Any Place but Here (Wolf Harbor, #20)

How does a Vegas pole dancer end up running a tech security firm in San Mateo?
One change at a time, Synde Bell says. And that wasn't even the biggest change she's made — how does a good Midwestern girl become a West Coast werewolf?
One change at a time.
Syn snickers. But really, she's running the company because she can make the techies play well with the security specialists — no mean feat with cranky shifters — and their human customers like her.
Mostly.
They're in desperate need of a computer wizard, however. They've 'inherited' a cutting-edge AI, and what the hell does a bunch of shifters know about AI? They need Carlos Mendoza, the techies say.
Synde shrugs. She knows Carlos. Nice young man, and he's more than willing to come to San Mateo — beats the hell out of the middle of nowhere in Washington state. But there's one hitch: He says Kate Lebenev has to come with him.
Synde shrugs. They could use another female shifter to help run things. Sure, she says. Bring her along. No problem at all.
Right?
A Wolf Harbor book. This is the sequel to Someone to Live for, the first in Synde Bell's sub-series, Wolf Harbor Diaspora.

L.J. Breedlove is a former journalist writing mysteries and thrillers about what she knows: complicated people, small towns, big cities, cops, reporters, politicians, assorted bad guys. "I write about religion and politics. About race and gender. I believe in the journalism axiom: Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. To which the labor organizer Mother Jones was supposed to have added: And in general raise hell. That works for me." L.J. grew up on a cattle ranch and then went to college to be an oceanographer. She decided getting seasick was not a good trait for an oceanographer to have, and discovered journalism instead — a field that liked people who asked questions! As a reporter and editor, she worked in Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Texas, Washington, D. C. Then she got homesick for the Pacific Northwest and came home to work with college newspapers and teach journalism. She is an over-educated, bleeding heart liberal with a penchant for heroes such as Jack Reacher. She isn't particularly bothered by the inconsistency. You can follow her on Twitter @ljbreedlove for her political stuff, or on Facebook ljbreedlove for her writing life. Best place to find her -- besides a local coffee shop -- is at ljbreedlove.com. You can sign up for her email newsletter there. Or read her blog, snark included, and check out all her books.