“Is not general incivility the very essence of love?” Elizabeth Bennett asks in Pride & Prejudice. In the case of William & Lorena, the answer is an emphatic yes!
I am overjoyed to finally be able to shout the words: THE LAST VAMPIRE IS OUT NOW! (hardcover, e-book, & audiobook) Welcome to Huntington Academy
When a remote boarding school opens in a once-condemned ancient manor buried in the woods of New Hampshire, Austen-loving Lorena Navarro enrolls in hopes of finding her own Mr. Darcy. Instead, she stumbles across a coffin & accidentally awakens the world’s last vampire.
My favorite part of writing this romance was getting to tell it from both perspectives. It made the process of falling in love so much more compelling because I got to experience it so fully, & I found myself swooning & smiling and suffering just as much as my characters.
If you’re wondering if this is the right read for you, here are 5 reasons to pick up the book:
Dark academia setting: The story unfolds in an ancient manor full of secrets—such as a hibernating vampire—& secret spaces like the Library of Unwritten Books.
Star-crossed/Enemies to lovers: I wrote this story as an homage to the love stories I grew up reading, most notably Pride & Prejudice, Romeo & Juliet, & Jane Eyre.
Literary banter: William and Lorena’s preferred form of flirting is literary banter. They are constantly at odds in English class over characters like Mr. Rochester, Count Dracula, & of course, Mr. Darcy.
Fish out of water: William last saw the world in the year 1769, and he awakens to find that vampires are not even a thing of the past because they have literally been erased from history. He must now adapt to modern times while investigating what happened to his kind. Everything is new to him as he seeks out where he belongs.
Best Friends: As swoony as the romance with William gets, the biggest love story in the book is the sisterhood between Lorena & her best friend, Salma. They are friendship goals, & it’s their unbreakable bond that is the throbbing heart of this novel.
Hola! I'm an aspiring writer who's Paraguayan-American and have just finished Lobizona. I just have to thank you...Never have I teared up so quickly at a book. I have never seen a book that represents mi cultura so closely, especially not when I was a kid. Down to the Guarani influence and myths, it was beautiful.
You've really inspired me to take another look at a project I've been so anxious about writing due to it being rooted in Paraguayan culture and history!
I just wonder how you handle or manage the fear of it being too specific or not relatable enough? Or if you had that fear at all?
Gracias/Aguyjevete ndéve <3
Hola! Qué mensaje más hermoso. Muchas gracias! ☺️
The fear that you describe is one that’s very familiar to me. The full truth of Lobizona is that it has an ancestor called Yellow Eyes that I wrote in 2007-8. It was based on the same seed of an idea, with a very different execution. Yet when I tried landing an agent, the book was roundly rejected.
One agent even said to me that readers in this country don’t care to read about Argentine immigrants. In that moment, he wasn’t just talking about Manu. He was talking about me.
I came really close to abandoning the concept, but when people crossing the border in 2017-18 were getting separated from their families & children were being caged, I knew I had to try again.
And I’m so glad I did. The messages that have poured in from readers have confirmed that this story is both relatable & universal. I truly hope you pursue the story that’s in your heart, too, bc it’s important, & it will impact countless readers. Myself included! Xoxoxo
Hi ma’am! I wanted to ask something, I’ve been wanting to get into the series, but it’s been really hard because I’m a Virgo and I feel like Virgo is portrayed really harshly in the books. I’ve looked through your blog and think Virgo’s strengths of perfectionism and being overly controlling are “good,” but… I feel like that’s a rather mean spirited and unlikable profile? I wanted to ask… do you ever regret writing Virgo like that or think they were too mean? Would you change anything?
Dear Anonymous, this message makes me so sad—the fact that the story inspired these feelings in you is heartbreaking since I am Virgo, too, as is my favorite human in the universes, my sister.
If I was too harsh on our sign, I’m truly sorry. For my part, Empress Moira is one of my favorite Guardians, & Twain is one of my great loves. I also love that it’s thanks to Virgo’s knowledge that Rho knows what to do in the final battle. I felt our House was instrumental to the galaxy’s survival, & I like how Moira & Twain show different versions of how Virgo’s best qualities can manifest: perseverance, thoroughness, & loyalty.
Hello! Aspiring author here. Congratulations on your literary success and publishing your babies. Do you have any advice or warning for new authors, specifically ones that want to traditionally publish? I know you said you tried that route and it didn't work out. Any warnings I should heed or things to watch out for? Whatever you're comfortable sharing is appreciated. Let me know and thanks in advice!
Hi! Thank you. All my books are traditionally published, so I can certainly offer some advice. Here are 5 tips:
1. In order to land a deal with a Big 5 house, you need a literary agent to represent you. They make a 15% commission, so if a potential agent asks you to pay upfront fees, they are not legit. If you’re not sure how to find the right agent for you, one piece of advice is to check the acknowledgments of book you love bc authors always thank their agent!
2. The process for landing representation is called querying, & the first impression you make is with your query letter. This letter should be 1 page long & include 3 main sections: the hook, the pitch, & the bio. You can find more query letter advice here.
3. There are query managing platforms you can use to find agents & submit your queries, like this one or this one. Follow the EXACT instructions for each agent. These people receive 100s of queries in a given week, so they are looking for reasons to say no. Don’t give them one.
