Q: What is the significance of the bluebird of happiness?
A: Bluebirds are often known as the โbluebirds of happinessโ, meaning they are generally associated with the concepts of joy, happiness, and harmony. The bluebird is a symbol of hope, love, positivity, and renewal. It symbolizes the essence of life and beauty.
Be that as it may, it does not apply to this particular bluebird. I first met him last year, at which time I wrote two blogs which you can find here and here.
So now he’s back. A bit earlier than last year, when it was the end of June when he made his first appearance. Why he would be back two and a half months early, especially with this long, drawn-out winter still delivering freezes and a sprinkling of snow, is unknown.
But something prompted him to show up.
Perhaps it’s my own fault.
Maybe he’s back because I needed to hear his messages–again.
Perseverance in the face of opposition, for one. I’d recently given up on a major project. Maybe I shouldn’t.
The other? The foolishness of getting all spun-up and worrying about something that will never happen.
Something with odds similar to this bird showing up to remind me of something I already knew. Furthermore, worry tends to attract more to worry about based on “The Law of Attraction.”
Is he indeed a spirit messenger, like last year? A maiyun, as the Cheyenne call them? Come to remind me that I haven’t learned my lessons any better than he has?
As before, my cats are enjoying the show, a nice distraction from their usually boring house cat existence. Originally, I thought the reason Mr. Bluebird was attacking the window was because of the cats. However, often birds see their reflection and think it’s competition. I now believe this may be the case more than the cats.
Either way, Mr. Bluebird is missing the mark. Cats aren’t a threat and his reflection is not competition. Is there another lesson there for me? Perhaps.
All is not as it seems. Which is something I’ve been reading about a lot lately. More on that in a later blog.
Perhaps I need to concentrate on the popular definition of the Blue Bird of Happiness as represented by this tiny knicknack that was my mom’s. It’s been around a bit, has a few scars, but maintains a much friendlier persona than the one striking the upstairs window, even as I write.
There are messengers all around if you’re paying attention. It’s too easy to get caught up in life with its challenges and miss answers right before your eyes. This is one thing I learned writing The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon trilogy with my Northern Cheyenne co-author, Pete Risingsun.
I already believed there are no coincidences. Thus, when something out of the ordinary crosses my path, I know it pays to consider what it’s trying to tell you.
Many advise getting out into Nature when you’re stressed. Perhaps the wisdom of that lies in the fact that outside is where such messages tend to reside.
One of my favorite sayings, “No life is ever wasted–you can always serve as a bad example” applies here, too.ย Watching this little bird fly repeatedly into the window reminds me of the numerous worries everyone has to contend with.
What window are you flying up against? There’s a target-rich environment out there these days. You can see it, but is it really a threat?
If Mr. Bluebird showed up at your window, what would he be trying to tell you? Have you missed any messages lately?
Naples, New York, January 2026. (No, it is not a black and white photo, just a very monochromatic day.)
As this harsh winter drags on, my thoughts turn to those, especially some on Native American reservations who live in Third World conditions and don’t have a cozy home with electric, gas or propane heat. Some are lucky to have enough wood to stay warm with others not, incidents of people freezing to death too common. Such conditions are hard to imagine. I avoid going outside, especially the trek to my mailbox which lies up a slight grade about fifty yards away. Going any further is incomprehensible.
Little Wolf and Morning Star.
Then I think of the thousand mile journey known as the Northern Cheyenne Exodus. After two years of captivity in Oklahoma’s “Indian Territory” following the Little Bighorn battle on June 25, 1876, ย 353 Cheyenne escaped under cover of darkness in September 1878 and attempted to return to their Montana homeland. They split into two bands, one led by Little Wolf and the other by Morning Star (often called Dull Knife).ย Morning Star’s group surrendered at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, but refused to return to Oklahoma.
Subsequently, the 149 men, women, and children broke out of their barracks on January 9, 1879 into a freezing winter storm, resulting in a massacre. Little Wolf’s band made it to Montana, where they stayed until the government finally granted land to the Cheyenne for their current Reservation.
“Tell them We Are Going Home” ledger painting by Northern Cheyenne artist Alaina Buffalo Spirit, depicting the Cheyenne’s tragic journey back to their homeland.
Conditions in Oklahoma were horrible, motivating them to take the risk of leaving. But other than that, what drives people to go to such extremes, to return to their homeland?
Another factor that comes to mind involves the prevailing Cheyenne belief that the Creator, whom they know as Maheo, gave them that land. This became even more viable when my coauthor, Pete Risingsun, and I were researching, “The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits – Novavose.” It was then we learned about their ancient sacred ceremony known as the Massaum, also known as the Earth Giving Ceremony, taught to them by their cultural hero and prophet, Sweet Medicine.
This book provided much of the research represented in “The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon.”
More and more frequently those beliefs previously considered myths are being shown to be historical fact. “The Wolves of Heaven” by German anthropologist, Karl H. Schlesier, addresses the Massaum ceremony, its complexity, and meaning. He dates it as going back as far as 10,000 years. That’s a long, long time before Columbus, folks.
Is it possible that the reason the government relented and gave that land in Montana back to the Northern Cheyenne was related to that ancient covenant?
As an astrologer, another thought that comes to mind is the imprint we each receive at birth that’s reflected on your birth chart or horoscope. Its calculated based on the date, time, and location you were born and functions as a roadmap for your life. It includes your personality, strengths, and weaknesses and numerous other things about you to numerous to include here. If you leave your place of birth, the chart moves with you, though the original impression remains.
I was born in New York State, but lived in California, Utah, and Texas before winding up back in New York. Only when I studied astrology did I understand why I felt like a slightly different person in each of those other states. When I moved back it felt oddly comfortable, as if this is where I belonged, even after being gone for over sixty years. The astrological study of locational effects is known as astrocartography, which provides information on how different locales affect you.
Does that astrological imprint combined with genetic coding help migrating birds and other animals, even Monarch butterflies?
How do you feel about your homeland? Do you still live there? Did you return after a long absence? Since I have moved around quite a bit, I’ve noticed that people native to an area often lookย upon move-ins with suspicion, sometimes even outward hostility. ย This is true, even if you’re from the same country. I lived in a small town in Utah for 15 years and was always considered a “move-in” by those who’d resided there for several generations. It was the same in small-town Texas and likewise here in New York, even though I was born in the state.
Thus, it’s no surprise, that immigrants from foreign lands with entirely different cultures and languages are often looked upon with suspicion.
Hmmmm…..
Which brings me to the thought, how did Native Americans react to the invasion by Europeans? I think we all know how that turned out. Prophecy has promised them some day they’ll get their land back. If you’d like to read a fictitious version of how that might play out, be sure to read “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon” trilogy to the end. Available in paperback, hard cover, and ebook formats on Amazon and most online retailers.
The importance of the Blue Star is not unique to the Hopi. It is also a symbol the Cheyenne revere and paint on their faces for sacred rituals such as their Massaum ceremony as well as ceremonial fasts. Originally, it comprised four triangles joined at the apex, similar to a Maltese cross. [Learn more about the Massaum and its significance as the Earth Giving Ceremony in “The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits – Novavose.”]
The Blue Star is currently represented by a blue diamond shape that comprises four lines, two from the hairline above the bridge of the nose to the base of each ear, then lines drawnย to the base of the chin.
Rigel, a star in the constellation Orion, is what the Cheyenne consider the blue star, its rising when the Massaum ceremony public performance began.
The Navajo (Dine) call Orion Atse Ets’Ozi, the First Slender One, a young, strong warrior responsible to provide protection to his family and people. Whether they attribute special meaning to Rigel is known only to their medicine men and elders because most of their star lore is considered sacred. They only talk about their constellations as part of their winter stories or to a limited extent during the summer solstice.
