Monday, April 6, 2015

Missy the Werecat by PG Allison w Giveaway!


Missy the Werecat (Missy the Werecat, #1)
Missy the Werecat
Book One
P. G. Allison

Genre:  New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: Dec 6, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1494334260
ASIN: B00H2WPGDA

Number of pages: 400
Word Count: 105,000

Book Description:

When puberty brings on her first Shift, Missy goes into the mountains for two years until finally learning to Change back.  She can Change from fully human in one instant to a mountain lion in the next. 

Everyone assumes her two year disappearance was because she’d been kidnapped by a sexual predator that she managed to kill.  She keeps her werecat nature a secret. There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha.  She’s a girl with fantastic abilities growing up and learning to do great things in today’s world, amongst humans.  She only has her instincts to guide her and those drive her to train herself to extremes.  She must control those instincts; dampening the wild predator is often necessary. 

Her raging hormones and enhanced senses require very strong controls; she explores what happens when those controls are relaxed.

Available at Amazon
Excerpt:

Prologue

Imagine a world where werecats at one time did indeed exist, but became extinct eons ago.  Then, because their recessive genes managed to survive and get passed on -- thanks to some rare unions with humans -- DNA with these special werecat genes continued down through the ages, further evolving and being inherited by a very small number of descendants.  And finally, imagine that two of these very unique individuals -- each one in a billion -- would meet, fall in love and become parents.  While three of their four children would be normal humans, one -- their daughter Missy -- would be very special.  She would be a werecat.
And thus, Missy the werecat was born in today’s era.  She’s not exactly the same as those ancestor werecats, but she does have many special abilities -- not the least of which is being able to transform, with a great shimmer of light and burst of energy, into another form.  She can Change from being fully human in one instant to being a cat animal in the next.  In her cat form, she has the same body mass as in her human form and fully retains her human intellect and memory.  And, in either form, she has all the instincts and abilities of a wild, predatory mountain lion.
Eventually, she will learn how to Change forms back and forth, and how to manage and control her special abilities.  Her genetic anomaly, combined with some evolution along the way, brings her cat endowments into her human form:  speed, strength, agility, and enhanced senses of smell, hearing, taste and sight.  She is also gifted with rapid healing and is immune to disease.  As Missy will gradually learn about herself, she will go from being a girl with great skills to a grown woman with truly fantastic powers.

