An Inside Look at… Killer in Wolf’s Clothing
By Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing an inside look at (and two excerpts from) my latest release, Killer in Wolf's Clothing. This super-hot gay paranormal/shifter romance is a fun look at the werewolf legend and blends mystery, danger, humor, and sizzling love scenes.
Killer in Wolf’s Clothing
A super aggressive Alpha male, a serial killer, and a visit to a kinky sex club… What has Larry gotten himself into?
When Larry learns that his boyfriend Greg changes into another man during the full moon, he has a hard time accepting it—until he meets Deke, Greg’s alternate Alpha personality.
Deke doesn’t play nice and has no time for games. He only wants two things—to get laid and to get revenge against the arsonist who murdered his friends. Finally free from Greg’s restraints, Deke is ready for action, and Larry is more than willing to submit to Deke’s needs.
Together, Larry and Deke set out to find the killer. Their hunt takes them to an all-night Alpha sex club where things heat up for the two of them. But when Larry unwittingly falls into the clutches of the murderer, it’s up to Deke—and Greg—to save him before it’s too late.
As readers may know, I write in nearly every romance genre (historical, fantasy, gay, paranormal, and contemporary) and my books vary in heat level from mild to super-sizzling hot. Killer in Wolf’s Clothing is a blend of several genres (gay,contemporary, and paranormal) and readers might be wondering how this unusual story came about.
Although I write horror and romance, I’m a traditionalist when it comes to my “monsters” and I didn’t think I ever would (or could) write a “werewolf in love” story. In my book, werewolves are ferocious, snarling animals who closely resemble the creatures from the movie Dog Soldiers.
In some werewolf lore, the cursed human doesn’t physically grow a tail and pointed ears, but rather takes on wolf-like characteristics and becomes more aggressive and violent. I decided to use this as the basis for my “werewolf” and instead of having Deke turn into an actual wolf, he becomes an Alpha male. As Larry says in the book, “It’s more Incredible Hulk than American Werewolf in London.”
But the uniqueness of this romance doesn’t end there. Not only is Deke and Alpha male, he’s out for revenge against a fellow Alpha who murdered several of his friends.
Although the book is a paranormal romance involving a serial killer, right from the start, I knew I had to balance the dark subject matter with a light tone; otherwise the story would get too heavy. (After all, this is a romance!) So I decided to have a little fun with the story and the characters.
What would be your first reaction if someone you loved told you they changed into a werewolf? Disbelief? Shock? Send that person to the psych ward? It’s a little hard to take such things seriously, so I gave Larry a smart-ass sense of humor when it came to dealing with Greg’s affliction. The jokes and his sarcastic wit added a comedic element and eased the tension when things got very… hairy. (Sorry!)
Spoiler Alert!
When the book was originally published by Amber Quill Press, I left the ending open, so readers could decide for themselves how things would turn out for our threesome. Would Greg be cured of his “werewolf” disease and not turn during the next full moon? If so, what would happen to Deke? Would Larry turn into an Alpha or remain human?
Personally, I wasn’t sure how I wanted it to end. Over the course of the story, Deke and Larry develop a bond and get along great. (Larry even tells Deke that he and Greg can share him.) Deke opens up a bit as he comes to terms with his past and realizes what truly matters in life. Greg relaxes his hold on Deke, and appreciates the fact that sometimes it’s good to have a brute like Deke around.
A few readers told me that they wished the book had a clear-cut ending. This time around, it does. I thought about the different ways I could take the story and came up with a satisfying conclusion that leaves everyone in a good place.
Here are two mild excerpts from Killer in Wolf’s Clothing:
“I don’t know how it happens, but during the phase of the full moon there’s a physical transformation. I get aggressive and bigger—”
“Bigger how exactly?” Larry teased.
He smiled. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I change, physically change.”
“Into what? A wolf with a tail and pointy ears?”
“No, it’s not like in the movies. I don’t turn into a monster. I become someone else.”
Larry dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “That’s impossible. Maybe you have an undiagnosed personality disorder. Have you seen a psychiatrist?”
“Three of them. They all told me I suffered from delusions.” Greg drank down more of his beer. “One woman said my Alpha persona was a manifestation of my true male sexuality fighting against the gay side of me.” He laughed. “I didn’t tell her that my Alpha self is gay, too.”
Larry sat up. “He is?”
“Oh yeah, definitely.”
“Wow, that’s good. I mean… Wait... you’re acting way too serious about this.”
“I am?” He arched an eyebrow and stared into Larry’s blue eyes. “Would you like to see the video?”
***
Larry lay down on his side, facing Deke. Up close, the musky, manly scent was stronger, and his heart beat faster. What did Deke have in mind? “Now what?”
“This.” Deke leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. Deke’s rough, stubbled chin grazed his cheek, and he tensed for a second. Deke kissed him again, hot, needy and insistent. Larry felt himself giving in. He wanted this; he wanted Deke to take charge. He smelled so good he’d let Deke do whatever he wanted.
Deke’s tongue plunged into his mouth and Larry kissed him back, desperately craving more. They kissed for a few minutes, teasing each other with their tongues. Just when things were heating up, Deke pulled away.
“I knew you’d like it. You act like you don’t want to be my love slave, but you do, I can tell.”
Larry pursed his lips. How did Deke know? When he and Greg played their games, he wanted Greg to take charge, but he never did. Deke wouldn’t hesitate about taking over—and he was more than willing to let him.
***
Order your copy of Killer in Wolf’s Clothing here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G3V9VWW
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1126206487
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1113758712?ean=2940153330563
Page Foundry: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/a62046e9-434b-4062-be2f-93813f065bfb
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/killer-in-wolf-s-clothing-1
If you’re a fan of gay paranormal romances, I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think. If gay love stories aren’t your thing, visit my Amazon author page to catch up on all of my romances.
Happy Reading!
Kelli
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 95 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
In 2016 Kelli began re-releasing her romances previously published by Amber Quill Press. Visit her website and blog for a full title list, book summaries, and other information as it becomes available. Look for her Medallion Press historical western romance, Lies, Love & Redemption, coming in September.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative non-fiction guide based on her 15 years of experience as a writer. It’s filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
If you like to be scared, check out Kelli’s horror ebooks: Dead Til Dawn and Kropsy’s Curse.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor. She also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.
Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.
Here are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web
Website: www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
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