The novel I thought I was writing completely changed, and so did I.
In a matter of weeks, my novel Shadows in Her Bones will be available for purchase. It’s a wild feeling as this novel began in my teen years as I consumed a ridiculous amount of vampire novels followed by another ridiculous amount of werewolf romance novels. My high school years were filled with scribbled ideas in notebooks, determined to make my own story.
As a teen, however, my concept of empowered women and healthy romantic relationships wasn’t exactly ideal at the time. I grew up around conservative culture (IYKYK) and the novels I read (in secret) had strong heroines. They were heroines who took shit from no one, got things done on their own, took down the enemy and looked cool as hell doing it. The romances themselves could sometimes be a little toxic and unhealthy, maybe even stalker-ish at times, but I didn’t mind.
Now that I’m older and have been through a number of transformations, I longed for different heroines and different romances. I still love strong-willed, badass heroines, and I still love intense, fiery romances. I simply found myself wanting my heroines to be different and their love stories to take a gentler path.
Tropes I Was Determined to Rewrite
Werewolves
The Alpha wolf, strong and bullheaded, aggressive and protective of his mate. I adore this trope. There’s nothing I love more than that wild, heady lust the Alpha brings to the romance. It’s alluring and I enjoy reading it.
I didn’t want that for my novel’s heroine. I didn’t want it for her love interest either. Maybe I’m just getting older (or my past has altered my writing and way of thinking) but I wanted something else for Jo and Evren. I wanted to change werewolf pack dynamics entirely, looking to wolves for inspiration. Wolf packs are built on trust, mutual respect, and compassion. Werewolves in my novel tend to be family-oriented, taking in and adopting anyone who needs care just as Aletheia took in and adopted Jo.
Evren might be the Alpha of his pack but he’s soft-hearted and patient. He’s expected to be level-headed when making decisions, putting the safety of his pack above all things, and keeping things calm when others might be bristling with anger.
Hunters
Usually considered the heroes of the story. They’re the good guys, watching out for the unsuspecting human who might become prey to the monsters that go bump in the night. I grew up watching Supernatural and still adore the Winchester brothers. I love Blade, Vampire Hunter D and Van Helsing. I could rewatch all of them a million times and never get bored.
As with all things, the protector can easily become the dictator. Too overprotective and the hero suddenly becomes the villain. Too filled with righteous ego and suddenly the savior is caught up in their own grandeur.
Hunters and Huntresses in my novel have become just that. They’ve become corrupted, killing anything and everything they deem a danger to society. With little to no oversight, they’ve likely killed countless innocents. An organization has recently come into play to keep the Hunters in check but, as we all know, bureaucracy can be its own undoing.
Evolution from First Draft to Published Novel
Jo started off as an angry character. She told people off. She cut people out of her life. She was the lone wolf who hated the supernatural just as much as her aunt. She didn’t trust anyone and had absolutely zero connections or friends outside of Beth and another Hunter or two.
As I evolved and matured, rereading my first draft made me cringe. As someone who grew up with conservative ideals, I wasn’t the least bit like them. Jo didn’t have to be her aunt. She didn’t have to be the toxic environment she grew up in.
High school and university can help us find others who have differing points of view and opinions. Which is where Jo found her closest friends and began to push against the grain. She became a character who was strong in some aspects but weaker in others. Her personality became more complex as I matured and worked through my own trauma.
Jo’s biggest hurdle isn’t taking down monsters or solving a case. It’s setting boundaries and recognizing toxic relationships which is something many of us can relate to. At one time or another, I’m sure we’ve all been faced with gaslighting or manipulation. We might even blame ourselves when we’re in fact the victims.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re interested in Werewolf romances where the main character deals with toxic family while trying to rescue a group of missing women with the help of her dorky found family and a soft-hearted Alpha then keep an eye out for Shadows in Her Bones coming out November 13, 2025.
Until next time, stay safe~
a.t.kumagai
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