Carol Van Natta's Blog, page 14
November 3, 2019
About Prehistoric Dire Wolves (Canis Dirus)
Scary Extinct Wolves of North America
Humans have good reasons for their atavistic fear of wolves. They work in packs, are clever, and good at hunting big prey and bringing it down. Prey such as stray humans who are hunting for food themselves. Now imagine the wolves after you are bigger, heavier, and built to thrive in the Ice Age. That describes Canis dirus, otherwise known as prehistoric dire wolves.
As I mentioned in other posts on prehistoric bears and prehistoric lions, my Ice Age Shifters® series asks the question: What happens if a shapeshifter's animal side turns out to be a throwback to an earlier species? As you might imagine, this difference isn't always welcome. In some shifter communities, tradition trumps acceptance.
Prehistoric Dire Wolves Were Bad-Ass
Dire wolves are one of the most famous species of prehistoric Ice Age animals. And thanks to Game of Thrones, their fame has grown in recent years. They were muscular, with massive jaws, but more slender legs than contemporary wolves. They are the most common fossil remains found in the La Brea Tar Pits. This is probably because they hunted in cooperative packs. Meaning that if one member got stuck in the tarry death trap, others of the pack would try to help, dooming them all.
Paleontologists have competing theories on the evolution of wolves in general. The ancestors of dire wolves likely originated in North America and spread all over the world. Prehistoric dire wolves thrived in North America, Central America, and South America during the Ice Age. For the most part, they weren't that much bigger than the largest of today's wolves, but they were heavier and more brawny.
Dire wolves lost the evolutionary competition and died out at the end of the Ice Age. Paleontologists guess this is because the large prey they depended on died out. Also, humans probably killed them at every opportunity out of fear, and out of annoyance when they lost their valuable food animals to the wolf pack. Much like today, I imagine.
Dire Wolves in the Ice Age Shifters Series
Maned wolves look much more friendly than prehistoric dire wolves 
October 27, 2019
About Prehistoric American Lions (Panthera Atrox)
Big Extinct Cats of North America
As I mentioned in my post about really big prehistoric bears, Ice Age megafauna are at the core of my Ice Age Shifters® paranormal romance series. In my books, these shifters are rare and often find themselves in unusual situations, including the unexpected path to romance. Here's a little about Panthera Atrox, otherwise known as a prehistoric American Lion.
In Shift of Destiny (Ice Age Shifters Book 2), Chance McKennie is an Ice Age shifter, though he's not sure that's what he is. His animal side is a large, 700-pound (340 kg) lion-like feline without a mane, but nothing like his cougar-shifter mother or wolf-shifter father. This unwelcome variance causes trouble in the packs and prides in the area. Consequently, he leaves home, searching for a place to belong.
Prehistoric American Lions Weren't Really Lions
First, while we have quite a few skeletons of prehistoric American lions (Panthera atrox), paleontologists have spirited discussions about which evolutionary branch to put it on. American lions most resemble Eurasian cave lions, the ancestors of the lions of Europe and Africa. However, both lines also have physical variations found in modern tigers, panthers, and jaguars. We do know that P. atrox was bigger than modern cats of any species. Paleontologists theorize it had solitary habits like today's cougars rather than social habits like today's lions.
American Lions in the Ice Age Shifters Series
One of the fun parts of writing about shapeshifters is to explore how the animal side of the character affects the human side. Since American lions likely had a wide hunting territory, I figured it gave Chance McKennie a streak of wanderlust. You'll have to read the book to find out if Chance's feline side can purr. 
October 20, 2019
About Prehistoric Bears (Arctotherium)
A Very Big Extinct Bear in South America
Ice Age megafauna are the core inspiration for my Ice Age Shifters® paranormal romance series. I've mentioned before about how reading an article on excavating the fossil remains of a huge prehistoric bear in South America sparked my muse. What if rare and special shifters were throwbacks to the age of really big mammals adapted to the bitter cold of the global Ice Age? Which meant I got to read all about prehistoric bears (Arctotherium). Research is one of the fun parts of my author life.
During the most recent global ice age, mammals got big. Not dinosaur big, but giant by today's standards. Giant herbivores with giant predators to match. Examples include mammoths, mastadons, felines, canines, sloths, and bears, which are all iconic fauna of the Pleistocene era.
Ice Age Animal Fossils Are Everywhere
The Ice Age extended to the whole planet, which includes Central and South America. There, the fossil remains of prehistoric bears are less plentiful. Well, let me rephrase that. Humans haven't found as many. North America has three or four well-known predator traps. One example is the La Brea tar pits that enticed predators with the scents of dying prey, then trapped the predators, and preserved the bones for humans to find. Venezuela in South America has an intriguing tar pit, too, but not as much funding available to excavate it or turn it into a museum.
