Want the inside scoop on Tasha Roeper? The heroine of Wolves’ Knight? Well, keep reading, because you’re about to get the untold story on what happened to her in between Wolves’ Pawn and Wolves’ Knight.
When I created Tasha Roeper in Wolves’ Pawn, I wrote her as a strong if somewhat cocky companion to Dot, the main female character. She had the skills Dot lacked—she could shoot, knew surveillance techniques, and understood pack politics. In many ways, Tasha was “one of the boys.” But about halfway through the book, she was captured by a rival. And I’ll let her tell the rest of the story.
Tasha:
I don’t remember being captured. I was on patrol and my partner and I were investigating a suspicious noise when I heard a “POP” and my muscle in my shoulder started to sting. When I came to, I was tied to a chair and surrounded by men from the Choate pack. I remember the rope burning and no matter how I squirmed I couldn’t relieve the itch. There’s not much else I remember because I found out later they were kept me sedated, injecting me with a silver suspension and the ropes contained silver strands.
Even under the capable care of the Fairwood pack physician, as well as my supposed rapid healing trait, it took a long time for the silver to flush out of my system. The psychological damage took longer to heal.
When Elders Fairwood and Fenner made the decision to send me away to the pack in Maine, I fought the vertict. I didn’t want to leave when the pack was in crisis. At least, that’s what I said out loud. What I didn’t say was that I was relieved. I felt useless. Vulnerable. Scarred. Afraid. If I hung around, someone would figure out my secret.
What I didn’t know was what I was getting myself into.
The Maine pack wasn’t your ordinary run-of -the mill pack. The Radferds specialized in providing
security and bodyguard services. At least, that was what they advertised. What they didn’t talk about openly were their skills in difficult hostage situations and search and rescue in enemy territory. It didn’t take me long to figure out that they could train me in more than advanced weaponry.
The men coming back from several days worth of training in the same clothing they wore when they left only covered in dirt and mud was the first giveaway. The congratulations they got from the rest of the pack was the second. Whatever they were doing, I wanted in.
I gave the pack elders a sob story about needing to have the skills to take back to my pack. They saw straight through it. They forced me to admit what I really needed was to prove something to myself. That I could survive in the toughest of situations. That I was my worst enemy and my best weapon. With reluctance, they agreed to add me to the advanced training. Then began a year of hell.
I hated it and loved it. Tested physically and mentally, I almost broke. Correction. I did break. The first time I participated in a mock-capture scenerio, I froze. It took the combined efforts of my teammates and trainers to bring me back from the memories I’d caged myself in.
After that, I was given a choice. Quit or go all in. I chose to give myself and the training a second chance. It wasn’t easy, and there were many moments when I doubted myself and my decision, but I powered through them, and got stronger. I got good enough that I was given an invitation to sign on with the Radferd pack.
And I considered it. I could see myself spending the rest of my life having one adventure after another, risking my life on a regular basis for the cause of what is good and right in the world. But when the call came for me to return to the Fairwoods, I realized where home was. And that’s where I went.
You can read the rest of Tasha’s story in Wolves’ Knight.
http://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Knight-Free-Book-ebook/dp/B0199BC6YI/
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/wolves-knight
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wolves-knight-pj-maclayne/1123127673
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1066865102
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0199BC6YI
Oh, and thanks again to K.M. Guth for the great cover!
To find out what our other authors are revealing about their characters, follow the links below.
January 23 – post background information on your characters (possibly things that will never be in the books, but are back of who they are).
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:
Custom Blog:
Code for Link:
Nicely done!
Thank you!
This is a great interview. Great story too.
Thanks!