Hau, kola. Welcome!
Although not as cozy as visiting together in a tipi or sitting around a campfire on a star-lit night, I hope you will enjoy your visit to my homepage. Come in, leisurely browse through the pages, read a few excerpts from my books, stroll through my studio and enjoy the paintings. Visit often -- you never know when there may be news of an upcoming book.
I love romance books, don't you? I've been losing myself in the magical worlds between their covers for a long time and have been pursuing my own writing career for about 15 years. In A Love Beyond Time I wrote about two people from different cultures who were brought together in a twist of time, in pursuit of a thief, and in a hail of bullets at the battle of the Little Big Horn. Visit my Books page and read about this HOLT Medallion winner and Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award nominee.
My second book is a contemporary for Berkley's Seduction line. A Place Called Home tells the story of a Wyoming cowboy who is fighting to keep his heritage -- his honor -- his family's ranch, and the beautiful lady lawyer who is working to take it all away from him. Indians and cowboys have always been my heroes and Cody Butler is the best of both worlds. There's a shower scene that will...hmmm...well, you'll just have get the book and see for yourself.
My third book with Berkley, Distant Echoes, takes my readers, along with Jesse Spotted Horse and Kathleen Prescott, on a slide through time from the present-day filming of a documentary about the off-reservation Indian boarding schools of the 1800s to the school itself, a mystery it has hidden for over 120 years, and a love that won't be denied.
Due to a wonderful reception of my first three books, they are no longer available in your local bookstore but can be found on the Internet or in used bookstores.
My latest book for Berkley is Secret Shadows, the story of Dane White Eagle, an undercover cop who allows himself to be tried and imprisoned for his sister's murder to help the FBI crack a major drug case. Claire Colby, the emergency room doctor on duty when Dane brings his sister to the hospital, is forced to testify against him, thus helping to seal his fate. In the twists and turns of this romantic suspense, Dane and Claire find themselves thrown together time and time again as Dane tracks down his sister's killer and helps the FBI stop the flow of lethal drugs onto the reservation. The reviews have been wonderful and the book has been receiving numerous awards. Romantic Times BookClub gave Secret Shadows a 4 ½ stars TOP PICK and nominated the book for Best Contemporary of 2004.
My current project, with the working title of Deadly Embrace, blends the reality of a present-day lawsuit with the chilling Ponca Indian legend of Deer Woman. I'm really excited about this story and of course...hope that my editor is as well. I've also been working on a Wyoming-set contemporary. Bits and Pieces is the story of a woman's revival and growth and is a clear testimonial that change is wonderful and so are younger men!
While you are here, please take a few minutes and visit my studio. As a professional artist I work only in Native American themes and have hung a few of my paintings in the gallery for you to enjoy. My paintings are in private and corporate collections throughout the world, have been reproduced in limited edition prints, greeting cards, t-shirts, magazine covers, and CD and cassette “J” cards for Indian Sound Studios. Although I work both in oil and watercolor, my favorites are the watercolor/gouache pieces that are executed in the typical Southern Plains style of the Kiowa and Comanche people. Accuracy is very important to me in both my writing and my paintings of the Indian people and I assure you, hours of research go in to each story, each painting. Limited edition prints are available of two of the paintings - No Partner for the Two Step and Seasons of the Corn.
Although I now live in Indiana, I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec near the Kahnewake Mohawk Reserve. My regard for my Indian family and friends touches every aspect of my life...including my writing, my art, and my music. One of my passions is singing with the drum at powwows across the U.S. and Canada. My favorites are the songs of the Southern Plains tribes --the Comanche, Kiowa, Ponca, Pawnee -- and although learning these songs takes many hours of serious study, the end result is so very rewarding.
I have been a member of Romance Writers of America for over 16 years and have served as a board member or contest chair for my local chapter, Indiana Romance Writers for over eight of those years and completed a 3-year term as chapter president in December 2004. I am also a proud member of the Toronto Romance Writers, the Kiss of Death RWA chapter, the Hearts Through History Romance Writers RWA chapter, Published Authors Special Interest Chapter (PASIC) RWA chapter, Novelists Inc., Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West. I have also enjoyed presenting workshops at RWA's national conferences, various RWA chapters and writing groups.
I hope you enjoy your visit to my cyber tipi -- my book pages, and my gallery. I invite you to also take the quick links and enjoy some of my other favorite sites. Please tell your friends to stop by for a visit, too. But, before you leave, don't forget to sign my guest book. It's wonderful hearing from friends, fellow readers, and writers.