What we do know about Arctotherium bears, based on the fossil record, is that they were big, and that they thrived during the Ice Age, but not after. All we can do is make educated guesses about why they species failed.
Shaggy prehistoric bear (Arctotherium) might have looked like thisIn North America, the ancestors of today's bears were half again as big as grizzly and polar bears, the largest of the modern Ursa family. The prehistoric kind were called “short-faced” because the bones we've found suggest their snouts were shorter and wider than the shapes we're familiar with. For Arctotherium, their bone and skull structure suggest they were omnivores, but it's hard to guess muscle shape and weight based on a few incomplete skeletons.
About the Prehistoric Bears in Ice Age Shifters
Luckily for me, that gives me a fair amount of room for artistic license in creating Trevor Hammond, the Ice Age shifter in Shifter Mate Magic, the first book in the Ice Age Shifters series. Trevor's bear weighs more than 3,000 pounds (1,500 kg), putting him at the curb weight of a small SUV. I decided he'd be shaggy with thick, insulating fur and have long claws for digging in the ice. I also gave him the color pattern reminiscent of a spectacled bear, which is the modern descendant bear species in South America.
In my series, Ice Age shifters are rare and a not-always-welcome variation in the packs, prides, or clans they are born into. In the hidden magical community, elves believe Ice Age shifters are a gift from the gods to help in times of extraordinary need. Which means these special shifters can expect to be involved in adventure and intrigue, as well as finding a mate who can love them for who and what they are.
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CREDITS: Shaggy bear illustration by khuis @ Deposit Photo. Arctotherium illustration by Nyssa Juneau.
Shifter Mate Magic (Ice Age Shifters Book 1)A lonely bear shifter must convince a woman on the run that he's her mate, and their only hope is a magical sanctuary town. Pregnant Jackie just escaped from a corrupt feline pack intent on selling her half-shifter baby to the highest bidder. When prehistoric bear shifter Trevor meets Jackie at a truck stop, his bear demands he help her. Jackie thinks he's sexy as hell but doesn't trust shifters. With the feline pride hot on her trail, however, Trevor and the quirky Wyoming town might be her only chance for survival. Even his indomitable bear may be no match for a dangerous enemy seeking retribution.
Discover the secret world of magic and true mates in Shifter Mate Magic, the first book in USA TODAY bestselling author Carol Van Natta's fun, action-filled, steamy-hot Ice Age Shifters® series.
CHECK OUT SHIFTER MATE MAGIC
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October 13, 2019
Pets in Space 4 is Here!
Hooray! The 2019 Pets in Space 4 anthology is here!
The best-selling and award-winning Pets in Space® anthologies are near and dear to my heart, and not just because past volumes included my stories Pet Trade and Cats of War. First of all, if I ever get to have a space adventure, my cats are coming with me. I bet most humans feel like that about their pets.
Second, it supports Hero-Dogs.org, a tremendously worthy organization. The charity places trained dogs with disabled veterans and first responders to help them regain independence. Service dogs (and therapy pets) can make all the difference in the world. In times of trouble and unease, the unconditional love of a pet is like no other.
Lastly, I come from a family of veterans, and know a little of the sacrifice these people make to serve our country. Modern medicine is getting better all the time at saving lives, but we aren't so good yet at helping people deal with the long-term costs. Hero Dogs helps veterans and first responders, one dog at a time. In the last 3 years, the anthology has donated more than $7,100 to this fabulous cause.
13 Original Stories Just For You
This year's anthology has 13 never-before-released stories from today’s leading science-fiction romance authors. Don't believe me? Take a look at the fine list below. As with all the previous anthologies, this is a limited edition and only here for a short time. Get your copy today before it leaves the galaxy forever.
*❥ BUY PETS IN SPACE 4 ❥*
MADAS’ FALLING STAR (Lords of Kassis Series)
by NY Times & USA TODAY bestselling author S.E.Smith
Even an incredibly skillful warrior princess needs help sometimes. Can Madas trust the strange warrior who fell from the sky with her life… and with her heart?
October 6, 2019
Guest Post by S.E. Smith: What’s So Special About Pets in Space?
by Special Guest S.E. Smith
PETS IN SPACE 4, the latest Pets in Space anthology, is here! I invited my buddy Susan, better known as NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author S.E. Smith, over for virtual tea and crumpets (and a bit of Baileys Irish) to tell what's so special about Pets in Space.
