Calling Down the Wind: Air Elemental

Elementals #1

by Janine Donoho

Rue Pontaglia’s first lesson about wish fulfillment comes as she unexpectedly releases the wind to take away her brutal stepfather. But Bif Jones’ ghost lingers, awakening Rue to the wonders—and drawbacks—that accompany her newfound talents. Fathered by a Catholic priest and burdened with a mother who trades her beauty and self-respect for non-existent security, Rue must rely on her long-lost grandmother—and a surprising family legacy.

Rue takes this journey with a unique circle of friends and foes: Wild boy, Cheater, whose mother left him with his alcoholic father, and glorious African-Americans, Zahra and her mother, themselves no strangers to inherited witchery. Skinhead thugs, otherworldly transients and Rue’s coyote dog complete the mix.

Set in breathtaking Angel Valley, Nevada, CALLING DOWN THE WIND offers the ultimate coming-of-age story with a heroine both as unpredictable as the zephyr she calls and as real as her extraordinary gifts.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2008

About the author

Award-winning writer Janine Donoho grew up navigating extremes—perhaps due to the ups and downs of her San Franciscan birthplace. That Escher landscape primed her to embrace imaginary worlds. With one foot planted in fuzzy science and the other in invented realms, she occupies the land of What If. Published in novel-length and short fiction, along with essays, Janine pursues the thumps that echo in the night—and writes about those, too.

With her intrepid husband, sighthounds, and tuxedo cat, Janine makes her home in the spectacular Spokane area. Mountain lions, coyotes, and bears—oh, my!

Reviews

[Kate Breslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to have read this book years ago, and it still resonates with me. A wonderful story!