Thank you to Delilah Devlin for inviting Rachel and I back for a guest post. In keeping with the recent posts related to inspiration for novels and other creative projects, I thought I’d share the poem that inspired Rachel and I to write our series, Chicagoland Shifters. Our newest release, TIGER TIGER, takes its title from the poem itself.
Tiger Tiger
by William Blake (1757-1827)
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water’d heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
From Bartleby.com, Great Books Online.
Website URL: http://www.bartleby.com/101/489.html, accessed 06/30/2013
While the poem is more a prayer to the Creator about who could make the lamb and the tiger, the peaceful and the fearsome, what inspired us is the idea that a shape-shifter is both man and animal. The question we asked ourselves is, what if an animal empath were to encounter these shifted humans with an animal side?
We decided to explore the idea that fearsome warriors, modern-day soldiers in the American Marine Corps, were changed against their will into shape-shifters. We used Siberian tigers, since they’re the largest tigers on the planet, and we only left a small portion of their unit alive. They must stay together and guard each others’ backs against many threats – other humans who don’t know their secret as well as other shifter groups hostile to large predators in their territory. Our character, Doctor Sasha Soskoff, must make a place for himself within this tight-knit group as he discovers their secrets.
This month, we celebrate the release of TIGER TIGER from Samhain Publishing on July 23rd. We hope you’ll come with us around the web as we hold our blog tour. Join us at the Noon and Wilder blog to find the other stops on our tour. Here’s a little taste of TIGER TIGER for you to whet your appetite.
Chicagoland Shifters, Book 2
Veterinary trauma surgeon and animal empath Sasha Soskoff has found everything he ever wanted with his new partners Neal, Steve and Carlos. Life feels as safe and secure as it can be among a group of ex-Marine tiger shifters. Until a homeless man is found, gruesomely mauled and murdered, near Neal’s BDSM club.
When it’s determined a rogue tiger did the deed, the jaguars’ accusing eyes turn toward Sasha’s lovers. The precarious balance of peace tips dangerously toward war.
Neal knows damned well none of his tigers committed the crime. Someone must be in Chicago without his knowledge or permission, and they’d better find him fast before uncertainty and conflict rip the tight-knit band apart from the inside.
As Sasha struggles to heal the stress fractures forming among his tiger family, he begins to wonder if his dreams of a home, and love, were too good to be true. And it’s precisely that moment the killer strikes at the heart of the tiger clan—Sasha himself.
Buy link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/tiger-tiger-p-72887.html
Noon and Wilder Blog: http://taurusandtaurus.blogspot.com/
What’s your favorite shifter? Are you a traditionalist, and like werewolves only, or are you adventurous and like the unusual and new? (Just not penguin shifters, please oh please…)
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Congratulations on your release of TIGER TIGER! Hope you get a good turn out of sales for it. I enjoyed the excerpt of TIGER TIGER. I have added it to my list to get. I enjoyed reading all kinds of shifter stories. Werewolves is one of my favorite, but I also enjoy reading dragon shifters stories and big cat shifter stories too.
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Hi, Becky! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. We’re excited about TIGER TIGER and grateful you’ll give it a shot; I hope you like it as much as we do. 🙂
I think werewolves are so popular for a reason. 🙂 A good werewolf story is worth a read every time. Dragon shifters too, huh? Awesome. I remember reading TEA WITH THE BLACK DRAGON back in the day and that set the tone for my idea of what to aspire to regarding dragons.
Happy Fourth!
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I like all shifter stories,doesn’t matter what kind of shifter they become although the guy that turned into a turkey around Thanksgiving I found a little strange but all the other kinds of shifter,regardless,I love them.I really like the tiger ones but I have to be honest and say that I probably wont get Tiger Tiger tho I love Tiger shifters because Im am not a big fan of only anal sex and well with 3 or 4 guys that is all your going to get,I finally got to where I could deal with lifelong menages between one woman and 2 men which involved anal but also involved hetro sex ect,so if your book would have had a woman in the mix,I would have purchased it,but only men or only women are just not my thing although I wish it were because I love Tiger shifters 2nd best of all shifter,but I will go check out your other books and see what you have to offer!!! zanarigrandma@gmail.com
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Congratulations on the publication of Tiger Tiger! It sounds like a fascinating book. My favorite shifter is the wolf, but I enjoy reading about all types of shifters.
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Hi, Sharon! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. Rachel and I write a lot of M/M romance, though it’s not our only thing that’s what we have published right now. We do have plans for other stories involving M/F and other romances (probably menage), but we’ve been enjoying the M/M because it presents some unique challenges in storytelling. I understand if it’s not your cup of tea and sure appreciate you commenting anyway. That was kind of you.
I’m glad you like tiger shifters; let’s give those big cats some love! 🙂
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Hi, BookLady! I agree, werewolves are pretty awesome. What’s not to like about attractive, strong men who are enthralled by the moon? Rawr! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
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I like werewolves. But I have gotten into the others. 🙂 Depending on the story.
Thanks for sharing.
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I’m so excited for you! It’ll be an awesome read, I know.
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Hi, Melissa! You’re in good company, liking werewolves; looks like the consensus so far is with the classics. I’m glad you’ve gotten into the others too and hope that you’ll enjoy tigers just as much as wolves. 🙂
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Hi, Darla! Thank you so much, I’m pleased you’re so excited. I appreciate you stopping by to leave a comment!