When the past hurts, it bites.
Meet Evan Stone. Laid-back, in-control Alpha of the Takhini Wolves. Life’s not perfect, but he’s got a good handle on his world. At least, he did—until the night he ends up in jail, soaking wet and wondering what the hell just happened.
The “what” is Amy Ryba, a vengeful female who’s decided it’s long past time to make Evan pay for his sins. Amy has spent years tracking him down, and the last nine months working in secret to destroy him. She’s ready for anything—except discovering the shifter she hates is her mate.
Suddenly, Evan’s not so very in control, of himself or his pack. And unless Amy can learn to forgive and forget, she’ll have to do the unthinkable: reject her mate.
With two packs watching, one thing is certain. Their personal issues won’t stay personal for long. If Amy and Evan can’t find a way to work together, there won’t a happily-ever-after for them…or any of the wolves of Whitehorse.
Warning: Contains angsty wolves. Lots of angsty wolves causing explosions of all sorts, playing bad pranks, hacking computers, and having angry sex against a wall or two. Not all at the same time, though, because that would be silly.
~~**~~
It’s been a long time coming, this happily ever after.
Back when I first wrote Wolf Signs, the story sprouted from a single idea, growing into the adventures of a couple of wolf shifters and their search to be happy together. The next story in the Granite Lake Wolves series followed logically because there was a side character in book one who had stolen my heart, and I needed to make him happy as well.
One after another the people who had populated the pages came to life for me as an author, but what I had started with the Granite Lake Wolves was a linked series of connected people. Each book stands on its own, and there’s not a lot of overlap other than the family and friends that stop in at different moments.
At the same time I started my writing journey I met a wonderful couple of writers who were creating worlds that pulled me in completely, mind and soul. Bree and Donna together write as Moira Rogers, and their Red Rock Pass novellas began about six months before my series did.
But they also had the most amazing other world. Southern Arcana — a place populated with more than just shifters. A place where even as one couple found happiness with each other, the politics and turmoil of the world continued around them.
I had read fantasy, and science fiction for years before I found romance, and long before I became an author. Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, David Eddings amazing Belgariad. There were many more that I had enjoyed, but for some reason I think it was the deliberate inclusion of a romance story that set Southern Arcana apart from me.
Their work inspired me to try it myself. I would travel to a new section of my world where not only would the hero and heroine find each other, they would deal with outside circumstances that carried from book to book until coming to a finite conclusion.
Four books. An over arcing story that required I drop tiny hints into each book. For a person who does not plan out every detail of every story, it was a frightening and yet invigorating idea. Could I do it? Or maybe the question was, could I do it in a way that I wouldn’t go crazy, or lose track of what I was trying to accomplish.
In book one, Black Gold, we met the major players, and another thing occurred that I hadn’t intended but that turned out to be perfect for these stories. Not only did I write the point of view of the hero and heroine, but Evan Stone, Alpha of the Takhini pack, made himself known. Since the first book we’ve gotten glimpses into his mind. What he’s been trying to accomplish. What’s in his heart…
Now it’s his turn, and all the secrets that have been hinted at are about to come into the light. There are no more bear issues, just Evan and his missing mate…
And everything else that’s been building to this point.
As the conclusion of the Takhini Wolves comes about, I find myself looking back to see if I accomplished what I had hoped for. It’s not as broad a world as Southern Arcana, or as long running as other paranormal series, but I’m happy. In the end I feel as if Evan has taken a long journey, and he’s finally with the exactly right woman who challenges him to be everything he needs to be. For the pack, for her…
For himself.
I can’t leave completely. I’ve started a new series to gather the continuing stories for other characters. The Takhini Shifter Novellas will be a place for you to come together with them and catch up, and hopefully continue to fall in love.
But first, take a ride with Evan and Amy. Hold on tight—it’ll be worth it.
~~**~~
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About the Author:
Vivian Arend in one word: Adventurous. In a sentence: Willing to try just about anything once. That wide-eyed attitude has taken her around North America, through parts of Europe, and into Central and South America, often with no running water.
Her optimistic outlook also meant that when challenged to write a book, she gave it a shot, and discovered creating worlds to play in was nearly as addictive as traveling the real one. Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both contemporary and paranormal stories, Vivian continues to explore, write and otherwise keep herself well entertained.
Website: www.vivianarend.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vivianarend
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