Chapter One
Jul 2013

In the middle of her last night at soccer camp, Missy awakened with a strong desire to get up and go outside.  She just knew this was something she had to do, and right away.  So, slipping out of bed and quietly making her way down from her dormitory room, she did go out.  Although there was a full moon, it was cloudy and very dark outside, with no streetlights or anything else to illuminate the landscape.  However, the darkness did not bother her at all.  She could feel something pulling at her, drawing her away from the dorm.  And, she also noticed her ability to see in the dark was somehow much greater than ever before.
She had always been able to see, hear and smell things to an extent far greater than those around her, but tonight it was even more so.  She knew she had other special abilities as well.  She had gradually come to realize that others were not able to do all the things which she could do.  She had accepted that she was just different.  She had shown an athletic ability which was quite advanced, excelling in little league and youth soccer programs, as well as at karate practice and during any gymnastic events.  She easily had won all the competitive races at school and in her local community.  All of that had lead to her attending soccer camp every summer.
Soccer camp was in Keene, NH and near Monadnock Mountain.  It was now late July, a month after her 13th birthday, and Missy had really been enjoying her time back at this wonderful camp once again.  It was so beautiful there!  A whole week away from home, where she was getting some elite training in a sport where, as a junior high school player, she had already been noted as being really special.  Her Mom was keeping all the news articles written about her in a special scrapbook along with several photos.
As this week at camp had been coming to a close, she’d been getting more and more excited about the fall season coming up.  This would be her last year in junior high and she just knew her soccer team would go on to win the state championship this year and get to compete in the nationals.  Then, the following year, she would finally be competing at the high school level.  Her older brother and sister had both been telling her all about the fun activities they were experiencing in high school, and she could hardly wait to get there.
At night, she typically found herself anticipating and dreaming vividly about many of these things and had no trouble sleeping soundly all night long.  That’s why waking up with this sudden need to go outside in the middle of the night came as such a complete surprise.  What made her wake up and why did she feel this compulsion so strongly?  She could not understand what was happening.  Her entire body was experiencing something new and strange, something she had never felt before.  Her heart was pounding and her blood was racing!   And, just why was she having all these tingly feelings?
Once outside, she was drawn towards the nearby trees which marked the edge of the deeper forest and she quickly walked over to them, crossing the courtyard and the small parking lot.  The full moon suddenly came out from behind the clouds, shining down brightly.  She glanced backwards just once, looking back the way she had come at the dormitory building she was leaving behind.  She was thinking, “What am I doing?  Why am I out here?”  But, then she turned and walked deeper into the woods.  She just knew this was something urgent and absolutely necessary.
Further and further she went, all the while continuing to experience all kinds of new feelings, with her senses hyper alert and more aware of sights and sounds and smells than ever before.  Since she still had not had her first period, she began to wonder if that might be what this was all about.  Puberty!  Yes, she had been anxiously waiting for this as most of her girlfriends had already had their first period and had started growing hair on their legs, under their arms, etc.  Shaving had been a big topic amongst the girls!  And, boobs!  And boys!
Missy was somewhat of a late bloomer and had not yet really developed.  She’d not had her first period yet, in spite of various signs that things would be happening for her very soon.  She had experienced some swelling of her breasts and tenderness of her nipples but was concerned she still looked very flat compared to most of the other girls.  Although she now did have some hair growing in new places, she had not yet shaved under her arms … when would she finally be getting her period anyway!?!
But all the talks she’d had with her mother and her sister about this important subject had not really suggested anything like what she was feeling right now.  Not only was she physically reacting to something, she was also getting so many thoughts and emotional signals.  Whatever was happening was compelling her to be out here … something irresistible was forcing her.  Nothing had prepared her for this.  And yet, remarkably, she was not at all afraid.  Somehow, she just knew …
And then … it happened!  Her body just collapsed and her mind was overwhelmed, going to a quiet place deep within itself.  She didn’t lose consciousness but felt as though she was in a dream state.  She had no control.  She knew there was some sort of Change happening to her and then there was a shimmer of light and a burst of energy.  She could feel this was coming from within, from somewhere deep inside and from something that was a part of her.  There was no pain or discomfort during this Change.  Then, in the next moment, everything was suddenly new and different.  Very different!
She was a cat.  Her form was no longer human but that of a large animal, very much like a mountain lion.  She had no idea of that, at least at first.  She did notice a huge difference in the sounds and smells around her, which now were even more noticeable.  And when she looked out at her surroundings, she could see much more clearly, but without all the color.  Since it was dark, there wasn’t much awareness of that just yet.  Instead, she was noticing more the way things felt to her body.  Her arms and legs were very different and were covered with fur.  So was the rest of her body, even her face.  Her hands and feet were now paws -- paws with claws which could extend and retract.

My Review
Ok, so I am going to put this as a young adult or maybe new adult. And it’s also a coming of age story. It’s starts with Missy at soccer camp, and she has this insane urge to leave, go outside in the middle of the night. And then BAM she’s a kitty. A mountain lion to be exact. She also can’t turn back to human, so she goes up into the mountains to learn to be a cat. Well, her whole town and family search for her for years and never give up. She does eventually get to go home and that’s when the fun starts. 

I liked Missy. She did miss out on her main puberty teenage years so sometimes her reactions are quite funny to me. She’s brave and loyal and quite beautiful and she’s willing to use both her human and her cat instincts for not just herself but to help others. I seriously love that she has helped others. AND then her help winds her up in some trouble. I don’t want to get to involved with that, but it’s now the following of the plot lines to continue the series. But I liked that she found a boyfriend she loves, a best friend that helped her be herself. It was quite a journey. 

