She Steals My Breath — Interview With The Romance Studio, plus a Giveaway

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Howdy!

Welcome to Tuesday — only two days until Valentine’s Day.

Do you and yours have plans?  Dinner?  A quiet evening at home?  Maybe a romantic movie?

I’ll love to hear from you!

Well, today, I thought I post a recent Interview soon to be uploaded at The Romance Studio.  https://www.theromancestudio.com

It’s called Author Spotlight and they asked some rather deep questions that were thoughtful.  The interview is set to be posted on the 27th of February, but I thought I’d post it here because the questions were insightful.

The number four is an important number to many medicine men.  After all, there are four directions, four seasons and even a day could be divided up into four sections: sunrise; afternoon; night; the early hours of the morning or the darkest part of the night before sunrise.  There are also four tribes of mankind: red, yellow, white and black.  The medicine wheel shows these different tribes of mankind.

In view of this, I’ve decided to give away four (4) e-books of THE STEALS MY BREATH to four different bloggers today.  So please, come on in and leave a message.

AUTHOR  SPOTLIGHT

Karen Kay

INSPIRATION for SHE STEALS MY BREATH, Book #1 of the Medicine Man Series

 

Well, the inspiration for this story started during an emotionally rough time in my life.  A family member was taken ill and I was, of course, quite upset and not knowing quite what to do.

Now this is a true story I’m telling you in this, my recounting of the inspiration behind SHE STEALS MY BREATH.  Because the medicine man series delves into the paranormal category — mostly because the American Indian medicine men often “lived” in the spiritual realm — these stories, while being solid Historical Romance, must — because of the character of the hero — be lived partly in the spiritual world, also.

Now, I’m not talking about magic and particularly not about black magic.  What I’m saying here is that American Indian’s healing methods included prayers, rituals — such as the drum and particular songs given to them — usually by an animal — a closeness to the Creator and a knowledge of plants and herbs, as well as the medicine pipe to help him communicate to the Creator.

All medicine men and many of the scouts of the tribes could communicate with what I call in my book, Mind Speak.  Distance has no part in it, by the way.  There is on record an entire council of medicine men held in the not so long ago past, that decided on a course of action to take without a single word being spoken between them.

We all have this ability to speak to one another with our minds, I think.  I have personally experienced this with a Lakota friend and so I know it is real and it exists.

Anyway, this is a little backstory before I tell you about what inspired me to write this series on the medicine men.  As I said, I was going through a rough time because of a family member’s illness.

In my dreams — by the way dreams are important to the American Indian — but in my dreams, a medicine man came to me.  I call it a dream, but it was really in that state of mind one can get into when one is going to sleep, but isn’t quite asleep yet.  This medicine man was gentle and kind to me and encouraged me to write about the Medicine Men.

It was then when the story for book #1 in the Medicine Man series came into being.  The hero in the story is kind, yet strong and tough, but mostly, he is kind and considerate of the heroine and of others, and he is completely straightforward and honest.

My next inspiration came from a man by the name of John Trudell.  He is a Lakota man who was active in the American Indian Movement in the 1970’s.  Because of a tragedy in his life, he began to write poetry and eventually he set his poems to music and made albums.  One of his poems is “Takes My Breath.”  Oh, my goodness what an emotionally powerful poem/song.

You can listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m5YKnBqQ4o

And from there, the heroine came into being, met the hero of the story and away we went on an adventure into realm of Montana’s Little Big Horn Mountains (where the little people live, by the way).  Just ask a Crow Indian about the little people.

 

CHARACTER  DEVELOPMENT, SETTING AND WORLD BUILDING

The characters in my stories take on a life of their own and they pretty much, once the story is started, live their own story.  Sometimes I get in the way because I don’t understand what or why they’re doing what they are doing and so I have to back up and try to understand why they’ve suddenly done something I didn’t expect.

I never try to change them.  It’s their story.  Sometimes I’ve had characters do things out of character for them and then they talk to me.  This particularly happened in the second book in the Medicine Man series, SHE CAPTURES MY HEART.  The hero in this story had to “school” me on the mores of a medicine man because I was thinking of having him do something he would never do.  But, I listened to him and wrote the scene the way he wanted it.  One time, long ago, in the story, THE SPIRIT OF THE WOLF, I didn’t listen to my characters and the story stopped right then and there.

I had to back up and really listen to these people who were upset with me because I forced them NOT to do something that was right for them to do.  I realized I hadn’t properly set up the scene so that it could easily be seen it was right for them and then the story continued on just fine.  I think maybe this is when I began to really listen to my characters.

