Werewolf On Madison Avenue (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781977252869)

Can a werewolf succeed in the competitive world of advertising? This the question that this novel addresses.

The novel starts as a humorous and satirical look at the advertising business and the eccentric characters who work in that milieu. There are the infamous Cudmore brothers, arch rivals and bitter enemies, whose reputation for producing crass and tasteless ad campaigns is unrivaled in the advertising community.

Then there is Jeff Foxlove, an enthusiastic recent college graduate who dreams of making a success in advertising as a copywriter, composing intelligent, captivating and successful ads. Unfortunately, young Foxlove falls under the spell of the supreme schlockmeister, Damon Cudmore. Under Cudmore's tutelage he soon masters the art of writing gross and vulgar advertising copy. Foxlove doesn't have any reservations about wallowing in the mud of copy writing because he is making a good salary and as the ace copywriter at the Cudmore agency he attracts the attention of a beautiful, aspiring, but dim-witted, actress named Dixie Durante.

All is going well for Jeff Foxlove, but that abruptly changes when he takes a vacation in the Yucatan. While exploring the exotic jungle on a moon-lit night, Jeff is attacked and bitten by a mysterious and savage creature of the night. He struggles free from the clutches of the fierce, feral beast and though seriously wounded, he manages to escape from the jungle. The next morning Jeff discovers, to his surprise, that he has completely recovered from the attack and his wounds have miraculously healed. Could it be that the attack of the night before was just some sort of bad dream, a nightmare of vivid proportion?

Jeff Foxlove returns to New York City believing that he can resume his normal life, but it is not to be, because Jeff Foxlove's life has been forever changed by the evil curse of lycanthropy. On the night of the first full moon he experiences a terrifying metamorphosis. Under the magic of the moon Jeff feels the agony and pain as his body changes into the half-human, half-animal form of a werewolf. He is now a beast; a creature of the night and his instincts are predatory and blood thirsty. He goes on the prowl searching for victims to satisfy his lust for human blood. He finds two unsuspecting victims in Central Park. He attacks and slaughters them.

The next morning Jeff finds that he has returned to his human form, but there is blood on his hands and his clothes. He remembers with horror the terrible deed that he did the night before and he is filled with anguish, torment, and guilt over the terrible act that he has committed. He resolves to turn himself in to the authorities and take whatever punishment the law gives him. First, he reports to his office to tell his boss, Damon Cudmore what he has done and his intention to go to the police.

Cudmore, ever the mercenary opportunist, sees a way to use the werewolf to sell shaving cream, shampoo and various other hair products. Using diabolical, convoluted logic he dissuades Jeff from turning himself in. Together they launch a series of ad campaigns that are wildly successful. But the savage beast within continues to haunt Jeff Foxlove, and he becomes desperate to find a way to lift the curse of the werewolf.

He consults a venerable voodoo priestess who knows of a possible cure, but to find it, Jeff must return to the jungles of the Yucatan.