Werebears in America by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Patience pays, werebear fans!  Chapter 3 of Gods and Ancients is nearly complete, and should be posted by tomorrow morning.  I am introducing many of the extended cast of new characters in this chapter as well as their culture and environment, so it is taking a bit of time to make sure that I have the details just right!

Stay tuned, bear brothers.  Same bear-time, same bear-channel.  🐻

--Grumpy 💙

[astone2292]

50 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

bear brothers

Sorry. I'm 5' 6". #foreveracub 

[Grumpy Bear]

Hey there, werebear fans!

A thousand apologies for the delay in getting the next chapter of Gods & Ancients posted!  Your pal Grumpy has been suffering a bit of a personal crisis for the last couple months.

The new job I started last year which was the reason I had the long hiatus earlier and was the job I absolutely loved, ended abruptly with a swift series of crushing layoffs across all departments back in July.  I kept up a brave face and did my writing in between job hunting and Zoom interviews, but things were starting to look pretty grim for Grumpy and his Mate in terms of continuing to pay bills and rent and purchase food beyond the next week or so... you know, the trivial stuff in life.

Anyway, the good news is that I just got a new job offer from a really great company this afternoon, and the world is once again a happy place where the werebears roam free and the friendly playtime never ends!

I start the new job on Monday the 12th, which means I have nothing better to do for the next 4 days except write, write, write!  Expect new chapters to appear shortly!

[astone2292]

Great to hear you're landing on your paws! All else fails, I'd happily hire ya at my liquor store in Kentucky. 😉 Plenty of bears come in to talk shop with about cigars and beer. Plus, there's always downtime to write stories while on the clock...

[Grumpy Bear]

I actually lived in Kentucky (Florence Y'all) for several years before chasing my dream and moving to the Keys seven years ago.  If I had to abandon my adopted island home, it would probably crush me.

[astone2292]

48 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I actually lived in Kentucky (Florence Y'all) for several years before chasing my dream and moving to the Keys seven years ago. 

OMG Noah and I pass through Florence about once a year to go see friends in Cincy!!! Cute town. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Hey Werebear fans,

Chapter 5 is ready to go and in the publish queue.  For some reason, the system won't let me publish it today, I couldn't get it to publish any sooner than 24 hours from now, so expect it to go live for reading tomorrow at 1:00 pm ET.

The chapter title is "Anticipation" and you'll see why, as the tension and activity leading up to Bernie's change is coming to a head!

[Grumpy Bear]

Thank you all for your patience once again, werebear fans!  I've spent the last month onboarding at my new job and getting up to speed, with a few days in the middle to deal with Hurricane Ian, and now that life has stabilized once again, it's time for a new chapter!

I still need to proofread, but you should expect Chapter 6 to post sometime tomorrow.  Hang onto your seats, it's going to be a doozy!

[Grumpy Bear]

Hey Gang - 

I hope everyone has enjoyed Chapter 6 of Gods and Ancients.  I think it hit the right high and low points to make it a doozy of a plot twist.

Spoilers ahead... Stop reading now if you haven't read Chapter 6: Birth and Death yet, but I have a couple questions for the readers about a couple of the big plot elements revealed.

-

-

I knew well ahead of time that one of the bears was going to have to sacrifice themselves to knock Curtis into the fountain pool to dampen the effects of the bomb.  There were many characters that I considered, but in the end, it was time for Matthias to show what he was made of.

If you were writing this, who would you have chosen to make that sacrifice?

 

I also would like to hear what everyone thinks about Bernie creating a sort of inner-circle and choosing Bill, Mike and Adam as his personal clan.

Did he choose wisely?  Is it going to affect their relationships with their Mates and other close friends?  Do you think some of the other bears may become jealous of those three for receiving special status from Odin and the demigod?

[chris191070]

9 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Hey Gang - 

I hope everyone has enjoyed Chapter 6 of Gods and Ancients.  I think it hit the right high and low points to make it a doozy of a plot twist.

