This is the story of an asshole…
Yep.
“Sugar, you just don’t seem to get the picture here. You don’t have a choice.”
Their eyes met, held, steely blue on darkest brown. She was the one to look away first.
“Good-bye.”
As she closed the door behind her, he could have sworn he heard something crack.
But it wasn’t his heart—Taylor wasn’t so fucking stupid that he’d allow himself to fall for a woman he couldn’t have. And even if he was that stupid, surely he wouldn’t compound it by chasing her away.
Yes. That was what exactly what Taylor did.
Meet Taylor Jones. If you’ve read THE MISSING, then you’ve met him. Blue eyes. Blond hair. Wears suits a lot. Doesn’t get unraveled, doesn’t get irritated. Doesn’t get hot under the collar. Well, unless you bring Desiree Lincoln into the picture. Then he gets plenty unraveled, plenty irritated and plenty hot. But he hides all that because he can’t let anybody see it. Especially not Dez.
So. Taylor is an asshole. That was my opinion of him all along. Especially in THE MISSING and he wasn’t ever going to have a book. End of story.
Then I had one of my friends ask me…Patti…right after the book came out, When are you writing Taylor’s book?
I emailed her back: Never. He’s an asshole.
Her response: I know! I need to know why…
Sigh. Some people are just assholes, right?
Then I got more questions. And more questions. The guy is a stick in the mud. Nothing matters to him but the job. Yeah, I know Dez had seemed to kind have a thing for him in the first book, but so what?
A few years after the book came out, I was having lunch with another writer, Rob Thurman…she’d also read THE MISSING…and she had the same question. Are you writing his book? My same answer. No. The guy is an ass… And she just laughed. But something had to make him that way…why is he like that?
You can only ask a writer why so many times, I guess. Or at least…when it comes to me. And I got to thinking. Why is he so closed off? Was there a reason?
I mean…he was pretty much like that from the get-go, even back when Taige first met him so something must have happened to him when he was young…and that was all it took.
Yes. Something happened. And once I let myself ask that question, I realized Taylor had a story to tell me after all.
She stroked the rigid muscles of his back, studying his face. He wouldn’t look at her, and that was strange. Taylor always seemed to be looking at her, she realized. Always.
But right now, he was staring very intently at a photo frame. Or rather, the back of it.
Dez closed her eyes.
“Dear God.” She reached out and turned it around. But even before she looked, she already knew who she’d see. The child was beautiful. And she had Taylor’s eyes—that steely blue, although they didn’t have that cool, untouchable look on the girl. The same gilt-edged hair, though. Even the same smile. The resemblance was eerie.
Taylor stared at the picture, a muscle jerking in his jaw.
And tears on his face.
THE DEPARTED is that story…the story of a man who lost his baby sister when he was just a boy. She was there one day. Then gone, and her body was never found. He grew up determined to do everything he could to keep other kids from suffering that same fate. It turned him into a closed-off, shut-down man…in other words…an asshole. At least, that’s the man just about everybody else saw.
But Desiree Lincoln, the heroine, sees somebody more. She’s the asshole, I guess. But she also sees something more…and she helped me to see a better picture of him, too.
You can read more about it at my site…
Shiloh Walker
http://shilohwalker.com/website
Today, Shiloh Walker is giving away a $15 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Booksamillion, your choice. Open to all through January 7th.
WOW. Great post. I am on my way to get Missing, just so I will be prepared for The Departed. I would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway.
OMG! Now I definitely need to read more about Taylor! Thanks for the giveaway!
I already have The Missing. Can’t wait to read this one. I am really glad we are getting Taylor’s story!
I really need to read both of these books! Thanks for the giveaway!
I loved The Missing! I can’t wait to get and read this one!!! :)
The Missing is on my list of books to buy, but after reading this, I’m going to get them both and read them back-to-back. I’m so happy Taylor had something to say!
