By early fall of 2014 I will release a new series of stories following Jane McMurtry, an injured Army veteran who has spent her adult life training warrior dogs and partnering with them to find bombs and track missing soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jane comes home having suffered grievous injuries during an IED explosion. A double amputee, she must not only learn to walk again, but also face a life she can scarcely contemplate in light of deep psychological wounds. Alongside her dogs, she will strain to restore her life and build a professional career. With her human partner and investigator Dan Murphy, she will struggle to love and be loved.

Jane’s story will come in three initial episodes, each roughly half of a full novel’s length. Written as a character-based thriller with a strong psychological component, each episode focuses on a particular set of challenges Jane fights to resolve. Together, these and subsequent episodes will unfurl her life and portray her search for redemption.

Synopsis for Episode 1, Shadow-7

Army canine trainer and handler Jane McMurtry served in Afghanistan with her dog Shadow until an IED blew her legs away. Now, after learning to walk again, alongside a new canine companion, Jane is tracking the scent of kidnapped children in the Colorado high country when her past, her inner turmoil, and her current case collide.

Though Jane thought she’d have to wait two more years, Shadow returns home when he himself suffers injuries. Now two dogs and one woman will struggle to redeem and get on with their lives. In this struggle, Jane partners with a police officer who will make her face the choice between self-loathing and accepting someone’s patient, unconditional love.