Blog Takeover - Guest Blogger: Kat Gracey

As a self published writer, I started out writing stories for myself more than anything. I love the supernatural and urban fantasy novels. My favorite supernatural beings to write about are witches and werewolves.
Urban Fantasy is a sub genre that didn't exist until a few years ago. Notable writers in the genre are Kelley Armstrong and Kim Harrison. The definition of Urban Fantasy is:
Urban fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban setting. Urban fantasy exists on one side of a spectrum, opposite high fantasy, which is set in an entirely fictitious world. Many urban fantasies are set in contemporary times and contain supernatural elements.
I have always found it easier to put my characters in realistic, modern settings as opposed to mystical lands or other worlds. 
Who would ever suspect a witch living in the suburbs or a werewolf working in a successful company? 
Setting the characters in normal places means they face greater difficulties and challenges. Werewolves must change into their hairy alter egos. How can they do this in a high rise in the middle of the city? 
How can a witch keep her magical abilities secret living in a small cul-de-sac with prying neighbours? If they make one wrong move they could end up on the news, especially when everyone has a camera phone nowadays.
They have to live a normal life while juggling their supernatural life problems. 
I think that there has been a huge explosion in this genre of late and that it will only grow and expand in the future. 
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www.witchesandwerewolves.co.uk