Interview with Grace from White Heart, Lakota Spirit:

While I'm on my short little vacation, I'm leaving my characters to entertain you. 

Today my guest, Grace Cummings, the heroine in White Heart, Lakota Spirit is here to tell us how she survived being held captive by Indians.  So, without further ado, let's begin the interview:

Just for clarification, HOST will indicate the interviewer’s questions below:

HOST:   It must have been a very traumatic ordeal for you.  Can you tell us about it?

GRACE:  It was horrid. (She shudders) I still hear my mother's screams in my head.  I… 

HOST:  Do you need a moment to compose yourself?

GRACE:  No, I'm fine.  (Deep breath)  It was 1874. My family had moved around a lot because my father, bless his departed soul, was a restless man.   It was hard for a girl my age to make friends, not living in one place for very long, and just when Ma, Kevin and I thought we might settle down, General George Armstrong Custer made an announcement about gold being discovered in the Black Hills of Lakota territory.  That's all it took!  Pa loaded everything back into our Conestoga and insisted this was his chance to strike it big. 

HOST:  Why didn't you mother put her foot down?

GRACE:  You have to understand that back then, women were expected to know their place.  Ma pretty much did as Pa said.  Besides, he promised her that when he hit the mother lode, he would buy us a new house; new furniture and we'd never have to move again.

HOST:  I can see how that might have sounded pretty enticing.

GRACE:  It was.  We all had visions of putting down permanent roots, so being out on the plains, cooking over a campfire again and roughing it for a just a little longer was worth it if Pa and my brother, Kevin, found gold. 

HOST:  Tell us more about your experience, please.

GRACE:  Okay.   We had made camp at the base of the Black Hills, near a sparse stand of trees.  There was a small stream nearby, so water was plentiful.  Ma and I slept on a pallet of blankets in the wagon, while Pa and Kev slept in a makeshift tent.  We had just finished breakfast one morning and were laughing and talking before Pa and Kev went off to the mine, when I happened to spy some riders on the horizon. It soon became clear from the whooping and hollering that they were being attacked by Indians.

HOST:  Oh my goodness, what did you do?

GRACE:  Pa immediately yelled for Ma and I to get back in the Conestoga, and he and Kev grabbed their rifles and crawled underneath.  I hunkered down behind the tailgate, waiting for Ma, but she never came.  I was so scared, hearing the sound of gunfire and those blood-curdling war cries, I covered my ears, but it didn't help.  When I got the courage to peek outside, I saw the Indians circling our wagon and Ma running in the opposite direction.  I think she was trying to draw them away from me.  I didn't realize it at the time, but Pa and Kevin were already dead.  They were easy pickings with no real shelter.

HOST:  How awful. 

GRACE:  You have no idea!  (Stopping to bite her knuckle, then staring straight ahead). They…they shot my ma down in cold blood right before my eyes.

HOST:  Oh you poor thing.  What did you do then?

GRACE:  (Dabbing at eyes with hanky) I curled myself into a ball and prayed that it was all just a bad dream, and that I'd wake up.   When I didn't hear anything for a while, I found the courage to rise to my knees and peer over the tailgate again.  I almost had heart failure when I came face-to-face with the ugliest sight I'd ever seen.

HOST:    Oh my gosh, I have goose bumps. What was it?

GRACE:  It was the person I later learned was Black Crow.  His face was painted with bright yellow lightning bolts, and he had a scar that ran from ear-to-ear.  He pulled me out of the wagon, barking orders in a strange language, and threw me to the ground.  I felt like my heart was going to pound its way right through my chemise. (Holds hand against chest)

HOST:  Oh my goodness, what was going through your head?

GRACE:  I was certain he was going to kill me, too.  I think he might have had it not been for one of his friends.  The one, called Little Elk, seemed to step in and calm Black Crow down.  Still, it was an awful thing to go through, wondering if you were going to live or die.  After Black Crow tethered my arms together and dragged me along behind his horse, like I was nothing more than an animal, I almost wished I had died.  I fought to keep up all the way to the Indian village.

HOST:  How far was it?

GRACE:  (Holding out her wrists).  I'm not sure, but you can still see the scars where the rawhide bit into my skin.  I didn't have time to get my shoes on, so my feet were pretty raw, too.  I'm used to walking beside the wagon every day, but being dragged is quite different.  It took forever.

HOST:  What happened when you got to the village?