Spoilers ahead... Stop reading now if you haven't read Chapter 6: Birth and Death yet, but I have a couple questions for the readers about a couple of the big plot elements revealed.

-

-

I knew well ahead of time that one of the bears was going to have to sacrifice themselves to knock Curtis into the fountain pool to dampen the effects of the bomb.  There were many characters that I considered, but in the end, it was time for Matthias to show what he was made of.

If you were writing this, who would you have chosen to make that sacrifice?

 

I also would like to hear what everyone thinks about Bernie creating a sort of inner-circle and choosing Bill, Mike and Adam as his personal clan.

Did he choose wisely?  Is it going to affect their relationships with their Mates and other close friends?  Do you think some of the other bears may become jealous of those three for receiving special status from Odin and the demigod?

I would have chosen one of the elders to make the sacrifice, as the younger bears still have so much to give in life.

Yes Bernie was right to create an inner circle, he's still new to being a Bear and will need help and guidance along the way. I don't think who he chosen will cause issues or problems as nothing will really change, unless they are on a missio.

[astone2292]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Spoilers ahead... Stop reading now if you haven't read Chapter 6: Birth and Death yet, but I have a couple questions for the readers about a couple of the big plot elements revealed.

-

-

I knew well ahead of time that one of the bears was going to have to sacrifice themselves to knock Curtis into the fountain pool to dampen the effects of the bomb.  There were many characters that I considered, but in the end, it was time for Matthias to show what he was made of.

If you were writing this, who would you have chosen to make that sacrifice?

 

I also would like to hear what everyone thinks about Bernie creating a sort of inner-circle and choosing Bill, Mike and Adam as his personal clan.

Did he choose wisely?  Is it going to affect their relationships with their Mates and other close friends?  Do you think some of the other bears may become jealous of those three for receiving special status from Odin and the demigod?

For the thread, STILL ON THE SPOILER TRAIN FOR CHAPTER 6.

As much as I will miss Matthias, there was no other option. While the man was an Ancient, he was unmated, and it made the most sense. It could not have been Ezekiel; he's too key in leading Atikokan. 

The mini-demigod council. It wasn't up to anyone but Bernie, so as a fellow author, if that's who you believe Bernie should've chosen, it's solid. No one knows your characters like you do. Do I agree with the selection? Absolutely. It's a solid three. Will other bears be jealous? Maybe one or two.

[Grumpy Bear]

Side note:

Bernie's sentence:

Today, I appoint three bears to be my earthly brothers-in-arms as they each embody a piece of my being.

Was a re-write in editing.  The original sentence I wrote was, "Today, I appoint three bears to be my earthly brothers-in-arms as they each represent a part of my whole."

Then I read it aloud inside my head and it came out, "They each represent a part of my hole," and the jokes started writing themselves.

[chris191070]

5 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Side note:

Bernie's sentence:

Today, I appoint three bears to be my earthly brothers-in-arms as they each embody a piece of my being.

Was a re-write in editing.  The original sentence I wrote was, "Today, I appoint three bears to be my earthly brothers-in-arms as they each represent a part of my whole."

Then I read it aloud inside my head and it came out, "They each represent a part of my hole," and the jokes started writing themselves.

Well they have all had a part of his hole

[Grumpy Bear]

Hello again Grumpy Bear readers,

I apologize once again for disappearing for many months in the middle of a story.  If I'm being honest, the truth is that depression is a terrible thing that sucks all joy from your daily life and leaves no passion for the things that once made you happy and proud.

I am still suffering from this bout of depression on a daily basis, but have found the will to pull myself up a bit, and have learned that writing can be good therapy. 

So, I have picked up Gods and Ancients where I left off, and have 2 new chapters nearly ready to publish.  I think you'll all like the direction that the story is going to take in the next few chapters, and I hope that my readers will return with me as I work each day to not only better myself but also to finish this tale!

Thank you all for reading,

Grumpy Bear 💙

[Howzat]

3 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Hello again Grumpy Bear readers,

I apologize once again for disappearing for many months in the middle of a story.  If I'm being honest, the truth is that depression is a terrible thing that sucks all joy from your daily life and leaves no passion for the things that once made you happy and proud.

