Wednesday, March 13, 2013

#AADSAV Author Theresa Meyers Tells Us Why Shifters are Sexy





Why Shifters Are Sexy 
 by Theresa Meyers

Shifters are sexy for a number of reasons not the least of which is their unpredictable nature. They’re just a little wild, even in their human form. And while most people believe that shifters can take only one shape --such as the werewolf or a selkie-- I prefer my shifters to have a bit more freedom in my steampunk world.

Take China McGee, the heroine of The Chosen. She changes shape into no less than nine different creatures during the course of the book (including a hellhound, mountain lion, raven, mouse, phoenix, giant black jaguar and more). Each has a reason and a purpose. Each comes from a wellspring of emotion or need that precipitates the change in her form.

Now I’ll admit, China isn’t the most stable of beings to begin with. She’s been on her own since she was young when her father murdered her mother. She’s been stealing to survive, so being a thief is innately part of her nature. (I prefer to call it resourceful.) And then there’s her track record with men—that hasn’t been the best either. They tend to end up dead, or in the case of the one Hunter she got involved with—Colt Jackson—they tend to see the whole affair as something very short term in nature since it’s dangerous to both of them. And things don’t get any easier for her when she starts to realize she may be attracted to Colt’s older brother, Remington.

But that instability was part of why being a shifter was so natural for China as a character. She’s constantly having the rug pulled out from underneath her by life and she’s had to roll with it. She’s adaptable, fierce and smart, and she isn’t exactly like either of my other heroines in the series who grew up in far more stable circumstances.

But that complexity is something most shifters have in common. After all, they are already more than one being (sometimes three or four) in a single form. That would make anyone complex! But shifters are more than that. They have fears and vulnerabilities other characters don’t. And that’s why something dangerous (like a characters that changes into a hellhound, or dragon or even a jaguar) can be sexy at the same time. We know there’s a weakness. We sense that deep vulnerability they struggle to suppress and we are drawn to want to fix or help it despite the danger.

There’s also an excitement element with shifters. If their passions are as wild as their natures, then it logically follows they’d make the best lovers, doesn’t it?

All in all I think shifters are some of the most fun paranormal/fantasy characters out there. They have power; they have drive. They are dangerous and yet tempting. They give us readers just enough of their wildness to make them unpredictably fun to read.

So what kind of shifters are your favorite and why?










The Chosen 
by Theresa Meyers
The Legend Chronicles series, book three
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Steampunk
Publisher: Kensington, Zebra
Date of Publication: March 4, 2013
Number of pages: 352 pages (also includes the ebook about Marley, The Inventor, for the first time in print in the back of this book)
Amazon   B&N   BAM   Indiebound


The Chosen: a prophecy older than dirt and more dangerous than death. Even as they perfected steam-powered gadgetry and rounded up varmints from Hell, the Jackson brothers didn't believe in it. But when the chips are down, three brothers named for weapons aren't going out without a fight...

A Walk On The Wild Side

Attorney by day, demon-hunter by night, Remington Jackson is used to being on the sunny side of the law, even in the Wild West. But it's showdown time, and Remy and his brothers are getting desperate. They don't have the relic they need to slam the door shut on evil—so Remy is going to have to find and steal part of it.

Enter China McGee, shapeshifter, thief, beauty, and current prisoner. When Remy offers her freedom in exchange for a little light-fingered help, she's pretty sure she's going to end the association with a good old-fashioned seductive double cross. But there's something about fighting through a jungle full of Mayan ruins that makes you want to settle down together. China could change. Remy might be special. But none of that matters if the devil takes them all...










The progeny of a slightly mad (NASA) scientist and a tea-drinking bibliophile who turned the family dining room into a library, Theresa Meyers learned early the value of a questioning mind, books and a good china teapot.

A former journalist and public relations officer, she found far more enjoyment using her writing skills to pen paranormal novels in the turret office of her Victorian home.

She’s spent nearly a quarter of a century with the boy who took her to the Prom, drinks tea with milk and sugar, is an adamant fan of the television show Supernatural, and has an indecent love of hats.


You can find her dabbling online on 












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Keep reading for an excerpt



He’d briefly toyed with the idea of putting the iron shifter restraining cuff back on her, but thought better of it. Doing so only would have broken the fragile sense of trust beginning to build between them. And he did have to admit, she’d been both a mountain lion and a hellhound and hadn’t ripped him apart either time. That had to count for something.

“Is your mount suitable, Miss McGee?”

She turned for a moment and looked at him. “You know you ain’t got to be all stiff and formal with me; you might as well call me China.”

An unwanted wash of something hot and acidic roiled in his gut. “Colt called you China.”

She huffed. “Well, it’s my name, dammit. What else was he supposed to call me?”

He raised a brow. “I take it by your tone that you are no longer enamored of my brother.”

“If that means I ain’t after him no more, then you got it right.”

Interesting. And dangerous. For both of them. “And why is that?”

“Colt made it plain he don’t have no more use for me. He’s got that red-headed tramp Darkin of his now to help him find the piece of the Book he’s hunting.”

Remington resisted the urge to chuckle. Clearly China was feeling scorned, and his amusement would only add to her humiliation and pain. Neither of which he wanted to do. He needed her to be focused.

He needed to be focused.

He’d long ago determined the best course of action with a woman who was heart hurt was to reassure her of her desirability. Wait. The horse slowed, sensing his hesitation. What the hell did he think he was doing? And when had he started thinking of China as a woman rather than a Darkin? He shook his head to clear it. She was Darkin, and a powerful one at that. He’d do best to remember it before something dreadful happened. He shouldn’t be worrying about her emotional state, and he’d damn well get his own under firm control.

“Something wrong?”

Remington swiveled his gaze to her. The hot evening desert wind caught her hair, sending it into a swirl of blond satin ribbons behind her head as she rode beside him. Her sun-kissed skin gave her a healthy glow and made the gray in her eyes turn at times a silvery sage green color. He realized with a start the point he’d been duped into thinking of her as female—the moment he’d seen her in the cell, dirt, grime, and all. She’d been too angelic looking to be something damned and vicious as he’d been raised to believe all Darkin were.

“Why you lookin’ at me like that?” Her words came out velvet soft, very nearly a purr.

“Pardon?”

“Why you lookin’ at me like I’m the last swig of water in the canteen? All needy-like.”

He gave her a tilting half smile, nothing serious, nothing too comic, so she’d believe he made light of the situation. “A man can’t enjoy a beautiful view?”

A delightful pink color suffused her cheeks. “Is that all? ’Cause I could’ve sworn you looked like you had thoughts running through your head.”

Remington knew better than to bait her, but he could hardly help himself. Letting anyone get the last word just wasn’t in his nature. He liked to win. “What kind of thoughts?”

“Thoughts like you were wondering what exactly happened between me and Colt.”

Remington frowned. “Frankly that’s the last thing I’d like to discuss.”

China snorted. “Hit a sore spot?”

Remington centered himself, shoving down the boil of emotion until he was calm, cool, and collected. “What happened between the two of you is immaterial to our mission. I need you, and you need me to locate and obtain the Book. Simple. Easy. Neat and clean. End of story.”

She snorted again and muttered under her breath. “Ain’t nothin’ that simple and easy.”

4 comments:

  1. shiters are probably my second favourite Supe.. I think I blame the whole True Blood thing for it.. I think I might give this book a go, the premise sounds interesting and the setting appeals :-)

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  2. omg! Shifters... damn my F key!! lol!

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  3. I love that China can shift into so many creatures! Very cool! For me, I think the predator shifters are the sexiest! :)

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