Find joy in everyday life through the musings of a romance author.
She
brushed the gray tips and white strands of hair that gave him such untamed
nobility. With a finger, she traced his face from his temple to his jaw, across
his lips, then scraping her nails along the fine hair under his chin. A man of
his enormous size would be capable of great strength, and a gal could easily
lose herself in his arms for more than one night. His gaze intensified under
her scrutiny.
“What
do you see when you look at me?” he asked and lowered his eyes. Sinfully long
lashes brushed his cheeks.
She
considered him to be the most gorgeous man alive. His eyes mesmerized her. Some
would consider the unusual color to be eerie, but she saw a whirlwind of
emotions, from pain to hope, drawing her into his soul. Did his unusual
appearance cause issues and uncertainty in his life? Despite his intimidating
frame, he exhibited control and gentle qualities in the tender way he’d held
her when they danced and the way he’d admitted his soft spot for animals. In
arms like his, a woman could find paradise in many ways.
She
cupped his face and forced him to meet her gaze. “I see a handsome, mystical
warrior from another world.”
“Handsome,
huh? I think you need your vision checked. I am nothing more than a simple
Chippewa from Michigan.” His mouth was inches from hers. “However, I can be
magical and take you wherever you want to go.”
“Then dance with me,” she whispered.
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At the time,
Grand Rapids was one of the first large scale trading posts used by the Ottawa, Potawatomi and the Chippewa. My ancestors learned valuable
information from their relationships with these tribes which lead them to have
a successful farm and healthy family.
Despite the Avery’s wishes, the government forced the
tribe off the land and into a reservation.
According to family legend, my gt-gt-grandmother and her dearest friend
spent the last days together. After hugs
and many tears, she stood in a field and watched the tribe travel until they
were out of sight.
The information, stories, and traditions my ancestors
learned has been passed down through the generations. I grew up listening to
the stories my grandmother told of visiting the farm and her grandparents. She
also shared aspects of the Native American Spirituality and showed us how
similar it is to Christianity.
In the 1950’s, my grandparents purchased property and build a cottage on Coldwater Lake, not far from Mt. Pleasant, MI. My family spent many summers at the cottage where we collected arrowheads we found in the sand pits. A Chippewa family owned a cottage near ours and our our families spent quality time together. "Indian Dave” was a teacher and kept all the children captivated with stories, games, dances, and traditions while we sat around a bonfire. My favorite tales were those of Spirit Animals. In each book in the Legend of the Spirit series, his words live.
After Crow Magic, the first book in the Legend of the Spirit series, was published, my editor sent a photo of Martin Sensmeier to me. The handsome man is of Alaskan Native and European American descent who is famous for being an actor and model.
This particular photo inspired the character of Jamie Hawke, a Native American hawk shifter.
However, the story was inspired by a friend in the USMC who was more confident than me that I could pull off writing a battle scene. Thanks, Whiskey Rick!
