As the author of paranormal romance, I love diving into myths and legends. I like reading about the origins, seeing what other authors have written, and then creating my own little world for my characters.
Stormy Weather, my upcoming series, is set in Louisiana, where myths and legends abound. The Deveraux brothers are a small pack of werewolves from France. In my research of werewolves I found a few interesting things.
Werewolves date back centuries to Romania and Greece. It’s said that King Lycaeon tried to test the Gods at his table by feeding them human flesh. The Gods weren’t a big fan of that obviously and turned him into a werewolf.
Interesting Tidbits about Werewolves
It’s said that the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood is a werewolf.
It’s believed by some that werewolves can be killed by silver bullets.
Some authors consider werewolves immortal while others say they have a lifespan of several hundred years.
The word werewolf is thought to come from wer, meaning man. Man-Wolf.
Some say werewolves only appear during a full moon, but many stories claim that they can turn at will.
Lycanthropy is the ability to transform into a werewolf.
A Lycanthrope is a werewolf.
In Portugal werwolves are called lobis-homems. In Argentina the word for werewolf is Lobisón. It’s said that the seventh son will become a werewolf. In French, werewolves are known as loup-garou.
There’s a myth that comes to play in my first book of the series, The Cajun’s Captive. Amanda calls Sebastian loup-garou. The Cajun myth states that werewolves punish Catholics who don’t follow Lent. This of course gives Sebastian a good laugh.
With so many myths abounding, I’ve only discovered one truth. Werewolves are only limited by our imagination. Everyone has a different take on this mysterious beast. You can step into the world I’ve created June 13th with The Cajun’s Captive.
About the Author
Selena Blake writes paranormal and contemporary romance for Cobblestone Press. Her series Stormy Weather will be available in 2008. Drop by her website to find out more about the handsome Deveraux men of Louisiana and for a free short story. Http://www.selena-blake.com
