The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle

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.

Goodreads book link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144303-the-wind-whisperer

Krista has stopped by for an interview:

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing but I knew I wanted to seek it as a profession when I sent The Wind Whisperer to a fifteen-year-old girl I’d never met.  Her father told me she stayed up all night to read it.  That was the best feeling in the world.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

 I’d have to say one. 

I’m a registered nurse by day and a writer by night.

 

? How long does it take you to write a book?

About six months.  I think I’m slower than the average author.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I write wearing sound silencing head phones.  I figure this is pretty neurotic.

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

My main character Anaii was inspired by Pocahontas.  I was living on land once owned by her when I wrote The Wind Whisperer.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

I’m interested in all sorts of love stories, but the theme has to be unchartered territory.  I have no desire to write about vampires.

? What books have most influenced your life? 

The huge success of Twilight  made me realize that there is a huge audience of women and girls who crave good old-fashioned love stories just like me. After reading the series, I started writing again after a decade of busy motherhood.

? What are you reading right now?

 I just finished Dead Beautiful.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I collect sea shells, watch movies, and sometimes paint pretty pictures.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.

? What do you think makes a good story?

I heard somewhere that every great book has three important elements: a great plot, interesting characters, and factor X.  If you figure out what factor X is, please let me know.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

I have lots of favorites but I’m going to go with Shannon Hale.  Shannon has a beautiful way of writing stories from other lands.  They feel like modern fairy tales and usually have a touch of sweet romance in them.

Fun random questions: 

• dogs or cats? Cats
• Coffee or tea? Water with lemon, please.
• Dark or milk chocolate? Milk
• Rocks or flowers? Rocks
• Night or day? Day
• Favorite color? Pink
• Crayons or markers? Markers
• Pens or pencils? Pens

Good reads author link:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5316541.Krista_Holle

Author website:  http://www.kristaholle.com/

Author blog:  http://kristaholle.blogspot.com/

More about the author:

Krista has been writing since she was nine-years-old when she scribbled out her first adolescent work entitled Merish, the completely illogical but heartfelt story of a girl who was part mermaid, part fish. As a young mother, Krista added to her repertoire some middle grade readers and picture books she’s wary of mentioning.

In 2004, Krista began an intensive four year period working part-time as a critical care nurse while homeschooling her four children. During this hectic time, courses of writing were taught and learned, and rules of syntax were scolded to memory. Ironically this period of study equipped Krista with the tools she needed to enter the next phase of her writing experience. Now equipped with the mysteries of the comma, Krista was ready to tackle a much bigger project—a full fledged novel.

After the kids were enrolled in public school in 2009, 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. Convinced that there was an unfulfilled audience waiting for what Krista loves to write—romance, she sat down in the family’s dungeon, a.k.a. the basement, and began to furiously type. In no time, her first novel was drying on crisp white paper.

Krista currently resides in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, four daughters, and an eccentric cat with an attachment to the family’s socks. She continues to write obsessively every chance she can get.

(review to follow)