An American Werewolf in Scandinavia by Coral Moore

As long as storytellers have been inventing tales, werewolves have been growling and scratching their way into our imaginations. The history of lycanthropes in our folklore is vast and diverse, covering the entire globe in disturbing stories detailing the animal side of human nature. Nowhere did shapeshifters leave toothmarks more viciously than in the wilds of northern Europe.

The Norse stories of men who transformed into animals were most probably based on the barbarians wearing the pelts of animals for warmth. Men literally dressed in the skins of animals are common in the Skaldic sagas. While they were sometimes said to fight with unusual ferocity, for the most part there is no mention of supernatural forces being involved. It’s easy to see where along the way these stories may have changed from fierce men wearing the skins of animals to men who became animals. A brutal battle where the enemy was covered in a bear skin with only their eyes exposed might easily spawn such exaggerations.

The were-beasts of northern Europe took the forms of bears, wolves, and boars. These animals were symbolic to the people of these lands beyond simple sustenance and warmth. The words for all three animals had multiple meanings in the Norse language, making the associations between animal and man difficult to isolate. The word vargr (wolf) was used to indicate a godless or heathen man as often as it was used for the animal. Jöfur, the word for boar, became associated with kings, perhaps because royal headpieces often had a ruff of boar fur atop them. Bears were revered for their strength and hunting prowess, and were invoked in spirit form on the nights of hunts and battles. Once again, it’s not a very long leap from a man with animalistic traits to one who can transform into said animal.

I’ve twisted the lore of the northern werewolves to suit my needs, but have tried to remain true to their roots in my own way. I speculate that the stories of savage men who could change into wolves began with a separate race that was enslaved by the barbarians of the northern lands. Over the centuries, the werewolves were woven into the tapestry of Norse mythology so profoundly that they don’t remember their true origins. The world of Broods of Fenrir shows what such beings might be like if they were brought forward into our modern world.

The information in this post is a partial summary of my research into werewolves. By far, the most comprehensive source I found was The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould posted on Sacred Texts, definitely worth the time for a thorough history of werewolves. If you’d like to have a more in-depth discussion of werewolves or Norse mythology, I’m always interested. You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads or my blog.

Marked by Odin

Broods of Fenrir Book 2
Coral Moore

Genre:Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Bared Teeth Publishing

Number of pages: 205

Word Count: 58,000

Cover Artist: Amanda Kelsey

http://razzdazzdesign.com

Book Description:

After killing his sadistic brother, Brand inherits the responsibility for his brother’s brood. Now, he must convince the brood that their barbaric way of life belongs in the past and demand change in order to secure their future.

Crushed by the death of his mate, Gunni believes it’s only a matter of time before he succumbs to the loneliness that plagues his life. He follows Brand out of loyalty, but he secretly craves the peace that death will bring—until he is confronted with the most infuriating human he’s ever met.

Leo is a throwback who has never quite fit in with human society. Drawn into the savage world of the werewolves, not entirely against his will, he discovers that the Broods of Fenrir don’t fear much… except him.

These three conflicting personalities unite in pursuit of an unscrupulous trapper who has taken a member of Brand’s brood captive. They must track him down before he uncovers what they are and their secret is revealed.

Contains Strong Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations.

Title: Broods of Fenrir
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 60k words, 230ish pages

Availability: Amazon, Nook, Smashwords

Blurb:

Shapeshifter Brand Geirson was raised to rule the Broods of Fenrir, but he refused his birthright. Instead, he killed their brutal leader–his own father–and walked away.

For hundreds of years he’s avoided brood society, until a werewolf kills an innocent human woman and Brand finds himself dragged back into the violent politics of the shapeshifters. When the two brood women who mean the most to him come under threat, he must take up the throne and risk becoming the kind of vicious bastard his father was, or let the broods descend further into chaos–taking the friend he swore to protect and his lover with them.

Relevant Warnings: There is significant violence. One on-screen sex scene, though I wouldn't describe it as particularly graphic.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Broods-of-Fenrir-ebook/dp/B006AKQVR0/
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/106624
Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/e/2940013500624

Amazon Paperback

About the Author:

Coral Moore has always been the kind of girl who makes up stories. Fortunately, she never quite grew out of that. She writes because she loves to invent characters and the desire to find out what happens to her creations drives the tales she tells.

Prompted by a general interest in how life works, her undergraduate schooling was in biology. She follows science news and enjoys conversations about genetics and microbiology as much as those about vampires and werewolves. Coral writes speculative fiction and is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Albertus Magnus College.

Currently she lives in Connecticut with the love of her life, who offers both encouragement and kicks in the tail when necessary. Also in residence are two mammals of the families Canidae and Felidae.

Blog: http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/coralm

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5341919.Coral_Moore

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCoralMoore