newsletter – Karenna Colcroft

When people subscribe to my newsletter, they receive a free gift as my thank you. For the past several months, it was a free PDF of the young adult novel Fresh Meat, which details the origin story of Tobias Rogan from the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series.

I like to swap things out occasionally, so I was planning to put up a new thank-you, but was having trouble figuring out what to use. I wanted something connected with my existing books, which meant that most of the short stories and previously-published novellas I have were out. (Some of those are set in the same universe as my current books, but they aren’t *connected* to those books.)

After spending enough time reading and learning about newsletters and marketing to make my eyes ache, I had an idea. Which I have now implemented.

The first 3 books of the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series are told in first-person narration from the point of view of Kyle Slidell, the vegan werewolf. Which means that in those three books, we only see Kyle’s side of the story. Including in the first chapter of the first book, Salad on the Side, where he is still human, heavily crushing on his neighbor Tobias (who he doesn’t know well yet), and completely confused when Tobias strips in the garden between their apartment buildings–and then a wolf appears.

I got to wondering: What was *Tobias’s* take on that? How did he feel about having a human moving into the pack’s midst? Was he crushing on Kyle as much as Kyle was crushing on him? And what did he think when he realized Kyle saw him in the garden?

So I wrote it. And it is now available to new subscribers to my newsletter; current subscribers were sent the link yesterday to download it if they choose.

To sign up for the link to “Side Salad,” Tobias’s version of chapter one of Salad on the Side, go to my Free Story page and fill in the form. This will add you to my newsletter list, but you can unsubscribe at any time.

Do you want to see how Tobias Rogan became a werewolf and rose to become Alpha of Boston North Pack? Tobias’s origin story, Fresh Meat, is now available in PDF format for free!

Fresh Meat was originally published in 2012 by Featherweight Press, a children’s/young adult imprint of MLR Press. MLR was the original publisher of the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series, so when I decided to write Tobias’s story as a young adult novel, I approached Featherweight to publish it. Because at the time I was still trying to keep Karenna Colcroft *completely* separate from my young adult persona Jo Ramsey, the publisher and I agreed on the explanation that “Jo Ramsey” was a fan of “Karenna Colcroft” who’d gotten Karenna’s permission to write Tobias’s story. I’m outing myself now: Jo Ramsey and Karenna Colcroft are both me.

When I started rereleasing the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat novels, I debated what to do with Fresh Meat. I wanted the story to be available, but currently I have no plans to self-publish my young adult stuff, since that’s a harder sell than romance. (I may reconsider that over time, but right now, I am focusing solely on romance.) But recently, as I realized I’d had the same giveaway short story for over a year, I decided to make Fresh Meat the new giveaway.

Until May 2024, the e-version of Fresh Meat, revised and re-edited, is available exclusively to those who sign up to receive it. Due to technology disagreeing with me, Fresh Meat is available only in PDF format. (The file is hosted through this website, and the website won’t allow me to upload EPUB format.) Fresh Meat does include content that is potentially triggering for some readers, so I have an alternative story available for those who want to sign up for my mailing list but don’t want to read Fresh Meat; instructions on how to get the alternate story are in the email you’ll receive when you sign up.

To get your copy of Fresh Meat (or the alternative short story “Christmas Eve Snow”), just fill out the brief form at https://karennacolcroft.com/get-your-free-story/. This will add you to my monthly newsletter list; you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tired of constant fighting at home, fifteen-year-old Tobias Rogan dreams of getting out. Of never having to care for his younger sisters again. Of living a life far from New Hampshire. And when Tobias meets Larry Denning, he believes he’s found his chance.

But in one afternoon, Tobias’s life is turned upside-down . Larry attacks him. Tobias awakens to find that he’s been changed into a werewolf. The local pack Alpha takes him in, and Tobias begins to adjust to his new life as the pack searches for Larry to punish him for breaking shifter law in changing a minor.

Then Larry changes another boy and dumps him at the Alpha’s home as a warning to Tobias. Tobias is no longer willing to wait for the pack to find Larry. He sets a plan in motion—a plan for revenge.

This book was previously published in 2012. This version has been revised and re-edited from the original. It includes an inappropriate relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a man who claims to be 22; on-page emotional abuse and an incident of physical abuse; an on-page though vaguely described incident of SA; and a werewolf killing another werewolf. Some readers may find this content triggering.