About LShannon

About L. Shannon

L. Shannon came into existence in June 2004. In the time Shannon doesn’t spend writing or bothering hubby, she shows dogs (cocker spaniels), gardens and watches over her Butterfly Koi ponds. Writing started off as a battle against insomnia and has steadily grown into a war against reality. L. Shannon’s books are her way of jumping from the ship of the mundane and everyday to swim through the surreal waters of the paranormal.

It all began one stormy, sleepless night... OK, so it did start with sleepless nights, but more like quiet, never-ending ones. Having always been able to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere, I was at a total loss when faced with my first bout of insomnia. So the long nights passed with a great deal of reading, which has always been one of my passions, but the books were too quick to read, still not filling the night. I turned to reading series so that I could hold onto the characters for just a bit longer but even this wasn't enough.

Then a tickle began, an idea, but not yet an idea, a thought, a possibility. What if I controlled the story, if only I could say when the story ended? But I'd never written any fiction and didn't know where to start. So I wrote down notes, starting with what I liked to read and what I felt comfortable writing about.

Werewolves! (At least I didn't say were-cocker spaniels, LOL.) I love all the different paranormal, but have always thought that werewolves are under-explored. Mostly werewolf stories lean toward the cursed man who changes into a wolf or part wolf and becomes a violent killing machine. I wanted my wolves to be something different. A defined culture with a history and social rules.

Some ancestral calling chose Ireland as the homeland of my wolf clan. The characters started to develop voices and I began to fall in love with each. The first to speak to me Dan, a young man, feeling out of sinc with the world around him. Dan told me about the others who he called family and gradually each strengthened and began to share who they are and what they want.

So I looked to legend and myth to find just what is behind the legend of the werewolf. And what I found was interesting to say the least. Nearly every culture has some myth of man changing into a beast and often into the wolf. I looked deeper and found that Norse Mythology was rich with references to the link between men, wolves and gods.

Loki, called the god of chaos by some, seemed to have a special appeal to me. At first appearance he seemed evil, but then on a deeper level, his actions made sense. I wondered if his side of the story might be somewhat different from what was common knowledge, so I looked deeper and considered possibilities. Several of my short stories show another version of Loki's story and how the werewolf clans descend from Loki's son, Vali.

Valafrn, the children or heirs of Vali. It may have all started with Dan but I truly believe that a man's or wolf's past, forms who he becomes. To best know my characters, I needed to find out their pasts, beginning with what might be the most tragic moment they faced. For the Irish, Eagle Clan, that tragedy was the attack on their village that left eleven children orphaned with only three unprepared brothers to raise them. One of the brothers, Athair takes the role of parent and becomes the hero of my first novel, Father of the Wolf.

Where is the story going? You'll just have to read to find out. When will it end? Maybe never. As long as the Valafrn need a voice I will continue to tell their story.

More News

11/18/08 Contracted Nothing but Ash with Liquid Silver Books!

11/08 Contracted Marked by Tears with Noble Romance!

9/12/08 - Acacia II: Blindsided is released from Changeling Press

8/1/08 SCV-Vampire Oracle: Love is released from Cobblestone Press

7/25/08 My first print book (Father of the Wolf) is released from Cobblestone Press!

7/22/08 Chances 2: A Second Chance is released from Changeling Press

6/22/08 Steel City Vampires: Welcome Home is available for FREE DOWNLOAD

6/8/08 I'm part of the Cobblestone Online Book Tour! Check it out on my blog. :)

6/ 6/08 In the course of one week Moira Reid and I finished a new book, titled- Welcome Home. This is part of a spin off series (STEEL CITY VAMPIRES) from our Vampire Oracle books LOVE and SUNLIGHT. Welcome Home is a prequel and we are planning to give it away. Watch for details. :)

5/30/08 ANOM'TAN 4: Walking Death's Edge released from Cobblestone Press! This is the final (as far as I know) book in the Anom'tan Series, which for me means it's a time of celebration. The characters might very well show up in other books so you don't have to miss them. :)

4/9/08 I used to laugh at the thought of writers block and burn out from something so enjoyable as writing, but lately I have a dearer and more terrifying understanding of both. I've added a new goal to my goal list below which I hope will remind me that even I need to take a break from my favorite obsession sometimes. :)

3/3/08 A Snowball's Chance released with Changeling Press

2/22/08 ANOM'TAN 3: Walking at Sundown released from Cobblestone Press!

