I was having a discussion with a couple of fellow authors about the characteristics of werewolves and other things. Within the world building for a story, certain laws must be decided upon and once decided, those laws must be consistent. So one of the writers was tendering the question as to the werewolf laws already in use by other authors. We explained that the current laws were not so important as what she decided for her book and how consistent she was with those decisions.This is true especially for any paranormal critter. Make your decision and stick to it. You say sunlight doesn't bother your vampire? Fine. Then in chapter fourteen don't have your vampire stuck in a closet because sunlight will kill him. Be consistent.
Weres in particular seem to have an ever changing mythology. Some have problems with the moon, some don't, and some have variable effects from the moon depending on their age, whether they're in heat, or whether they're mated. Etc. and so on...
Then another question came up about whether or not a werewolf could be a cowboy. Seems to me that werewolves all have to make a living just like the rest of us. I proposed that another friend should write a story about a dragon/cowboy in Wyoming... Truly, why limit ourselves to the same-old, same-old? Isn't that why we write? Because we want new stories? There are all sorts of combinations and interesting story lines.
I look forward in the future to reading some wild, creative stories about shapeshifters in the West. Cowboys, Indians, Ranchers, Archaeologists, Rangers, and the whole spectrum. I hope we keep on boldly going forward into new realms. There are new adventures just waiting for us to discover them.
Anny
Luckily I do not world build so I do not have to get into this deep and meaningful discussions....though I do like the idea of a cowboy werewolf...
ReplyDeleteAnd as a reader I would find it hard to suspend disbelief on a were or dragon hanging around livestock easily. Prey or potential prey would have a sense of self-preservation. Not saying it can't be done, just would find this aspect difficult to swing.
ReplyDeleteYou're not going to let this one slide, are you? Okay, dragon-cowboy ideas are already formulating--but I DO agree with Kelly--livestock would sense a predator. So I'll have to work on that for a bit...
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand...livestock would make a hand food source for the group so there isn't an unexplained run on wildlife. Must be some way to manage...
ReplyDeleteI thought about this too. Would it make a difference regarding the type of animal? For example, sheep and cows are not known for being all that smart. Horses are another matter, very intelligent. The handy food source would keep suspicion from HUMANS down. The cowboy/were wouldn't be eating up livestock other than their own. RIght? ACK. This worldbuilding stuff is interesting but lots of stuff to think about.
ReplyDeleteI think the livestock would only sense a predator if it were close. So if your dragon lived in a nifty little valley up in the mountains somewhere and swooped in for dinner, then out again, I don't see this being a big problem. Real life wolves do this all the time.
ReplyDeleteAnd if we're still on the dragon-cowboy shifter idea, the man would be perceived as no more of a threat than usual.
yeah but maybe the livestock do not sense the werewolf as a predator because they also know the werewolf as the cowboy who looks after them
ReplyDeleteGotta love speculative fiction. Okay, I promise, the dragon/cowboy idea is percolating and will eventually be written. AFTER the stuff on current deadlines. By then I should have the logistics worked out.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I could believe a dragon in the American west now or in the 1800s, but why not a werewolf/cowboy? That sounds pretty cool.
ReplyDelete