The Cheyenne also view the Pleiades as significant and paint it on their lodges. The Cherokee believe that is where they originally came from. This well-known grouping of seven stars is also revered by the Mayan, who return to it figuratively via sacred ritual.
Paul Werner Duarte, a German/Mayan descendant of the Olmec culture from Vera Cruz, Mexico, has a lengthy and informative section in Nancy Red Star’s book, “Star Ancestors.” In it he states, “The Red man has had a covenant with the beings from space since the beginning. The Red man is the Atlantean. Edgar Cayce once said, ‘Take an Aztec, take a Maya, take a Hopi, take a Cherokee, take a Cheyenne, and you’re looking at an Atlantean.’ Earth is not the original home for any human…. The Red man descended to Earth from the Pleiades; indienous people have a long history of space exploration and extraterrestrial contact.”
The Navajo (Dine) call the Pleiades Dilyehe, which translates “seed-like sparkles. Its rising and setting have been used for centuries and probably millennia to time when to begin as well as when to cease planting crops to assure they don’t freeze when planted too early or too late.
Dakota Blue Star
In the following video by Wanbdi Wakita, a Dakota elder, he explains how they came from the Blue Star . Their women had dreams about it and made it into their star quilts. He does not specify which star in the sky it might be. You cannot listen to this man without feeling his strong spirit.
Hopi Prophecy
The Hopi Blue Star prophecy is currently receiving a lot of attention with the appearance of 3I/Atlas. As far back as 1972 their holy man, Thomas Manyacya, attempted to warn the world. The video’s description on YouTube states:
The Blue Star – Thomas Banyacya: Thomas Banyacya: The Hopi Prophecy was first produced as a video letter to the United Nations Environmental Programme, at the request of the Hopi elders of Hotevilla. Thomas Banyacya, a Hopi leader and spokesman for the Hopi high religious leaders was in his 80s in 1989 when this important meeting took place and was recorded on film. In a traditional circle, Banyacya and the elders meet with visiting Lummi, Lacandone, and American and Mexican environmentalists.
They discuss the Hopi Prophecy that foretold, โKoyaanisqatsiโ, meaning โlife in turmoil, life out of balance,โ as a result of increasing materialism and environmental destruction. Thomas carries the Hopi message which calls for universal peace and spiritual unity and how the only hope for humankind to survive is to return to connectedness with Mother Earth. Humanity must use its knowledge and technology to clean up the water, the air, and the contaminated land. At the same time, we must conserve the remaining natural resources. The individual greed of both people and nations must be replaced with global concern for the balance of life on this planet.
He repeated the message again in 1995 as you can listen to in the following videos.
Conclusion
Why is the Blue Star revered across numerous Indigenous cultures? Has the Blue Star arrived at last in the form of 3I/Atlas?
Whatever that object is, it has baffled scientists as its behavior defies the laws of physics. Is it being controlled by intelligent beings? It seems beyond coincidence that the WOW signal received back in 1977 that lasted 72 seconds came from the same place in the cosmos from which 3I/Atlas originated. Coincidence? Not likely, with odds around a billion to one.
Is it a message from the star people?
Time will tell.
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future updates.
If there’s one thing that few will argue, it’s that Indigenous people have a closer connection to the Earth and all living things than the science-based white man. They repeatedly tell us we are all related, including the animals and all other living things.
Even what a geologist would consider an inanimate mineral can have a story to tell, as conveyed in “The Making of a Healer” by Russell FourEagles. In that book he found a stone that was shaped such that it had apparently been the head of hide scraping tool. Using his Indigenous healer gift of perception, which inspired him to pick it up in the first place, he discerned its history, from when the rock was found by a young girl, to its evolution to a tool when it was secured in a young tree to grow around it to form it’s handle.
Yeah, that’s who I am. I read weird stuff like that. But I must admit that much of this went over my head, but what I did absorb was remarkable. And right in synch with Native American beliefs regarding the unity of all existence.