As far as setting up the scene and world building, I am constantly reading historical accounts of people who lived during the time periods I’m writing about.  Some of the stories are incredibly paranormal, but are true.  And, although my writing is fictional, I do draw on these true accounts from the early 1800’s (and sometimes earlier), fictionalizing something that did take place.

In this modern age, it’s nice to go back to simpler times.  Although the American Indians at this time were people, just like all peoples, they had high standards for themselves most usually.  By this I mean they valued family and friends; they lived by a code of honor that would make the knights of old pale in comparison.  I love writing about these times and these people.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

In writing this series, it is my intention to show the medicine men for the heroes they were.  They were in close communication with the Creator and prayed every day; they used their knowledge to help and to heal, to the best they could, those in need of their services; they learned about the body and how to set bones and such.  But, mostly they were men of honor and of integrity.  They married for life, they counselled the needy, they prayed for any war or raiding party for a safe return.  They lived by a code that by their own words was a very tough path to follow.  But, follow it they did because when they veered off the path, their medicine might fail them and then their power to help another dimmed.

But most of all the message I’m hoping the reader will come away with is the message of love and helpfulness and understanding.  These medicine men were often written about by people who didn’t understand them and so invented all manner of stories about them, much of those stories lies.

And, although evil shamans did exist at this time, such men were never looked upon by the people as medicine men.  A medicine man was a friend, a man who did his best to protect his people and who used his spiritual powers to bring about health in others if he could.

The medicine man in the tribe was loved and respected sometimes even more than the chief.  The evil shaman, by comparison, was feared and despised by the people.  It’s my wish to bring back this more truthful image of the American Indian Medicine Man.

 

Karen Kay

February 2024

Website |  + posts

KAREN KAY aka GEN BAILEY is the multi-published author of American Indian Historical Romances. She has written for such prestigious publishers as AVON/HarperCollins, Berkley/Penguin/Putnam and Samhain Publishing. KAREN KAY’S great grandmother was Choctaw Indian and Kay is honored to be able to write about the American Indian Culture.
Please refer to https://petticoatsandpistols.com/sweepstakesrules for all contest rules.

34 thoughts on “She Steals My Breath — Interview With The Romance Studio, plus a Giveaway”

  2. Hi Billye!

    Really nice to see you here. Seems we’re both up a bit late, huh? Either that or you live farther west than I do. Thank you for your comment. Must admit this series is quite special to me. : )

      • Hi Billye,
        Ah, how I love staying up late. Unfortunately, If I do it, I don’t get all my early morning chores done and that cuts into writing time. But, how I love to read at night…like you.

  6. My grandfather grew up in northwestern Nebraska and was in awe of the Sioux, especially. The story that came out of “Dances With Wolves” was the story he told and he always felt the Indians were mistreated badly. He would have loved this series.

    • I’m not Sioux but I love to hear people that don’t dislike Native Americans! My granddad didn’t sign up for the Dawes Roll because it was a stigma back then. But my grandma did.

      • Hi Billye,

        Shows the differences really well between men and women, I think. Your grandpa stood his ground as a man should. Your grandma was probably worrying about how to clothe and feed her kids. The Dawes Act, which was supposed to be so “helpful” to the Indians — and I think those who proposed it really did feel this would help them — but it turned out to be a snake disguised in garments of gold, turned quickly into dust and mud. Nobody bothered to educate the people on the effects the Dawes Act required…like taxes. No Indian had ever heard of taxes on land. Many lost their property because of not understanding taxes and so they didn’t pay them. And there were the bankers all ready to confiscate their land and sell it off to people who had been enemies to the Indian. It is a history we should learn from so it is never repeated. Unfortunately, we as a species seem to fall into the same traps over and over.

    • Hi Ginni! Must admit I, too, am a little in awe of the Lakota, the Blackfeet and the Cheyenne and Crow, as well. Each tribe was different. Am also in awe of the Apache scout — the true scouts — not those who led the military to their people. And, as I research deeper and deeper into the true medicine men, I am coming away from the research with a deep respect.

  7. I think any story has to be inspired by the characters. I know Nero Wolfe speaks of his daughter and Rex Stout said that he never knew Wolfe had a daughter until it appeared on the page. If the characters are real to the author they will be real for the reader.

    As for Valentine’s Day we have nothing special planned, but the 18th is the anniversary of our first date and then we willvm do something AND tge appropriate things will be half off. OK, maybe I am a cheap romantic. ?

    David

    • Gosh, David, you are a fountain of knowledge. And, my husband and I also celebrate our 1st date this month although our 1st date was on the 3rd. But, we had also a second date on the 11th and then of course, there was Valentine’s Day. It really was a whirlwind romance because we married within about 3 months of having met. : ) We celebrate our anniversary in May…May 11th to be exact.

