Spooky Tails for Halloween

This is my first time blogging with the great group of authors at Here Be Monsters, I mean, Here Be Magic, and it appears we've got a scary, spooky, creepy Halloween theme going the past several posts. Nicole North wanted to know what you're afraid of http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-are-you-afraid-of.html while Selah March listed a few horror-centric TV shows airing this October: http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2011/10/tv-for-scare-junkies.html. Veronica Scott talked about acting on stage http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-worlds-stage.html (which is pretty horrifying to an introvert like me!) and JK Koi is already getting ready for Christmas, which should scare just about anyone: http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2011/10/antho-for-christmas.html.

(Image credit: Scaredy cat drawn by the daughter of Liz Kreger for an interview we did at my blog.)

I don't partake of many horror movies, and only made it few a couple seasons of Supernatural. Granted, I hear I should have stuck with it in order to witness the glory that was Dr. Sexy, MD, but my favorite episodes were always the funny ones. The ones where the frightening moments were relieved by humor (Jensen Ackles screaming like a little girl in the episode "Yellow Fever" comes to mind) so my blood pressure could have a chance to ebb to a healthier level. Tension and excitement, sure. Chases and fight scenes and heroes or heroines racing to the airport before their true love can fly off forever... Definitely.

But horror?

Thus it came as a bit of a surprise when the initial idea for my February 2012 Carina novel, Pack and Coven, occurred to me. Werewolves and witches -- and some of the werewolves are really bad news. There's chases and fight scenes and people getting hurt. The hero and heroine at one point sure wish they were taking off in an airplane, but the entire story takes place in a rural, mountainous area in West Virginia with no airport easily at hand.

The thing about this book, though, is that amidst all the chaos and tension, I leavened it with plenty of humor. Our hero, aptly named Harry, is a biologically "alpha" male wolf shifter in a world where two alphas are required to keep the bonds of a wolf pack intact. The local pack lost their male alpha, and they really want Harry to step up. Really, really want him to step up, to the point of trickery, coercion and force. Harry would rather chew his own foot off than be in charge of a bunch of wolves. He considers himself an independent and had never planned on joining any pack.

Just when it seems he's not going to have a choice, we meet our heroine, June, a powerful witch who's determined to help Harry escape the life he doesn't want to live. The trick is going to be making sure he doesn't realize witches exist...and keeping her ginormous crush on him to herself at the same time.

So while Pack and Coven has some of the trappings of a horror novel with werewolves, rituals and an ominous, rural setting, it also contains humor, sex and some really great pie.

So what are some of your favorite funny horror movies or not-totally-terrifying tales of ... tails?

Jody Wallace
www.jodywallace.com * www.meankitty.com