Moreau than The Howling. But, I did in fact, design it that way. So it might be a genre problem. It's one thing I'm going into a huddle about with my agent Wed, when we have our monthly strategy meeting.

Tri

triceretops said:

Mine is also a departure. The result is a DNA hybrid, an error made my a genetisist, from an ice age fossil. I don't use the term "werewolf" in the entire manuscript. No lycanthropy, moons, silver bullets or howlings. I thought it was extremely important to creat something unique and different in this genre. Unfortunately, and so far, I'm meeting with resistance, which is totally astonishing to me.

Tri

Click to expand...

We have Hollywood to thank for most of that. Every since Curt Sidomac wrote the script for "The Wolf Man", silver, pentagrams, and the full moon among other things, have been the bane of werewolves. Although I did find mention of silver being used against the werewolf in the reseach I've done, it seems that was a Christian invention from the 1600's if I remember right. As for the full moon, again, if I remember right as it has been a while since I did my research (I took about a three year break and didn't even try to write a single word), the moon had no bearing on this creature because it was a nightly transformation for the cursed and for those who changed because of the "wolf belt", it was more or less whenever they pleased. And I found nothing about pentagrams. Not saying there wasn't something in the lore, but I didn't find it.

Because of Sidomac, things such as this are so entrenched it's very hard to break out of that mold I'm sorry to say. Even the more popular films such as "Wolf", "The Howling" and "American Werewolf in London" all pretty much follow this formula with very little deviation. With books, there are more werewolf stories out there than I can count, mostly unpublished, but the ones that are seemingly don't stray that far from the same formula.

I dont know if anyone else who enjoys writing about the werewolf such as myself has run into this, the transformation from man to beast and when someone is attacked. It's really hard to bring something new to this part of the lore. In the stories I've written, I don't go into a lot of detail about the transformation because every one I've read or seen in films are very close to the same so I tell the reader what is happening and let their imagination fill in the blanks. The reason I do that is because you can describe in painstaking detail how this person changes and the vast majority of the readers are going to say that's not how it goes. You have a little more leeway with someone getting their throat torn out but not much.

Triceretops, I certainly hope your MSS sees print because I will definatly own a copy. From what you've said, it sounds like a very interesting take on the werewolf.

-B- said:

We have Hollywood to thank for most of that. Every since Curt Sidomac wrote the script for "The Wolf Man", silver, pentagrams, and the full moon among other things, have been the bane of werewolves. Although I did find mention of silver being used against the werewolf in the reseach I've done, it seems that was a Christian invention from the 1600's if I remember right. As for the full moon, again, if I remember right as it has been a while since I did my research (I took about a three year break and didn't even try to write a single word), the moon had no bearing on this creature because it was a nightly transformation for the cursed and for those who changed because of the "wolf belt", it was more or less whenever they pleased. And I found nothing about pentagrams. Not saying there wasn't something in the lore, but I didn't find it.

Because of Sidomac, things such as this are so entrenched it's very hard to break out of that mold I'm sorry to say. Even the more popular films such as "Wolf", "The Howling" and "American Werewolf in London" all pretty much follow this formula with very little deviation. With books, there are more werewolf stories out there than I can count, mostly unpublished, but the ones that are seemingly don't stray that far from the same formula.

I dont know if anyone else who enjoys writing about the werewolf such as myself has run into this, the transformation from man to beast and when someone is attacked. It's really hard to bring something new to this part of the lore. In the stories I've written, I don't go into a lot of detail about the transformation because every one I've read or seen in films are very close to the same so I tell the reader what is happening and let their imagination fill in the blanks. The reason I do that is because you can describe in painstaking detail how this person changes and the vast majority of the readers are going to say that's not how it goes. You have a little more leeway with someone getting their throat torn out but not much.

Triceretops, I certainly hope your MSS sees print because I will definatly own a copy. From what you've said, it sounds like a very interesting take on the werewolf.

Click to expand...

I agree with what you have said. In my own work I did not have an alpha werewolf bite someone to start it all, I did go another direction with how they came to be. Like I said before I am dealing with them as a race not just a one werewolf killing machine.

Thanks for that. Hollywood...that doesn't surprise me at all. The transformation my shewolf endures is one of going feral when she escapes to the wild. Normally her condition is kept in check by constant shavings, hormones, supplement injections, and other physical/bio maintenance. But when she ecapes to the wild, the change comes over her rather abruptly in a manner of weeks/months, much like a domesticated pig goes hog feral. So that's how I explain the transformation and her degeneration into the more animal part of her makeup.