4. When you get offers of representation, get on a call with the agent & see how well you click. Then I recommend asking them if you can speak to one of their authors to ask about their experience working with them.
5. Most importantly: your manuscript should be complete, revised, & as perfect as you can get it before you begin querying. You only get one shot at an agent, so make sure you have beta readers check it out & revise until it’s as good as you can get it.
If you need more help, I offer 1:1 consultations, monthly book coaching, & freelance editing. Check out my site if you’re interested!
OMG, this is literally the holy grail of querying advice! Thank you SO much for compiling this breakdown! The tip about checking the acknowledgments of books I love is actually genius and I’m going to start doing that immediately. I really needed that reminder about making my manuscript as perfect as possible before hitting send, because you absolutely only get one shot with an agent. I'm definitely bookmarking your resources for query managing platforms and keeping your consultation site in mind!
Hello! Aspiring author here. Congratulations on your literary success and publishing your babies. Do you have any advice or warning for new authors, specifically ones that want to traditionally publish? I know you said you tried that route and it didn't work out. Any warnings I should heed or things to watch out for? Whatever you're comfortable sharing is appreciated. Let me know and thanks in advice!
Hi! Thank you. All my books are traditionally published, so I can certainly offer some advice. Here are 5 tips:
1. In order to land a deal with a Big 5 house, you need a literary agent to represent you. They make a 15% commission, so if a potential agent asks you to pay upfront fees, they are not legit. If you’re not sure how to find the right agent for you, one piece of advice is to check the acknowledgments of book you love bc authors always thank their agent!
2. The process for landing representation is called querying, & the first impression you make is with your query letter. This letter should be 1 page long & include 3 main sections: the hook, the pitch, & the bio. You can find more query letter advice here.
3. There are query managing platforms you can use to find agents & submit your queries, like this one or this one. Follow the EXACT instructions for each agent. These people receive 100s of queries in a given week, so they are looking for reasons to say no. Don’t give them one.
4. When you get offers of representation, get on a call with the agent & see how well you click. Then I recommend asking them if you can speak to one of their authors to ask about their experience working with them.
5. Most importantly: your manuscript should be complete, revised, & as perfect as you can get it before you begin querying. You only get one shot at an agent, so make sure you have beta readers check it out & revise until it’s as good as you can get it.
If you need more help, I offer 1:1 consultations, monthly book coaching, & freelance editing. Check out my site if you’re interested!
The Last Vampire preorder campaign is here!!! #Preorder by December to receive this beautiful free print by the talented Elena Masci in the mail + a signed bookplate! Submit your proof of purchase here: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/smplastvampirepreorder. ❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️
Since it's summer, I was thinking of rereading Zodiac! With that said, I was wondering how you felt about fanfiction of the series or of your work in general?
I was surprised this was available as the ebook had a long wait list but you bet I snatched it up before someone else did. I have been waiting for what feels like ages for this.
Blurb: After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor's guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra. Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbours a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents' deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he's been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers...and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress. As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying, and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra's secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she's chasing has already found her...and they're closer than she ever realised.
Recovering from bronchitis and reading this absolute beauty. This is the second book in Romina Garber's Argentinian werewolf series, Cazadora, and i loved the first one but i love this one so much more.
In the first one, the timing is such that it was written at the tail end of the masses not accepting how awful She Who Must Not Be Named is so there are HP references and some of the politics feel a bit milquetoast liberal if you know what i mean. Like yard sign but no action.
But this second book? Big shift into anti authoritarian ACAB dynamic including convincing the team paladin that this is the only way to survive as a marginalized person in a society that codifies eugenics and criminalizes queerness, not having a legal identity, etc. i actually really appreciate that the series is following how people can be woken up into activism and how people are ultimately radicalized to the left as the rose tinted glasses are finally acknowledged and taken off.
I haven't finished it yet but the first 96 pages have been a very relevant read. While also being gorgeous world building. People who love witchy magic with a botany element will also love this book. It's categorized as magical realism, but i feel like it really defies genre in a good way.
Get a copy or request it at your library before it gets on a ban list!!
And if you're new to legal US immigration status politics the non fiction reads i always recommend are Dear America by Jose Antonio Vargas for intro and personable light read and the very densely informative academic work The New Immigration Federalism by Gulasekaram & Ramakrishnan.
"I'm a bit confused by this place. Is it a safe house or a rebel base?"
"Can't it be both?"
"I'm not sure," I say, considering it. "There are just so many of you with competing agendas that you could never move in one direction."
"You're confusing progress with politics," she says, leaning into the table. "We have no platform because we're not trying to build a new system. We're trying to tear down the existing one."
Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)
For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!
If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!
Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber
Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.
Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline
Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*
Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.
Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*
Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!
A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*
Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.
Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.
How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*
Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.
Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens
Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.
Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella
Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.
Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*
When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.
What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo
Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.
Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.
Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour
Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.
Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.
No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.
Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool
Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn
A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,
Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson
Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.
The Devourers by Indra Das
In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.
Thor by Wayne Smith
Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.
Wild by Meghan O'Brien
Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.
Wolfsong by T.J. Klune
Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.
Romina Garber/Russell @rominagarber - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