I have a bachelors degree in physics. Thus, I’ve had college classes in quantum theory. I’ve had my own thoughts on that over the years. Years ago scientists thought that light needed to propagate through some medium and theorized the existence of the aether, that permeated all of creation, including outer space. Then, when this couldn’t be detected and proven to exist, it was dismissed, the term declared verboten, and space declared an empty vacuum. Then a few decades later, they come up with dark matter, which to me, is the same thing with a different name. And Mr. Antic agrees.
The quantum world is nothing like what we experience day to day. Its weird and loaded with mystery. Gradually, science is admitting it doesn’t know everything. Big surprise! In my mind the most laughable scientific period of time was “The Enlightenment” where we were supposedly beginning to understand how the world operates.
Yeah, right.
Instead, the true essence of existence was dismissed if it couldn’t be proven in the lab in a repeatable manner. Sadly, too many people still believe that today.
Like Antic states in this book, “Since our current stage of evolution has not gone past the monkey phase, obviously that explains why we are so imperfect, incapable, and destructive, and appear to be on a collision course aimed at destroying the whole planet we live on.”
He describes the world of quantum physics as the very foundation of nature where there is nothing solid. “There is not a material world as such, it is rather a universal energy field, a big information field where everything is interconnected in one unity outside of space and time, in whichย all the subatomic particles communicate with one another currently and irrelevantly of space and time.” [Emphasis added]
Well, well, well. Imagine that.
He goes on to explain that the infamous Maxwell Equations that I learned in college were actually modified by mathematicians after Maxwell’s death because the world was not ready for what the originals contained. Indeed, they blasted the “Enlightenment” out of the water by recognizing the aether as well as both Hertzian and non-Hertzian waves, which are separated by the speed of light.
He notes that “There is a common belief that the earth we walk on is a conscious being.” He notes that water has “physical properties that are a characteristic of the quantum world: it reacts to thoughts and neighboring frequencies, it remembers all the shapes and informational influences it was exposed to, both physical and mental, and acts the way consciousness would act in its most elementary form. Water unites consciousness with the elements, making it the foundation of life that is present in all living beings….”
I cannot count the times I’ve seen the statement “Water is Life” in Native American context.
Antic notes that “Plants adapt to their environment showing creative consciousness in their forming…Plants live on water and sunlight, sense and perceive, have non-local communication, bond emotionally with other beings, and feel the states of living organisms in their surroundings, especially in people.”
Is it any wonder that Indigenous people have certain plants they consider sacred?
He points out that “Tree trunks are antennas connecting the earth to the cosmos; they communicate with the stars. They communicate with people who are aware enough to have communication of this kind, those who can sense in their bodies the mild signals containing simple messages, always amicable and full of affection.“ [Emphasis mine]
I was delighted when I read that since that’s exactly what Charlie did in “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon” in the chapter entitled “The Aspen” where the tree that witnessed the accident that killed his best friend gave him a clue on where to find evidence. When I wrote some of these scenes I wondered if they were realistic. My Cheyenne coauthor, Pete Risingsun, assured me that they were.
And there it is, in a book about the physics of consciousness.
Out-of-body experiences, such as near-death experiences (NDEs) have an important message in that they teach individuals directly that they are not their body but immortal consciousness. Per Antic, “For as long as we remain identified with the physical body as the only reality, we cannot know the true nature of consciousness and existence.”
This explains the reason why people who have had NDEs often are changed upon returning to their bodies. In the Dead Horse Canyon trilogy, both Sara and Charlie are different after going through NDEs. In many instances I’ve read that one is necessary for one to become a medicine man or shaman because it opens up their perception to other dimensions.
Shona Bear Clark in Nancy Redstar’s book “Our Star Ancestors” states, “I had been dead for seven minutes. I was in pure light. I didn’t see or hear anyone in the light, but ever since then I have been able to hear people thinking. I can see a person’s spirit floating above his head, which tells me a great deal about the person.” She goes on to say, ” I have lived a long life, continually aware of the existence of other realities and of strange, magical beings who can traverse the dimensional barriers and enter my world. These are things Indians rarely speak about to White men. But we are changing all that now.”