It's tough as hell to put a new spin on a werewolf tale/tail. Heh, heh. For all those who've tried, I doff my fedora to you. We haven't got it easy. We sure as hell have the audience, much like the vamp crowd and I do know that the big editors are receptive to them. I'm proof of that since I was solicited to write one--or at least try my hand at it. And here's the mystery: they wanted it very sexual/sensual! So I had no choice but to try a different take on the concept and theme.

So don't give up. Let the hair fly.

Tri

Wolvel said:

I agree with what you have said. In my own work I did not have an alpha werewolf bite someone to start it all, I did go another direction with how they came to be. Like I said before I am dealing with them as a race not just a one werewolf killing machine.

Click to expand...

It's good to see someone else who threw the whole biting thing out the window. In my stories I did as well. In mine it takes a transfer of blood from the animal to the human along with a ritual that binds the spirit of the animal to the human soul.

-B- said:

It's good to see someone else who threw the whole biting thing out the window. In my stories I did as well. In mine it takes a transfer of blood from the animal to the human along with a ritual that binds the spirit of the animal to the human soul.

Click to expand...

I love that. Sounds like a really interesting take.

What a great idea that is! A blood transfer ritual. Throws some great mysticism into the mix.

Tri

-B- said:

It's good to see someone else who threw the whole biting thing out the window. In my stories I did as well. In mine it takes a transfer of blood from the animal to the human along with a ritual that binds the spirit of the animal to the human soul.

Click to expand...

Well i went further back to mankinds own beginnings, my trible of humans was attacked by a large pack of wolves, after the fight was over only one human remained awake the tribes shaman who used his magic to combine the bodies of the wolves with that of his tribe to save his people, the endresult in them becoming werewolves.

Wolvel said:

Well i went further back to mankinds own beginnings, my trible of humans was attacked by a large pack of wolves, after the fight was over only one human remained awake the tribes shaman who used his magic to combine the bodies of the wolves with that of his tribe to save his people, the endresult in them becoming werewolves.

Click to expand...

I like this Wolvel. I have a group of young warrior women who have learned how to focus their minds to cross over at will. It's only a short story which I do much better at than novels, but I'm continuing the tale like TV series in chaps. That works best right now for me.

My character catches it STD-like. She had a rebound fling with a werewolf and paid for it in fur and blood Nothing so interesting as you all have described, but hey, I'm young and was even younger when I wrote it!

I do like seeing everyone's take on our furry friends, though. I'd probably read every one of these if/when they made it to print.

Sassee said:

My character catches it STD-like. She had a rebound fling with a werewolf and paid for it in fur and blood Nothing so interesting as you all have described, but hey, I'm young and was even younger when I wrote it!

I do like seeing everyone's take on our furry friends, though. I'd probably read every one of these if/when they made it to print.

Click to expand...

I created mine originally when I was fifteen.

I have just fine tuned it a little.

Dean Koontz's story Midnight always seemed like a version of the werewolf tale with Koontz's classic twists thrown in (with maybe a little bit of The Howling thrown in as well). It's an interesting tale in its own right, but there are heavy werewolf elements throughout most of the book (involuntary transformation, predatory behavior, a lust for blood in some individuals, preternatural strength & senses, etc.).

triceretops said:

Thanks for that. Hollywood...that doesn't surprise me at all. The transformation my shewolf endures is one of going feral when she escapes to the wild. Normally her condition is kept in check by constant shavings, hormones, supplement injections, and other physical/bio maintenance. But when she ecapes to the wild, the change comes over her rather abruptly in a manner of weeks/months, much like a domesticated pig goes hog feral. So that's how I explain the transformation and her degeneration into the more animal part of her makeup.

It's tough as hell to put a new spin on a werewolf tale/tail. Heh, heh. For all those who've tried, I doff my fedora to you. We haven't got it easy. We sure as hell have the audience, much like the vamp crowd and I do know that the big editors are receptive to them. I'm proof of that since I was solicited to write one--or at least try my hand at it. And here's the mystery: they wanted it very sexual/sensual! So I had no choice but to try a different take on the concept and theme.

So don't give up. Let the hair fly.

Tri

Click to expand...

In all honesty, Hollywood hasn't been a complete bust for the werewolf. From the old legends and myths this creature ran around on four legs. But from a writing standpoint, it's a bit easier to have your beast as the half man-half wolf instead, or it is for me at any rate. And I will have to admit, it was Hollywood that got me hooked when I saw "The Wolf Man" as a kid.

