The Wind Whisperer (young adult—paranormal romance) by Krista Holle
Publication date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: (Independent) Sweet River Romance
This love triangle just got dangerous…
At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.
As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.
Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.
While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.
Guest Post: The Inspiration Behind The Wind Whisperer
One of my inspirations behind The Wind Whisperer might surprise you. It was Pocahontas. You may wonder how this is possible since it has been almost 400 years since Pocahontas was alive. It started when I purchased a densely forested piece of property once owned by Pocahontas. It was a piece of dowry given to her by Chief Powhatan when she married John Rolfe, the tobacco farmer. Within two miles of our property was the original Jamestown.
It was here in Virginia where I wrote The Wind Whisperer, a young adult novel full of romance, intrigue, murder, and a heavy dose of supernatural. It was hard not to let my imagination go wild when I walked through the forest, or explored along Tidewater’s many streams and rivers. Native hunters certainly tracked deer here while the woman gathered wild blackberries and grapes. Though The Wind Whisperer is based on a fictional tribe, I wanted it to feel as authentic as possible. This meant doing lots of research and stealing facts from the Powhatans that once lived here.
It was natural that my female protagonists have tattoos. This was a normal fashion. Tattoos were not only for beauty but symbols status and wealth. Yes, Pocahontas wore tattoos. My fictional tribe also lives in longhouses, just like the structures the Powhatan people lived in. As with every tribe in the region, there’s a temple, a medicine man, beads for bartering, and lots of conflict!
In doing research on the ancient locals, some things surprised me. The Native Americans weren’t romantic at all—not in the sense that we think. There are no displays of public affection. I remember reading about one warrior who returned home after a very long absence. When the couple first saw each other, instead of throwing themselves into each other’s arms, they gazed at each other for a very long time. That was it—a deep soulful stare. I had to do a lot of winging when I created this juicy love triangle.
One of the most important elements in my story is that my main character Anaii can “hear” the spirits of the wind talking. Not such a stretch for a people who believe everything has a spirit—rock, tree, stream, ect… To Anaii, the spirits are a little like static on the radio. They never stop talking and observing. This makes Anaii extremely valuable to her tribe—it also causes lots and lots of conflict. Hopefully as you read The Wind Whisperer, you’ll feel submerged in Native American life, and just maybe you may even channel a little Pocahontas.
Excerpt:
I looked around cautiously before freezing at the sketchy outline of a muscular man partially hidden in the grass. A man! He was sprawled on his back and golden pink from too many hours in the sun. My heart pounded to see the unfamiliar pattern of a deer on his breechcloth. I had marched myself directly into the reach of a Zennite warrior!
I gingerly took a step backwards, but to my horror, the man’s black eyes fluttered open. I turned and hurled myself back across the meadow, just as the man shot up and flew after me like a predatory bird. My muscles burned and strained to lengthen the space between us, but getting away was hopeless. I was not a challenge to even the young boys in the foot races.
After a few powerful strides, the warrior tackled me to the ground, painfully grazing the skin on my cheek. I wheezed a few times before my lungs filled with air.
“A Chippoke?” he asked between breaths.
I feverishly punched and kicked to free myself. “Get—off—me!”
“Stop! I’m not going to hurt you,” the warrior chuckled as he struggled to pin my arms and legs. His voice was calm and pleasant, but lying was no different than breathing to a Zennite.
“I cannot promise the same,” I wheezed as I fought.
“You’re a bobcat,” he said with a laugh. “A bobcat with no teeth or claws.”
“Let me go!”
“I will when you’re calm.”
Strong hands held my wrists while his full weight pinned my torso against the earth. Fighting him was as useless as running. “You are not a boy,” I spat angrily, fully taking in my attacker. It was little comfort that he didn’t look like a bloodthirsty killer. He was admittedly handsome with an angular face and sleek black hair that hung well past his shoulders. He was not as tall as Elan, but his muscles were narrow and built for speed. There was something different about his eyes too. They were as black as soot—very unlike the brown woodsy colors from our tribe.
The warrior smirked down at me. “My mother will be very surprised to hear that. All this time she’s assumed…”
My face heated, but I fiercely met his gaze. The Zenni were like wild dogs and pumas—they could smell emotions. “What I meant was, you are a man, not a boy.”
“Oh, I see, but you must understand, I’m not a man yet.”
“You must understand I’m a squirrel! Get off! You’re hurting me!” I ordered with a useless heave.
“No,” he said with a smirk.
It was then I realized I might die—right after I was lulled into a false sense of security. My chest pounded as I searched for the killer’s weapon. “Are you going to kill me?”
“I do not feel like killing you just yet,” he said as his long hair swirled in my face. Were we to play a game before he killed me?
“I am glad the mood doesn’t strike you,” I snarled. The warrior studied me with a drawn brow. Was he guessing that I was the forest witch? I didn’t think I looked like a witch, but I wasn’t certain what one should look like—evil at least.
“I don’t understand something,” the warrior said. “Your eyes are blue—the blue of an angry sky. Are you the daughter of a god?”
“Yes,” I said, heaving against his weight again. “Now get off me, or my father Achak will strike you dead with lightening.”
About the Author:
Krista Holle is an award winning author who stepped up her writing after reading Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. It occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love—not just vampires. When Krista is not writing, she loves to collect seashells, watch movies, and eat obscene amounts of pizza. Krista currently resides in Montpelier, Virginia with her husband, four daughters and an eccentric cat with a weird attachment to the family’s socks.
Goodreads: http://goo.gl/vLMQHa
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007VDLC4C