2/11/08 - Kate Dufy requested a full of Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover! Kate announced her choice for the Brava Novella Contest (It wasn't me). She also called all the finalists. When she called me, I ignored the call, because the only people who call me are telemarketers, LOL. When I saw who called and heard the message, I called her back and wow, got the great news. :D

2/11/08 - It's official, I'm a published author according to RWA. :) I recieved PAN status today and was added to the published author pages on the RWA site.

2/11/08 - Recieved a revision request from Samhain Publishing for Hellish Love Stories: Hotter than Hell. :)

12/14/07 - MY IMMORTAL released by Cobblestone Press

12/03/07 - Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover announced as a finalist in the Brava Novella Contest!

11/02/07 - A SPIRIT UNITED released with Cobblestone Press

9/26/07 - Cobblestone Press has been added to the list of qualifying publishers on the RWA website! Guess this makes me a published author, woo hoo!!

9/21/07 - Anom'tan 2: Walking in Memories released from Cobblestone Press!

8/17/07 - FOREVER EDEN released from Cobblestone Press!

8/10/07 - I signed my first print contract! Cobblestone Press offered me the Vampire Oracle card, LOVE, for their "In The Cards" series which is planned to go to print, five to a book anthology.

6/20/07 - WALKING WITH SYNN released with Cobblestone Press!

5/13/07 - Contracted A Spirit United with Cobblestone Press. A Spirit United is book 4 in my Origins series. It will pick up the story of Vali and his family. A Spirit United will also be part of Cobblestone's IN THE RUNES series, with a theme and focus on Sowelu the rune for wholeness.

5/11/07 - SURVIVING SYNN released with Cobblestone Press!

5/07 - Completed and submitted Forever Eden to Cobblestone Press.

4/28/07 - Contracted Walking with Synn with Cobblestone Press.

4/27/07 - Completed and submitted A Spirit United to Cobblestone Press.

4/24/07 - Completed and submitted Walking with Synn to Cobblestone Press. Walking with Synn is the first of my four book Anom'tan (daywalker) series.

2/3/07 - Contracted Surviving Synn with Cobblestone Press

1/19/07 BLOOD REIGN released with Cobblestone Press!

1/16/07 - Completed and submitted Surviving Synn. Surviving Synn is the first of my Synn demon novellas. Tarvyn is a demon skilled in the arts of seduction but he's in for a surprise when Pahele sends him to a battlefield where he is at the mercy of the soldiers who find him.

1/8/07 - Contracted My Immortal with Cobblestone Press. My Immortal is planned as a Christmas release in December 2007.

1/1/07 - Happy New Year! May 2007 be as wonderful as 2006. :)

12/25/06 - Merry Christmas!

12/8/06 Eagle Clan #2: Destiny released with cobblestone Press!

11/25/06 I'm officially throwing in the towel on NANO. With all the edits, I was pressed for time and had trouble focusing on Journey like it needs. I did write plenty though, and will probably cross the 50k mark by the end of the month if I count the 5 different projects that I worked on. Better luck next year.

11/10/06 VALI'S CURSE released from Cobblestone Press!

11/8/06 Was given a release date for Vali's Curse. YAH! Vali's Curse will be available on November 10, 2006 in TWO DAYS!

11/3/06 Contracted EC2: Destiny to Cobblestone Press. Now we are in hurry up edits to get the book released as a Holiday release. :)

10/31/06 SEASON OF BLOOD released by Cobblestone Press!

10/22/06 Contracted Blood Reign to Cobblestone Press! Now I'm finishing up Destiny in the hopes to submit it before the end of the month.

10/01/06 Forgiven was a CP best seller in September!

9/15/06 LYNX CLAN: FORGIVEN released from Cobblestone Press! Check it out here!

