QUADE'S QUEST - QUADE & HANNAH'S SECOND INTERVIEWS

QUADE’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    What did you learn about conditions at the reservation when you arrived at the fort? Things there are not good. The Indian Agent, Simon, is cheating the very people he’s been sent here to help. Not only has he been selling the supplies meant for the Cheyenne, he’s been bringing them rotten meat and buggy flour. Something has to be done to stop him. Thank goodness the Cheyenne have agreed to help us find out what’s been going on with him.

2.)    When you were heading to the area where you hoped to catch Simon in the act of selling the supplies, you were taken prisoner by Crooked Snake. Did you fear for you life? I’ve heard all the stories about him. Of course I feared for my life. It didn’t take him long to admit to me he is Hannah’s real father. I love her so much, but I can tell he hates me because I’ve asked her to be my wife. I had my suspicions about her parentage before I asked her, but I’d never mentioned it to anyone. Hopefully, I’ll live long enough to tell her none of this matters, I love her and want her in my life forever.

3.)    Were you surprised when Crooked Snake took you back to the fort and turned himself in? I saw a much different side of Crooked Snake when I was his prisoner. He allowed his anger to overflow at first, but then he became very caring. I think it was because Hannah came to find me and talked to him. I see what he did as acts of war and have decided to be his counsel at his trial. I know I’d hate to be tried for the number of Apache’s I killed while I was fighting them in Arizona Territory.

HANNAH’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Quade is a very handsome young man. Do you think the two of you could ever be a couple? I would be so proud to be his wife, but once he knows who my father and brothers are, he will want nothing to do with me. Thank goodness I have my position teaching at the school on the reservation. When I tell them who I am, I’m sure they will accept me as Crooked Snake’s daughter and one of their own.

2.)    Your aunt, Owl Woman, has recognized you. Will that make your transition into life on the reservation any easier? I don’t know. I love the children as well as the rest of the people, but I have no idea how to live the life they do. I’ve been raised white. Then there’s the problem with my brother, Tall Elk. He wants me to be his wife. I can’t tell him of our true relationship, at least not yet.

3.)    When your father took Quade prisoner, you went to be with him. Do you really love him? Of course I do, but in all the time I was in my father’s camp, Quade never once said he loved me. I’m afraid he sees me for what I really am, the enemy. It’s best if I go out to the reservation and the house set aside for my white father and me. There is no future for Quade and me.

Being Cheyenne and yet having been brought up in the white world has made life hard for Hannah. Follow the story from the Cheyenne point of view next week when the characters from WIND DANCER’S DESIRE are interviewed on Thursday and Friday. On Monday and Tuesday find out what happens when THE PREACHER TAKES A HUSBAND.

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QUADE'S QUEST - QUADE & HANNAH'S FIRST INTERVIEWS

The army was Quade’s life. He liked everything about it, with the exception of fighting Indians. So what’s he doing going to a fort on the fringes of a Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana?

 QUADE’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You’ve been stationed in Virginia City for a long time. How is it you’re being relocated to Montana? It was a misunderstanding. The commander’s wife, Grace Walters, told her husband I’d made advances toward her. He had me shipped out to the middle of nowhere. She’s apologized several times, but it doesn’t change my options.

2.)    Were you surprised when Grace got off at the same stop as you? Hell yes I was surprised. I don’t want anything to do with her. Thank goodness the people at the railhead needed a cook and let her stay on.

3.)    The fort wasn’t anything spectacular. Do you really think you can make a difference here? I’m good at getting my point across. There’s no excuse for the men living in filth. Even though I had to fight them on every point they at least cleaned up their barracks and took a bath.

HANNAH’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    As a child your family was massacred by white soldiers. How did you come to be called the daughter of the missionary? Horace and Martha came on our village just after the soldiers left. They were the ones who buried the people and rescued me. They raised me as their own daughter, but they never allowed me to forget the names of my father and brothers, Crooked Snake, Growling Bear and Tall Elk. Now that my white mother has died, my white father has brought me back to the land of my birth.

2.)    You’ve been at this fort for a while. Are you afraid someone might question your heritage? Horace has told everyone I was adopted from one of the Eastern tribes, but I know too much about the Cheyenne and look too much like the children I teach at the reservation for someone not to question my background.

