It’s ten am on a sunny Michigan morning. I’m drinking coffee on the porch with my husband Rick. Scat the cat is purring in my lap, Izzy the border collie is sniffing out wild turkeys who would dare invade the yard, and Theresa the horse, with Hotshot the mini, are hanging their heads over the barnyard gate sending “we need horse treats” vibes. This is my life, and it is good.

Wolf ~ Whale ~ Flicker is based on how the Quileute “Old People” looked at their traditional world. The story draws heavily on oral history, historical narrative, and personal exposure. This is my debut novel. I lived and worked in Quileute territory for over twenty years. During that time, I was tasked with documenting tribal elders on video tape and developing Quileute-specific curriculum for the tribal school. In 1989 I participated in the historic Paddle to Seattle which inspired the resurgence of modern Northwest canoe journeys.

My experience working with the Quileutes was transforming for me, much as young Duncan in Wolf ~ Whale ~ Flicker is transformed by his adventures. The Quileute elders were my mentors. They encouraged me to write, to pass on lessons for future generations. This novel fulfills my promise to them and sets the stage for a sequel.

I write because I love putting words on paper. When something touches me deeply I become lyrical; it’s easier for me to write it down than to verbally articulate feelings. I’ve found writing dialogue to be an enjoyable challenge. It’s equally challenging to weave historical fact into fiction.

Fun is riding my horse, reading a good book, landscape quilting, visiting with friends and family, organic gardening with mostly heritage seeds, and cultivating a mix of native and perennial plants on our 18-acre slice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

My wildest publishing dream is to find Wolf ~ Whale ~ Flicker a wide, wide audience, in schools, libraries and with kids everywhere. I’d like to see the book made into a movie, shot in the Pacific Northwest rainforest, with Native actors and producers, and I’d like to write a sequel that follows a couple of teenage Quileute girls who go on an ocean journey in a red cedar canoe.