The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon
Government corruption ignites a 19th Century Cheyenne curse.
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.
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.
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 isn’t 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 it’s written with purpose, cultural depth, and emotional honesty. The pacing, the point of view shifts, the drama, the reverence– even the surprising emotional pivots and that healing ceremony…wow 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 you’ve woven from Cheyenne prophecy to modern corruption creates a narrative that’s 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. 😉
Available as ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. If you have Kindle Unlimited you can read the entire Trilogy for free. [NOTE:–Hardcovers on Amazon are laminated covers, those on Barnes and Noble are cloth covers with a dust jacket.]
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.
I am very pleased to report that “The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits – Novavose” has received both a Book Excellence Award and a 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite. I give tremendous credit to the reviewer, Jamie Michele, who had a heavy task, dealing with the final book in this long, complex saga. I’m beyond grateful she was clearly up to it, however, and comprehended the significance and import of the events. Here is what she had to say:
“The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits – Novavose by Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun is the finale to the Dead Horse Canyon Saga. In books one and two, Sara Reynolds recalls only her husband Bryan’s dying plea to discover his killers after a deadly crash. With the help of Bryan’s friend, Charlie Littlewolf, and ancient ceremonies, they uncover the truth behind Bryan’s murder, sending their lives into turmoil.
“As Charlie roils with conflict over his oil drilling job, he also faces his true destiny on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Meanwhile, Sara risked her life to expose a government conspiracy that was ready to silence her permanently. Now, Sara fights for survival after the attack that left her paralyzed, and Charlie vows to help her heal. His journey to Bear Butte reveals a destiny tied to restoring the ancient Massaum ceremony. As corrupt officials celebrate a secret facility’s opening, Indigenous leaders gather, fulfilling long-held prophecies that could change the fate of Dead Horse Canyon forever.
“’Do not become afraid when the Sweet Medicine Spirits come to you. Do not disobey them. Be humble and do what you are told.’
“The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon by Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun stands out for its sharp writing and complete ability to immerse readers, especially in Charlie’s spiritual transformation. Poor Sara just cannot get a break. Attacked, paralyzed, kidnapped, and then labeled a domestic terrorist and sanctioned! This isn’t just a fight for survival; this is about the power of truth in the face of overwhelming opposition.
“Charlie fits into this description, with a spectacular ceremony for Sara’s healing, but also as a powerful catalyst when he is in the presence of Grandmother Earth and the consequences of his actions. Fox and Risingsun are a dream writing team in every way, and, culturally, this portrayal of Charlie’s heritage is painted from the sky to the smallest pebble and the fire burning in between. The pacing is elevated by point of view shifts and all the drama, but also a surprising relationship transformation as well. Ultimately, this finale succeeds with a perfect 10 landing.
“Very, very highly recommended.”
Every author believes in their work but receiving validation from an objective reviewer who doesn’t know you from Adam is worth its weight in gold. Self-promotion is not my superpower, making me appreciate the kudos even more.
If you haven’t yet read the trilogy, all three volumes are coming out April 18 as a box set ebook on Amazon. You can preorder your copy here.
In honor of Native American Heritage Month both this new release as well as its predecessor, “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits,” are on sale in ebook format for only $0.99 through November 30, 2021.
If you’ve read the first book, no doubt you’ve been wondering what happens now that Charlie and Sara have discovered what her husband, Bryan, discovered that cost him his life.
While Charlie swore to avenge his white brother’s death, the path to do so remains unclear.
His job with Lone Star Operations allows him to use his college education and earn a generous income. However, it conflicts with everything he knows to be right. Is violating the Earth wrong or not? Little does he realize that his work will ultimately return him to the Northern Cheyenne reservation where his true destiny will manifest in ways he never imagined.
Sara is determined to fulfill Bryan’s last request to expose the government corruption coupled with the lethal forces that stole his life. Releasing the scandalous Top Secret data via WikiLeaks infuriates those with much to lose, which places her in the cross-hairs of a hired killer.