GRACE:  I was so tired I could barely stand, but I dared not drop to the ground when it seemed like the whole village stood in a circle around me, staring and laughing.  I thought for sure I was about to meet my maker, but something very surprising happened.

HOST:  Don't stop now!

GRACE:  A beautiful green-eyed woman walked into the midst of things and protected me.  She spoke their language and dressed in their clothing, but it was evident from her flaming red hair that she was white.  If it hadn't been for her I would never have survived to tell this story, that and the fact that Black Crow's mother didn't like having a white woman share her home.  (Grace chuckles)

HOST:  What happened?

GRACE:  After only one night in her tepee, Black Crow handed me over to Little Elk. He, at least treated me with kindness, allowing Green Eyes to help me bathe and wash my hair.  I was still scared, but not nearly as much.  Pa always said I was headstrong, and it almost got me into  trouble when Little Elk gave me a new name.  (Sitting up straighter, squaring shoulders)

HOST:  Oh gosh, we're almost out of time and I hate to make you stop.  Can you give us a brief summary, and quickly?

GRACE:  Although there is so much more to tell, I'll just say that Little Elk played a big role in the decision I made when the white soldiers raided the camp. Unless you want to invite me back for another visit, I guess you'll just have to read the book.  (Holds out a copy)

HOST:  Is this for me? How nice, and it's autographed.  Grace Cummings, thank you so much for spending time with us and sharing your captivating story. I'd like to remind our readers that White Heart, Lakota Spirit by Ginger Simpson is offered at http://www.eternalpress.biz.  If you prefer Kindle...it's on Amazon. There's more to story, and if you're like me, you want to know how things turned out.  Happy reading!

  

We View Reviews Wednesday

Welcome back to the day during the week when I invite my peers to share some of their review snippets and sites with you.  The aim is to connect readers with some new talent they may have missed, and to point authors to review sites they might not know about.  So, without further ado...here's what I've received since last week:

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Kev Richardson

5++ Stars !

I wept for Adam Ashby.

Not because he lived such a degrading despairing life as a lowly convict, but because he had finally discovered acceptance and respect by the Aborigines of New South Wales… only to be shot down by his own people. He had bolted into the wilds rather than be flogged for his latest crime. This is a poignant story of a boy who in his teens searched for a kind and gentler world where a person could be loved for simply being himself. Instead, he is jailed and thrown in with hardened criminals and military men who greedily seek power over their charges. In spite of what this criminal environment has in store for Adam, he nonetheless survives. Yet it is his searching for empathetic love and respect that carries him into manhood.

And, Oh that ending! It hit me right in the gut! - Masterful stuff!

JoEllen, Conger Books Reviews (USA)

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 J.E. Cammon

 

 Where Shadows Lie: Bay City is a paranormal story with vampires, lycanthropes, and other varying monsters. This is a very different approach to the tales of the supernatural.  It doesn’t have the romance elements and has a dark and harsh setting.  Jarvis, is an emotionless vampire that works as a hit-man for a local mobster.  He doesn’t understand human emotion, yet he is friends with David, a lycanthrope that works as a veterinarian technician.  Nick is a student that needs help, but not your normal grad student.  Nick is a student of the Occult who accidentally awakens a monster.  The plot had me guessing all through out.

This review appears on Romance Writers Review

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 Kathryn Meyer Griffith

 

I could hardly wait to delve into the pages of this book when it arrived on my desk. With a blend of horror, mystery and a touch of romance, I found myself engulfed within the covers of Witches. Ms. Griffith writes in such a way that the reader is able to use all of their senses as they read. The descriptions leap off the page and wrap around the readers mind. Amanda is such an easy character to relate to. Even Rachel, with her black magic and dark side, is relatable on certain levels. This is a true good versus evil, light versus dark, tale. I am so glad this book has been re-issued by another publisher since I missed it the first time around. 

To read the entire review, visit Coffee Time Romance

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 Morgan Mandel

Midwest Book Review Gives KILLER CAREER
5 Stars, calling it a "unique blend of suspense and
romance, highly recommended." - See complete
review at Amazon or Midwest Book Review.

Joyce Laabs of The Lakeland Times, says, "Killer
Career" by Morgan Mandel (Choice One Publishing Company) made me hold my breath as I read some of the scenes tucked in the pages. It is a real thriller - a page turner that is hard to put down."

A review that makes me smile is from prolific mystery

Writer, Rob Walker, who says, "The suspense builds to a crescendo,making it hard to put down even if you do have a roast in the oven."

