Okay --- this isn't a post about a book. It's mostly just a little musing for my own amusement. And since I just had this discussion with a friend of mine, I thought I'd share with anyone reading.
We all know that stories about werewolves are popular. I mean, let's see ---beyond Stephenie Meyer, we have loads and load of choice stories to choose from. We have great books like Shiver, and Raised by Wolves, and Nightshade (at least I hear this one is great) (and please, there are more great werewolf/shifter books I could name here, too). We have authors who write extensively with characters who are werewolves, like Dakota Cassidy, and Carrie Vaughn. And yes, I know there are a lot of other authors out there --- this is just an example. Stories about other shapeshifters also exist. For example, Laurell K. Hamilton includes a variety of lycanthropes in her stories: wereleopards, and weretigers, and even people who shift into swans. And let's not forget the stories of beautiful men who change into seals. But werewolves seem to be the most popular among animals, probably because they are, in nature, a little mysterious. They're beautiful. And soft-looking. They're strong and fast. Their social life lends itself to all kinds of potential stories about pack behavior and relationships.
But frankly, I'd like something a little new. As much as I love wolves, and I do, I'd love to see a story about something different. Like maybe.... someone who changes into... a possum. Or maybe a ferret. I'd take a raccoon. Yes, yes, I know it would be cooler to ask for lycanthropy to result in something like a raven, or a hawk, or a panther. But I wouldn't mind a story where our heroine has to deal with the effects of changing into, for example, a raccoon, and having to deal with her drive to root through garbage and then wake up in the morning covered in coffee grounds and pizza sauce. Or I'd take a hero who changes into a magpie, and then has to explain why he has a huge fascination will all things shiny. I'm not a writer, but I can imagine all sorts of possibilities here. Any thoughts?
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4 comments:
Good post! For variety, I enjoyed Other by Karen Kincy, where the heroine is half pooka and changes into a horse, and owl, and a cat. And she's actually prejudiced against werewolves, who she thinks are lowlifes!
Ha! I love that you want someone to change into a ferret. Maybe he can be named Garret? Just a thought. I will never forget that. :)
Ranee, you are too funny! How could I forget Garret??!!!
I like your ideas! Particularly that of the raccoon transformation. Would that unfortunate character remember his or her nights spent as a raccoon? Or would the mess in which he or she woke up remain unexplainable by any memory? That latter course would lead to some interesting issues of self-image, xD
I'm familiar with the legends of seals turning into women - men are always stealing their skins and marrying them, since the women can't return to the sea until they take their skins back. I've never read a story about a male selkie! I should look for one; I think the inversion would be fascinating to read. Do you have any you would recommend?
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