3.)    Crooked Snake and his sons have terrorized the soldiers at this fort for many years. Are you afraid he might be killed? I pray for his safety every day. I don’t blame the soldiers for hating him, but he carries his own hatred for the whites. From what I’ve been told, he’s been avenging the death of his people including my mother and myself for the past fifteen years.

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WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, GRANDMA - GWEN & CHUCK'S SECOND INTERVIEW

GWEN’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Chuck is planning to bring his old friend Hawk here to help in the clinic. He also told you he’s stayed in contact with Hawk and his wife, Lori. Since you and Lori were friends in Vietnam, are you worried about her spilling the beans about Chere being Chuck’s daughter? I’m scared out of my wits. I just hope I can talk to Lori before she decides to say anything to Chuck. I know she swore to keep my secret before we were sent stateside, but with Chuck and me together, she might say something before I’m ready to spill the beans myself.

2.)    Hawk and Lori are moving to Minter, how was it they ended up staying at your house? As soon as Lori and I met, we were just as close as we were forty years ago. She’s kept my secret well and since they wanted to move ASAP, I thought it was the thing to do to invite them to stay at my place. It’s not like I don’t have enough room for them. Besides, when they were able to move into their new home right away, I was glad I’d helped them out.

3.)    What happened when you finally told Chere about Chuck? Do the words ‘all hell broke lose’ mean anything to you? She stormed out of the restaurant without even eating lunch. The next day her family left on vacation. It just about killed me for us to be on such bad terms. I can’t ever remember a time when we weren’t in contact with each other on a daily basis.

CHUCK’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Is it hard not being able to say anything to Gwen about knowing about Chere being your daughter? It’s very hard. I still can’t believe Lori never told me about Chere. We’ve all been friends ever since we got back from Vietnam. Even Hawk didn’t know about it until I talked to them. When I said I knew, Lori told me how hard it had been not being able to tell me about Gwen being pregnant when I left to go back to California.

2.)    You and Hawk have your hands full at the hospital. How did you find out about Gwen telling Chere the truth? I went up to her office and they told me she hadn’t come back from lunch. I checked her house but she wasn’t there either. Then her neighbors told me that when she has things to digest she quite often goes out to the cemetery where her husband is buried. That’s where I found her. We’ve got a long way to go, but now that the cat is out of the bag, I hope we can put everything behind us and move on.

3.)    All of a sudden you’ve got a ton of family to deal with. I’ve heard not only your daughter came to town, but Gwen’s kids arrived and so did her brother. How did you handle everything? I’m afraid not very well. Gwen’s brother along with her kids were loaded for bear and my daughter let me have it as well. She jumped all over me about what a jerk I’d been just barging in on Gwen the way I did. It’s going to take a while, but something tells me Gwen and I will be okay in the end.

Vietnam was a hard war for our country. Like most wars, those fighting it were just kids and away from home for the first time. With what was going on back home with the Free Love Society, it was no wonder those kids were experimenting with forbidden fruit. I hope you’ve enjoyed the interviews for this companion book to HELLO, DO YOU KNOW ME. Both are available on Kindle. The next Minter book will be THE PREACHER TAKES A HUSBAND, but before that, I’ll be interviewing the characters for QUADE’S QUEST the first of the Quade series.

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WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, GRANDMA - GWEN AND CHUCK'S FIRST INTERVIEW

Gwen thought what happened in Vietnam stayed in Vietnam, until Chuck landed at her hospital forty years after she returned home carrying the child she never told him about.

GWEN’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You served as a MASH nurse in Vietnam. Is that where you and Chuck first met? Yes, it was. It was the ‘60’s and back home free love was everywhere. Chuck as well as many of the other doctors was out to score and I was just another notch on his belt. The worst day of my life was when I planned to tell him I was pregnant. Before I could say anything, he told me he’d received his orders to go home and return to his wife and kids. Talk about a kick in the gut.

2.)    How did you handle your condition when you returned to Minter? I told everyone I’d become engaged to a medic and we were planning to be married when he was killed while on a rescue mission and his chopper went down. I was blessed when my boyfriend from high school returned from service and agreed to marry me. Even though he wasn’t Chere’s biological father, he loved her more than anything. I was always up front with Chere about what I did in Vietnam, I just left out the part about her father being alive and well and raising his ‘real’ family in California.