I found it profound, satisfying and gratifying to find the phenomena depicted in mine and Pete’s books to be validated by a book that describes the “physics of consciousness.”
Undoubtedly what is commonly called our current “civilized” world is a gross overstatement.
Antic’s book, of which this is one of many, is not an easy read. I think I underlined a substantial percentage of it due to its wealth of fascinating content. Many paragraphs I had to read several times before I could grok what he was saying. It’s a book I will definitely read again. If you’re interested in what consciousness really is and its amazing implication, then you might want to pick up a copy on Amazon here.
If you enjoyed this blog be sure to subscribe so you’re notified when a new one is posted. I plan to do several more posts on this subject in the days and weeks to come. I also invite you to read “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon” trilogy, which is loaded with examples of Indigenous culture and their connection to dimensions most people cannot see and some claim don’t exist.
Like Antic noted, sadly too many are still at the monkey stage.
I love making trailer videos to capture the essence of these stories that my coauthor, Pete Risingsun, and I created together. As an author I’m absolutely thrilled with how AI can bring them to life like never before!
Let me know what you think in the comments and be sure to share!
The entire trilogy is now available in ebook, paperback, and laminated hardback formats on Amazon. If you prefer a classic dust-jacket hardback, they’re available through Barnes and Noble and other book dealers.
Grab your reading glasses and find a comfortable chair! Reader’s Guides for all three books in The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon Trilogy are now complete! You can download each one in pdf format below as well as on each book’s respective page on this website.
Note that there are two for each book. The “Thematic” version is much shorter and addresses the book as a whole. The Reader’s Guides are more comprehensive, especially for Books Two and Three. These proceed chapter by chapter while they’re grouped for Book One.ย
Just for fun, trivia, a playlist and even a few recipes are included. Why? To further relay the tone, feeling, and in some cases, taste, of the books.ย
Along those lines, here’s a link to some indigenous music I love to get you in the mood. It’s not Cheyenne, it’s Australian, but who can resist that beat? Why is it here? This is what Charlie and Sara are listening to when they’re searching for Bryan’s data! This scene is found in Chapter 42, Canopus, of The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits.
This trilogy not only lent itself to reader’s guides, but demanded them. Why? Serious readers, including book club members, crave a deep dive into complex stories. This trilogy is loaded with characters, each with their own agenda. So many that a dramatis personae was included in each book to help keep them straight. Greedy oil barons, corrupt government officials, and lobbyists on one side with charismatic indigenous men and women reestablishing a culture white men tried to destroy on the other–plus a wide variety of other supporting characters.
Their destiny? Light the fuse on a 19th Century curse.
Here are a few comments from emails I received:
“…intrigued, not only by the depth of the storyline, but by how seamlessly you blend Indigenous prophecy, science, and spiritual awakening. That balance isnโt easy to strike, yet your work does it with power and purpose.”
“You two are such a powerful creative force, and this story is proof of what fiction can be when itโs written with purpose, cultural depth, and emotional honesty. The pacing, the point of view shifts, the drama, the reverence– even the surprising emotional pivots andย that healing ceremonyโฆwow came together in a way that felt epic, yet deeply personal.”
“An explosive conclusion blending conspiracy, cultural heritage, and spiritual awakening is an incredible hook. The depth youโve woven from Cheyenne prophecy to modern corruption creates a narrative thatโs both gripping and profound.”
What are you waiting for? Dive in today, armed with a Reader’s Guide that will assure you don’t miss a thing. If you do, it’s okay. Multiple readers have reported reading the books more than once, catching details they previously missed.
Less likely, however, with the Reader’s Guide. ๐
And when you’ve finished devouring the saga please leave a review! Reviews help other readers find books they’ll like and help authors as well. If you read reviews before you buy something, then you know how important they are.