And here's someone with clothes in the dryer - Cheryl M. Malandrinos at The Book Connection, says, "So captivated are you by Julie and Dade's story that you just have to keep plugging away,been though the dryer buzzed an hour ago and your clothes are probably a wrinkled mess."

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 Christopher Hoare

Rast contains many characters that will elicit emotions in the reader. She will feel sorry for Egon and Jady who are forced to deny their love because of their duties. She will be inspired by the devotion the dying Drogar has to his son and the kingdom of Rast. It's quite likely she will feel the need to throttle the Princess multiple times during the story.

A masterfully told high fantasy novel that will wow you with its explosive conclusion is what you'll find in Rast by Christopher Hoare.

The entire review is posted at BookToursandMore.

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Maggie Dove

Maggie Dove writes a wonderful debut novel in a style similar to that of famed romance writer Judith McNaught with intelligent writing and well developed characters, no pun intended. She deftly builds on the much used “girl forced into marriage with a man she does not know while she has a true love from childhood that she must leave behind” and weaves a tale that is gripping and fresh. That the hero and heroine do fall in love is no surprise and exactly what every romance reader wants. That she builds the murder mystery to a very suspenseful end that keeps the reader guessing throughout the tale is rewarding to the reader and a testament to Dove’s writing skill. She even pokes fun at the frivolity of romance novels with excerpts from a book author supposed to be the rage in London and beyond at the time. Look for Maggie Dove’s name on the bestsellers list in the future. These 242 pages could have been 500 and the reader would be left wanting more… 

The review is featured in Cold Coffee Magazine

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That's all for this week folks, but keep 'em coming.

 

My Special Guest

Today, Claudine the Mean from Coffee Time Romance is sharing a blog she posted a few weeks back on the review sites very active blog.  She participated in the Thursday Thirteen, but today she's sharing on a Tuesday because I'm preparing to leave for Southern California to see my eighty-six-year-old Mom who I haven't seen for almost four years.  It's a quick trip and I'm looking forward to a wonderful Mother's day.  Wishing all the other moms the same.

So enjoy Claudine's post and a few giggles.  See you next week.

Thirteen Signs of Aging

There’s no escape!  You can’t hide, run, or avoid it.  Eventually one or more of the following will happen to you.

• Crows Feet.  I can’t picture a bird roosting around my eyes, but all of a sudden that smooth, flawless skin around those baby blues or chocolate browns takes on the look of crepe paper.  And no matter what advertisements claim, NO ONE has invented a special potion to turn back the years, at least in those little bottles and tubes.  Maybe if they sold the product in five gallon-drums, but….

• Sock Imprints.  You know you’re getting old when you remove your socks and the pattern and indention stays on your shin for hours afterward.  Same for blanket marks from sleeping.

• Lip Lines – OMG, one of the worst signs of aging is discovering you no longer have lips.  The line that distinguishes your lips from the rest of your face just disappears. This may not happen to those of you blessed with full bow-shaped ones, but for those of us who had thin lips to begin with, our mouth suddenly becomes a slit in our face..  This makes the idea of a facelift totally impossible, unless of course you want to resemble a snake.

• Pleat lines.  Yes, there will come a time, even if you have beautiful lips, the area between your nose and top lip will look as though someone fan-pleated your skin.  Prepare yourself; it’s not a pretty sight.

• The Chinese Shar-Pei look.  One morning you’ll wake up, go to brush your teeth and stare with wide-eyed wonder in the mirror, asking what in the hell happened to whatever it was that held up the skin on your neck. Don’t be surprised if you now hate Thanksgiving because of the stark reminder of the turkey’s waddle (that’s what it’s called) hanging under your chin.  Short of gathering the looseness into a huge clippie at the nape of your neck, there is no inexpensive, painless or immediate cure.

• Turning silver. Not a problem, you think?  You’ll just grab a bottle of dye and cover up those strands.  I have bad news for you…I’m not talking about the hair on the top of your head.  Yep…your hoo-ha falls victim to gray hair too, at least until it starts to fall out.  Male pattern baldness doesn’t only happen to men.

• Sagging Boobs.  Yep, if you are bigger than an A cup, then get ready for the downhill slide.  I went from wearing a 38D to a 40 Long in the blink of an eye.  Once it happens to you, the only time you’ll have cleavage is if you stand on your head.  Oh, and never bend over and look into a mirror.  You’ll never again consider being on top when you have sex.  If you still have sex.  There’s something about having to lift your arm so your husband can find your breast that kinda kills your sex drive.