8/01/06 Father of the Wolf was a CP best seller in July!

7/06 Cobblestone contracted Vali's Curse

7/2/06 Cobblestone has contracted LC: Forgiven!!

6/30/06 Father of the Wolf released with Cobblestone Press! AND Lost Soul of the Wolf released from Chippewa Publishing!!

6/29/06 I finished Loki's Flight, Vali's Curse and LC: Forgiven. Now I'm turning my attention to EC: Destiny, DMN:Kindred Spirit, Blood Reign, and Surviving Synn.

6/2/06 :D I'm published! Of Blood and Blessings is available through Changeling Press!

5/28/06 I have the edits back on Season of Blood and will be focusing on getting that story ready for publication. I also got the news that Father placed third in the LERA Rebecca contest. WooHoo!! I have been working on Loki's Flight and almost have it and Vali's Curse ready to submit. :) Oh and Father has a release date! June 30th... I can't wait!

5/3/06 :) I contracted SEASON OF BLOOD to Cobblestone Press!

4/24/06 Got the edits back on FATHER and have begun to work on them.

4/19/06 Both LOST SOUL OF THE WOLF and OF BLOOD AND BLESSINGS are past edits and on to the proof readers.

4/4/06 :) I was offered a contract for the publication of EAGLE CLAN: FATHER OF THE WOLF by Cobblestone Press. Some changes in my life have stepped up the chances of my dream of publication. Father will start off with a one year e-press contract, while I put serious effort into the continuing series. If the company proves as good as they seem now, I expect to be offering more of my work to them in the near future.

3/27/06 :) I just got the news! EAGLE CLAN: FATHER OF THE WOLF finaled in the LERA Rebecca contest!

3/21/06 Still waiting on about 10 queries and the full and partial. In the meanwhile, I have edits in for LOST SOUL OF THE WOLF and am still dragging through the rewrites for OF BLOOD AND BLESSINGS. I really think that should be done by the end of this week. Then I will do some crossing of fingers in the hopes that the editor thinks it is as improved as I think it is.

3/19/06 Well, I became distracted today by a small shiny object... Or not. I did step away from edits to write down a story which may soon become a free read here on the site. :) Keep watch for JOLYN'S SEARCH

3/4/06 Sent off about 20 queries as well as one requested full and one requested partial. Now for the wait...

2/11/06 Got a couple contest entries off. I feel pretty good about their chances. :) I'm doing a massive rewrite on OF BLOOD AND BLESSINGS to make it fit in better at Changeling. Meanwhile, I am going over the edits from Chippewa for LOST SOUL OF THE WOLF I hope those won't require as much time intensive rewriting. <G>

2/1/06 Dead Men's Nails is starting to shape into a damn good story. I started off smacking my wrist for getting distacted, since I should be writing on Destiny, but the truth is that DMNs is good and people really seem to like it. I even plan to enter the first chapter in a contest! (Goal 1 & 3) Finish rough draft of Dead Men's Nails.

1/10/06 As many of you know I started a small yahoo group for writers with specific focus on relatively new authors and what is needed to build careers. Go ahead and laugh. I'm far from an expert, but sometimes a student understands best when they help others to learn. Every month I offer a contest, but so far I haven't been able to offer much in the way of prizes. To fix that funding problem, I have started writing craft articles and offering them through Lulu.com self publishing. With a little luck, I will soon be able to offer small gift certificates to the monthly winners as well as tip bits and tips to others.

1/1/06 The beginning of a new year requires a resolution. Mine is to make a few leaps toward publication. I have a whole list of goals that I plan to reach in 2006, but the ones I want to state here focus on finishing more of my novellas and novels. (1)Finish fantasy series about Vali (Vali's Curse, Vali's Oath, Vali's Legacy) To help me with this goal... I have created a giant dump file for new ideas that will hold my random thoughts unstead of letting them push me into starting the new stories. :)

12/25/05 Merry Christmas everyone!

11/30/05 I completed NANO! No not officially for a couple different reasons. 1) the NANO site messed up and I couldn't verify any words. And 2) I included a portion that I wrote in October. Still I found NANO to be a wonderful experience and plan to do it again next year. I finished 50,000 words in a rough draft of 'Forgiven' which takes the story from beginning to end.