The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits (Book 1)
If you’re a serious reader and want to really sink your teeth into this saga, now you can download our free Readers’ Guide for help along the way. Loaded with thought-provoking insights, discussion ideas, a few recipes, playlists, and a touch of trivia, it will enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the complexities of this award-winning story. Numerous readers have reported reading it at least twice, which bodes well for its quality and reader engagement.
If you belong to a book club, this will facilitate your dive into the series, with similar guides for the other two books coming soon.
If you’ve read any books in the Dead Horse Canyon trilogy you’ve encountered numerous instances where Charlie received a message from something other than another human being. In the Cheyenne culture these messengers are known as the maiyun, or spirit helpers. When I was writing these stories and Charlie would come across one, I always wondered if it was a stretch, my imagination getting out of hand. However, my coauthor, Pete Risinsun, always assured me they were quite typical in his culture.
If we focused on tuning into nature, considering we’re all part of the same greater, spiritual whole, we could hear them, too. You could start with noticing spirit animals, which is when you spot anything from a spider, bird, squirrel, or other wild animal that gets your attention. What is he or she trying to tell you? Often it will relate to one or more of its characteristics that you would do well to replicate. You can find a previous blog on spirit animals here.
If relating to an indigenous culture is too much of a stretch, try reading about the experiences of someone from a more familiar western way of life; someone whose work provides a bridge of sorts between the two belief systems. One I’ve learned from is medium, Rob Gutro, who has first-hand experience with the world of spirits.
I first discovered his books when I stumbled upon his “Pets and the Afterlife” series after losing one of my fur babies, an 18 year old Bengal named Ophelia. He not only channels humans, but pets as well, providing information he couldn’t possible know or understand, yet has meaning to grieving pet parents. I found considerable comfort in the stories, which include information on signs to watch for that your pet is paying you a visit from beyond the Rainbow Bridge.
Indeed, shortly after reading the first book in that series, Ophelia did, indeed, come to visit one night. I have her cremated remains on a bookshelf in a little wooden box. Next to it is her favorite toy that she used to carry around. When she did, she would meow as Bengals do which, with the toy in her mouth, came out as a distorted blood-curdling yowl.
She loved her “baby” and often slept with it. And one morning, when I got up, her “baby” was on the floor. There was no other way it could have gotten there since it was out of reach of my other two cats. Furthermore, there was a chair stacked with pillows in front of it, so it should have fallen on top. If one of the cats had jumped on it, the pillows would have fallen. However, the toy was not only on the floor, but underneath the chair.
I’m sure she’s come by other times as well, most likely with her much larger brother, who passed in 2020, which I suspect is what’s going on when my other two cats are staring with wide eyes at something I cannot see.
If you have ever lost a beloved pet, I highly recommend this series. I had the first two books, both of which I’ve given away to friends and family when they were grieving a similar loss.
Thus, when I encountered another of Gutro’s book, “Kindred Spirits: When a Medium Befriends a Spirit” I was fascinated. The other books were very informative about the Spirit World, so I wondered what else I might learn. A few details came out that were new and directly related to the Cheyenne concept of maiyuns.
One very basic concept is that our deceased loved ones are not as far away as we may think. He explains how spirits are those who “go into the light” when they pass while ghosts remain in a fixed location for some reason known only to them. Sometimes they’re lost or confused and can be helped to cross over, which Gutro has done on occasion.
If you’ve read the Dead Horse Canyon books, you may recall White Wolf and Charlie talking about doing that in book 2 when they drove to Billings to get a new alternator for the Explorer and perceived spirits along the highway, which according to Gutro’s explanations, would have been ghosts.
Gutro noted that spirits can interact with anything living. There are various instances in the trilogy where Charlie encountered just that. What comes to mind is whether it was the spirit of the aspen tree (Book 1, Chapter 6), or the squirrel (Book 3, Chapter 43) that spoke to him, or was it a spirit of one of his ancestors prompting the interaction?
