Home > Guest Post > Amanda Arista talks werepanthers & $25 Amazon or B&N Giveaway
I’m sure you’ve heard me say that I designed my story around the main character, Violet, and that her transformation needed to be something out of the ordinary even in the shapeshifting world to show that she was not only special in the normal world, but special among the special people. I'm sure you've heard me lecture about how all your decisions as a writer need to have ties to the emotional arc of the character and that each decision is specifically made to best challenge your main character.
But, let’s be honest. When you really boil it down, werepanthers are just cooler than werewolves and here’s why.
So that’s why is better to be a werepanther. There is a sense of pride in saying that you are one of the few, the proud. However, it also puts a target on your back.
If you’re not convinced, pen me a line. If you still not convinced, pick up a copy of Diaries of an Urban Panther and you’ll see just how panther is the only way to shift.
It was dark and quiet and there was no dog smell on the wind, no Chaz smell either. I sucked in the cool safe air as my head cleared.
What the hell was I doing? I asked myself. Who were they? Haverty’s men come to collect? And why the hell had I run? I’d just left him there, to fight my battles. Just left Chaz to deal with the beasties because they were his thing; they were part of his world.
Screw that. When the last time Violet Jordan let someone else fight her battles?
Oh, that’s right, until I met Chaz, there were no battles to fight. And if there was anything that invaded my little fortress, I ran. It’s what I had always done. Run, move, and start all over with a fresh slate when things got hairy.
Wasn’t getting any hairier than this.
I looked up at the waxing moon and felt the stir of the cat in my chest. I wasn’t the Violet Jordan who ran anymore. I was the Violet Jordan who threw drinks in men’s faces and threw sensei’s across the room. I was the Violet Jordan who dated male models.
And those jerks had just ruined the first good date I’d had in years.
The fabulous Ms. Amanda Arista in conjunction with Goddess Fish Promotions has graciousiously offered up $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter.
DEETS:
Please welcome Amanda Arista to parajunkee.com. Amanda was born in Illinois, raised in Corpus Christi, lives in Dallas but her heart lies in London. Good thing she loves to travel! The summer of second grade, she read every book in the young adult section of the library, so she started making up her own stories and hasn’t stopped.
She has a husband who fights crime, one dog who thinks he’s a real boy, and another who might be a fruit bat in disguise. When not writing, Amanda often dreams of co-opening an evil bakery and sell despicable desserts. Her particularly favorites are larvaceous lemon bars and sinful cinnamon streusel.
She spends her weekends writing at coffee shops, practicing for the day that caffeine intake becomes an Olympic sport, and plotting character demises with fellow writers Wolvarez, Killer Cupcake and Keith (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent).
Why it's better to be a werepanther than a werewolf
I’m sure you’ve heard me say that I designed my story around the main character, Violet, and that her transformation needed to be something out of the ordinary even in the shapeshifting world to show that she was not only special in the normal world, but special among the special people. I'm sure you've heard me lecture about how all your decisions as a writer need to have ties to the emotional arc of the character and that each decision is specifically made to best challenge your main character.
But, let’s be honest. When you really boil it down, werepanthers are just cooler than werewolves and here’s why.
- Panthers are sexy as hell. All sleek and muscle. Their inky black fur, their yellow eyes illuminate on the darkest nights. They are dangerous and impulsive. They are everything that a woman wants. Werewolves are hot-ish. They’ve got the animal thing going for them, but when was the last time you said to yourself, "Man, I like a man with kibble breath." No, we want power and muscle and slink and mystery.
- Panthers are rare. This makes them an even hotter commodity. Among Those Who Wander, panthers are a very rare breed, only three families in the US. They believe in pedigree and if you fall in love with a panther, you know that you are something amazing too. Those werewolves are all over the place. Falling in love willy-nilly with any little thing that flips its tail the right way.
- Privacy. Panthers are lone creatures. While they might hunt with other big cats, they tend to keep their own company and their own space. As a woman who married into a big family can tell you, you don’t want the wolf pack. As nice as it sounds in the beginning, it gets tiring and quick. All those noses sniffing around in your business. You want to be able to go home to a quiet house with just you and him and …
- Panthers are fierce. If you come across one in the middle of the night, or let’s say in the back alley of your townhouse, you’d be afraid. Their exotic eyes locked on you, that high pitched scream into the night. The whites of their fangs gleaming. They are walking fear (hence part of the attraction). People keep wolves as pets. Though their howl might frighten on a dark and stormy night, my beagle can let out a blood curdling howl too. Wolves are fluffy and talk in movies because they can be tamed. Do we need to say “Squirrel?”
