Five Feral Warriors completed, another written and in revision stages (Ecstasy Untamed, due out Nov. 29th), and still another that I’m in the process of plotting. Which, in a round about way, brings me to my topic. How do I make each new book fresh and different from the books in the series that have come before? And I must attempt to do this, not just for you, but for me. Because, think about it. When you read a book, you spend maybe ten or twelve hours with the story. Less, if you’re a fast reader. As the writer, I’m spending four to six months. No, I don’t ever want to bore my readers, but I never want to bore myself, either.
With each new book, I ask myself several key questions. Whose book is this? What’s the romance about? What disasters are happening in the external plot? Those are the basics. But in addition, every book has to bring something new to the table to keep me intrigued. New characters, new challenges, new revelations about the world. And, whenever possible, new and interesting settings for the action to take place. With Hunger Untamed, I hit the mother lode. Trust me, it’s true.
New characters and new revelations about the world were a given the moment I realized, awhile back, that Kougar, the oldest and coldest of the Feral Warriors, had once been mated to the Queen of the Ilinas, a race of women who could turn to mist at will and were thought to have gone extinct a thousand years ago. Even Kougar thought his mate, Ariana, was dead until twenty years ago when he learned the truth—that she’d been alive all this time, leaving him to live a half-life. The ultimate betrayal of everything he’d believed they’d meant to one another.
When I’m plotting a new book and an idea intrigues me and seems to fit with the story, I feel it inside, like a Geiger counter buzzing. And the questions start flying through my head. Why had Ariana faked her extinction? Why had she left Kougar to suffer, believing her dead? And what is she going to do when Kougar captures her, hating her, demanding she help him save two of his Feral brothers trapped in a Daemon spirit trap—a trap only the Queen of the Ilinas has ever been able to breech and come out of alive—but she can’t help him?
New and different characters? The Ilina female mist warriors. Check. New challenges? Trying to save Hawke and Tighe before the Daemon spirit trap kills them? Oh, yeah. New revelations about the world? You’ll have to trust me on this one, too, but yes. Bunches. (Kougar has been around a long time.)
Last, I needed to look at setting. Some of the scenes take place at Feral House, since that’s where the Feral Warriors live. While there, we’ll visit with old friends, as many of the other Ferals and their mates play pivotal roles in Hunger Untamed. For those who’ve been following the series, there are a number of little interesting tidbits about the other characters tucked in here and there.
But I get bored if every scene takes place in the same location. So I got to thinking, where do the Ilinas’ live? And I already knew the answer. I first started exploring the Ilina race and Kougar’s tie to them while writing the novella Hearts Untamed for the Bitten By Cupid anthology published a year ago with Lynsay Sands and Jaime Rush. In that story, the Ilina, Melisande, tried to drag the heroine, and even the hero, into the Crystal Realm where they would die. (Ilinas might be females and creatures of mist and light, but they’re tough, dangerous little warriors, too.) But what was the Crystal Realm? I’m going to make you read the book to find out but suffice it to say, my muse and I had lots of fun exploring, imagining, creating that unique setting for some very emotional scenes.
Do you have to have read the other Feral books to enjoy Hunger Untamed? No, not at all. This is Kougar and Ariana’s story, first and foremost, and it’s complete. You’ll know what you need to know. Then if you enjoy it, grab the others and catch up. Meanwhile, I’ll be blazing the trail ahead, hacking my way through the jungle of ideas, finding the next story. And the next. And the next.
For a chance to win book 1 in the Feral Warriors series, DESIRE UNTAMED, tell me a book setting that intrigued you. One that you remember well…for whatever reason. It doesn’t have to be unique, just memorable.Â
Thanks for having me on Coffee Time Romance!
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0 COMMENTS
Marie Tuhart
13 years agoHi Pamela,
I wanted to let you know how much I love the Feral books. I’d heard good and not so good things about the books. I had the first 3, then Rapture Untamed was due to be released. I sat down and started reading. I couldn’t put these books down. As a writer, I’ve learned so much from you, as a reader, I love the world and the characters. Pick up Untamed Hunger yesterday, as soon as I finish edits on my current book for my editor, I’m going to read it.
Marie
Danielle
13 years agoI love your Feral Warriors novels. I have only been able to read Desire Untamed. But I definitely have the rest on my TBR pile! Since I already have Desire Untamed I will skip the contest. But I will state that the most memorable place for me as far as scenery for a novel has got to be Sanctuary which is a bar in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Hunter series. I just think the humans and creatures that go there must be outstanding. Not to mention all the hot studs lol.
L. K. Below
13 years agoA great setting… I love unusual settings, but stories about backwater towns are what interest me the most. Probably because I hail from a tiny town. Especially a small Canadian town. What can I say, I like to dream too 😛
lbelow(at)lbelow.net
Shawn Wilhelm
13 years agoPamela, the books sound wonderful! And I love the covers. ROFL. I admit, covers attract me. I will, however, read a bit to see if the book lives up to the picture. Yours sure do!
One of the most memorable settings? This is probably too easy, but it would have to be Tolkien’s middle earth.I know the book moved throughout this mythical version of early earth, but I really felt as if I was in a different time, much earlier to our own, where the impossible was the norm.
Shannon Leigh
13 years agoOMG! You had me at the cover. Lovely. Looks like a hot book.