Pets in SpaceThere are anthologies – and then there is Pets in Space®. Pets in Space 4 is not your typical anthology for a good reason – the anthology has a passion from the writers and a meaning to the collaborators that is missed in other collections.
The authors’ passion comes from two sources: Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that Pets in Space donates to each year, and the wonderful support of the readers. For the past four years, Pauline Baird Jones and Veronica Scott have cultivated Pets in Space by combining their love for animals and science fiction to help Hero-Dogs.org. This charity trains service animals for veterans and first responders who need help. [Ed. Note: See my previous blog post from last year on this wonderful organization.]
As a pet owner, I know the comfort and joy that having the unconditional love of a pet can bring. Service animals bring all of that and more. Specially trained, these pets provide a quality of life for their owner while finding a great home filled with love.
The second reason Pets in Space has done so well is because of the readers. Readers fall in love with the stories written by the authors who have been specifically chosen to write these special, original stories. The stories all revolve around unique pets – some alien, some not – who help the main characters. This year, 13 of today’s leading Science Fiction authors have joined forces to offer this limited time anthology to readers.
Special Connection with Pets in Space
As the wife, daughter, and sister of a veteran, this anthology has a deep meaning for me. My father was a disabled veteran and I saw the difference having a pet in his life made. As a teacher, I’ve had the privilege of working with students who had service dogs and saw the difference it made to their lives. Each author has a special connection with the anthology and it comes through in the wonderful stories that are written specifically for Pets in Space.
My story connects with a character from my Lords of Kassis series. L’eon, a small Lightning Chameleon, adopts Madas as his familiar and will do anything to protect her. In “Madas’s Falling Star,” danger surrounds a Tearnat Prince when his star fighter is sabotaged and he finds help in the most unexpected form of a Forest Princess and her alien pet.
Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer to pick up your copy of Pets in Space 4! Available October 8, 2019.
S.E. Smith is an internationally acclaimed, New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away. Readers can check out her website at https://sesmithfl.com and chat with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5
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September 2, 2019
6 Multicultural Science Fiction Romances You Should Read
This is a companion post to the 9 interracial paranormal romances you should read post I wrote earlier this year. Both my science fiction romances and paranormal romances are all multicultural and interracial because that's what I see in my family and friends. And despite the current examples of xenophobia in the headlines, I believe that as more people find new places to live, whether or not by choice, multicultural relationships will continue to become more common. Science fiction abounds with interactions between humans an aliens, so it's no surprise that science fiction romances feature humans and aliens falling in love. It's not so easy to find scifi romances where the multicultural aspect involves two (or more!) humans. Therefore, here are 6 multicultural science fiction romances you should read.
Futuristic Japanese Culture for the Win
My pal S.J. Pajonas's fabulous and varied futuristic space opera series set that explore the worlds settled by Japanese families who fled Earth a century ago. Look for fantastic world building, great characters, and intelligent plotting in all her books. In the Nogiku series, the romance happens in the first book, but the relationship is tested through the series. The spinoff Hikoboshi series follows the adventures of an intrepid journalist in that same universe with a slow-burn romance. Best of all, the upcoming Flyght series has delicious slow-burn, reverse-harem romances for a young woman on a quest to get back everything her greedy brother stole from her. I'm really looking forward to reading all the books.
August 3, 2019
Groups for SciFi Romance and PNR Fans
Love it or hate it, if you want to find other readers and authors of science fiction romance (SFR) and/or paranormal romance (PNR), Facebook groups are the place to go. Searching for them nets dozens of listings, but some are dead, Jim, and some seem to be nonstop advertising with no interaction between the readers or authors. These are some of the best groups for scifi romance and PNR fans that I've found.
First, for reasons known only to the stars above, the SFR folks seem better organized and engaged as a community than the PNR readers and authors. Second, some groups are more active in the fall/winter/spring time, when people aren't off having summer vacations and the like. Third, Facebook is always tinkering with the types and rules for groups, so the definition of “public” vs. “closed” vs. “private” is subject to change.
