Copyright 2023 by Lori-Ann Willey
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| Book Cover (A finger painting by Lori-Ann) |
Leaning against the wooden deck rails on this cold spring morning, I find comfort as I gaze at the rugged and snow-capped mountain. Glacier-cut, its presence commands respect, and one that I can somehow relate to. My mind wanders as if recalling tales told long ago and long forgotten. My mind pieces visions and thoughts together, forging stories of their own. Each shows me as a child or teenager, and then as an adult, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. Pulling ideas from my own memories, experiences, and forgotten dreams, too.
With a cup of hot coffee clasped in my hands, and its warmth seeping through my
fingers, my mind ponders and works on a story -a continuance of my Kinap
trilogy still in the writing process. It is times like this when I most feel a
connection to my Native American roots. As the steam rises, swirls, and brushes
past me, there is an overwhelming sense of belonging as if the essence of my
ancestors flows through my veins, my skin is cool and clammy from the fine water
particles. Always, I’ve embraced nature and appreciated the mystery of Mother Nature, and my heritage that I know so
very little about. I’ve always thought, “There is more to me than being labeled
“white” simply because I do not hold a tribal card.
Standing in the cold morning air holding a steamy cup of coffee, I wonder about
the herbs that were steeped in water, sipped by people long ago either for
medicinal or nutritional value. Leaves, bark, plants, and roots were used to
ensure better health at a time when the age of 40 was old. Here I am 56 years
old, fastly going on 57, and I’m still a strong, rugged woman who can work for
hours a day without fatigue or soreness the following day. Surely, that DNA
comes from all corners of the globe, but truly, my mind and soul align more
with my Native American ancestry, diluted DNA or not.
Lost in the beauty of the landscape, my imagination wanders. Always, I allow it, using emerging thoughts
as inspiration for the second book in my Kinap trilogy, "The Adventures of
Alliette." As with Kinap, Alliette’s story is of courage and resilience,
as well as a profound connection with the natural world. Only, on this morning,
though I stand chilled by the early spring air, my heart is as warm as my
coffee. Alliette’s story unfolds.
By the time the first sunray touches the tip of Mt. K, I realize I’m left
holding an empty coffee cup, and it is as cold as I am…as cold as those
snow-covered rockslides upon the mountain. It is then that my thoughts drift to
Alliette and her terrifying descent down the mountainside riding upon an
avalanche of rocks, creating another scar across the face of such a rugged
mountain. Visible from a dozen miles away, those natural scars are where
Alliette's story unfolds—a tale of unexpected dangers and the untamed courage of a
seemingly careless teen. Seeing a bit of
myself in Alliette’s character, allows me to better, or maybe more easily build
Alliette's character, the intricate web of her adventures, too.
With the mountain as my inspiration and the taste of coffee on my lips, I
embrace the magic of this spring morning.
It allows the story of Alliette to unfold within my mind's eye. The
possibilities are endless, and I can't help but feel excited for the journey
that lies ahead for us both.