While miles apart, each struggles with life-threatening situations as a result of their dedication to Bryan’s legacy. Their lives remain entangled through a series of fateful decisions and circumstances that define a future fraught with unknowns for them both.
The books are available through the following links with more vendors to follow in the coming days. Remember that reviews are pure gold to authors and help other readers decide on whether a book is right for them.
Book 1:
Book 2
Q: How did you meet Marcha Fox? You live in Montana and she lives in Texas.
A: I wrote a detailed article about sweet grass, a sacred medicine plant the Cheyenne use in all of our spiritual ceremonies. Marcha read the article in the Soaring Eagle Newsletter, then wrote me a letter and we eventually talked on the phone. She liked the way I wrote the article.
Q: What happened next?
A: We did an interview on the phone. My questions were:
She called back the next day and said, “I want the book written accurately so when another Cheyenne reads the book they will not be offended.”
After that, she received an A for the first three questions and an A+ for the fourth question.
I told her I had to read her book first to determine if I could help her. She assured me it would be easy.
I read her draft of The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon. I told myself, “Wow. If you decide to help Marcha you are going to change Charlie Littlewolf into a traditional Cheyenne. You will make him a Cheyenne medicine man and warrior and the grandson of an honored and respected medicine man.” I pondered it for a week, thinking it could help my grandson’s college fund.
Q: What convinced you to coauthor with Marcha?
A. Well, I felt confident that I could help. My question was how we would accomplish telling the story.
I began to understand she needed a Cheyenne medicine man to be a main character in the story. Still I had no answer on how. Then I knew: Ask the grandfather spirits for guidance.
I went to the sweat lodge alone and entered. I called the spirits and waited a long time before they came. The grandfather spirits spoke the truth to me. “You help this woman, she wants to do good things for our Cheyenne people. Tell her your story, only in the spirit of truth. You cannot do this for money, you will fail. Grandson, you have been chosen by Maheo to speak for your people.”
I then had a purpose to tell my story for my people. I went home feeling happy. I thanked the grandfather spirits for their guidance with wisdom and became the coauthor.
Q. You are from two entirely different cultures. Did you experience any challenges because of the cultural differences?
A. The greatest challenge was communicating the details of our Cheyenne spiritual ceremonies. The ceremonial sweat lodge requires detail and protocol. Ceremonial sweat lodge keepers have completed their vows for many ceremonies to earn their right to be a lodge keeper. So therefore they have high expectations of individuals who enter to focus on the purpose and protocol for the ceremonial sweat.
The Sacred Mountain fasting ceremony requires four days and nights on a buffalo robe with a sacred red pipe and the guidance of a painter who earned their right to guide you to complete your vow to fast at the sacred mountain.
The fasting ceremony requires a year of preparation with family support to set up camp and be there when your painter brings you down. Your vow is a commitment to fast without water and food for four days and nights for a purpose.
I came to understand and realize that I had not explained to Marcha who, what, why and how a medicine man became who he is. A medicine man inherits his medicine from his grandfather from a lifetime of teachings. A medicine man has great spirit powers with Cheyenne medicine to heal and clean people of their wounds, illnesses, curses, and call back lost spirits.
I realized how important it was for me to explain and continue to clarify my communications when the main character in the story was to become a medicine man.
We then were able to begin transforming Littlewolf into the grandson of Eaglefeathers, a true medicine man with great spirit powers.
Q. What agreement did you and Marcha have as authors of “The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon?”
A. We did not agree on a plan, we just did it. Marcha offered to hire me as a subject matter expert and sent a payment in good faith. We did the hourly rate arrangement for a short time. I then offered the Cheyenne way. I told her, “I will help you write your story and when we are done you can give me a gift of your choice, to show what my work meant to you.”
Cheyennes gift a nice comfortable blanket. So we decided to do this, since Marcha felt this was fair. My grandfather spirits said for me to tell my story in the spirit of truth for my people and not for money. We became a team of good faith to tell a great story.
Learn more about Pete on his author page here.
The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon 