Interview with a Werewolf: Alwyn Lloyd, from Shadow of the Moon by Kwen D. Griffeth - Excerpt - Trailer
Shadow Series
Book One
Kwen D Griffeth
Genre: Fantasy/Murder/Romance
Date of Publication: Oct 31, 2017
ASIN: B075XCD516
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: 96042
Cover Artist: Stefanie Cassidy
Tagline: A Fantasy about Love, Murder, and Werewolves
The grisly murder of a diplomat’s son in Central Park draw NYPD Detective Gerald Meeker and FBI Special Agent Andee Trakes into a twisted and confusing investigation. Within hours, the evidence indicates the man was executed in the manner saved for werewolves. Andee Trakes is assigned to liaison with a history professor, who is an expert on folklore and legends.
Professor Alwyn Lloyd, handsome, articulate and successful, not only agrees the method of death was indeed an execution, he claims to be a werewolf. Andee is torn between the desire to date the man and the suspicion to arrest him.
From the initial killing in the park, a bloody spree is ignited that soon has Andee and Lloyd forced to work together to protect themselves and family members.
Shadow of the Moon explores the world of werewolves and paints a picture of what is good about them, as well as bad. The story explains what is beautiful as well as ugly about the wolf.
The story is fast paced and full of interesting characters and several twists and turns to keep both the fantasy as well as the suspense and romance enthusiasts entertained.
An Interview with Werewolf
Alwyn Lloyd
From Shadow of the Moon
Welcome to JB’s Bookworms. Please don’t shed on the carpet while you’re here. (I can’t believe I said that, but it is pretty new you know).
Your attempted humor shows how little you know of my species. As I look at you, and I’m forced to suffer your insult, I visualize ripping your throat out. Would that leave a mess on your carpet.
My name is Alwyn Lloyd and I am a professor of history specializing in folklore and legends and yes I am a werewolf. I am a full descendant of Lycaon, the original shapeshifter, made so by Zeus, and father of the first fifty families of werewolves. I am the male alpha of my pack, as well as my clan. My primary role as such is to display tolerance to non-wolves. You should feel lucky that I am here and not my mother, who is under no such restraint.)
Scary.
Tell us a little bit about your story
(The story is about an aggressive and attractive FBI agent who is assigned to the support office at the UN building in New York. There, her duties are more political than investigation and she views her posting as a punishment. A bizarre murder of a diplomat’s son in Central Park brings her, along with an NYPD homicide detective, to me. Like most humans, she does not see me for who I am, but that does not stop her from asking for my assistance. I feel obligated to assist Agent Trakes and do so.)
Is it stand-alone or part of a series?
This is the first book in a series. The second book, “Reflections of the Moon,” is being drafted as we speak.
Who is the main character?
Special Agent Andee Trakes is the main character. A strong subplot of the story is her voyage self-discovery.
Who is the protagonist?
Without a doubt, I am the protagonist. As the alpha, I am forced to work with the aforementioned FBI agent, as she investigates the murder. I should mention Andee is disliked by my mother, Lady Lloyd, who sees her as little more than a “gold digger.”
No one is good enough for her baby. Mom's are like that.
Do you feel like your Author did a good job portraying all the characters?
The author studied the history of werewolves and spent hours discussing that history with me. As I told you, I am a professor of folklore and legends. I feel he did an adequate job of documenting our discussions.
Is there anything or anyone you would change?
It is the story of how it happened. If I had the power I would save a good man from the death he suffered, but, being human, he refused to heed my advice.
That's definitely a human trait.
What’s the best part of being a werewolf?
As a wolf, I live a life that can only be compared to the lives of the finest trained athletes. I run faster, see further, can discern a broader range of smells. I am stronger and more resilient than any full human. Most of that is recognized by your kind and therefore you fear us, as you should. The best part of being a wolf is our sense of family and our trained dedication to our pack and our clan. We are able to survive through these traits more than our physical strengths alone.
What’s the worst part of being a werewolf?
Just as our physical abilities are stronger than humans, so are our emotions. As a result, we tend to be a violent species. We are quick to anger and we hold grudges for years. Those grudges are not always directed at humans, but other families of wolves as well. It is this side of us that keeps us, as a species, weak and venerable to the genocides you and yours have attempted over the course of our shared history.
Do full moons scare you?
(No. As a full wolf, I have the ability to shape shift whenever I desire. That being said, the lunar pull on me is a multiplying effect that can increase all I possess by as much as 10%. It is not just coincidence that most full wolf babies are conceived under the full moon.
What is your biggest fear?
If your species recognized mine, we would be listed as endangered. Werewolves number less than 1% of 1% of the humans currently on earth. My biggest fear is that the human side of our personality will lead us to full extinction.
What do you do with your free time?
By training and education, I am considered an academic. I enjoy research and study. I also like to run, in both my forms. In truth, between my roles as a professor and as the Lloyd family alpha, free time is limited, but like many of the canine family, I enjoy a good nap.
Does your Author have any plans for future books?
You see? You again, show your human limitations. A wolf would never have to ask the same question twice. I have already told you he is at work on book 2 in my series.
I kind of meant something different.
Will you be part of them?
Please pardon my chuckle, I am them.
Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?
Such a simple question and a complex answer. If Andee has her way, she would be not only my girlfriend but more. My niece, Miranda, who is also my assistant, would like nothing more than for me to have a mate. My mother, Lady Lloyd, who is the female alpha, refuses to recognize Andee as worthy of my affections, due to her not being a descendent of Lycaon.
Is there anything you’d like to add before we finish?
Imagine the best of mankind and then imagine the worst. It is in those extremes that I and my kind live. You have a saying that a person can be “as loyal as a dog.” That quote describes the depth of our concern for each other, and for you, our cousins, if you would accept us. There is another saying that is also accurate. We can and often are “junkyard dog” mean and violent. It is this side of us your kind see most often and therefore fear us. We rarely attack unless provoked, and one last thing, no more jokes about me shedding.
*Laughs* Alright.
It was good to have you today. Thank you for being with us.
Discussing me with you was not intolerable. You’re welcome.
Check out the trailer, and keep scrolling for an except from Shadow of the Moon.
“No, as I said, I’m with the FBI, and we don’t normally make appointments.”
Miranda, with smile still in place, walked to the door leading to the professor’s office as she said, “Let me check with him, but I’m sure he will be able to meet with you. I keep his appointment calendar, so I know he’s not overly busy.”
“Hey, I was here first, and I’ve waited thirty minutes.”
Trakes turned back to the office and noticed a blonde had stood to announce her displeasure. She tried to show her indignation with the agent, but her glare fell short.
Trakes smiled at the student and held out her FBI credentials for the blonde to see.
“I’m with the FBI, sweetie. We get cuts.”
Behind her, she heard Miranda say, “Sit down, Shelly, you know as well as I do the professor won’t change your grade.”
Trakes turned back to Miranda and waved the credentials one more time.
“These are really the only announcement I need, but thank you. I’ll just pop in. Then the professor and I will get acquainted.”
Before Miranda could object, the agent turned and stepped through the door.
Her first impression of the office was the desk. It was large, made of wood and appeared antique. The floor was wood, with a large rug that covered most of it. Like the outer office, this one was also wainscoted with dark wood paneling. Opposed to the other space, this one was painted an off-white the rest of the way to the 10-foot ceiling. Again, keeping with the theme set by the outer office, this one also had pictures and paintings on every wall. Bookcases, shelves and glass cases flanked the desk, with two chairs centered in front of it. A two-person sofa along the wall to the left and a coffee table finished the décor. Professor Lloyd sat behind the desk.
He studied papers with his head lowered, and her first glimpse of him took in the breadth of his shoulders and his hair. It was thick and dark, almost black down the center of the head, but shaded to grey by the time it reached the man’s ears. It was combed back, but a natural part down the center caused it to fall to each side. She wondered what it felt like, then forced herself to refocus.
As she stepped through the door, Trakes announced, “Good afternoon, I’m…”
He looked up from his papers.
The eyes were a pale blue. Ice blue. The shade of blue used to sell breath mints, and her intake of air seemed fresher as it travelled to her lungs. The eyes were hard and unwelcoming. Andee wished she had waited to be announced. She stepped into the room and tripped on the edge of the rug. She whispered a curse, caught her balance, held her blush to a minimum and muttered an apology.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
Those eyes, still focused on her, softened enough to indicate his irritation at the interruption had grown into a mild curiosity. As he studied her, he allowed an eyebrow to raise and his head to cant to one side. She suddenly felt exposed, and her blush from the ungainly entry deepened. Her heart paused, and then quickened. Her stomach tickled, then settled into nervousness. Her underarms damped and a question about deodorant flashed through her mind. She tried again to introduce herself, but discovered she had forgotten her name.