3.)    Were you shocked when you found out Chuck was going to be heading up the free clinic at your hospital? I don’t think the right word is shocked. It was more like I was horrified. For the first time in forty years I had to think about telling my daughter the truth and breaking the news to Chuck that he was a father. The whole thing had be tied up in knots and to make matters worse I found out I still have feelings for Chuck.

CHUCK’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    It sounds like you were quite the lover boy while you were in Vietnam. Did you tell your wife about your exploits? I wasn’t going to, but when I got home, I found out she’d been unfaithful too. She carried the evidence of her affair, but I forgave her. Little did I know I had another child because of my actions in Vietnam.

2.)    Didn’t the fact you were going to Minter WI send off any warning bells. I mean, that’s Gwen’s hometown. Weren’t you afraid you’d be running into her? I knew Gwen was from Wisconsin, but I never knew where. At the time we weren’t interested in minor details like that. The sex was what was on our minds.

3.)    Did you have any idea you were Chere’s father? I met her on the first day I was in the hospital. There’s wasn’t any doubt in my mind. She looks exactly like my own daughter. I just hope she can accept me. I’ve met her kids and already love all of them. Of course, I have to wait until Gwen is ready to tell me about Chere. In the meantime, I’m just glad I met up with Gwen again. I loved her in Vietnam and if things had ended differently for the two of us I would have divorced my wife and brought her to California to become my wife.

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JAYDEN'S NEW PEOPLE - JAYDEN & SHINING STAR'S SECOND INTERVIEWS

JAYDEN’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    For the winter months, you stayed with Atiko’s people to be close to your sister and her husband. Did Moon Shimmer go with you? I didn’t know if he would follow, but was surprised when he came willingly. As a wild creature, he is also very loyal to me. I was pleased to be able to spend the winter with my sister, but leaving Shining Star behind was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

2.)    Then you have feelings for Shining Star. It’s said she will become of an age to marry at the winter camp. What will happen if you return to her in the spring and find she is married to another? It is something I will have to accept. I have loved and lost before. I can only pray to whatever Gods will hear me that she will wait until my return to make a decision about our life together.

3.)    When you arrived at the camp at Cahokia City, you found she’d been kidnapped. What did you do? What do you think I did? I immediately tracked her across the river and did battle with Winter Fox to get her back.

4.)    Were you victorious? We were able to free Shining Star and those responsible for her kidnapping were punished. In the fight I was injured. It was the skill of the healers and the loving presence of Shining Star that brought me back to the land of the living.

SHINING STAR’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    How did you feel about Jayden going to be with Atiko’s people for the winter? I was worried. Jayden is a handsome man. It is possible he will be enticed by a woman of this strange village. I will become of an age to be married over the winter. My father told me there would be young men courting me and I should experience such a thing for myself. I don’t want to be courted by anyone but Jayden, but I must obey my father.

2.)    Winter Fox came to your lodge to court you. Were you pleased? No I wasn’t. I don’t want Winter Fox to play his flute for me or wrap me in his blanket. When I told him I wanted nothing to do with him, he struck me. For his actions he was banished to the tribes that live far to the west of the great river.

3.)    You were kidnapped by Winter Fox and his men. Did you ever think anyone would be able to find you? I was worried, but later I learned Moon Shimmer was able to find me. There was a terrible fight and I thought Jayden was going to die. I was glad when one of the men went back to our village to bring Mourning Dove to care for Jayden. It was the only chance for both him and Moon Shimmer, since he too was hurt in the battle to save my life.

The story of the people of Cahokia Mounds is one that is depicted at the visitor’s center for these mounds just across the river from St. Louis. I first discovered the mounds many years ago. I was in the midst of writing this story when I went back to the area. At that time Jayden and Javion came to me and begged me to tell their story. I hope you’ve enjoyed the Birdsinger series. Since none of the people really existed, they are products of my vivid imagination. The sacrifice of the 300 people at the time of the death of ‘The Sun’ is one that is told at the center and so this is my take on what might have taken place in that long forgotten society.

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JAYDEN'S NEW PEOPLE - JAYDEN & SHINING STAR'S FIRST INTERVIEW

Jayden comes from a forgotten people who lived in a city of mounds at the edge of the Mississippi River. When he travels through time, he is forced to live with those he always called the wanderers and adopt their lifestyle as his own.

JAYDEN’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You were slated for sacrifice when your sister, Javion, unexpectedly disappeared. How do you explain your disappearance? The only thing I can say is it is the will of the Gods. Somehow I have managed to end up in the same time period as my sister. At first I thought I was dreaming when I learned she was carrying the child of the young shaman, but they hadn’t been joined. I couldn’t believe she would do something so alien to our beliefs.

2.)    You were asked to join the flint knappers. Did this surprise you? I was told my sister instructed these people as to how to work the flint, but being a woman they didn’t want her working with them. Their work is crude in comparison to that done by our people, even with her instruction, what they didn’t do was adjust the shafts of their arrows to accommodate the lighter heads of their arrows.

3.)     You went on a trip to gather the sacred flint. We you not afraid to travel without the protection of the stockade that surrounded Cahokia City? I no longer live within the stockade. I must adapt to my newfound friends’ lifestyle. On the trip I saw many wondrous things. I captured and tamed a wild horse to do my bidding and I found a wolf pup that was injured. Since then he has become my constant companion.

SHINING STAR’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    When Jayden first came to your village, he stayed with your parents. Did he show any interest in you? When he stayed in our lodge, I found him to be the most handsome man I’d ever seen. Of course, he saw me as little more than a child.

2.)    Did Jayden continue to stay with your parents? Oh, no. He moved into the bachelor’s lodge. It would have been proper for us to stay in the same lodge since we weren’t family.

3.)    I was told there was a problem within the bachelor’s lodge. Can you tell us what you know of that? Winter Fox thought when I became old enough to be joined, we would be together. He didn’t like the attention Jayden was paying to me. There was bad blood between the two of them, especially when Jayden’s constant companion was the wolf Moon Shimmer. It was decided two lodges would be built.

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HELLO DO YOU KNOW ME - MATT & BETSY'S SECOND INTERVIEWS

MATT’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    You took Betsy to the airport to go to Florida for the winter. Are you looking forward to spring when you come back to Minter? I am, but first I need to spend some time with my sister in Florida. It will be the first real vacation time I’ve had since this whole thing started.

2.)    Were you surprised when you found out Betsy’s friend called Vicki about selling Betsy’s place in Selkirk? I never thought finding her would be this easy. I persuaded Vicki to let me keep the appointment. I certainly didn’t expect to cause Betsy’s accident. I also didn’t expect the amount of damage her house had sustained in the hurricane. The least I can do is make the repairs. If she still wants to sell the place, I’ll gladly buy it for whatever price she’s asking.

3.)    We heard Cal came down to help you with the roof. We also heard Ronnie came and caught the two of you in bed together. Do you think you can persuade your son that you love his mother and plan to be together? Cal coming was a godsend. We were able to make short work of the roof, especially since my bother-in-law and his friends also helped. Cal did tell me he got back the DNA results and there is no doubt in his mind as to whether I’m his brother. As for Ronnie, it was all a misunderstanding. We were both exhausted and were taking a nap. Nothing was going on, but Ronnie jumped to all the wrong conclusions. I just hope when I return to Minter in the spring we can mend all the bridges and have a relationship. If not, I will be forced to disappear from Betsy’s life so she can again become close to Ronnie.

BETSY’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Matt’s visit shook you up, but what happened when you got to Florida you were in for more shocks. Can you tell us about it? I was shocked when Trish brought me back to her place. I thought the roof of my house would be replaced but it was still tarped. It’s hard to believe we were conned. Of course when I was starting to paint in the house, I had a terrible accident. I tripped over one of the sawhorses and not only broke my wrist, but also my cheek. I don’t know what I would have done if Matt hadn’t come down to do the work that needed to be done.

2.)    Ronnie came to surprise you and found you and Matt in bed. Do you think Matt will ever be able to get close to your son? I hope so. Of course the whole thing was a misunderstanding. We had been to the doctor in the morning to check the progress of my wrist and I was exhausted. The only thing we were doing was taking a nap. At this point, I don’t know if Matt and Jerry have a chance, but I hope so. I don’t want to lose him for a second time.

3.)    When you got back to Minter, you didn’t go to Ronnie’s house. Why is that? Ronnie and I aren’t on the best of terms at the moment. Dee and Bryce were generous enough to let me stay with them until my condo is ready. Since Ronnie and Nancy have already moved into my place, I think going back there would be awkward.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview. I’m going out of sequence next week and will be interviewing the characters of WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, GRANDMA? This book is a companion book to HELLO, DO YOU KNOW ME? As it also deals with a Vietnam vet. This time it’s a mash nurse and the doctor she had an affair with while stationed overseas. These interviews will be posted on thursday and Friday. On Monday and Tuesday I will interviewing the characters from JAYDEN'S NEW PEOPLE, the last book of the BIRDSINGER series.

