Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Intertexuality of Black Hills Wolves


Black Hills Wolves is a multi-author series set in South Dakota. What does that mean? Simply, a bunch of super-creative authors write individual stories set in the same world, and follow the same rules. 

Each book works as a standalone, but together it’s a wild ride into a secret world of the hierarchy and love mates of wolves. The series kicked off with “Wolf’s Return” (#1) by Rebecca Royce and her story of Drew. 

Most of the books contain some recurring characters. One of my favorites is the Enforcer, Ryker, whose background is shared in the second book “What a Wolf Wants” by Heather Long. In my new release, Ryker greets Shilah soon after his return to Los Lobos. 

 

At the library, Lorelai has a run in with Blaine and meets with Rebecca. Both of these characters are featured in “The Wolf’s Choice” (#64) by Inge Saunders.

 

With “The Cougar Shifter,” a nod has to be given to the first cougar of the Tao pack, Klaya, whose story is told in “A Cougar Among Wolves” (#45) by Kali Willows.


Finally, the epilogue brings in two special characters – Isabelle, who is a wildlife biologist, and park ranger Wyatt, from Dena Garson’s “Your Wild Heart” (#14). 

 

Summer Solstice Ménage: The Cougar Shifter” is my third book in the series, and brings together a few characters as special guests. In “Claiming the She-Wolf,” readers meet Tala and her potential love interest, Yas. In Winter Solstice Ménage, Yas’ sister Sugar comes to town, and gets more than what she expected with the Baker Twins. Finally, in The Cougar Shifter, Tala’s brother Shilah returns and discovers that sometimes the best place to be is home. 

My master’s thesis for English was partially on the concept of intertexuality, and specifically in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. A simple definition of the term is “the relationship between texts, especially literary ones” (Oxford). 

 

So while all of these books definitely standalone, they also add quite a bit more when read together. As one review on Amazon said, “A trip back to Los Lobos was exactly what I needed on a dreary rainy weekend day.”

 

As a writer, I felt exactly the same way. 

 

Thank you to all of the authors who have paved the way, and to all who continue to inflame the sparks of the imagination. 

 

Until next time,


Louisa Bacio