Who Are They? Tala

I'm going to be straight with y'all (yeah, I know I'm not from the south, but I love that word!), I miss my characters from the Convergence series. For over two years these people lived in my head every day. I dreamed about them at night. They were with me more than even my husband and kids. And now their voices have gone quiet, their presence stilled, and I'm not quite sure what to do with all the silence in my mind.

I've gotten lots of questions about my new series, especially about my characters. I love when people are curious! So here's a little more about each of them and why I love them. Don't worry... no spoilers!

Tala Alexander

We first meet Tala when she's fifteen and rescued from a tragic fire that takes not only her family home but also both of her parents. The story then jumps to its present, eleven years later. Tala is a feisty woman, who believes wholeheartedly in her independence. But she's not quite as free as she likes to think herself. She's been raised in privilege and as the granddaughter of one of the country's founding fathers, her family name and its legacy are famous throughout the Republic of Columbia. 

Tala is a Militia Forces Agent, the elite military and law enforcement agency in the Republic. In this role, we see Tala's strength and fortitude. She's a woman in a man's world and she is always fighting to show she's earned her place, that it isn't her name that gave it to her. 

Right away in chapter one, we watch Tala disobey an order by her captain and director, then break MF protocol and return to the scene of a crime, but her decision to do so is less about being rebellious and more to do with her suspicions that something has been missed, and as a result, people's lives are at risk. It is this simple act that sets in motion the entire series.

Throughout the Convergence series, we see Tala's naivete when it comes to life outside her personal bubble. It's also her older brother Thias who plays on this innocence, taking a significant role in shaping and molding Tala to his liking. But it is ultimately Tala's unyielding commitment to her people, those she took an oath to protect when she became an MF agent, that carries her through the story. Every decision she does or doesn't make is influenced by her loyalty. 

I love Tala's grit, even when reality packs a punch to her, she always gets back up. She's smart, far smarter than she has ever been given credit for in her life, and she's resourceful, and it is because of these qualities that she's able to accomplish all that she does throughout the entire series. 

When Tala and Kane come together, there is a shift in each of their worlds. Simply knowing the other person is dangerous, but sometimes fate has plans that are larger than each of us. Their power of connection is a beautiful thing, the way they find a safe harbor in each other despite uncertainty and turmoil. Their journey isn't an easy one, and just because they come together doesn't mean they can stay together, but in having each other, they always someone to fight for.   

The editor for A Woman's Write summed her up quite well... so in her very own words:

"Tala is a gutsy female and women will identify with her sorrows and her strengths."