Realism and Fun by Terry Spear

I went to Cameron Park Zoo a couple of days ago to take pictures of some of the zoo animals to share on my blogs. But one of the animals I wanted to take pictures of most were the jaguars, and if they had any...wolves. No wolves. Just signs for wolves.

I wanted pictures of them because I write about wolf shifters and jaguar shifters. Part of the realism in writing unreal stories is to research the real and add it to the unreal. In Savage Hunger, I did a lot of research about both the Amazon and about jaguars. Jaguars are more elusive than most big cats. They don't kill people like most big cats are known to do--mountain lions, lions, and tigers. Yet jaguars are the third biggest roaring cat behind lions and tigers with the strongest bite of any of them.

When I watched them, I observed a jaguar hunting a Jurassic Era catfish, humungous fish, and included that fishing scene in Savage Hunger. Reality in a jaguar shifter unreal world. I also included the jaguar shifter playing with her tail, because I'd seen one do that when she was lying down and all of a sudden started playing with her tail!

When I was taking pictures of the jaguars, suddenly one of them began to run along the fence, tail swishing, whiskers on alert, ears twitching. The jaguar wanted so badly to hunt! I wasn't sure what had caught its attention, but it was ready. Can I use this in a book? You bet!

So I went to the zoo to take pictures, but also to ensure no jaguar shifters had been caged by accident. At first, I was thinking that this was just another big cat. Now I'm not so sure.

I have to share this gorgeous sleeping jaguar. I think it might be Wade Patterson, after all.

 Do you use reality in your unreal worlds?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality."
www.terryspear.com

Redheaded Wizard Bear Ready for the All Wizard's Party!

 

Got to have a redheaded wizard, red bear wizard, for the all wizard's party for Halloween, right? So here is a red mohair bear, wire body, red mohair beard, and lined cloak. He's also a one of a kind bear. :) 


Today I'm at Sia's for coffee, well green tea, and fun! And another copy of Savage Hunger! Only 3 days remain next week for giveaways!
 
10/26 Sia McKye’s Thoughts Over Coffee

Kids are coming to visit, but something I was going to give my daughter for an early birthday present still had the security tag on it! I wish I had tried to wrap it up earlier and would have seen it and could have taken it in when I ran errands yesterday!! Although, I did sell the tall gold mohair wizard bear and need to ship it to South Africa, so I will have to run into town anyway.

Okay, this is another book in the Shadow Elf series. I started writing a different one, too and have the cover for it, but still haven't decided on the title. My problem is that the elves I want to write about are referred to as the High Elves, because they use High Magic, and live  in the mountains with their dragon companions. Maybe say High Magic Elves. Not sure. :)  What else could I use as a title for High Magic Elves??? I like two words if I can do it. :)
 

Have to clean and the like...wish I had some magic and could just whisk the dust away! Living in cornfields makes things ultra-dusty and the farmer has been plowing and replowing the fields for unknown reasons. :) And replowing...

Back to the issue of security tags and purchase mishaps.
 
My mother bought some beautiful shoes in Las Vegas, got home, and only one of the shoes was in the box.  I bought a sweater in one state, got it home and found the security tag still on it. I managed to finally pry it loose without it tearing anything, but in the future, I'd just take it to any store that has the security removers and see if they'd remove it because I'd be afraid of getting ink on the garment or tearing up the fabric.

So, have you ever gotten home and found out a clerk had left a security tag on your clothes? Or worse, one shoe and a box?

Happy TGIF!!!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality!"
www.terryspear.com

A Highlander in Action--Cover for A Howl for a Highlander

Okay, I'm off to a hectic day of work, but I had to share this with you!

Here's Todd, the cover model for A Howl for a Highlander and Savage Hunger along with models for other books as they had the photo shoot. You'll see Duncan MacNeill in action!





Have a super great day! I'm off to work!



Terry

"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality!"

www.terryspear.com

Sold! A SEAL Wolf Christmas!

Not sure about the title, but Sourcebooks bought A SEAL Wolf Christmas!

It all began with To Tempt the Wolf and Hunter and his wolf pack!

You know how that began. Tessa finds a naked man on her beach. Hey, he's a SEAL...wolf. What can you expect?  Snowstorm coming. What's a woman to do???

Then there's A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing.

And a return to Hunter's pack, only this time with one of his SEAL team members, back at the Oregon coast, Finn Emerson intending to protect Hunter's sister Meara.

Meara catches him before he covers himself with a towel, pretending to be her lover while she's intending to find a mate. And it's NOT going to be him. He's such a devil of a wolfish SEAL hunk.

And now?

I got word last night, talk about TGIF!!! Anna and Bjornolf get their turn!

A SEAL Wolf Christmas (title probably to change)

Navy SEAL Bjornolf Jorgenson and undercover operative Anna Johnson have a rocky beginning at their first meeting all to do with pantyhose and tying her to a bed after some heavy-duty sparring, and him declaring she has mighty fine killer knees. Christmas is coming but thoughts of sugar plum fairies and kissing under the mistletoe isn’t something these two gray werewolves have in mind when they're tasked to be the newlyweds preparing for Christmas while investigating a SEAL’s murder at a Christmas Tree farm.

Neither care about Christmas, sharing gifts, and all the traditions that go along with the season since neither enjoyed the holiday while growing up. But as they battle each other as to what makes for the perfect newly married couple’s first Christmas, they learn that a little Christmas cheer can become so much more, especially if they can take down a SEAL’s killer before they become his next target.

So get ready for more of Bjornolf. Yum. :)  And Anna and her give no quarter attitude!

Today, I'm also signing books at West Waco Library in Waco, Texas, conference room, from 1:30-4.

I'll be giving out book marks also.

And I'm at Discover New Love http://www.discoveranewlove.com/store/heart-of-the-highland-wolf.html all month long!

Have a super great Saturday!!!


Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality!"
www.terryspear.com

Making Far Out Goals

Normally, I say if you're going to make a goal, make it attainable. But sometimes, we need to push ourselves. And so I've got a way out far out goal to accomplish by this weekend. I have to work the weekend after next, so this is it.

I want to reach the halfway point over the weekend on The Highland Wolf in Paradise.

I finished a third of the book by last weekend.

Is making it to the halfway point on the book by this weekend doable? Sure, if I write a 1,000 words a day and write 5,000 this weekend. I can do it. Can I write a 1,000 words a day when I have to work also? Sometimes.

I have 10,000 words to write this week. I wrote 10,000 the last two weeks, which is why I'm way ahead of schedule, and this book isn't due until Dec, I believe. Or maybe earlier. I can't remember. But I'm ahead of schedule anyway. But before I was thinking of a weekly word count goal, I was thinking I'd have the book done by the end of March. Not so. It wouldn't be finished until April.

And that's why I began making far out goals. I want it done by March. I have it in my head it's going to be done by March.

Will it be done by then?

Only time will tell.

Do you ever set impossible goals for yourself and attain them?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com