- Hygiene. We all know that cats are clean. They have a sense of cleanliness that seems to escapes those in the canine family, or at least my canine family. Like any other dog, wolves are not the keenest on self cleaning and their hair will just end up on all your furniture. Have you been around a werewolf when it’s shedding? Do we even need to get into the flea issue?
So that’s why is better to be a werepanther. There is a sense of pride in saying that you are one of the few, the proud. However, it also puts a target on your back.
If you’re not convinced, pen me a line. If you still not convinced, pick up a copy of Diaries of an Urban Panther and you’ll see just how panther is the only way to shift.
Diaries of an Urban Panther Excerpt #3
It was dark and quiet and there was no dog smell on the wind, no Chaz smell either. I sucked in the cool safe air as my head cleared.
What the hell was I doing? I asked myself. Who were they? Haverty’s men come to collect? And why the hell had I run? I’d just left him there, to fight my battles. Just left Chaz to deal with the beasties because they were his thing; they were part of his world.
Screw that. When the last time Violet Jordan let someone else fight her battles?
Oh, that’s right, until I met Chaz, there were no battles to fight. And if there was anything that invaded my little fortress, I ran. It’s what I had always done. Run, move, and start all over with a fresh slate when things got hairy.
Wasn’t getting any hairier than this.
I looked up at the waxing moon and felt the stir of the cat in my chest. I wasn’t the Violet Jordan who ran anymore. I was the Violet Jordan who threw drinks in men’s faces and threw sensei’s across the room. I was the Violet Jordan who dated male models.
And those jerks had just ruined the first good date I’d had in years.
The fabulous Ms. Amanda Arista in conjunction with Goddess Fish Promotions has graciousiously offered up $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter.
DEETS:
- One Winner chosen by random
- Prize: $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift certificate
- Comment to win.
- Giveaway ends (end of day) 7/18
- Please see PJV Giveaway Rules & Regulations in drop down above before entering.
91 comments:
Thanks for the chance
I will have your book on my list now
Hmm I think Panthers really smexy! ;) I like Panthers too specially Pink Panther!!! lmaooo
Werepanthers? this is really new to my ears. I wonder what the werepanthers can do? I guess I have to find out by reading this one! ill make sure to have a copy ;)
I LOVE the panther on the cover of the book! It's kind of cute, but fierce too!
I love the panthers, specially my little panther (my cat, black and wild) :)
LMAO! Okay this was a great guest post. I never really thought about the whole werewolf thing that way but after this, go werepanthers! Honestly I think paranormal, in both YA and Adult, could be a lot more diverse if you have characters who could shift or turn into other animals besides wolves. And totally agree with Steph, the panther on the cover has this look like, "Aren't I adorbale, but I'll claw your eyes out while being so." Thanks for the post and giveaway!
~Briana
Never really thought of a werepanther until now... that's kinda cool!
Great post! And I love the title.
sgiden at verizon.net
I'd definitely rather be a werepanther than a werewolf - it's so much cooler! ;)
drakeLa90 at aol dot com
I'm loving the fact that nowadays there are books with all kinds of weres instead of just wolves. =)
claroxide@yahoo.co.in
Thanks for the giveaway. I love panthers! They are so beautiful.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
Sounds like an interesting read. I will have to add it to the wishlist.
Thanks!
Katie
bigferret at email dot com
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next. Violet has one hell of a destiny to fulfill.
Thanks for the opportunity.
xmelaniexthomasx at aim dot com
THanks for the chance :)
littlegray88 at yahoo dot com
Thank you for the giveaway! I haven't ever read anything with werepanthers but it has my attention and sounds very interesting.
alycia@thejeepdiva.com
Thanks for the giveaway!
daniellesaunders1984(at)hotmail(dot)com
I completely agree that Panthers are way sexier than Wolves. :)
Shanan
http://thebookaddictnet.blogspot.com/
shananthebookaddict@gmail.com
Good guest post!
And great giveaway.
Amanda
wolfbauer3@gmail.com
http://www.themortalslibrary.blogspot.com
Sure we want a werepanther because cats are clean! LOL Great post.
valerie(at)stuckinbooks.com
You make a good case for the cats!
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
Wow, that sounds great and the cover is... amazing :) I love it! And thanks for the chance to win :P
mikki-mano@hotmail.com
I am such a cat person. I'm both a Leo and a Tiger so cats and me just go together. Therefore I cannot wait to read this. Thanks for the wonderful post and giveaway.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Jovial_1/status/92982004446007296
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you so much for the chance to win!
