White Heart, Lakota Spirit

I'm so excited that my western historical romance...yep with a handsome Indian hero, is being released in April by Moongypsy Press. In case you haven't heard, they're new, but already have quite an impressive staff to aid the authors already signed. Have a look at their website. I'm sure you'll see some familiar names.

Just to tease you, I'll offer up an UNEDITED excerpt. I'm still waiting for my editor to provide me with her suggestions. :)

Set up: Grace Cummings has been abducted by Indians. She's befriended Green Eyes, another white woman who came to live with the Sioux by choice. By now, Grace has accepted her fate and is finally seeing that people with red skin are not much different than she. Little Elk, one of the braves who captured and claimed her, has given her an Indian name, Dancing Fawn.

Excerpt:

Fawn sat next to the fire and worked on Little Elk’s Christmas gift. Flames crackled within the uneven stone ring and made the air almost too warm. She inched away and sought the comfort of her backrest. His woven willow seat sat empty next to her, and she wondered how long he’d be gone. While he and several others had ventured to the far side of the valley in search of game, she took advantage of his absence to complete his surprise.

Using her newly acquired skills, she planned to give him a new deerskin shirt adorned with beads she had earned by helping other women with their laundry. Secretly, before she even thought of Christmas, she had stashed the biggest deer hide from one of his successful hunts, and whenever he wasn’t around, she worked at scraping and softening it. She finished the sewing and now worked on adding the colored baubles.

Green Eyes brought a blast of cold air on her heels when Fawn invited her inside. She sat next to the fire and brushed stray snowflakes from her clothing. “My goodness, I do believe this is the coldest it has been since I have been coming to our winter camp.”

“Is it snowing again?”

“Only if you pass too closely under a tree.” Green Eyes chuckled.

“I’m glad you came. Little Elk is hunting again and I needed some company. I’m awfully glad he doesn’t mind traipsing around in the snow looking for food. I wouldn’t be very good at it.”

“Me either. Lone Eagle went too, and took Little Cloud. I got tired of talking to myself.” She eyed the deerskin spread across Fawn’s lap. “What are you working on?”

“Little Elk’s Christmas present.”

Green Eyes fingered the fabric and inspected the decoration. “I am very proud of you. You have learned well.”

“I had hoped to have all the beads and quills on by now, but I still don’t feel well.”

“I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“About being ill?”

“Yes. When did you have your last moon time?”

Fawn rubbed the back of her neck. “I…I can’t remember.”

“I thought about you after you left last night and recalled you had not mentioned visiting the women’s hut for some time. Think! When was the last time you bled?”

“I don’t know. I’m not very good at keeping track.” Fawn bit her bottom lip and searched her memory. “I think my time happened only once since I came here.

Green Eyes raised a brow. “Describe how you have been feeling.”
“Well, my stomach feels like it’s turning flips. The nausea is worse in the mornings or after I eat. Today, even the smell of cooking makes me sick.”

Her friend clapped her hands. “Oh, Fawn. I think maybe, come summer, you will have a baby.”

“A baby?” Fawn swallowed her shock. “But how?”

“Oh, Fawn, do you really not know how babies are made?”

“My mother and I never talked about such things.”

“You have shared your blankets and body with a man, and he planted a seed in your woman’s place. From that seed your child will grow.”

“What if I am not ready to be a mother?” Fawn gulped.

Well, my sweet girl, it is too late to wonder that. You have several months to prepare, and I will be right by your side.”