10/24/05 I signed up for NaNoWriMo. I'll be working on 'Forgiven' and hoping to get the whole rough draft pounded out by December first.

10/12/05 Changeling Press requested 'Of Blood and Blessings' for e-publication!! Looks like it should be released early in 2006!

10/06/05 New tickle of an idea is teasing itself into existence. I started 'Forgiven' which is about another clan of valafrn werewolves. Not sure yet where it will go.

9/20/05 Season of Blood (was Season of the Wolf) is finished and now being considered for e-publication.

9/20/05 A new series in the works? Yes! Keep watch for Blood Quest.

Some quests begin with honor. The Blood Quest begins with a slave who refuses his fate. Yet, his resolve could be the salvation of the gods.

9/20/05 Check out my new and improved Blog site. After much complaining and little opposition I decided to let my characters loose on the blog so anyone can stop in and chat with or bother them at http://lshannon.blogspot.com/

9/19/05 Chippewa Publishing LLC requested the right to e-publish Lost Soul of the Wolf!!!!!!

9/13/05 'Curse of the Wolf' is finished at ~10,000 and being considered for e-publication

9/9/05 'Lost Soul of the Wolf ' finished at ~10,000 and is being considered for e-publication.

8/30/05 I entered a submission to Stella Cameron's Scarlett Boa contest. Voting begins on Oct 16th.

8/5/05 I entered my first contest! On The Far Side finalists are to be announced on September 23rd.

8/5/05 'Of Blood and Blessings' rewrite is finished at 18,000 and being considered for e-publication.

5/05 'Father of the Wolf' is finished at ~80, 000! I'm querying agents regarding representation.

12/04 'Of Blood and Blessings is finished at 12,000! My first complete story!! *happy dance*

07/04 (post-dated) I realize I might want to tell more than one story...

06/04 (post-dated) I began writing down notes and researching ideas for writing a book.

Goals for 2008

1. Enter contests

Brava Novella Contest - FINALIST!

2. Attend conferences/workshops/seminars

March 15 - Fire Up Your Fiction - Had a blast and got to meet Deb!

April 16-20 - RT - YAY! I went, I survived and can't wait to go again!

3. Submit more work to publishers/agents

Hotter than Hell

Vixen Files

Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover

Anom'tan 4: Walking Death's Edge (sold to Cobblestone)

Acacia: Abducting Aeron (sold to Changeling)

Chances: A Second Chance (sold to Changeling)

SCV: Bound and Determined

4. Complete more books, focus on novels.

A. by March 31st

Hotter than Hell

Vixen Files

Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover

Acacia: Abducting Aeron (sold to Changeling)

B. by June 30th

Chances: A Second Chance (sold to Changeling)

(SCV) Welcome Home (FREE DOWNLOAD)

(SCV) Bound and Determined

C. by September 30th

Chances: Another Chance (sold to Changeling)

EC3: Journey

Acacia: Blindsided (sold to Changeling)

D. by December 31st

* Nothing but Ash (sold to Liquid Silver Books)

Acacia III: Cravings (10,000/12,000)

Demons Gone Wild: Marked by Tears

Starwolves 1: Desolation

Chances: Chance of a Lifetime (1000/3000)

*What the Bed Said (7000/10,000)

*DMN1: Kindred Spirit (50,000/90,000)

Goals for 2009

1. Enter contests

Amber Quill Heat Wave?

2. Attend conferences/workshops/seminars

3. Submit more work to publishers/agents

4. Complete more books, focus on novels.

A. by March 31st

Re-edit Lynx Clan 1: Forgiven

Lynx Clan 2: Forgotten

B. by June 30th

C. by September 30th

D. by December 31st

5. Schedule time off from deadline pressures.

Every third month I plan to take off from my writing pressure. I will write what I want during that month and not worry about what has to be in. The down side is that the two months before will have to be more structured to allow this time off. I'm not sure yet if this will work or not. Will let you all know at the end of the year.