#how to be a werewolf

[shawnlenore]

I needed a break this week, so here's a short extra comic instead. A little social media treat :)

If you like HTBAW, check out my Patreon to help support it!

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[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: werewolves

Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber

Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*

Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.

Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*

Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*

Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.

How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*

Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella

Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.

Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*

When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.

Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour

Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.

The Devourers by Indra Das

In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.

Thor by Wayne Smith

Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.

Wild by Meghan O'Brien

Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.

[caeru-rose]

🏳️‍🌈Pride 2024🏳️‍🌈

For the entire month of June, I drew 16 Queer ships & couples from my favorite series, movies, webcomics, and short animated films for Pride Month🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

we got…..

🎵Charlie & 🪽Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel)

🖤Ballister & 🌟Ambrosius (Nimona)

🐚Olivia & ⚔️Yunan (Amphibia)

🌙Elias & 🪴Vincent (How to be a Werewolf)

💗Sherwin & 📖Jonathan (In a Heartbeat)

🥞Aldo & 🐺Skelly (Dirty Paws) 

📝Jasper & 🍰Rachel (The Glass Scientists)

🍎Applejack & ⚡️Rainbow Dash (MLP)

🌸Flower & 🪲Beetle 

+ 🌰Cornelia & 🥜Nutalia (The Acorn Princess)

🦉Eda & 🎻Raine (The Owl House)

🦇Lilith & 🎀Lou (Dracu Date)

👑Rupert & 🗡️Amir (The Two Princes)

🦜Kelsey & 📚Stacks (Craig of the Creek)

☕️Espresso Cookie & ✨Madeleine Cookie (CRK)

🍬Gary & 🎸Marshall Lee (Fionna & Cake)

[hiveworks]

Pride month may be over, but we're not done shouting out titles from our collection of LGBTQ+ webcomics. We could go on forever giving you story recommendations, but we'll just give you this link to our complete catalog. We think you'll find something you love!⁠

White Noise by @thephooka

In the early 1900s, the nation of Aetheri came out of its long interdimensional isolation and revealed to the humans of the Symphony Archipelago that they were not alone in the multiverse. Things swiftly got ugly after that. In the early 1990s, Aetheri’s leadership changed, and in the Archipelago, a tiny broken family of half-siblings banded together in the face of the bile and hate that was boiling up between the humans and the non-humans. In the early 2000s, that family was split apart. Hawk Press and his sister Liya Kiski both begin a long journey towards understanding the difference between friend and enemy–and between the family you’re given, and the family you make.

Sleepless Domain by Mary Cagle

Sleepless Domain is a comic about an isolated city in the middle of a dangerous world filled with monsters. During the day, the city is perfectly safe. At night, however, the populace locks themselves inside as the city streets fill with monsters. The only ones who can combat these creatures are very special girls with the power to transform into Magical Girls!

How To Be A Werewolf by @shawnlenore

Since being bitten by a strange wolf as a child, Malaya Walters has attempted to live a quiet life…hopefully a life free of attempting to eat her family or the customers at her family’s coffee shop. Being the only werewolf she’s ever known, Malaya has managed her condition by keeping tight control on herself and the world around her, with lackluster results. That is, until a strange guy wanders into her shop one day and introduces her to a whole world she never knew existed…

Sister Claire by @yamino & @summerlightning

In the troubled aftermath of a great war between Witches and her fellow Nuns, novice Sister Claire just wants a purpose.

[sanri0girly]

Omg I can't believe my man was over and we didn't kiss we wanted to so bad!!! I could feel the tension TT!!! PLS HOW DO U EVEN KISS??? I've never has a bf💔

[spacetimeaccordionfolder]

Listen Wilde Life and How to Be a Werewolf crossover. Oscar, Eliza, Cliff, and optional Darcy and Emily go on a road trip and stop in Michigan, and decide to stop in a small coffee shop. And immediately run into the werewolves who run the coffee shop. Oscar is unable to not investigate or ask journalist questions about something. Perhaps they are staying the night in the town and decide to go for a walk in the woods (they would do that- well oscar and cliff would) and run into either the walters pack or tom's pack. Shenanigans ensue. The Walters Pack is trying to figure out why someone nearby smells almost like a werewolf but not quite. Eliza is aware of what's going on and is telling no one (although she is still a bit concerned about the area of the woods where magic is mad.) Emily is still convinced supernatural creatures (other than ghosts and thunderbirds) don't exist.

[ryfkah]

started reading beth's print vol 1 of how to be a werewolf on my lunch break at work today and an elderly stranger came over, looked at the book, and said 'i didn't know they made a guidebook for that'

[obscurecharactershowdown]

Group A Round 1

[image ID: the first image is of Leila Vernon, a smiling girl with short dark hair, lighting a candle in a witch's shoe. the second image is a of Malaya Walters, a young woman with brown skin and dark hair. she is also smiling. end ID]

Leila Vernon

I LOVE HER shes so cool. its been a while since ive read the books so hopefully i dont get anything wrong but she was an orphan obsessed w magic stunts yknow like houdini and stuff. the orphanage held an event for this magician Dante Vernon for the kiddos but Leila was bullied for being too optimistic so they locked her in a broom closet when he came so she couldnt see it (guys i cried). she managed to escape because she kept lockpicks on her and had practice so she managed to see the last act! then later she got adopted by Dante and his husband and theyre such a wholesome family i love them read the magic misfits please i beg of you

Malaya Walters

She's a werewolf! She got bitten as a kid, grew up very sheltered as a result, and the webcomic is about her meeting other werewolves, learning to control her powers and her anxiety, and growing into herself.

