A new adventure

I wrote Silver in 2010. It was meant to be a stand-alone. I wanted to write book about a teenager who had to deal with growing up in a hard situation, but who also had the difficulties of hiding the fact that he was a werewolf. Jaze, the werewolf that began it all, surfaced with his strength of character that attracted others to him with his loyalty, his valor, and his drive to protect those who were in need of a protector.

That was it. At least, it was meant to be all there was until the image of a black wolf with a silver seven on his shoulder began to haunt my thoughts. He needed Jaze, but Jaze needed Jet more than he realized. The trust that comes from true brotherhood took this series so much further than I ever thought it would go. Prejudice, love, the trials of growing into adulthood, and the need of a pack whose individuals went through their own journeys and came out stronger because of those who stood by them shaped the 7 books in a way that went far deeper than initially intended.

Alex’s story took over and the Werewolf Academy was born. The ability to learn more about the werewolves and the world around them made it so much fun to write. Ending that series after 7 books felt right and I moved on to Haunted High, Girl from the Stars, Rise of the Gladiator, and several others, but the 14 books lingered in the back of my mind as both my favorite series and the one that I received the most fan mail about.

Readers wrote me about Jet’s tattoo. One got it, then another. I’ve now lost track of how many have chosen to carry on Jet’s legacy by getting his 7 tattooed on their shoulders, backs, thighs, feet, etc. No matter how many books I wrote, I continued to get letters about Jaze’s pack, about Alex, and most of all, about Jet. These werewolves have resonated with readers in so many different ways. Many related to werewolves who weren’t the main subjects of the stories, but who had qualities they liked or who reminded them of themselves. It’s so fun to hear about how these wolves have made such an impact on those who read about them. It’s overwhelming in its own way, surreal, even, and something I will never take for granted.

Another werewolf began to whisper in the back of my mind about a story waiting to be told. In December, I realized what that story would encompass. And so it began, another 7-book series that would follow The Silver Series and The Werewolf Academy Series. It’s always a bit daunting to begin, but the moment I started, the words never stopped.

So, I give you Birthright, the first book in The Seven Series.