Welcome back to the 2022 Inspirational Western Women series! June is the midpoint of the growing season between planting and harvesting. Flowers are in full bloom, the air is warm, and the days are long. June is my favorite month. Want to know what else I favor? Amazing women. Like my featured gal for…
Welcome, Celaine Charles! Our mothers have been best friends since nursing school. The cool thing is, through writing Celaine and I have reconnected. We used to play together as children, but like most families, kids grow up and go their separate ways. Celaine has recently released a new YA fantasy book, Seem Keepers. She is…
Welcome to a portion of Lillian’s Legacy pre-launch party! Not too long ago I hosted my friend Rachel Rossano and her medieval fantasy Mercy. I’m excited to have her back not as an author, but as my cover designer for Lillian’s Legacy. Isn’t it beautiful! She has actually designed the cover now for all of…
I’d like to introduce Heart of Passion’s next two horses: Cloud Maker and Grizzly Stomper. Both horses in the story are modeled after the amazing American Running Quarter Horse. They are fast. Durable. Spirited. Everything a relay jockey desires. History Horse racing has always been a large part of Native American culture. It is generally…
He’s 14 years old and ready to head to the Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR) in Las Vegas, NV, competing for the title in junior bull riding. Native American student-athlete Garrett Mason has been on the back of a horse since he was a baby. The eighth-grader began riding sheep at age three in rodeos…
~*~*~Cover Reveal~*~*~ Here it is!! The Change of Heart cover… Preorder Change of Heart And for the cover, all I needed was one traditional Plateau Indian basket hat. How hard can that be right? A couple of months ago, I went in search of the right cover for Change of Heart. After getting my rights…
Happy Labor Day Weekend! As the end of August turns the corner and September springs forward with clear skies, I breathe in a lungful of fresh air. Forest fires and filled our valleys and hills with thick smoke. I’ve ridden a handful of times, missing the quiet rides in the woods. My time to reflect…
In 1933 two dreamers and Okanogan County stockmen, Leo Moomaw and Tim Bernard, envisioned starting a rodeo that became the Omak Stampede. The duo had started a rodeo string in 1932 and desired to expand their vision. A rodeo seemed to be the ticket to keep the small, western town kicking, considering it was settled…
The idea of Charnaye’s art project came to me because I had met the late George Flett at a craft fair on the Colville Reservation. We ended up trading books for art! That was such an honor. What a remarkable and talented man. It was that day I fell in love with ledger art. Since…
May is the time to honor mothers and veterans. My father, Lewis Sutton, was never in active combat but served in the army at Fort Lewis in Washington State for two years. I thank him and all of those who dare to keep our country safe. My mother, Jean Sutton, is a wonderful woman who…
All fictitious stories, short or long, have five elements in common. Without one of these five foundations, your story will fall flat, like a house built on sand. It’s important to know and use these so your story will make the reader satisfied, wanting to read more. ~ Character ~Setting ~Conflict ~Plot ~Solution When writing…
Every story begins with an idea. Where do Ideas come from? Where do I begin with a short story or novel? Ask “What If?” questions. What if your hero (main character) hopped a horse, taking only his/her bow, and when your hero stepped off the train he/she went back in time, forward into the…
His fingers glide up and down the guitar’s neck, his voice as smooth as jazz. “Music is medicine to my soul,” says Colville Tribal Member, Tony Louie. “It’s how I learned to cope with everyday life.” At twenty-six, Tony’s making an impact on and off the reservation. His interest in music didn’t really come about…
Nine-year-old INFR Women’s Barrel Racing Champion and Colville tribal member Rocksie Marchand recently competed at The American Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas, this past month all due to big dreams and little spurs. The 63 & ½ pound Native girl gets the job done. How? With: Determination. Perseverance. Good old-fashion hard work. “I had a…
Me: Hey, all! I’m here with my first interview with my female hero, Miss Hannah Gardner, of my historical young adult novel, Hannah’s Journey. Welcome, Hannah! How are you? Hannah: Hello, Carmen. I am quite well. *She smiles and crosses her ankles.* Thank you for asking. Me: How’s training coming along? Hannah: Between my Auntie…
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