Rathouska.jana@gmail.com
I like the idea of a panther! How cool! :-)
proudbooknerd(at)gmail(dot)com
Panthers are sexy! Following that logic than were-panthers have to be uberhot!
Thank for the change to win
Sarah Porter
sarahtq@yahoo.com
Wow, panthers are a new one for me. I'll have to check this book out.
ashley.mckinsey(at)yahoo(dot)com
thank you for the chance at such a great giveaway. the book sounds wonderful and i have had a lot of fun following your blog tour.
congrats on the book.
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
Thanks for the giveaway! You make a good argument for panthers. :)
adsanders77 at gmail dot com
were kitties is one of my very favorite things and I love panthers in partiuclar. This one sounds great and I am adding to my tbb list.
scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com
Pamk
Great interview PJ.
Thanks for the giveaway Amanda.
I love the title of this book. It makes me want to check it out.
thebooknympho AT gmail DOT com
Sounds great. I love werecats.
Thanks for sharing!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Thanks for the giveaway. I love cats. I think panther are really beautiful. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
I will check out Diaries of the Urban Panther. I enjoy reading about different paranormal characters.
Jnmt3 at hotmail dot com
I really like the black coloring too. There is just something sexy about black!
Hello Amanda!
I really like your top 5 reasons that panthers are cooler than wolves. I haven't read a panther shifter story before but I have to admit your post makes me want to give your story a try. I do love shifter stories. Maybe panthers will be my new favorite.
user1123 AT comcast DOT net
I'm with you, Amanda. I'd chose a panther over a wolf any day. I sympathize with you on #3.
acm05atjuno.com
Hi
I used to think that panthers were hot, but with this post I have even more reasons to think so.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Daniela.
dany7578@hotmail.com
Thanks for the giveaway!
Erin @ Let's Evaluate
letsevaluate@yahoo.com
Panthers are like high class were's. ;) Fun post.
Jennifer K Jovus
kjovus at gmail dot com
Thanks for the giveaway.
Panthers are sexy and more hygienic than canines.
Kristy
kliu107 (at) gmail (dot) com
Sounds great. I love panthers. Thank you for the giveaway.
CrystalGB
Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
Thanks for the giveaway.Adding this book to the TBR list
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
I love the cover of the book with the panther! thx for the giveaway!
spicedice45@gmail.com
I've never actually read anything with werepanter's in but I'm totally interested now. :)
Thanks for the giveaway! :)
bookpassion11@gmail.com
Donna :)
Thanks for the giveaway!
TweetyB99 at aol dot com
Panther would be better than a wolf in a boyfriend on hotness and uniqueness. But the wolf might be more loyal. Just sayin...
Great...
vidishamun@gmail.com
Thanx for the opportunity to win a gift certificate. Way cewl! Plus, I have another book to add to my TBR mountain that rivals Mt. Everest.
Happy blogging,
Laurielu
bonafidereflections(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds interesting and different.
Lisa B
modokker at yahoo dot com
This looks like a fun read. I'm definitely gonna give it a go :) Thanks for this excellent giveaway!
jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net
Beautiful cover. Certainly not your run-of-the-mill read. Thanks for the giveaway. Would love the Amazon gift card.
sk_86(at)gmx(dot)de
Lovely cover though I'm not into cats b/c I think I would run screaming from a panther. LOL
Thanks for the giveaway!
mystifyingparanormalreviews@gmail.com
Panthers are awesome, thanks for the giveaway!
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
Great post. I love stories with the big cat shifters, and am really looking forward to reading your book.
cathy m
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Love that you are doing something other than the usual wolf, not that I don't love them cause I do. But panthers are sleek and beautiful and very exotic.
June M.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
I love panthers! They are absolutely beautiful. I'm dying to read this one, looks great.
follow on gfc
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
Nice to meet you, Amanda! I live an hour north of Dallas. And my neighbors run a private big cat sanctuary. No panthers that I'm aware of, but I hear the lions every day.
PS Love your bio!
I love Panthers .. This looks great!!! Thanks
Marjie
toreynmarjie(at)yahoo.com
Sexy, indeed :-)
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Hi Amanda,
I really enjoyed your tour. I can see werepanthers are giving werewolves a run for their money =)
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hey thanks for sharing! I have to admit, I'm a fan of the sexy werewolf gruff. I'm intrigued by these werepanthers though (your book has been added to my TBR). You know, with werewolves, the issue of alpha-male pops up a lot. I think that'd clash too much for me. What's your take on panthers? Is there the alpha-male, you-must-do-as-I-say attitude?
