Guest post + GA: Mounted Release by Amy Ruttan

Bears.

Gorgeous, strong beasts that scare the *&%^ out of me. Well, they would if I met one in the woods and it was standing about two feet from me. I’ve been close to bears. This summer in fact, as close as I would like and I thoroughly enjoy it, but they still scare me.

Bears also fascinate me immensely.

When Ellora’s Cave had a special call for stories set in Canada, their Oh! Canada line, I knew I wanted to write a story with an RCMP member in it. Mounties are about as Canadian as you can get and there’s only so much you can write about poutine, even though I heart poutine beyond all reason.

I started writing it as a contemporary, but it wasn’t working. I was stuck.

And I mean really stuck. I was stalled 200 words in.

I let it sit and thought I wasn’t going to have a story for the Oh! Canada call, which bummed me out because I’m Canadian and also because when Ellora’s Cave polled us Canadian authors about writing for this call, I said I would.

Then it hit. Why not a paranormal? Why not a shifter?

I hadn’t written a paranormal for Ellora’s Cave since my first book was published in 2007.

Shifters immediately came to mind, but I was crazy nervous. I’d never written one and I didn’t read about shifters. I read mostly historical romance. I went into writing it blind.

As for the animals, I thought wolf was done a lot so bear was my next choice because no one would take me seriously if I wrote a Canadian shifter about a beaver …would you? 😉

I had to set up some ground rules for my shifters and went to work. The book flowed out of me and it was so much fun to write. I’d forgotten how much I loved writing paranormal and I found a new love for shifters.

So much so I’m working on book two in the Mounted Release world and I’m having so much fun expanding the world of my Mukswa men. I’m also working on a new series featuring another animal that I had close encounters with this summer. I’m completely hooked on shifters now.

This summer I also got to meet my hero from Mounted Release (she says tongue in cheek).

Do you have any particular animal you like to be featured in shifter novels? How about mythical creatures?

I’m also giving away a copy of Mounted Release. So email me at contactamy.ruttan@gmail.com telling me what animals are your favourite shifters and I’ll pick one lucky email through random(dot)org on Halloween!

Thanks for having me here at Paranormal Cravings. ☺

Mounted Release by Amy Ruttan

Gordon Thomas isn’t just an ordinary constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he’s also a bit of a bear—literally. He’s been on his own for so long he’s shocked when he discovers another Mukswa in his territory, and a female at that. The woman brings out the true beast in him, one which he’s been controlling for far too long.

Sheridan Stevens is on the run. When she crashes on an isolated road, her savior is the only male of her kind within one hundred kilometres. He’s kind, gorgeous and stirs her desire to a burning crescendo.

A snowstorm causes them to seek shelter. As the mercury drops outside, the temperature inside is rising. Neither Gordon nor Sheridan can contain the primal lust singing in their blood. But even as their passion burns brighter than the northern lights, Sheridan’s predator stalks them…ready to make his kill.