According to Gutro, visiting spirits often leave something for you to find, like a coin. In most cases its date will relate to the person in some way, such as their birth or death year, or other key time, for example when you met. Such an example in the books is the arrowhead Charlie came upon during a trail ride. (Book 2, Chapter 39). Later, in Book 3, White Wolf told him that a maiyun spooked the horse so that he would fall off and find it.
Gutro also mentioned how a person’s energy is retained in their cherished possessions. This is what “sentimental value” is all about. What do you have that is quite possibly just sitting around collecting dust, but you simply can’t get rid of it because it means something to you or did to someone you cared about and is now gone?
Here’s an example of such an object I have doing just that. That little knick knack,
which is older than I am and at one time cost $0.79, which is inked on the bottom, belonged to my mom. As long as I can remember it sat on the kitchen windowsill. I have no idea what it meant to her or why, but it was always there, and has been broken and repaired numerous times. For whatever weird reason, I think I would protect that little bull with my life! (Maybe not, but you get the idea.) Something about that little guy touches my heart.
Not long ago, a friend sent me something and when I received it I could feel the affection it contained. That made me rethink my usual practice of having presents drop-shipped to save money rather than reshipping them myself. Should I be infusing these gifts with affection, like Star did with the gifts for Sara and her family in Book 2? And what about Amasani’s blanket, (Book 1, Chapter 24) that conveyed her love and comfort to Charlie?
I can’t help wondering about trickster maiyuns, like the ones that always caused minor household problems whenever White Wolf and Charlie were away from home. If you’ve ever had a friend or relative who was prone to practical jokes, could that be their origin? Still up to no good in the afterlife?
Gutro’s knowledge of the Spirit World has vast similarities with what the Northern Cheyenne and other indigenous cultures not only know but take for granted. Spiritually enlightened people continue to remind us we are all connected and love is the strongest energy there is. We can always hope that daily living spirituality is making a comeback.
The real question is not only why but when was it lost to the white man, but not indigenous people?
History undoubtedly holds the answer.
[Note:–The Dead Horse Canyon Trilogy mega-ebook that contains all three Dead Horse Canyon volumes is now on Kindle Unlimited! If you haven’t yet indulged in this series and don’t have Kindle Unlimited, you can get your copy for only $7.99, a 38% savings over buying the ebooks separately, plus a special addendum is included.]
Have you ever wondered how Pete Risingsun, a Northern Cheyenne elder living on the tribe’s reservation in southeastern Montana, and Marcha Fox, a science fiction author living in Texas, became coauthors? If so, you’ll want to read the article published by the staff of Soaring Eagle, the charitable organization that supports the Heritage Living Center for Northern Cheyenne elders where Pete resides. You can find it in the Spring edition on their website here. That organization was key to facilitating this incredible partnership that has produced three award-winning novels over the past five years.
Pete and Marcha have never met face-to-face and he does not even have a computer! Phone calls, texting, and snail mail were the vehicles used to communicate, collaborate, and produce over 1400 pages of an incredible three-volume story.
The response to the article was great, as shown by a significant increase in book sales. Of particular interest was a letter, which you can see below, that was sent to Soaring Eagle by a woman who read the newsletter and as a result purchased and read the three books.
The biggest challenge for most authors, especially those that are self-published, is finding their audience. The Dead Horse Canyon Saga is unique, making this even more difficult since it doesn’t fit a single genre. However, with multiple story themes including a government conspiracy, murder, a detailed glimpse at Cheyenne history and ceremony, deep bonds of family and friendship, to say nothing of Charlie Littlewolf’s transformational journey back to his roots, there is something for everyone.
So far the three volumes have captured a total of 13 awards. This includes 5-stars and glowing reviews from Readers’ Favorite for each book, along with prestigious Book Excellence Awards.