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HELLO DO YOU KNOW ME? MATT & BETSY'S FIRST INTERVIEWS

In the 1960’s and 1970’s many young men went away to fight in a country called Vietnam. Unfortunately, not all of them came home to their loved ones and the ones who did were changed forever.

Matt Bratzman was one of those who returned changed. After being badly injured he had no memory of his life prior to the fire fight. After going through many surgeries as well as rehab, he finally returned to Wichita and took up his life where he left off.

Thirty-five years later, he began to realize perhaps the doctors were wrong and rather than being Matt Bratzman, he was really Jerry Fellows. With this new information, he now must see if he can reconcile with the family he’d left behind and who think he’s dead.

MATT’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    When you realized who your true identity, were you frightened? Yes I was frightened. I’d built a life as Matt Bratzman. I married his high school sweetheart, fathered his children, built his business and grieved the loss of my wife. Now I was faced with the reality I’d left behind Jerry’s wife and son to say nothing of his family.

2.)    You say you have children by your former wife. How do they feel about this? They are very supportive as is Matt’s sister, Vicki. I’ve changed my name legally, but we all feel I should find the remainder of my family.

3.)    When you talked to Betsy after Christmas, you promised her you wouldn’t come to Minter until spring. Why are you going there now? I’m not going there to barge into her life. My main hope is to see the place where Jerry grew up and try to remember something, anything from my past.

BETSY’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    When you received the first call from Matt on Christmas Eve were you worried for your safety? Absolutely not. Even though I buried Jerry thirty-five years ago, I knew it was his voice on the other end of the line. Jerry’s brother Cal, as well as my son, Ronnie, think this is a hoax, someone out to take me for everything I have. I know better. I loved Jerry with all my heart and of there is one voice in this whole world I’d recognize, it would be his.

2.)    You went to Matt’s hotel room, how did you get enough courage to do that? I saw him when I went out to supper with Cal & Lonette and Dee & Bryce. I didn’t know what the pull to that man was until I went up into the attic and found the pictures Jerry sent me from Vietnam. The man at Alfrescos was an older version of Matt Bratzman. I decided to make the first move. For some reason I knew I’d be perfectly safe.

3.)    You took Matt on a tour of Minter. Were you worried about Matt meeting Cal for the first time? Of course I was. Cal was such a skeptic I was afraid the two of them would come to blows. Instead they talked like they were old friends. To be truthful, I felt almost like a fifth wheel.

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THUNDER & LIGHTNING - LIGHTNING & JAVION'S INTERVIEWS

LIGHTNING’S INTERVIEW

1.)     Hawk has come to your village in search of a new shaman. Both you and Thunder are being considered, but it means you must accompany the twelve tribes on their trek to the winter campgrounds. How do you feel about this? I am not as excited as my brother. I have never liked Hawk and fear for our safety. I know too well the stories of what my parents suffered at Hawk’s hands when they traveled with them twenty years ago.

2.)    I am told the Mounds of the Ancients is a mystical spot. Did anything happen to you while you were there? I had my first vision there. I saw a young girl tied to one of the posts of what my parents call ‘woodhenge’. The next morning when I went there to pray, I saw the girl from my vision. I knew immediately she, like my mother, was a time traveler.

3.)    Javion has become very special to you. Do you see yourself spending the rest of her life with you? We were meant for each other. I plan to court her in the way of my people.

4.)    The testing of the twelve tribes has been very trying. Add to that the way Hawk feels about Thunder’s interest in Gentle Swan, do you think it was wise for your bother to go hunting alone? We often seek alone time, but being so far away from home, I now realize it was the wrong thing to do. Thank the gods that our ‘special’ bond alerted me when he was in danger. I know Hawk and the others didn’t believe me, but if we hadn’t acted on my feelings, Thunder would have been walking with the ancestors.

5.)    You and Javion are committed to each other. Do you foresee a problem in not being able to ask her father for permission to be joined?  It’s no different from when our mother was transported to be with our people. Her family has long ago walked with the ancestors. She is her own woman and able to think for herself.

JAVION’S INTERVIEW

1.)    Your family was highly honored when you were chosen to be sacrificed to follow The Sun to the afterlife. How did you feel about this? I was terrified. As the twelfth sacrifice, I had to watch as all of my friends were taken to the top of the mound where first their virginity and then their lives were sacrificed. I was terrified.

2.)    When you woke and saw Lightning coming toward you were you frightened? I was, because everything I had ever known disappeared overnight. The poles where we were tethered had rotted away and the city no longer existed.

3.)    Do you feel safe with the people of the twelve tribes? Lightning’s mother has assured me of my safety. She says the priests cannot come forward to find me. Until we left what remains of Cahokia City I did not believe her, but the farther away from them we travel, the more comfortable I become.

4.)    Lightning has asked to court you. Are you comfortable with the customs of his people? Among my people there are no courting customs. On your joining day is when you meet the man who will become your husband. Lightning has promised me delightful lovemaking and if we are lucky, a child will be planted within my body before we are joined. He tells me this is the custom of his people and I agree with it.

Coming next Monday and Tuesday are the interviews for JAYDEN’S NEW PEOPLE. This is another time travel and brings Javion’s brother forward to save his life. Tomorrow and Friday will be the interviews of Matt and Betsy from HELLO, DO YOU KNOW ME?

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THUNDER & LIGHTNING - THUNDER & GENTLE SWAN'S INTERVIEWS

Twenty years after Kit tumbled through time, her twins, now men, are ready for love but each with a very different partner. Blue Thunder falls in love with a woman considered different by even her family, while Lightening Strike finds love with a woman from the past. Like his mother, she has passed through time to be with him.

THUNDER’S INTERVIEW

1.)    You and your brother are identical twins. Is this not unheard of among your people? It’s no more unheard of than our parents. As the second son of the shaman, my father should have become a hunter, unable to marry. Instead he follows his father’s footsteps. Our mother is a time traveler from the future, so why shouldn’t we be different.

2.)    Your man name is Blue Thunder and your brother is Lightening Strike. How did you come by them? On our vision quest the Great Spirit sent us the signs of Thunder and Lightening. It was only natural for this to happen for these signs have been important all our lives. Since I am told I glowed blue after the thunder, I became Blue Thunder, while the lightening left a white streak in my brother’s hair.

3.)    In going to the winter campground with Hawk’s people, you and your brother are to be tested to see which one of you will become the shaman for Hawk’s village. Are you concerned? My brother and I have the same abilities. Whichever one of us is chosen to be Hawk’s shaman matters not. I think more of how to win Gentle Swan’s heart.

4.)    You were injured by the cougar. Were you surprised when it was Gentle Sawn who nursed you back to health? Her skills as a healer are some of the best among the twelve tribes. She was gifted at the Mounds of the Ancients when she was given not only her ability to heal but also allowed to see visions.

5.)    If you’re not chosen to serve Hawk’s people, will you and Gentle Swan still be joined? We will be joined, but I will not take her from her people. I will be content to serve my brother as his hunter. My father has other sons to follow him.

GENTLE SWAN’S INTERVIEW

1.)    You are Hawks’ daughter. As a child you were deemed different by your people. How have things changed for you? I received a vision at the Mounds of the Ancients and when I did, the Great Spirit saw fit to give me the ability to be a healer. Although I am beyond the age to marry I am now respected by my people.

2.)    Blue Thunder and Lightning Strike are joining your people on the trek to the winter campground. It is said they are to be tested and one of them will come to your people as their new shaman. As such you will be working closely with them. Are you prepared for this? I am little more than a healer. No matter which twin joins our people is of no consequence to me.

3.)    Thunder has been at your dwelling often. Is it possible he is courting you? My father and brother say no, but I feel differently. Thunder says he has feelings for me and has agreed to court me in the tradition of my people, even though I want to be with him in every way. I would not be unhappy to carry his child when we are joined.

4.)    Thunder says if he is not chosen to be the shaman for your people he will be content to be a hunter for his brother. How do you feel about this? The thought of Thunder not doing what he’s been trained for disturbs me. I am more than willing to go to Atiko’s people. Only the council of elders knows what will happen.

