Blurb:
Thomas Lone Wolf has
recovered from a brush with death – and from a broken heart. His work of
opening a First Nations cultural center at an archaeological site near the town
of Marshdale is almost complete. Once his son graduates from high school, he
and his daughter will have to move on to the next project. Just when he has
resigned himself to being a single dad for the rest of his life, he meets a
woman who seems perfect. But can his wounded heart take a chance on love again?
Author:
Tracy Krauss is a
best-selling and award winning author, artist and playwright. She is a member
of 'American Christian Fiction Writers', 'Inscribe Christian Writers
Fellowship', and ‘The Word Guild’. Originally from a small prairie town, Tracy
received her Bachelor’s Degree from the U of S with majors in Art, and minors
in History and English. She teaches High School English, Drama and Art – all
things she is passionate about. Apart from her many personal creative pursuits,
she also leads worship at her local church. She and her husband, an ordained
minister, have lived in many remote and unique places in Canada's north. They
raised four children and were active advocates of the homeschooling movement
for many years. They currently reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC, known for
its many waterfalls. Visit her website for more info:
http://www.tracykrauss.com
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Thomas Lone Wolf
poured himself a cup of coffee, inhaling the heavenly scent as he clattered the
pot back into place on its burner. He cradled the mug in his hands and sniffed,
enjoying the warmth and the aroma before taking a tentative sip. He winced and
touched his cheek, then let out a whispered oath. Good thing the kids were
still sleeping. He didn’t usually swear, but he’d had a toothache for days and
the hot liquid touched a nerve. He took another sip, bracing himself against
the pain. Once the steaming brew was past the tooth and down his throat he
expelled a groan. It was a tossup which was worse, the pain in his tooth or
going without his morning coffee. The third sip went down much better. Once the
initial shock was past, it didn’t hurt so much. He took another larger gulp and
stopped to gaze out the kitchen window. He lifted the faded sheer material away
from the frame just a bit more so his view wouldn’t be obstructed.
He’d come to love the
vastness of the view before him. Wide open prairie. Some people said it was
boring. Table flat with nothing to see. Thomas saw it differently. There was
subtleness to the land. It wasn’t flashy or brash, yelling to get attention. Instead
the grasses rippled like the waves on a calm ocean, just barely discernible,
but moving nonetheless. He loved the change in color, too. Muted browns, rich
ochers, vibrant greens, each taking their cue as the seasons morphed against a
backdrop of sky. Perhaps this was the most impressive of all. The sky was a
living thing here, awe-inspiring in its vastness; sometimes clear and blue,
sometimes filled with fluffy cumulus clouds, sometimes flashing with powerful
forks of lightning. Magnificent.
Thomas let the curtain
drop back into place. He downed the rest of his coffee and set the empty cup in
the sink. It was time to wake his children. His daughter, Whisper, was in the
second grade at Marshdale Elementary School. She’d been in kindergarten when
they moved here. His son, Ryder, was in his senior year at the high school,
ready to graduate in just a couple months’ time. Then he’d be off to college.
Time sure had a way of flying.
Thomas had decided
when he first moved to Marshdale that they would stay put, at least until Ryder
graduated. His children had been through enough upheaval in the last five years
since their mother passed away from cancer. When they moved to Marshdale so
that Thomas could oversee the opening of a First Nations cultural center, he decided
then and there that it would be their home until the center was complete. As it
turned out, it was perfect timing. The grand opening was taking place this
summer. He felt a melancholy mix of relief and sadness. He would no longer have
an excuse to stay.
Not that life in
Marshdale was ideal. Initial resistance to the center and thinly veiled racism
had been a hard obstacle to overcome. There weren’t very many other aboriginal
families in the small farming community, and he tended to stick out. At well
over six feet, with his long, black braid and dark complexion, it was hard to
mistake his indigenous heritage for anything else. Still, they had managed,
despite some rough spots, and had since settled into the life of the community.
The fact that Thomas
had a strong faith was partly what got him through the first few months.
Without God on his side, he wasn’t sure he could have weathered the opposition.
His biggest adversary turned out to be a lunatic of sorts, who had stabbed him
on the steps of the church shortly after Christmas the first year they lived
here. Thankfully, he’d recovered fully. The incident might even have swayed
public opinion in his favor, since the culprit was also the chair of the
heritage committee.
It had been a tough
first few months. He’d even thought he was in love at one point, with his
daughter’s teacher no less. Just when he thought he was ready to love again,
she’d rejected him. In hindsight he saw it was for the best. He wasn’t ready
for a relationship at the time and she ended up marrying a local farmer. It had
been awkward at times, since he and Con McKinley, the man in question, were
also good friends.