For PNR Fans
Romancing the Shire is one of the newer groups around, so it's small but growing. Fantasy and paranormal romance fans, readers, and authors discuss books and recommendations. The moderators also host regular posts for excerpts and freebies. It's quiet for the summer, but should pick up again in the fall. Romancing the Shire (Public group)
Paranormal Romance Book Junkies is a little heavy on the ads and promotional posts, but also has lively discussions and recommendation threads for finding books with favorite characteristics, such as interracial paranormal romance. PNR Book Junkies (Public Group)
For SciFi Romance Fans
The Pets in Space Readers Group has fans of the USA TODAY bestselling anthology of the same name, and regular visits and posts by the authors who have contributed to the various volumes. It's a closed group, meaning you submit a request to join, and maybe answer a question or two, but it's a great place to meet fans and authors. I've had stories in Pets in Space 2 and Pets in Space 3, and hope to again in the future. I love the fact that it donates a sizeable check to the Hero Dogs charity every year. Pets In Space Readers Group (Closed group)
The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Romance group is a large, active, and well-managed group with interesting discussions and book recommendations from authors and readers. They've lately been running threads on fun tropes, such as “women in command” and “first contact,” and are starting a new feature to help readers find newly published books for the week. Because I'm a reader as well as an author, my TBR pile grows regularly when I visit this group. It's a closed group that's well worth submitting the request to join. Sci-Fi and Fantasy Romance (Closed group)
Bonus: Non-Facebook Sites to Find Authors and Books
Since I'm aware that some people would rather be nibbled to death by little ducks than visit Facebook (some days, I feel the same), here are two websites to find SFR and PNR authors and a plethora of books.
SFR Station catalogs scifi romances with dozens of ways to search for them, from tropes, to pairings, to heat level and more. When I'm in the mood for a great SFR, this is my first stop. SFR Station
Love Romance Reads caters to romance readers and authors. The site celebrates all romance genres, including scifi romance and paranormal romance, plus every other genre you can think of. My favorite feature is the guest blogs* by romance authors because I love learning about authors and their books. Love Romance Reads
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*As it happens, August is “Science Fiction Romance” month at Love Romance Reads, and will include an interview of me.
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July 19, 2019
May You Live In Interesting Times
Funny how life likes to make a shambles of human plans every now and then. Probably to keep us silly humans from becoming insufferably conceited about thinking we have everything in control. It's like the famous Chinese curse*, “May you live in interesting times.”
How did I end up with all these ducklings?In rapid succession, I had a change in job location, a spectacular roof-damaging hail storm, and an unexpected death in the family (I'm the executor). Combined, they've stomped all over my schedules and plans for the rest of the year. Especially since that same hail storm damaged the roof of the estate's house, too, meaning that has to be fixed before the house can be sold. It's sort of like taking on a second job. Or really, a third job, since I already have a full-time day job and an ongoing author business.
I'm finally getting all my wild-ass ducks back in a row again. This means changes to my book publication schedule.
Paranormal Romance News
As I wrote in my July newsletter**, I was 90% done with Shifter's Storm (Ice Age Shifters Book 5) when the interesting-times events began unfolding. I plan to publish this in September. I've mentioned before that books 5, 6, and 7 will form their own mini-story arc, and will be writing those next books early next year. You've already seen the lovely cover, but I'll show it off again closer to when the book is ready to launch.
Space Opera News
The next release this year will be Spark Transform (Central Galactic Concordance Book 5) in November or December. This book has blown all previous deadlines, but I am determined to get it done and out the door. If you're a series fan, thank you for being patient. I love the characters, and the events unfolding in the Big Damn Story Arc are thrilling.
As a matter of fact, all the characters are about to experience the “may you live in interesting times” curse on a galactic scale. Fun times ahead!
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*It's actually one of three famous curses. The other two are “may you come to the attention of the authorities” and “may you get exactly what you wish for.” If the Chinese didn't invent the double-edged sword, they certainly perfected it. 
June 28, 2019
9 Interracial Paranormal Romances You Should Read
A reader and fan commented the other day that it's hard to find interracial paranormal romance books to read. “Nonsense,” said I, quite airily. And as it turns out, quite wrongly. Therefore, this is me, making amends with recommendations for 9 interracial paranormal romances you should read.
I write interracial paranormal romances. It never occurred to me not to create characters of all races and mixed races, because they mirror the relationships of my family and friends. However, I'll admit none of my friends are shifters, vampires, or magic users (at least that they'll admit 
June 21, 2019
Shifter’s Storm Cover Reveal
Today I'm revealing the cover for Shifter's Storm, book 5 in the Ice Age Shifters series. I've been impatiently sitting on this cover for a month, and I finally get to show it off.
Shifter's Storm is Chantal's story, and that of her sexy, could-be mate, Gavril. Readers met Chantal briefly in Shift of Destiny, and met her mother in Shifter Mate Magic. Ice Age shifter Gavril has been held captive in a fairy demesne—think of it as a bubble of magic with its own internal environment—for centuries. It's the old story of boy meets girl, or in this case Ice Age aquatic sloth meets modern black leopard shifter, and have to save their friends and the their world before they can find out if they're mates. Happens all the time.