[highly-radioactive-nerd]

SHUT the FUCK UP I FINALlY got Mt GAY WEREWOLF KISS in HTBAW

I'm NOT ok

IM nOT normal

I've waited EIGHT YEARS for this

YEAHAHAHAHAHA

A fucking atomic bomb could not harm me today

[grimaussiewitch]

A webcomic that I’ve been reading since 2015/16 FINALLY has a slow burn relationship confession! It’s not the main focus of the story at all but it’s been on the side and now it’s here!

LETS GO FOR THE WEREWOLVES

[cloud-ya]

outcast of the village

[shawnlenore]

I needed a break this week, so here's a short extra comic instead. Marin has no chill whatsoever.

If you like HTBAW, check out my Patreon to help support it!

First Page | Twitter |  Instagram | New pages Tues/Weds!

Please reblog to help spread the word!

[black-daisy7]

So last Saturday the Author/Artist of "How to be a Werewolf" @shawnlenore was at library Con near ish to me, & for last couple of years i have been trying to go to them.

but fate have been getting the way.

so this time I was going & thought it would be cool if I were to give her a gift for writing an awesome story.

so I decided to redraw a piece of her art in my style-ish.

This was my second attempt at it

because the sketch wasn't turning out good.(i just couldn't get her nose right.)

Finished inking.

now waiting for the ink to dry so can erase the pencil.

Erased.

on to coloring i already had decided to color this with color pencils instead of markers or digitally.

because pencils is where I do amazing color work.( so i have been told.)

Halfway through the coloring phase.

progress.

I finished it!

in wee hours night (aka Friday 1am-ish), the original artist of the first picture I posted then following my piece.

The artist I'm doing this for writes a wonderful webcomic called "How to be a Werewolf"

It's really good.

Please go give a read.

Plwease uwu.

[bitletsanddrabbles]

WIP Werewolves...I mean Wednesday

Would someone please tell me how to control my brain's hyperfocus? Please?

This morning I learned that one of my favorite webcomics - Phantomarine - has fanfiction on Ao3. Invitation to go read it, right? Wrong. Apparently it's an invitation for my brain to realize that one of my other favroite webcomics - How to be a Werewolf - probably also has fanfiction (I checked this and yes, it does, all is right with the world). And then, because my brain likes unification and finding things that we all have in common and parallels and such, to realize that the pack politics in HtbW are not dissimilar to the New money vs. Old money politics found in The Gilded Age.

...

If you know me, you should know what came after that.

...

The good news is that I have 809 words so far, and have figured out the pack territories (wtf why so many packs in a dang city?) and family alliances, along with which characters are werewolves, which are witches, and which are plain ol' humans.

The bad news is that I have no actual plot and so this will likely wind up in the 'dur, no idea, never finish' pile.

For now, though, have George Russell trying to sell the idea of his sandwiching his tiny little pack in between three established packs to Caroline Astor, Jay Gould, and, because his mother wasn't available, Oscar van Rhijn...who has not yet begun to annoy the rest of the room!

(He will though. Have faith.)

-

1879

George Russell stood in the middle of the room as if he were in court. Around him sat a semi-circle of New York’s elite. Bertha would know their names, he was certain, but he hadn’t bothered yet. After all, she’d been the one over seeing the building of the house.

And once she’d been seen, he’d been summoned.

“And so you thought you would, what, simply move into our territory?” the woman seated directly in front of him asked, tilting her head so she managed to look down her nose at him even though she was seated and he was not. Even if she’d stood, he’d have towered over her.

George might not know the names of everyone else in the room, but he knew, broadly speaking, who they were. There were three established packs in New York, although two of them contained more than one family. They were the Astors, the van Rhijns, and the Goulds. It was a lot for one city, admittedly, and he was well aware that a fourth pack would be pushing things, but he was nothing if not determined. Smiling, he met the eye of the woman in front of him, his gaze just as sure as the tone in which he met her attack. “The house we are building is not in Astor territory. The land was unclaimed by any pack in this city when we bought it.”

“It was the neutral divide between our territory and the van Rhijn lands,” Mrs. Astor - The Mrs. Astor, as she was apparently called - informed him. “And a narrow enough one to start with. The last thing we need is you making it narrower.”

“Which raises the question of why three packs decided to settle within such close proximity,” George countered. Frankly, if he’d had any choice in the matter, he wouldn’t be here. He and his pack would have settled someplace sensibly far from any other pack and while they still would have had to petition for rights to the territory, there wouldn’t be this fight. He couldn’t begin to imagine why there were three packs settled in a six block radius of each other.

There was a brief, snorting sound from the van Rhijn representative which could have been a sneeze, but from the smirk on his face probably wasn’t. The boy, because really, he couldn’t be long out of school, lounged indolently in his chair, throwing the occasional amused glance across the room at the older New York citizens. Jay Gould glared back at him, but Mrs. Astor kept her eyes firmly on George.

[hiveworks]

How To Be A Werewolf - Book 1 by Shawn Lenore @shawnlenore is available in the shop!

Get your werewolf merch and your copy of HTBAW today 🐺

Read How To Be A Werewolf for free at https://www.howtobeawerewolf.com/

[do-you-ship-this-comic-ship]