Tornado Destruction
I would like to encourage my readers and followers to make a hasty donation to the American Red Cross for disaster relief in the affected Plains States where all of these tornados have sprung up in the last day or so. Finances help better than material donations and they’re able to be applied to specific needs faster. You can make a difference!
Go to the American Red Cross website under disaster donations and give what you can. Thank you and God be with the victims and their families.
Ya Sure, You Betcha
I will be giving away four (4) BUFFALO HUMP e-reader download cards as I stroll around the Viking Fest celebration in Poulsbo, WA, tomorrow, May 18th. The first four people who ask if I have a card will get one. I’ll be wearing something with a bear on it so you can recognize me. Good Luck!
Mothers Day Weekend
A friend of mine and some of his buddies took a quadrunner sojourn into Hells Canyon on the Idaho/Washington border, which just happens to be the deepest gorge in the U.S. The weather was warm and it was dusty on the trail, but awesome.
As soon as they made it back to the truck, a sizeable storm rolled over them, dumping huge raindrops, but they were spared getting totally drenched. They made it back to the truck just in time. Storms can surprise you when you’re down in a big canyon.
The day wasn’t over. On their way home, they came across a huge grain elevator fire in a place called Craigmont, ID near the edge of the Camas Prairie. The structure was out of control. Nothing could be done except watch in amazement.
It’s one of those adventures to tell the grandkids, sort of like if you were able to find a giant gold nugget in a canyon somewhere. Notice how I adeptly slid info about my ebook Buffalo Hump from Champagne Book Group into this. Genius!
Oh yes, and my friend lived happily ever after, too.
What Does A Writer Do When He’s Not Writing?
Research, research, research…advertise, advertise, advertise…blog, blog, blog.
In other words, the writer tries to learn as much as he/she can about the subject matter — even fiction — in order to make the bones of the story believable. I love research. The learning process makes my brain swell, but it’s a good kind of swelling. The senses, the cultures, the climates and everything that goes into people’s life experiences keep me interested, just like the Pow Wow I attended last week and learned things I never read about.
The writer markets the books and beats the brush to find ways to get the word out that his projects are not only available, but worth reading. I might be a bit biased here, I admit. This actually takes more time than putting the fingers to the keyboard and writing. Big surprise to me, but hopefully it pays off if you buy a novel that sparks your interest!
Can’t have potential readers forget about what I’m doing, so I’ll jog their collective memory with my wit and charm in one of my blogs, like this one. I also have another one at www.nnovelist.blogspot.com, plus my Facebook Author page, plus my Twitter account (@eddingsgary). Keeping them current and interesting generally requires copious coffee consumption.
When is there time to write, you ask? According to my planner, I might be able to get in another chapter in, oh, 2015 if I work hard!
My First Time…To Attend A Pow Wow, Of Course
Today (Saturday) I took the opportunity to go to my first Pow Wow. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was welcomed with open arms and received many insights into several different tribal cultures that were present.
This was the Suquamish Tribe’s Renewal Pow Wow on the Port Madison Rez in Suquamish, WA. It was filled with singing, drumming and dancing of many types. These people know how to have a party and have fun as families! Their regalia (they are not “costumes”) was dazzling.
Perhaps my favorite part was seeing all the two- and three-year olds decked out in full regalia, dancing with their moms and dads. The proud parents were nodding encouragement and the little ones were extremely well-behaved dancing along beside them. Cuteness factor of “10.”
The people, young and old, celebrated their heritage enthusiastically and their bonds were strong. Would I go to one again? In a heartbeat! Everyone should go to one of these at least once in their life time. If you are non-Native, it is best to ask in advance if you can attend. My understanding is that most Pow Wows have no problem with it, but there are some exceptions for certain religious events and that type of thing.
It’s always nice to get to know the neighbors!
Some Kinfolk Are Worth A Mention
In BUFFALO HUMP, Pete’s Aunt Tam is a traditional Nez Perce woman. She is one of the Willowa band’s historians and story tellers. She and Pete’s Uncle live near a town named Kamiah (cam-ee-aye) and raise horses.
The first time Jack met her was when Pete was laid up in the hospital. Her face looked like a shriveled prune and she spoke few words, except ones that seemed to matter. She had never been in a white man’s hospital before. Traditional medicine worked just fine for her whole life. This is where Jack started getting educated about some of the Nez Perce ways and beliefs. Pete had never told him much.
Her full name was Tamarack, a tree that sheds its needles every autumn. A tamarack is also known as a larch. Jack made the mistake of asking the difference. Pete’s uncle got huffy and said the name she had was sexy.
As Jack was showering the next morning at Pete’s parents’ farm, he heard a noise and drew the curtain back to find Tam unashamedly squatting on the toilet. All she said was, “I have to go.”
The rest of that family dynamic stuck with Jack. With all of her talk about Wyakins and Tewots, he didn’t know whether to run or hide, but this woman was someone Pete had never mentioned before and Jack began to understand why!
Pride Of The Nez Perce Nation
Pride Of The Nez Perce Nation
Appaloosas have been bred by the Nez Perce for generations. They are one of the best all-around horses in existence. They were named Idaho’s State Horse in 1975.
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A Witness Account From A Buffalo Hump Resident
“Pull up a rock and let me tell you about these two humans — one a Nez Perce and one a white guy — that disturbed the peacefulness of the neighborhood with their shenanigans while playing in the dirt around their man-cave. Better yet, get a copy of BUFFALO HUMP and read it, cuz I get a headache every time I think about it. They’ve got everyone all jittery around here with all their shooting and noisiness. It makes me grouchy.”
So Where Is This Buffalo Hump Place?
So Where Is This Buffalo Hump Place?
It’s an 8,900 foot peak smack dab in the middle of the Gospel Hump Wilderness in the Nez Perce National Forest in Central Idaho. A lot of gold has been brought out of that area over the last century and then some. Now it’s all recreational mining there, but in its heyday, over $100 million in placer gold was eked from it.