I have The Missing on my TBR pile. Thanks for the giveaway!
jcross719 at yahoo dot com
I cannot wait to read both of these books! They sound amazing. Thank you for the giveaway!
Wow, what a great post. I want both books. Adding to my must buy list. Love the covers and can’t wait to check these out. I would love a barnes & noble gift card. Thanks for the chance to win.
Have a happy new year. Thanks for the giveaway.
The Missing is on my TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m on my way to get The Missing so I’ll be ready for The Departed. I loved the excerpt from The Departed. Thanks for the giveaway.
Hi Shiloh! I’m a long time fan of yours. Love the Hunters series! I haven’t read The Missing yet, but it sounds fantastic. Thanks for the awesome giveaway.
The Missing is on my TBR, sounds amazing!
Thanks for the chance to win this awesome giveaway
Lol, so the ass finally got a book, I do like that. I hope he lose that ass status then
I’ve been a fan of Shiloh Walker’s since I read Cops and Cowboys. This goes back a few years. Most recently, If you see her was wonderful. The Missing and the Departed both fabulous reads. Wow, I’m a huge fan of all Miss Walker’s writing! Thank you for this awesome giveaway!
Great post. In some ways I’m glad I started with The Departed so I didn’t have any preconceived notions about Taylor. It might have taken longer to warm up to him. I really enjoyed The Departed. :)
This post has caught my attention! Need to get The Missing and work my way to The Departed. Thanks, for the give away!
Great post, now I definitely have to read this because I want more of this story. Would love to be entered in this contest.
miztik_rose@yahoo.com
Ohhh! This sounds yummy – who wouldn’t want to win?
Oh, I have to read it now for sure! I just love your first line! Awesome!
Oh wow, that sounds really great and interesting. I haven’t read The Missing yet, but I will start with it now, ok not ‘now’, but in a few minutes and I can’t wait to meet Taylor!
wish you all the best, Melanie
Both books sound amazing. Love Shiloh’s books. Thanks for the giveaway.
Would love the opportunity to win this book! Thank you!!
I love that you decided to write his story. Everyone has a past and it usually shapes their present. I think seeing his pain will humanize him. Great post.
I discovered The Missing a few months after it first came out in trade paperback. I don’t read a ton of paranormal books, but the back cover blurb just intrigued me and I decided to try it. The book ended up being one of my favorite books of the year. Looking forward to reading more about Taylor and Dez in the Departed. I do like a little bit of a redemption storyline. Thanks for the giveaway.
Aloha, Shiloh! Congrats on your new release! I have a new friend here in Hawaii – a military spouse and fantasy author – who sings your praises! I’ll let you guess who it is!
Okay, I was stumped for a minute, but is it D. Renee?
Shiloh – I am working my way through the Supernatural Bonds series – love it! And now I can’t wait to read The Missing and The Departed. So many good books – woo hoo!
Congratulations on the release of The Missing!
I like the story at the beginning of this post :D
I definitely wanna read this book now
email: cruz042 at cougars.csusm.edu
Wow, a book hasn’t called to me like this one in a long time. So glad you decided to write his story! I honestly can’t wait to read it.
Great post.I’m looking forward to reading both books.
wow why have not read this series yet..bad book reader.
Oooh! I already love Shiloh, so I really don’t need more incentive than that to read these books. They’re on my To Buy/To Read list anyway…
^_^
As I read The Missing I thought he was a first class ass too. But I’m very glad you’ve written The Departed so we can find out why and you can redeem him. Thanks.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the great post and giveaway! I’ve had these books on the top of my wishlist now and I really, really want to read them ;)
Shiloh’s stories always pack such an emotional punch, and I just know to have a box of kleenex on stand by. Looking forward to reading The Departed.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Re-reading The Missing so that everthing is fresh in my mind to read The Departed. Can’t wait!!! Thank you Shiloh for writing his story :)
Need to read these books.
I need to read these books!
