Pam here. I'm so excited to welcome Ronie to Seekerville today. I am completely blown away by her talent! Ronie isn't afraid to tackle current social issues within her novels. Wolfsbane is gritty, relevant, and intense. But more than that, you quickly begin to care about the characters, especially Canyon and Dani. These two could be any soldier, the guy down the street who just got back from Afghanistan who can't sleep at night because his memories are too raw, or the girl on the night shift at your favorite restaurant who's working her way through college on a GI bill after spending a year in Iraq.
There are SO many things we could talk about, but I was enamored of Canyon's family in Wolfsbane, so for something a little different, I asked Ronie to tell us a bit about Canyon's family.
So, here's Ronie!!!
Coming up with the names of characters can be a journey that will haggle with me through the first ten pages of a manuscript. Sometimes, the names I like and assign to the characters, don’t resonate with the character as we get further into the story. For Canyon “Midas” Metcalfe, it was no different—but not for him. For his family. You see, Canyon is a tight-lipped guy, who doesn’t talk much, especially not about things that are private/personal.
So, when I stepped into the Metcalfe ranch home in Wolfsbane, I was intrigued. Right off the bat, I knew this was a tight-knit family. They’d do anything for each other and there was a very strong sense of family unity. They protect their own and would do anything for each other. And that included their names. Discovering that their parents were knee-deep in the hippie movement during their twenties, and knowing their mom was a graceful, peaceful person…I saw what was coming.
Nature-themed names.
Stone. Brooke. Canyon. Range. Willow. Leif.
I cringed, at first, thinking—how corny. But I turned the cliché on its ear. I had the family taunt each other about the names, and did my best to make it work for the story. Stone was awesome—he was the “rock” of the family, and does his best to fill the oh-so-large shoes of their late father. He’s a keen businessman and is intent on keeping his family intact.
Canyon, naturally, is a quiet guy. But like his name, his loyalty is deep and solid. He gets himself into trouble without trying and has a hard time finding his way out of it. Range is a little more than a year younger than Canyon, and the two brothers are as opposite as their names. Range is intensely personal but doesn’t have the drive to be hard-hitting the way Canyon does with his career. Range is a bit lost in finding himself and is still wandering the plain of life. I loved getting to know Willow, who I made like her name—tall, willowy, and graceful. But she has an intensity to her that makes her formidable. Not your average blond beauty. Leif is a remake of Canyon. The kid has potential and is unruffled by the hard time his family throws his way. A senior in high school, Leif was a change of life for his parents, who “turned a new leaf” in life, becoming Christians and dedicating their lives to God.
I had so much fun with this family, I have even put together a romantic suspense proposal called “The Elements,” and it’s about the Metcalfes. Someday…somehow…I hope to write that series.
Pam again.
[Shameless plug, ala Ruthy-style! Did you know that Stealing Jake is FREE on Amazon and B&N. #1 for three straight days running! Whoo-hoo! And have you signed up for my Kindle Giveaway? You should!]
Commercial over.
See? What did I tell you about Ronie right from the get-go? Now, isn't that explanation of how she pegged the Metcalfe siblings a perfect example of how dedicated she is to nailing her characters?
Canyon Metcalfe is the to-die-for hero in Ronie's latest, Wolfsbane, the 3rd in her Discarded Heroes series. If you like edge-of-your-seat international intrique, you'll love this book.
A female demolitions who unwittingly holds a lethal secret. . .
A former Green Beret grappling with terrifying memories of a mission gone bad. . .
And the jungle that threatens to swallow them whole.
In Venezuela, Danielle Roark and her Army Corps of Engineers team is captured. After six months of captivity, Dani escapes, only to end up charged with espionage and forced to return to the jungle to prove that a nuclear facility exists. On the mission, she is abandoned by God and country. Will she live long enough to make those responsible pay? Haunted by memories of a mission gone bad, former Green Beret Canyon Metcalfe wrestles with his developing feelings for the feisty senator’s daughter. Setting aside his misgivings, he and Nightshade take the mission to help Dani unravel her lethal secrets. Separated from the team leaves Dani and Canyon vulnerable—and captured. After he is rescued, Canyon discovers Dani has been left behind. Livid, he sacrifices everything—including his role with Nightshade—to find Dani. Can Dani and Canyon fight the nightmare armed with only forgiveness and raw courage? Or will they lose their lives, minds, and each other?
Ronie's giving away a copy of Wolfsbane to one lucky commenter today. Make sure you let us know if you want to be in the drawing, and leave an email address please.
Breakfast is biscuits, bacon, and eggs with a full array of jams and jellies! I happen to know that Dani is partial to strawberry jam so don't hog it all, Ruthy!
Canyon seems like a steak and potatoes kind of guy, so we'll have steaks sizzling on the grill, potatoes baking in hot coals, corn on the cob, and Texas toast ready for a feast at noon!
ABOUT RONIE:
Ronie Kendig grew up an Army brat and married a veteran. Together, she and her husband have four children and three dogs. She has a BS in Psychology, speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Rapid-Fire Fiction, her brand, is exemplified through her novels Dead Reckoning, a spy thriller, and the military thriller series, The Discarded Heroes, which includes Nightshade (Retailer’s Choice Award Finalist), Digitalis, Wolfsbane, and Firethorn (January 2012). Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com or www.discardedheroes.com