“Professor, I’m…a…I’m…”
Her words came in a small squeak. It may have been the squeak a mouse makes when she sees the hawk dive, but it was certainly the squeak of prey. She froze. The corners of his mouth turned.
“Uncle Alwyn, you stop this. Stop it, right now.”
The commands came from Miranda, and the professor looked past Trakes to his niece, who was standing in the doorway. As he broke eye contact, Andee gulped air. She realized she’d forgotten to breathe.
“Uncle Alwyn, I’m ashamed of you,” Miranda continued, and she took Andee’s arm and assisted her to one of the chairs in front of the desk. Andee smiled her gratitude as she felt dizzy. She looked up at the assistant, who smiled down at her.
“Don’t mind my uncle. He does that sometimes. It’s because he is an Alpha.”
“He’s a what?”
Andee felt as if she was clearing a fog.
“He’s an Alpha, and sometimes he takes advantage.”
“An Alpha? Is that a fraternity?”
Winner of Readers' Favorite Silver Award for Historical Fiction/Western, Kwen knew he wanted to be a writer when he was fourteen years old. He felt the urge when he finished Earnest Hemingway’s masterpiece “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” The story touched him in a way no other book ever had. It transported a kid born and raised on a farm and ranch in Idaho to the mountains of Spain. It took him back in time forty years to witness the Spanish Civil War. Kwen knew he wanted to share that wonder with other people.
John Lennon said, “Life is what happens while you make other plans.” While Kwen lived a full and varied life, his dream of writing remained in the back of his mind.
Finally, in 2012, he wrote a novella named Dear Emma. He self-published through Amazon and asked people to read it. “The best way to see if I can write is to let people check it out,” he said. Like it, they did. Currently, Dear Emma enjoys a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon.
Often asked what genre he writes, Kwen replies he writes stories about people and uses the genre that best fits the story. “I think of the genre, or setting as another character that interacts to help tell the story,” he says.
His most often received and constant comment is how real his characters seem. Upon the completion of his historical fiction trilogy Sam and Laura books, a reader telephoned Kwen and directed him to write more stories about the couple. When asked why the reader was so adamant about more stories, he replied he “wasn’t ready to tell Sam and Laura good bye yet.”
Kwen considers that comment one of his highest compliments.
Kwen’s books are getting some attention from the literary community. The Law of Moses, the Silver Award winner from Readers' Favorite, and The Tenth Nail both received the Gold Award from Literary Titan Book Review. In addition, The Law of Moses was awarded five 5 Star Reviews from the reviewers of Readers' Favorite.
Kwen’s books are available in several formats; e-Book, paperback, and audio. He invites you to check his writings out. Who knows? He might become your next favorite author.
Excerpt
“I’m Professor Lloyd’s assistant. Is he expecting you?” Her smile never wavered, though the hand dropped to her side.“No, as I said, I’m with the FBI, and we don’t normally make appointments.”
Miranda, with smile still in place, walked to the door leading to the professor’s office as she said, “Let me check with him, but I’m sure he will be able to meet with you. I keep his appointment calendar, so I know he’s not overly busy.”
“Hey, I was here first, and I’ve waited thirty minutes.”
Trakes turned back to the office and noticed a blonde had stood to announce her displeasure. She tried to show her indignation with the agent, but her glare fell short.
Trakes smiled at the student and held out her FBI credentials for the blonde to see.
“I’m with the FBI, sweetie. We get cuts.”
Behind her, she heard Miranda say, “Sit down, Shelly, you know as well as I do the professor won’t change your grade.”
Trakes turned back to Miranda and waved the credentials one more time.
“These are really the only announcement I need, but thank you. I’ll just pop in. Then the professor and I will get acquainted.”
Before Miranda could object, the agent turned and stepped through the door.