Fans of the Longmire series (Craig Johnson’s books as well as the TV series) or the Leaphorn and Chee stories by Tony Hillerman and continued by his daughter, Anne, (novels and the Dark Winds TV series) are likely to enjoy these books. Dead Horse Canyon takes an even deeper dive into native culture and history with characters the reviewer from The Book Commentary described as “lovable,” while an Amazon reviewer of the third book described them as “Characters you will fall in love with. Characters you will fantasize horrible death wishes for with fingers crossed. And sleepless nights as you read it.“
It’s been said, “Do not to judge a book by its cover.” Just in case this is an issue, new covers are coming the end of June! Stay tuned!
Pete Risingsun, my coauthor, and I did a vast amount of research when we wrote “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon” trilogy. The depiction of the Cheyenne culture is accurate. The history referred to in the stories really happened, save that which was clearly made-up, though even that was feasible. Abandoned mines definitely are a pollution issue. The astrology is actual for the time and place and characters involved, which is weird and another blog in itself.
But if there was one thing that was made up it was the source of the conspiracy, i.e., the Pearson Underground Residence Facility (PURF).
Or was it?
My jaw dropped when a friend sent me this article about just that, such a facility on an even grander scale than I have in our novel! Check it out here.
The article in The New York Post linked above opens with the following paragraph, “The federal government has secretly spent trillions building an elaborate network of subterranean ‘cities’ where the rich and powerful can shelter during a ‘near-extinction event,’ a former Bush White House official sensationally claimed.”
Much of its source and, if you’ll excuse the expression “from the horse’s mouth,” can be found in this short video (12 minutes) where Elizabeth Austin Fitts, who served as the assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Housing between 1989 and 1990, talks about it on Tucker Carson’s podcast.
While I knew there were plenty of underground bases (because the History Channel says so, right?) which made PURF credible, I had no idea it was even worse than I imagined!
So if anyone out there thinks that part of the story is a stretch, bear in mind that they have actually spent even more, by several orders of magnitude, than I have noted in the books. We’re talking TRILLIONS whereas in the story it was BILLIONS.
The money probably came from those “magic money machines” the DOGE team found, right? The actual corruption coming out these days makes my fictitious situation pale by comparison.
While Pete and I were writing these books I was amazed by how many actual situations–historical and otherwise–fit perfectly. Particularly, as we researched Cheyenne ceremonies, much came out that drove and further defined the storyline. I didn’t know anything about the Massaum as the Earth Giving Ceremony, the meeting of Indigenous leaders at Walker Lake, Nevada, or any number of other things when I conceived this story. I knew how it would end but I had no idea how.
As I look back, I can’t help but wonder where this story came from? Mine and Pete’s imagination? I may have mentioned this before, but I’m what they call a “pantser,” not a “plotter.” In other words, I write “by the seat of my pants.”
I start with a very general idea/theme in mind. I populate it with characters and turn them loose. I’m more of a scribe than an author making the story up. I simply watch what they do and write it down. My characters repeatedly get themselves into scrapes where I have absolutely no idea how they’ll get out.
But they do. Usually in some way I never dreamed of.
Did I channel these books rather than make them up?
I think most of us can agree there are other dimensions out there. Psychic phenomena are very real and no doubt operate in some other reality beyond what we can currently detect. Did these stories actually take place in one of them?
I had much the same experience while writing the Star Trails Tetralogy, especially in “The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51″ in developing the science behind a telepathic walking plant.
One of the reasons I love research is all the amazing, serendipitous factoids I uncover that fit and often drive the plot and action. It’s as if the story is already out there, just waiting for some writer’s muse to whisper it in their ear.
I must say, not knowing what will happen makes writing as much fun as reading. I like to think that if it has me in suspense that such will be conveyed to my readers as well.
Here’s one teaser from “Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits – Novavose” where I had absolutely no idea what would happen. The character in question popped up quite late in the book, but she fit perfectly.
If you’d like to get the entire trilogy in a single mega-ebook that also includes some bonus material about that Earth Giving Ceremony, you can pick one up on Amazon here.
Let me know in the comments what you think regarding where stories come from as well as whether you find my stories predictable. Like I say, I know how they’ll end, but rarely if ever know how it comes about.