I am still suffering from this bout of depression on a daily basis, but have found the will to pull myself up a bit, and have learned that writing can be good therapy. 

So, I have picked up Gods and Ancients where I left off, and have 2 new chapters nearly ready to publish.  I think you'll all like the direction that the story is going to take in the next few chapters, and I hope that my readers will return with me as I work each day to not only better myself but also to finish this tale!

Thank you all for reading,

Grumpy Bear 💙

@Grumpy Bear great to hear from you again - but look after yourself first. If you ever feel the need to chat about anything feel free to send me a message and I'm sure there are others on here who would willingly do the same.

[raven1]

@Grumpy Bear!  I'm very excited to have you back with us again.  I am also looking forward to reading the new chapters.  Like @Howzat I am wishing you the best and hope you take care of yourself.  I too have a good listening ear if you need that at any time.  I life half a world away, so I can cover late nights and early mornings with ease.   Love that you are doing better. ❤️

[Grumpy Bear]

Hey gang- You've waited long enough.  The next chapter in Gods and Ancients titled "The Benefactors" is coming this weekend!  You don't want to miss this one.  So many puzzle pieces come together all at once, secrets revealed, and the untold part of the creation of the lycans explained!

[Howzat]

7 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Hey gang- You've waited long enough.  The next chapter in Gods and Ancients titled "The Benefactors" is coming this weekend!  You don't want to miss this one.  So many puzzle pieces come together all at once, secrets revealed, and the untold part of the creation of the lycans explained!

Excellent news @Grumpy Bear - glad you're back with us again.

[chris191070]

8 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Hey gang- You've waited long enough.  The next chapter in Gods and Ancients titled "The Benefactors" is coming this weekend!  You don't want to miss this one.  So many puzzle pieces come together all at once, secrets revealed, and the untold part of the creation of the lycans explained!

Great to see you back @Grumpy Bear. Look forward to reading the new chapter 😀 

[George Richard]

Wonderful news!

[Grumpy Bear]

 Hello readers!  I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't abandoned this latest book.  In the last year, I went through another lay-off and bout of severe depression.  However, there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel for Grumpy.

I have a new job, which is great.  Doesn't pay quite as much as some of the flashier jobs I've had in the past, but the job security with this one is a lot stronger and I'm not perpetually worried that another lay-off is right around the corner.  To reconcile my budget with the new salary, we've bitten the bullet and have decided to move out of the FL Keys and back to central Ohio where we have a nice spacious century-old farmhouse waiting for us that is a much better and more affordable option.  Florida in the last decade has just gotten too expensive and too... Crazy.

As I write this I'm actually taking a break from packing.  The movers come tomorrow, and I will be home again in Ohio on Tuesday.  The depression is much better now and as soon as the stress of moving 1500 miles settles down, Ill be ready to pick up the story where I left off.  I've been re-reading the first five books again in my spare time, and my weary head is beginning to dive back into the world of our favorite werebears.

Thank you for being patient, and I promise that you won't have to wait another year for the latest story to reach it's exciting conclusion!

--Grumpy 💙 

[George Richard]

Good luck with the move and writing more of one of my favorite stories!

[astone2292]

Safe travels, Grumpy!! Always happy to hear from ya. Best of luck in future writing, and I'm delighted to hear you're kicking depression's tushie!! My inbox is always open if you need an open ear to vent at or just chat 💜

[centexhairysub]

All the positive vibes that I can generate heading your way.  Glad you are making changes in your life that are helping you in positive ways.  Take your time, we will all be here when you are ready to get back at it.

 

[stevie437]

Just read the first 5 books and loved them. I haven't started the "gods and ancients but I love all the characters but I would like to see Bernie's story develop but from the title I kind of guessing that might be the subject of the sixth book.

Definitely more were species its a great way of highlighting the very different mindsets of the different shifters. The bears are still my favourite.