Mixing Myths and Legends with Reality with Terry Spear

One of the fun things about writing urban fantasy for me is to mix myths and legends with a world that is real. What does that mean? Taking the fantasy element—vampires, or werewolves, or demons, oh my! And inserting them in Average Town, America where they co-exist with people like you and me (unless of course you’re one of these fantastical creatures I’m referring to…or I am).


I grew up on fantasy—the paranormal—ghosts and vampires and werewolves and gargoyles. Of witches and genies and all kinds of mythical creatures too many to name. I loved the Greek Mythologies and folk tales around the world—most giving a reason for something existing in nature. The peoples of those times were storytellers extraordinaire.

And that’s what I hope to accomplish while I’m writing my stories. A little suspense, a few thrills, some sexy romance, adventure, a way to suspend disbelief for a few hours and escape the world as we know it—the work week, the household chores, the yard work—and find a little romance, in a werewolf world, or a vampire world, or a medieval world.

It’s been so hectic at my library job because of staff taking vacations, or being out sick, and the numbers of patrons are increasing at an alarming rate without hope to add more staff. So what is a writer to do? Sneak off to the bat cave and write about—the world without weeding, or troubles (of a truly mundane nature), or paying taxes, or doing the dishes, or getting rid of the plethora of bugs involved in a home invasion worthy of a Stephen King horror novel.

Yep, it’s time for the writer to write about cooking with Devlyn and Tessa that’s totally sexy (HEART OF THE WOLF), or about playing tag werewolf style in family recreation, Chester Ryan McKinley and Carol Wood (WOLF FEVER), or ice skating that makes observers want to be in Alicia’s place with Jake Silver (DREAMING OF THE WOLF), or catching fish that’s good humored and turns into a bit of sexy play between Cassie Roux and Leidolf Wildhaven (SEDUCED BY THE WOLF), or taking a heated hike with Highlander Ian MacNeill and romance werewolf author Julia Wildthorn (HEART OF THE HIGHLAND WOLF), or participating in a Victorian celebration where Darien and Lelandi learn how much trouble dressing up can be when trying to dress down (DESTINY OF THE WOLF), or warming up when the electricity is out during a winter storm between Tessa and Hunter (TO TEMPT THE WOLF), and relaxing, or sort of relaxing in a hot tub in the snow between Cameron and Faith (LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF).

Now, do they have to weedeat or pay taxes? Or go to the grocery store or pay bills?

Hmm, that’s just plain boring. Although it’s definitely not all play and no work, but their work is a little more adventurous, and when they have to do mundane things, it turns out not quite so mundane as all that. 

Give me some adventure, some loving, some mystery and some fantasy, and life is great.

Someday, maybe I’ll write about yard work. I love to garden, by the way. But it’s the constant keeping after the mundane stuff—the weedeating, the pulling weeds, the mowing and watering—that I don’t care for because I don’t have time for it. But what if… I hire a guy to do my yard work, and when he shows up, there’s just something about him. Just something wolfish. A predatory look. An intrigue. He loves to take care of yards. Loves the smell of fresh cut grass, of the pinesap, listening to the wind blowing through the cornfields, making it sound as though a river is flowing nearby. And he draws a little too close when we’re discussing price. Tilts his chin up and takes a deep breath as if analyzing my scent. He seems more interested in me than he does in the yard and then he gives me a ridiculously low price and I’m too eager to accept. Because those eyes, amber with dark lashes framing them, and that smug almost smile touching his lips, and the way his gaze shifts to my mouth as if wanting to seal the deal with a kiss compels me to hire him.

Wouldn’t you?

Thanks so much for dropping by! Hope you have time to try out a werewolf tale, or two. Take the mundane to the sublime!

But truly, would you hire the hunk? And expect him to do a great job on the yard? Would you come out and work beside him? Offer him something cool to drink inside? See? No longer is the weedeating, mowing, watering and pulling weeds drudgery, but something sexy and fun and fantastical. 

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male.”

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