There are several characters that get the spotlight other than Missy and I loved her family as well. Missy makes some friends along the way and she’s also made some special enemies. Those enemies made me almost cry, I mean when they took Missy again, I was losing my mind!!! But no worries, Missy has a way of coming out ok for the most part. She’s quite selfless as well, though a little arrogant at times too. 
The writing is well done, though it may take you a bit in the beginning, but I really liked the explanations because they gave us a look into the real Missy. And I liked how things progressed with several little mysteries and fun too. I absolutely cannot wait to read book two, I think it’s going to be even better than the first. 5 BIG KITTY PAWS  



Author Interview

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know?
I started writing Missy the Werecat to see if indeed I could actually write; once I started writing her story, ideas kept coming and I kept writing.  The story evolved and after I’d written a hundred thousand words, I knew I had a novel.  I edited the story several times and then sent out a number of query letters to see if any agents were interested.  None were, so I decided to self-publish on Amazon.
I began writing the middle of 2013 and published Dec 6, 2013.  I then published three more books about Missy by Dec 2014.
What inspired you to write your first book and what was it?
I've read LOTS of fantasy books about vampires, witches and werewolves and I really enjoy the genre but it always seems the focus is all about the supernaturals, with their interactions with humans almost nonexistent; humans are merely "prey or food" for vampires or else people to hide from and avoid for werewolves.  Also, the werewolf books are all about the packs and the alphas.

What I wanted to write was a book where: "There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha".  Missy has enhanced senses, abilities and powers (which increase in later books) but she's interacting with normal humans.  I also liked starting her off completely alone, making her have to cope for two years after suddenly being forced to become a wild predator while retaining her human intellect.  What would living like that do to a person?  Then, when she finally learns to be human again, what would she be like?  Returning to "normal" life yet still having all her enhanced senses and predatory nature?  She retains all the instincts and reactions of a mountain lion but these are now carried over to her human life and must be controlled.  (Hence all the extreme training and exercise she seeks).  I thought trying to write such a fantasy might be fun ... and, it was!  I'm enjoying what I've created and it seems most of my readers seem to "get" what I'm doing and enjoy Missy as well.

Completely unrealistic for a young girl to behave the way she does?  Yep!  Of course!  It's a FANTASY !!!  Is she arrogant?  Well, if you had all those enhanced abilities and powers, which you worked hard to keep hidden ... would YOU be arrogant?  Hard to be humble when you know you can easily overpower everyone around you.  At the same time, I've tried to have Missy be willing to protect her friends and loved ones, stand up to any bully and bravely risk herself in doing so.  Does she make mistakes?  Yes.  Is she perfect?  No.  It's been fun and I do hope readers can continue to enjoy her story.  I've now published Book IV, Missy's Misadventure, and am writing Book V.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Not really.

Who do you look up to as a writer?
I enjoy all of the following authors, who write the kinds of stories I enjoy and I read everything they write:  Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Caine, Sierra Dean, Jennifer Estep, Diana Gabaldon, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, Chloe Neill, Nalini Singh, Carrie Vaughn, Rachel Vincent and Eileen Wilks.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Not really.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
My favorite thing about writing is not knowing, when I start writing things, just where the story will end up going.  As I try to work through each situation which my characters find themselves getting into, possible scenarios and dialog will evolve and the result will often go places I’d never dreamed of.  Then, of course, I go back and re-write and edit and re-write some more, but the storyline has emerged and it’s fun to see just what has happened.

Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was it?
I write.  I just write things down and see where those things will take me.  If I’m stuck trying to work out some elaborate plot?  I just write some things for each of my characters and see what they come up with, what direction they will take me.  Often, an exciting plot will emerge or new characters will show up.  So, I don’t just sit there … I write!  I always write the stuff that I want to read about and I don’t worry about my readers.  If I end up liking what I’ve written, chances are that others will like my stuff as well.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
By all means, enjoy my Missy the Werecat series!


About the Author:

P. G. Allison has always loved stories about female characters with special powers (Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Bionic Woman, Batgirl) along with stories about witches and werewolves.  The Missy the Werecat Series has no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha; Missy is a girl with fantastic abilities doing great things in today's world, amongst humans.  Future books in this Paranormal, New Adult, Urban Fantasy series are planned where Missy will go on to West Point and eventually serve in the Special Forces.





         
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