Shannon Leigh
Amber Scott
13 years agoWhat a cool premise for a series! I love the titles and covers, too. On my TBR asap list.
Yadira A.
13 years agoHi Pamela!
Congrats on the latest release! All of the covers look amazing especially all lined up like they are:)
A setting that was memorable to me comes from the BDB series by J.R. Ward. The brothers mansion (or fortress) complete with a gym, OR/ER, and enough living space to house all of the brothers and their shellan’s. I wanna live in that house;)
yadkny@hotmail.com
Shannon Leigh
13 years agoA setting that stuck with me…
I recently read a story where the hero was an immortal warrior and the heroine was just a normal woman. She was the man’s chosen mate, but she wasn’t too thrilled with his whole explanation of immortals and undead. He kidnaps her, so to speak, to not only protect her but also make her understand that he needs her, in more ways that one. Of course she’s looking to escape. He gets her cornered in one of the rooms of his fortress and she manages to kick him in the balls and get passed him. It was the second time she’d damaged his family jewels. I laughed my ass off. You just have to picture this big six and a half foot he-man getting knocked to his knees by a little woman that barely reaches his chest. Too funny.
Heather B
13 years agoFABULOUS covers and story ideas.
Favorite setting? Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Not JUST because it’s Scotland, because it’s Scotland 250yrs ago through the eyes of a modern woman. Diana had never been there before she wrote it, so it was all painted from her research and knowledge. For me, it’s visceral and enlightening; I can ‘see’ the surrounding, ‘smell’ how badly the men are after 2 weeks on the road in rough conditions. Being a modern woman in a familiar but completely foreign environment like that was so interesting.
Linda B
13 years agoHI PAMELA! BOY I REALLY AM IN A CAGE AS I NEVER READ ANY OF YOUR BOOKS! THEY ALL LOOK AWESOME!!
Linda B
13 years agoSURE HOPE I WIN ONE AS I’M ANXIOUS TO READ THEM.
Mary Campbell
13 years agoWow this sounds great. I haven’t read any of your books but I am going to get them and catch up. I like reading series books from the first book to the last one written. Then look forward to the next one in line. All of your books are going on my tbb list.
Christy H.
13 years agoPamela your FERAL WARRIORS series are going to the top of my “must have” list!
A book setting that intrigued me . . . LAKE OF FIRE by Linda Jacobs which was set in Yellowstone.
Pamela Palmer
13 years agoHi all! Thanks for the great responses. Actually, the book came out Tuesday. I wrote this post while preparing for the book tour Jeaniene Frost and I just got back from, so my dates got a little confused.
Marie and Danielle, I love that you’re enjoying the books! And I love that the rest of you are enjoying the covers. 🙂 They’re ‘inspiring’, aren’t they? I adore the Avon Art Department. They do such a great job.
CJ
13 years agoOne of the most novel settings for me was Petaybee of the Anne McCaffrey/Ann Scarborough series. The arctic type setting at the beginning followed by the discovery that the planet is sentient was really different.
Rachel Firasek
13 years agoSo funny you should ask about setting. I’m in revisions and fighting my world building. I skim setting & description while reading, so I really can’t remember a book as much as the author and the scene. It was Laurel K Hamilton’s Anita Blake Series. I think it was Guilty Pleasures when she was at the Master’s home and locked in some kind of basement with the rats. I instantly felt the damp, dirty darkness. Great world building in her books. In yours, would definitely have to be the first book when the warriors are powering up for the first time with their leaders mate. Love that!
Kim S.
13 years agoWell, gookenheimers, how in the world did I miss this series?? Where have I been?? LOL
Woweee, these look soooo good! Can’t wait to get my grubby hands on the first book, Desire Untamed!
I think the setting that gets me every time I read the stories, are Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb’s In Death. Her description of the year 2058 is THE BEST,, with how she makes you feel comfortable like you’re reading a contemporary and then she inserts the ‘future’ elements that a person can totally relate to, understand and wish were available right now! Love my Eve books!!
Thanks for sharing your Untamed series with us Pamela! I look forward to starting them soon!
Larena Wirum
13 years agoone thing I have read recently that has really stuck is Ascention by Caris Roane and one of the biggest reasons it has stuck is the fact that is set in Phoenix, AZ in several dimension and since I know that area it was very fun to read. 🙂
Sue K
13 years agoMany years ago I read two books set in ancient Egypt and I actually dreamed about those characters they were written so well. For the life of me I can’t remember either books title or the author’s name, but those books left me with an indelible impression of Egypt and the Pharoahs.
I’ve never read your books, but they sound interesting.
Cathy Wellman
13 years agoSounds like a great read, Congrats !
Val Pearson
13 years agoJust about every book I read is memorable but since I read it I’ve loved A Matter Among Men by Destiny Blaine, I love her work. Another favorite of mine is The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. That’s an AMAZING book.
Loved your blog today and can’t wait to read the Untamed Books.
Lindsey Ekland
13 years agoThe Atlanta that exists in Kate Daniel’s world as reported by Illona Andrews. The description reminds me of Cristchurch after the earthquake. The destruction comes from waves of magic that eats at modern structures causing them to decay but leaves much of the natural, low-lying structures alone.
Cindy L
13 years agoHmm…I would have to say Lynn Kurland’s Time Travel series. Most of it takes place in Scotland and it’s one of my favorite places that I’ve traveled to.