• Tube Top. And I don’t mean the type your wear.  I’m referring to nature’s shelf that materializes around your midsection.  I wonder if that’s the stuff that held up my neck skin at one time.  Either that or it’s timely appearance is meant to offer a safe haven for my boobs to rest on.

• Loss of Eyelashes. – Take lots of pictures of those sexy, smoky eyes because eventually you’ll mourn the gaps in your once lush lashes. The mascara that used to highlight one of your best assets, now clumps and draws attention to the holes where lashes used to be.

• Facial Hair. I suppose you could look at this in a positive light…your missing lashes aren’t totally lost.  They’ve simply found a new home sprouting on your chin and your upper lip. Always have handy a pair of tweezers unless you want to rival your husband’s mustache or beard.  Another positive note…the hair under your arms and on your legs doesn’t grow back quite as fast as it used to.  Everything slows down…especially your digestion.  Can you say ‘a-c-i-d   r-e-f-l-u-x, but I got totally off topic and I apologize.  See number 13 for my explanation.

• Leg Cramps. I see it written that senior citizens remain sexually active well into their eighties and nineties.  I’m wondering if this report is based on the moaning and groaning overheard outside bedroom doors.  Trust me…there is NO chance at all that you can contort your body as you once did.  Leg cramps really kill the moment, but you do moan and groan.

• Creaking Joints. WD-40 works on creaks and squeaks around the house… on everything but your aging joints.  Knees and hips develop a melody all their own that play every time you rise from your chair.  If you’re lucky like me, your husband won’t notice because he never wears his hearing aids.

• Loss of Memory. The worst of all for me!  If you find yourself wandering the house looking for something but not remembering what, don’t panic.  It’s just the first little hint that your memory is leaving with your eyelashes and lip line.  If you go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and come back with a sandwich, don’t be surprised.  Or if you go in the bathroom to fetch a tissue and put on deodorant, it wasn’t a totally wasted trip.  Sadly, there will come a day when what your mother did makes perfect sense to you.  I just had that AHA moment this week.  I always kidded Mom about tying a red ribbon on her car’s radio antenna, but as I wandered through Wal-mart’s parking lot yesterday with my grandson in tow because I couldn’t find my car, I got it.  I made a panicked discovery though…if you are close enough to your car, the emergency button on your remote will allow you to follow the constant beeping of your horn to where you’ve parked.  I meant to mention that to my husband, but I forgot.

There are many other things I could list, but there’s no use sending you into panic mode.  Some things take time, and others  happen overnight.  I think our creator got it backwards…we should start old and turn young.  I think it might be easier to handle every tomorrow if we knew eventually our fat thighs would be considered cute.

Note:  Thanks to JoyFeldman.com for letting me blogjack the image above.

A New Feature: Triple M

After spending so much time talking about my own book, for a while, I'd honestly like to devote Monday to inviting readers and authors (we also read) to leave the title and comment of a book you've recently read that you feel is worth mentioning.   As much as we appreciate honesty, I'm asking that you keep your comments positive.  If you have negative feelings about a recent read...this isn't the place to share it.  So...come on.  Who's going to be first?

Six Sentence Sunday

Wow, a whole week has passed since I last posted.  With all the electrical storms, tornado warnings and watches, I've been distracted from anything having to do with writing.  My prayers are with those in Alabama and other states/cities who weren't as lucky as we were this time.  (Did you notice how many "w" words are in this paragraph?...Wow, whole, week, with, warnings, watches, writing...)

My six sentences this week come from a recent release, First Degree Innocence.  Carrie Lang has been wrongfully sentenced to ten years for a crime she didn't commit.  Her appointed public defender failed her miserably. With no family and her extra cash spent on previous bail, how can she convince anyone of her innocence?  

My selected six:

Carrie's cheeks burned, but she did as she was told.  With her eyes squinted shut, she turned her face away, trying to halt the sobs wracking her insides.

"Okay, now bend over and spread 'em."  The matron's snicker was the final stab of humiliation.


Aghast, but shaking with fear, Carrie bowed at the waist, letting her hands dangle just above her toes.  Welling tears now fell, splashing against the darkly tiled floor.

Find more great "six sentences" by following the registration list here.



First Degree Innocence is published by Books We Love Publishing Partners and available at Smashwords and on Amazon.