Blog Tour: Writing a Paranormal Character by Adrianne James

Writing paranormal characters can be a bit tricky. On the one hand, you want your characters to be human enough for the reader to connect with them. But on the other, you want them to be different enough to actually be paranormal. Werewolves are going to be a different from humans or vampires or fae. And of course, you want to make your vampires or werewolves to be different from the average run of the mill werewolves and vamps. Here to talk about striking a unique balance with writing paranormal characters is author Adrianne James. Her book, The Tempering, is set to be released September 13. Before I turn the blog over to her, let's get to know her book a bit better.

The Mythology department at prestigious Harvard University is tiny—and Mackenzie Duncan has just been selected as one of the lucky few. Her love for myths and legends is strong, but she never thought any of it could be real.

After being attacked by a large wolf while walking home alone, Mackenzie realizes something is not right. She heals quickly, is suddenly super strong, and is experiencing mood swings that can't possibly be normal. The myths she's studying aren't myths at all. Werewolves are real and she's one of them. Fear of what she is, and who she might hurt sends Mackenzie running from the life she’s worked hard to build–and straight into the arms of a handsome Were named Geoff and into the home of his pack. Living with her new pack takes the edge off her confusion and self-loathing, but the arrival of new pack members changes the dynamic, and tests Geoff and Mackenzie’s growing relationship.

The hardest part of being a werewolf is having no control and no memory of her time as a blood thirsty beast. When a moon cycle passes and she actually remembers bits and pieces of the night, she starts to ask questions, and the more questions she asks, the more she realizes she doesn't like the answers. Can she set aside her own sense of morals to belong to a pack that is like a family or will she leave everything behind yet again in search of a life she can be proud of?

Now, let's hear from Adrianne, and then be sure to check out her bio and how you can find out more about her after her post!