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KATE ARMSTRONG: OVER THE HILL COED - KATE & DENNY'S SECOND INTERVIEWS

KATE’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    You and Denny spent a lot of time together during the blizzard. What happened that sent you to the hospital for emergency surgery? During the blizzard, Denny used his cross-country skies to come over to see me. It was very romantic. Once we were plowed out, I went over to the school and picked up my grades. Let’s just say his practical joke backfired and I ended up taking a tumble down the stairs at the lecture hall. I shattered my knee and had to have it replaced. I’ve been absolutely miserable ever since. Imagine, my first Christmas without Polly being here and I have to spend it in the hospital.

2.)    Denny took you back to his house and became your caretaker. How did that work for you? How do you think? He gave me diamond earrings for Christmas. Thank god he didn’t give me an engagement ring. The one thing I’ve learned is that we get on each other’s nerves. It if hadn’t been for my friend Betsy, I don’t know if I’d been able to do the exercises and remain civil.

3.)    As soon as you were able, you flew out to Denver to be with Polly and her husband. I heard something wonderful happened while you were there. Do you care to tell us about it? I met an old friend on the plane and he offered me a dream job with his company. I couldn’t believe how generous the offer was. I did go home to pack up my life. While I was there I tried to call Denny to tell him my news, but he wouldn’t answer my calls. I guess it was just a teacher/student fling and I have to get over it.

DENNY’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Kate blames you for her accident. Were you really at fault? I guess I was. I thought it would be cute to write her a cryptic note on her paper. I meant it to say C.U.F.D. meaning see you for dinner, but she only saw the C and thought it was her grade. When she called me on it, I thought she was joking and asked her if she thought I’d give her an A just because we slept together. She was so mad she missed the top step and there was nothing I could do to stop her fall.

2.)    You brought her to your house to recuperate after the surgery. Do you think that was a mistake? I think mistake isn’t a strong enough word. We were together 24/7 under less than desirable circumstances. I was guilt ridden about my part in her accident and she was still fuming over what I said. Nothing I can ever say will take away those biting words.

3.)    Kate moved out to Denver. What are your plans? My dad passed away over the winter, so that leaves me with no ties to Minter. I put out some feelers and over spring break had an interview in Colorado. It’s far enough away from Denver that I probably won’t run into Kate, but there’s always hope.

Watch for the next of those gals from Minter when Betsy’s first husband returns from the dead in HELLO DO YOU KNOW ME for interviews on Thursday and Friday next week. All of the books in this series are available on Kindle, so I hope you’ll check them out. On Monday and Tuesday, we’re back in the past with Kit and Atiko’s sons THUNDER & LIGHTNING.

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KATE ARMSTRONG: OVER THE HILL COED - KATE & DENNY'S FIRST INTERVIEWS

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Kate Armstrong had to quit college three credits short of graduation when she got pregnant. Flying in the face of society, she opted to raise her daughter, Polly, alone. Now thirty-three years later she has to finish getting her degree in order to keep her job. How could anyone predict that the jerky jock from high school would be her Romantic English Literature professor.

KATE’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    I hear you’re going to go back to school. How do you feel about that? It scares me to death. Over thirty years ago I was three credits short of graduation when I got pregnant with my daughter. I gave up on my dream to raise Polly on my own. I wouldn’t change a thing about my life, so why do I have to go back to school now? My boss, Cal, says it’s because I need my BA in order to keep my job one we get the national rating for the company I work for.

2.)    You’ve started school. How’s it going? My two computer classes are great. Of course, I was excited about my Romantic English Literature class until I found out Denny Bostian was going to be my instructor. He was a jerky jock in high school and I doubt he’s changed much with age.

3.)    Were you surprised when Denny started leaving you notes on the whiteboard at the front of the room? To be truthful, it shocked me. At first I didn’t think it was meant for me, but the first note was in the code we used in high school. That’s when I realized none of the other students understood it.

DENNY’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You were Big Man On Campus in high school and college. How is it you’re teaching Romantic English Literature? I admit to the whole jock experience but that was before I met my wife, Lori. She was an English major and I guess it rubbed off on me. I loved her so much I changed for her. We wanted a house full of kids, unfortunately she couldn’t have children and liver failure took her from me forever.

2.)    You’ve come full circle. What’s it like to be teaching in your home town? It’s different. In a way its like I never left and yet we’re all so different. I guess older is the word. I was shocked to find Kate in my class, even more so to learn she never married.

3.)    You wrote her a note on the whiteboard. Were you afraid she wouldn’t understand it, or worse yet wouldn’t think it was for her? I was a bit concerned, but since the code was one we made up in high school, I hoped she would get my meaning. It pleased me when she accepted my invitation.