    • Hi Ami! Sounds like a wonderful time, actually. My husband and I will probably have a good meal (most likely here at home) and watch a movie together. I have just ordered some romance movies … it might be one of them.

  9. I grew up learning a lot about the native Americans but since I’m grown I haven’t really delved back into it. This inspired me and makes me really want to read this book series.

    • Hi Kellie. Well, another true story. I really started to learn to love romance when my kids were babies, really. I started to write it — tried contemporary. Never went anywhere. But, then I started reading a lot about the American Indian of yesterday, and it, too, inspired me. We’ve not been told the truth in history and it’s all waiting there to be rediscovered in the writings of those men who were there…who lived out their dreams in the old West. There, one can find, I think, a truer picture of those who came before us.

  10. My husband of 35 years passed away several years ago and you’d think I’d miss him on Valentine’s Day but that’s the one special occasion where I don’t because he used to be rushing all around to get me something after he left work and it could take hours for him to accomplish it. It was crazy and it didn’t matter how many times I told him not to worry about flowers from the florist, I’d be just as happy with a flower from the grocery store or none at all, it was a thing with him. Any other day, I miss him a lot. ?

    • Hi Rachel! Thank you for your story. Many condolences from me to you on your loss. Your husband sounds like a wonderful man who loved you so much, he’d do what he could to try to make it special for you. How wonderful that you found one another and spent 35 years together, and in a world where many marriages don’t last longer than a few years. You both did it right, I think.

  13. I truly enjoy your stories of the Indians and their deep faith in mother earth as well as the heavens. Thanks for all the research you do and sharing it with us.

    • Thank you, Colleen. I’m also going to be doing some storytelling on my newsletter — storytelling of some true events in the early part of the 1800’s. Told from the viewpoint of the man who lived the stories, I just want to get a little real history into my newsletter. : )

    • Hi Billye! You’re welcome. Stay tuned. I really want to get some of real history out through the eyes of Rising Wolf or Hugh Monroe who was a White Blackfoot — so was the author of the book, Schultz.

  16. Interesting post. The character and true function of the medicine man has been misunderstood and misrepresented in American literature. Due mainly to a lack of understanding of the culture and confusion between the medicine man and the shaman. Interestingly, the spiritual nature of some within the religious culture of western civilization is recognized and accepted. I had not heard of “Little People” so of course had to research them. It is very interesting subject especially the effect it had on a variety of tribes. It certainly gave the Crow a layer of protection from some of the other tribes. It would be interesting to find out how the belief came to pass. It is also interesting that several cultures have “Little People” as part of the cultural lore: Fairies, Brownies, Gnomes, Goblins, Leprechauns, and Pixies. We now have a Native American entry to this group.

    We do not go out for Valentine’s Day. It is always so crowded. Our daughter and her family feel the same, so we are all getting together and having pizza and salad at their house. I’ll be making one of our favorite cookie for dessert – chocolate drop cookie with a cherry on top and a fudgey (?) frosting drizzled over the top. They are so good. Hope you have an enjoyable day with your sweetheart.

    • Hi Patricia! One of my friends on the Crow Reservation is an Indian Cowboy and rancher. He told me he has to deal with the little people on an ongoing basis. I realized from him that he is a bit irritated by them, that they take down some of the fencing he has to put up. He told me the place where they live underground, but this is so many years ago, I’ve forgotten. What I do know from him and also from the work of Charles Eastman is that they live in the Bighorn mountain area, although they also live underground in and around the prairie in Crow Country. There is some evidence they live in the Glacier Mountain area, too. The Pikuni Bigfoot Project on YouTube goes into this a bit. In this book #1 of the Medicine Men I mention they favor the Crow over all other of the Indians and have often helped them in battle.

      For us, we’ll have a quiet evening at home. I’m debating on either chocolate cookies or spice cake. Haven’t decided which. But, we will probably watch a movie, too. Just recently bought some cowboy movies, as well as romance movies. Or we might just have a quiet evening to ourselves.

  17. Hi Kay, I loved this blog about the Medicine Men! Your research is amazing ?, we learn things from your research that we never would have imagined. Your way of writing ?? and connecting with your Characters is extremely inspiring and this makes your books ? the best they can be. I’ve read every book you have written and there wasn’t one I didn’t love ?, and each one effectively made me feel for the heroes and heroines in each story! Bless your heart for sharing your stories with us readers. Starr

    • Hi Starr! Thank you very much for coming here and giving me your opinion on this blog. I was kinda hoping you might come here today and tell me your viewpoint about it. Have decided to do some historical (really interesting history) from the early 1800’s in my newsletters — it’s long and so will be probably the subject of several blogs, telling the story of Rising Wolf, The White Blackfoot. Again, thanks for coming here today.

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