Her first impression of the office was the desk. It was large, made of wood and appeared antique. The floor was wood, with a large rug that covered most of it. Like the outer office, this one was also wainscoted with dark wood paneling. Opposed to the other space, this one was painted an off-white the rest of the way to the 10-foot ceiling. Again, keeping with the theme set by the outer office, this one also had pictures and paintings on every wall. Bookcases, shelves and glass cases flanked the desk, with two chairs centered in front of it. A two-person sofa along the wall to the left and a coffee table finished the décor. Professor Lloyd sat behind the desk.
He studied papers with his head lowered, and her first glimpse of him took in the breadth of his shoulders and his hair. It was thick and dark, almost black down the center of the head, but shaded to grey by the time it reached the man’s ears. It was combed back, but a natural part down the center caused it to fall to each side. She wondered what it felt like, then forced herself to refocus.
As she stepped through the door, Trakes announced, “Good afternoon, I’m…”
He looked up from his papers.
The eyes were a pale blue. Ice blue. The shade of blue used to sell breath mints, and her intake of air seemed fresher as it travelled to her lungs. The eyes were hard and unwelcoming. Andee wished she had waited to be announced. She stepped into the room and tripped on the edge of the rug. She whispered a curse, caught her balance, held her blush to a minimum and muttered an apology.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
Those eyes, still focused on her, softened enough to indicate his irritation at the interruption had grown into a mild curiosity. As he studied her, he allowed an eyebrow to raise and his head to cant to one side. She suddenly felt exposed, and her blush from the ungainly entry deepened. Her heart paused, and then quickened. Her stomach tickled, then settled into nervousness. Her underarms damped and a question about deodorant flashed through her mind. She tried again to introduce herself, but discovered she had forgotten her name.
“Professor, I’m…a…I’m…”
Her words came in a small squeak. It may have been the squeak a mouse makes when she sees the hawk dive, but it was certainly the squeak of prey. She froze. The corners of his mouth turned.
“Uncle Alwyn, you stop this. Stop it, right now.”
The commands came from Miranda, and the professor looked past Trakes to his niece, who was standing in the doorway. As he broke eye contact, Andee gulped air. She realized she’d forgotten to breathe.
“Uncle Alwyn, I’m ashamed of you,” Miranda continued, and she took Andee’s arm and assisted her to one of the chairs in front of the desk. Andee smiled her gratitude as she felt dizzy. She looked up at the assistant, who smiled down at her.
“Don’t mind my uncle. He does that sometimes. It’s because he is an Alpha.”
“He’s a what?”
Andee felt as if she was clearing a fog.
“He’s an Alpha, and sometimes he takes advantage.”
“An Alpha? Is that a fraternity?”
About the Author
Winner of Readers' Favorite Silver Award for Historical Fiction/Western, Kwen knew he wanted to be a writer when he was fourteen years old. He felt the urge when he finished Earnest Hemingway’s masterpiece “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” The story touched him in a way no other book ever had. It transported a kid born and raised on a farm and ranch in Idaho to the mountains of Spain. It took him back in time forty years to witness the Spanish Civil War. Kwen knew he wanted to share that wonder with other people.
John Lennon said, “Life is what happens while you make other plans.” While Kwen lived a full and varied life, his dream of writing remained in the back of his mind.
Finally, in 2012, he wrote a novella named Dear Emma. He self-published through Amazon and asked people to read it. “The best way to see if I can write is to let people check it out,” he said. Like it, they did. Currently, Dear Emma enjoys a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon.
Often asked what genre he writes, Kwen replies he writes stories about people and uses the genre that best fits the story. “I think of the genre, or setting as another character that interacts to help tell the story,” he says.
His most often received and constant comment is how real his characters seem. Upon the completion of his historical fiction trilogy Sam and Laura books, a reader telephoned Kwen and directed him to write more stories about the couple. When asked why the reader was so adamant about more stories, he replied he “wasn’t ready to tell Sam and Laura good bye yet.”
Kwen considers that comment one of his highest compliments.
Kwen’s books are getting some attention from the literary community. The Law of Moses, the Silver Award winner from Readers' Favorite, and The Tenth Nail both received the Gold Award from Literary Titan Book Review. In addition, The Law of Moses was awarded five 5 Star Reviews from the reviewers of Readers' Favorite.
Kwen’s books are available in several formats; e-Book, paperback, and audio. He invites you to check his writings out. Who knows? He might become your next favorite author.
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