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WILDCAT'S HUNGER - WILDCAT & MOURNING DOVE'S INTERVIEWS

With Labor Day I didn’t get the interviews for Wildcat’s Hunger done yesterday, so I’m doing both days in one today.

Wildcat is a warrior and hunter of Hawk’s band. His best friend is Snapping Turtle and when he stays behind Wildcat and Spotted Pony feel the brunt of Hawk’s anger. Upon returning to the village where Snapping Turtle spent the winter, Wildcat is taken by a widow with two children. His problem is she doesn’t feel it proper for someone like her to become the first wife of a man of his status.

WILDCAT’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You went with Snapping Turtle and the raiding party to kidnap the spirit Woman. How do you feel about returning to your people without Snapping Turtle? I fear Hawk will be very unforgiving when he learns his brother is a willing captive. It would be much better if Spotted Pony or I would have been the one to stay behind.

2.)    Hawk has sent you and Spotted Pony back to advise Snapping Turtle’s captors of the exchange for Atiko. Were you surprised with what you found? The first thing we learned was that Snapping Turtle was far from a captive. He’s well respected and has even married Atiko’s sister. I fear what will happen when Hawk learns he will not be returning to our village.

3.)    While you were in the village you met a widow with the children. I hear you asked her to be your wife. Did she accept? Mourning Dove turned me down. I don’t know why. What I do know is she’s the only woman I want in my life. Her children need me and I need them.

MOURING DOVE’S FIRST INTERVIEW

1.)    You’re an outcast from your people because of the actions of Fighting Beaver, your first husband. Now that you are widowed how will you survive? As a child I was trained to be a healer. Makisa appreciates my knowledge of herbs so I pray I can make myself useful in the village. One does not always need a man to be respected.

2.)    Your son, Winter Moon needs a father. That said, why did you turn down Wildcat’s marriage proposal? Wildcat is a great hunter. As a member of the twelve tribes he deserves a virgin as his first wife, not a widow with two children and an outcast from my own people.

3.)    Why were cast away from your village? My husband angered our chief, Kicking Bear. At the time I was carrying Winter Moon. I had to make a decision. If I stayed with our people, I knew my child would be killed at birth so that Fighting Beaver’s blood would not survive. If I followed my husband, I knew I could never return to our village. I chose life for my son over the acceptance of my family.

WILDCAT’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    Upon your return to the summer camp, Hawk urged you to go to Kicking Bear’s village to find out why Mourning Dove turned you down. Were you surprised? I could not believe the way Hawk changed toward me. He even insisted Spotted Pony go with me. I pray I will find the answers to my questions about Mourning Dove in Kicking Bear’s village.

2.)    All is not well with Kicking Bear’s people. Does anyone know who is behind the raids? Kicking bear suspects Fighting Beaver and Winter Hawk. Since I know Fighting Beaver is dead he has been eliminated. As for Winter Hawk, I’ve known him since we were children. I fear he is being unjustly accused. Besides, I doubt even he would stoop to burning the lodges of women and children.

3.)    You were badly burned when you rescued Kicking Bear’s youngest son. Did you think you would be walking with the ancestors? I knew I would be. Especially when the healers said there was little they could do to help me. If it hadn’t been for Mourning Dove, I would have been with the ancestors. She came to this village, even though she knew she was unwanted to become my caregiver.

MOURNING DOVE’S SECOND INTERVIEW

1.)    When Hawk and your brother came to the village to get you, were you anxious about going home? I knew I wouldn’t be welcomed by my people, but Wildcat needs me. No matter what I said when he asked me to be his first wife, I do love him. If I were a better person, he would be the perfect father for my son, Winter Moon and my daughter, Little Butterfly.

2.)    Were you shocked when you saw Wildcat’s condition? My mother had been caring for him, but I’ve learned many new ways of healing since I left her side. I think she is more than happy to have me take over his care. She is ready to blame me if he doesn’t survive.

3.)    Because of your care, Wildcat has made a complete recovery. You are soon going to become his wife. Do you think he will be a good father to your children? He adores Winter Moon and Little Butterfly and they feel the same about him. We will make a good family.

Next Monday and Tuesday Kit’s twin sons find love as adults in the next book of the series THUNDER & LIGHTNING. Be prepared for more time travel and the mystic link between identical twins.

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