Thanks for sharing!
~andi
http://andinovelista.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the giveaway! Definitely want to read this!
mysticsandmoonbeams(at)hotmail(dot)com
Well you certainly cannot go wrong with a hot guy that can kick ### and knows about hygiene, I mean send him right over okay! Thanks for the fun interview and giveaway opportunity today. I would love to read this book, it sounds right up my alley and I will be checking it out.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Panthers are my favorite type of cats so if there's something about werepanthers I'm all over it! Thanks for the giveaway!
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
Hey guys!
Thanks for all the comments. I'm glad that i could introduce you guys to the totally sexy world of werepanthers. And i hope that you enjoy Violet's struggle to be so smexy.
Any questions?
"Diaries of an Urban Panther " looks totally amazing. Great giveaway thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for the giveaway! Werepanthers is truly unique and I want to read them.
fantasybookchick@gmail.com
Pathers are so exotic, I'm currently enjoying True Blood and their myth on them... So friggin' awesome...
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!! and isnt that lovely, Im #69 =D
SpadesHigh
TValeros18 AT gmail DOT com
I'm all for werepanthers, they're so much sexier than werewolves.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
Whoa... Talk about timing... My friend and I like to have these random conversations about what animal/superpower/car etc we would be (not WANT to be, but WOULD be) and we JUST decided a few days ago that I'd be a panther! :P
basicallyamazingbooks [at] gmail.com
I was asked recently which paranormal creature was my favorite and I immediately said the werepanther! It is definitely sexier than a werewolf, I mean panther ... wolf ... it just goes without saying!
Thanks for a great giveaway! I can't wait to read your book :)
jwitt33 at live dot com
"Panthers are sexy as hell" Haha! Love how that was your first point!
Thanks for the giveaway :D
readingowling AT gmail DOT com
I never stopped to think and compare a werepanther vs. a werewolf. Now, while I see your point, I am wicked allergic to cats. Not a great thing for my long term happiness if I chose a werepanther. I don't know if I would be allergic to werewolves, so I would have to give that a try before ruling it out.
jepebATverizonDOTnet
Wow! When I saw the question the wheels in my head started turning and you put it into words perfectly! A werepanther is so much better! Thanks for the giveaway!
LOL! Great post :-) You've swayed me to the panther side!
smaccall AT comcast.net
This book sounds really interesting, it's now on my TBR list thanks for the giveaway.
moiraethefates(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for the great giveaway!
jcross719 at yahoo dot com
YOu argue so persuasively for werepanthers that I find I am swayed...almost against my will. lol Always loved panthers and if werewolves are hot than Im all for them - so the combination sounds intriguing.
Lani Wendt Young
http://sleeplessinsamoa.blogspot.com
I am definitely pro-werepanther before, just like I'm pro-liger. In fact, I support the creation of a wereliger. :)
Great post!
Amy // amyismyfriend at aol dot com
Wow that is so awesome! How generous. I just can't make up my mind though. were...almost anything haha I say!
my email is in my blogger profile!
Doesn't sound like my cup of tea, but werepanther is a fun idea.
mrsethjones at yahoo dot com.
Cats are way better than dogs! Thank you for the wicked awesome giveaway:)
Good reading ~ Escape by Fiction :)
This is totally awesome, I havent read any of your works but would love too. I love Were Shifters and think they along with wolves are the sexiest of all the paranormal creatures, they seem to have more heart, emotions when it comes to their mates or even mating. Thanks for the giveaway.
mrsqueentutt@yahoo.com
I never thought of panthers as being sexy before, but I guess they could be.
Margay1122ATaolDOTcom
Thanks for the great giveaway!
amandarwest atgmaildotcom
Totally agree about the sexy part. Panthers just exhume sex appeal!! I think that's why so many people get the panther tattoo too. Thanks or the giveaway!!
jessilyn22@live.con (YA book Haven)
Great giveaway!
rootml1 AT hotmail DOT com
Thank you so much!!!!!
TaraTagli at gmail dot com
I love werepanthers!
Thanks for the giveaway!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
What an awesome comparison. I've never considered werepanthers before, but I will totally pick them over werewolves now. Even if I am usually a dog person, not a cat person.
helpersarah2009@gmail.com
I love your reasons why werepanthers are better! I used to RP as one.. >_>
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