I did write a story in which my character encounters a pack of werewolves that were the four legged kind of legend, but I characterized them as having gone completly over to that side and were living thier lives as wolves instead of humans.

And you are very right in that it is hard to bring something new to the werewolf. The one thing I did with my character was that the wolf inside speaks to him. They have full conversations, arguments and such, all of which goes on inside his head. I had an editor looking at the first several of these stories and she made several notations out to the side wanting to know where this wolf was he was talking to. That sent a red light off in my own head because I explained that about half way throught the very first story I wrote.

mommyjo2 said:

What are the three best Werewolf stories/movies you've seen?

I'm writing a story and I want to gauge the "zeitgeist" and what popular werewolf characteristics are generally accepted by the general public (I know what *I* think, but want to know what others have gotten away with!)

Click to expand...

One film I haven't seen mentioned is "Bad Moon" based off the book "Thor" by Wayne Smith with Michael Pare as the werewolf. It had a scene in there that I thought was one of the best I've ever seen in a werewolf movie. Uncle Ted's (Pare) nephew is watching "Werewolf of London" and Henery Hull is walking across the screen as the wolf man. Uncle Ted is standing there laughing and his nephew can't figure out why. I had a whole scene planned out for my character along that line until I saw that. I was like, "Damnit!"

-B- said:

One film I haven't seen mentioned is "Bad Moon" based off the book "Thor" by Wayne Smith with Michael Pare as the werewolf. It had a scene in there that I thought was one of the best I've ever seen in a werewolf movie. Uncle Ted's (Pare) nephew is watching "Werewolf of London" and Henery Hull is walking across the screen as the wolf man. Uncle Ted is standing there laughing and his nephew can't figure out why. I had a whole scene planned out for my character along that line until I saw that. I was like, "Damnit!"

Click to expand...

Bad Moon was on tv a few days ago. I thought it was actually kinda a cute werewolf movie. I mean, the dog saved the day and all. I just couldnt understand why the uncle would purposly move closer to his sister and nephew when he knew what he was capable of....

Movies: The Howling; the HBO movie Full Eclipse (Which seems really cheesy until the end and then it's awesome); Underworld: Evolutions; The Company of Woves; Silver Bullet; An American Werewolf in London...

Books: The Howling by Gary Brandner; The Wolf's Hour Robert R. McCammon; Necroscope: The Lost Years 1 & 2 (And all the Necroscopes) by Brian Lumley; Moon Dance by S. P. Somtow; Silverwolf by Rodger Edmondson (was banned); Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King (who also had a retarded werewolf in The Talisman which he wrote with Peter Straub); The Orphan by Robert Stallman; Shadow of the Beast by Margret L. Carter (Where The Company of Wolves came from)...

The Nightwalker, by Thomas Tessier. I haven't read this one yet but I think Stephen King recommended it in Danse Macabre.
According to Wikipedia it is about a young American Vietnam vet, adrift in London, who may or may not be a werewolf. It's in my "to buy" pile.

triceretops said:

It's tough as hell to put a new spin on a werewolf tale/tail. Heh, heh. For all those who've tried, I doff my fedora to you. We haven't got it easy. We sure as hell have the audience, much like the vamp crowd and I do know that the big editors are receptive to them.
Tri

Click to expand...

I know this is probably my frustration getting the better of me but I’m starting to have some doubts about that. I’ve sent a flood of queries to perspective agents only to be turned down by each of them. Even had one tell me that they had unsuccessfully tried to sell a book with an almost identical subject matter last year. I’m also starting to believe a friend of mine was correct when they said this was a niche subject and you have to have something that really stands out to garner any interest. I wish nothing but the best for anyone else that is trying to get a werewolf story published. Lord knows it looks like I would do as much good if I slammed my face into a brick wall.

Sticking with just 3, is hard. Here's my list.

Movies:
Dog Soldiers
In Company of Wolves
Gingersnaps

Books:
Bitten (Kelley Armstrong)
Blood and Chocolate (Annette Curtis Klause)
Moon Called (Patricia Briggs- though, the MC is not one of the wolves)

Over in the paranormal romance world, the idea of scientists (Nazi ones, at that) mixing DNA to produce werewolves has been done, with pretty good success, FYI.

Inarticulate Babbler said:

Shadow of the Beast by Margret L. Carter (Where The Company of Wolves came from)...

Click to expand...

Ermm, no.

It came from Angela Carter's, The Bloody Chamber. She even co-wrote the screenplay with Neil Jordan.