It’s always nice to hear that a character has grabbed hold of an author and has demanded his/her own book. Taylor sounds special that way. I enjoyed your column and look forward to reading his book.
Congrats, Shiloh, on the release of your newest.
can’t wait to read it!!
I really like Shiloh Walker’s writing and her gutsy way of bringing characters to life who are not pristine and pretty. There is indeed a back story even for assholes, and I think this is a case in point. Please enter me in the give-away.
I want to read about this asshole now! Wow, that excerpt really sucked me in. Guess I’d better get book 1 now. :)
hankts AT internode DOT on DOT net
That was one amazing post. This was better than an excerpt. Definitely hooked and will be reading both books. Thanks for the giveaway.
kacbooks(at)hotmail(dot)com
This was a great post! I think the harshest characters are sometimes the ones that grab us the most, because we do want to know the root cause and if it can be fixed or mended in a way to soften some of the rough edges.
I would love to be entered to win this one. I loved The Missing and can’t wait to read this one. Your books are fabulous!!
I read The Missing, loved it. I didn’t even know that The Departed was out until yesturday! I always put on my computer calendar when my favorite authors have books coming out but somehow I missed this one. I could get it for my Kindle but yours I always buy in book so I can keep them to read over & over! I am ANXIOUSLY waiting for If You See Her & If You Know Her!!
I CAN’T WAIT. That is all…. :)
Great post, and I’m really looking forward to reading The Departed.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
Sounds interesting. I usually have one of two responses to asshole heroes (and heroines). Sometimes I get caught up in all of the angst and end up loving them and sometimes I don’t feel that they’ve been sufficiently redeemed and I end up hating them and losing respect for whomever fell in love with them.
I really enjoyed The Missing but completely forgot about Taylor. Can’t wait to read The Departed. Thanks for the giveaway.
I love it when a non-sympathetic character is re-examined. After all, most people do have reasons for acting like a jerk.
Thank you Shiloh for a fantabulous post! You got me at “This is the story of an asshole”! LOL :-D And I find it particularly intriguing when an author tries to give dimension and depth to characters who appear negative at first glimpse but if course there is much more to them.
Thank you for drawing my attention to the story, and thank you for the chance! :-)
Ok, now I need to get Missing. I would love to win The Departed!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to read both books. They sound very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
I would love to read these books! I am adding them to my TBR pile and buying the first in the series today!
Please enter me in the contest!
kristinaparmenter51(at)gmail(dot)com
I received The Missing as a Christmas gift – good friend of mine has been raving about it since it came out so she bought it for me. I’m going to start it this weekend. :)
Thanks for the giveaway!
i loved The Missing so i know i’m going to love this one to :)
reginamayross@gmail.com
Great post, thank you Shiloh. I am looking forward to reading the series.
auriansbooks at gmail dot com
Enjoyed The Missing and been waiting for this one.
What a fantastic story. I am so looking forward to reading this!
Wow! I am so glad Taylor’s getting his own book! Can’t wait to read all about him!
Another book to put in my TBR pile..*happy sigh* I’m sure it will be fast friends with the THREE other Shiloh Walker books who already reside there :) Shiloh Walker is bad bad bad for my wallet but good good good for my soul!
Awesome post!! Now I’M curious to know why he’s such an asshole! I’ll just have to read the book to find out, won’t I? Thanks for the awesome post and giveaway:)
Congrats to Shiloh on the new release.
Thanks for writing such great stories Shiloh. You have never failed to deliver, no matter what the genre. Most excellent.
Loved the Missing! I’m just now starting to get into your back list – thanks for great books!
Love the beginning of this post… what a hook? Really need to read some of Shiloh’s work!
yadkny@hotmail.com
Thanks for sharing! Im really looking forward to this.
thanks for all the kind words, guys… appreciate it. Those of who have/plan to pick it up, I hope you enjoy it!
Looks like an awesome book. I will have to add it to my TBR pile. Thanks!!
Thanks for the giveaway. Can’t wait to read them.