Guest Post and Giveaway: Wolf’s Clothing by E.J. Russell

We’re so pleased to have author E.J. Russell joining us today on the Wolf’s Clothing blog tour. Enjoy her guest post and then be sure to have a look at the giveaway details at the end.

Welcome, E.J.!

Back in the mid-seventies, I worked at a bookstore in Costa Mesa for four years. Those were the days when it was reasonable to expect to find a bookstore in any given mall—and even a free-standing one here and there. During the first couple of years, when I was on a break from college, I was employed full-time, first as a clerk, then as assistant manager. When I went back to school, I continued on as a part-time shipper/receiver.

At that time, Books in Print was our main resource for answering questions from customers about availability, and it comprised several extremely hefty volumes—in hardcover. I posed a question to my co-workers once: “Is Books in Print itself in Books in Print?” Oooh, so meta. (BTW—the answer was yes.)

The publisher released a paperback supplement periodically, Forthcoming Books, which was like catnip for me. Every time we got a new volume, I’d check to see if Diana Wynne Jones had anything new scheduled (and I’d make sure to special order a copy for myself).

Our store manager once took me on a trip to our local distributor—I don’t remember if it was Baker & Taylor or Ingram—but it was this huge warehouse, and we strolled up and down the aisles with a giant cart like the ones at Home Depot, loading it with books. That was sooo not a safe place for me because I wanted ALL THE THINGS.

Sadly, as shiny as they all were, not all were likely to sell, and in my last years at the store, it was my job to deal with the unsold.

In a depressing kind of scavenger hunt, I had to search through the store for the books our corporate office had deemed unsellable, and send them back to their publishers. Sigh. Here were books that authors had slaved over, that publishers had believed in, that the store’s buyers had considered interesting, but they hadn’t caught on with readers.

In our store, I was the last person to see them before they were sent away, poor things. So can you blame me that I sometimes took the time to read the dust jackets and back cover copy before I packed them up? That’s right—I anthropomorphized books. Despite the fact that they were essentially homeless, I didn’t want them to feel as if nobody cared.

About the Book

What do you do when you finally prove the existence of the otherworld, but the ghosts kick your ass?

For Trent Pielmeyer, the answer is run like hell—away from his hostile family, away from the disbelieving cops, and far, far, far away from anything that smacks of the supernatural. After seven years’ captivity in a whacked-out alternate dimension, he is so over legend tripping.

When Christophe Clavret spots Trent in a Portland bar, he detects a kindred spirit—another man attempting to outrun the darkness of his own soul. But despite their sizzling chemistry, Trent’s hatred of the uncanny makes Christophe hesitant to confide the truth: he’s a werewolf, one of a dwindling line, the victim of a genetic curse extending back to feudal Europe.

But dark forces are at work, threatening more than their growing love. If Christophe can’t win Trent’s trust, and if Trent can’t overcome his fear of the paranormal, the cost could be Trent’s freedom and Christophe’s humanity. Or it might be both their lives.

Available from Riptide Publishing

About the Author

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Connect with E.J.: Website || Blog || Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest

The Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Wolf’s Clothing, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide Publishing gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 15, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!