I finally got around to taking a nice photo of my latest book, Harvest Moon. Each item in the picture represents some element in the story. Let me tell you about it.
Black Feathers:
My main character in Harvest Moon, an Ojibwe women named Maang-ikwe “Loon Woman” takes a young crow from a nest and makes him her pet. She names him Waabi, and he becomes a good friend to her, someone she can tell her secrets to.
True story: when they were young, one of my sisters and brothers each had a pet crow, and I remember them both. They were very smart birds and could do all kinds of tricks.
Bottle of Indian Corn:
Something significant in the story happens in a field of corn, and in the book one of the stories I tell, based on an Ojibwe legend, is about corn.
Deer Antler:
Historically, the Ojibwe and many native peoples harvested deer for food, clothing, and used bones and antlers for many things like utensils, tools, and buttons. In Harvest Moon, Maang-ikwe has a favorite deerhide dress she likes to wear.
The antler pictured is a shed Whitetail Deer antler that one of my brothers found.
Medicine Pouch:
The pouch pictured is a real, handmade medicine pouch that I ordered from a shop owner on Etsy. It is similar to the kind I imagine Maang-ikwe uses. She learns the art of herbal healing from the tribe’s medicine woman, Wiineta, an old crone of a woman but wise in her perception and knowledge. In her faith as a Christian, Maang-ikwe must filter the knowledge she gains through her understanding of God, the ultimate healer.
Green Leaves:
These represent the leaves of the many plants Maang-ikwe learns to harvest for medicine and food.
At the heart, Harvest Moon tells a tale of finding grace and blessing amongst the hardships of life. I like to write novels that offer not only a glimpse into the past but leave the reader with a renewed sense of hope for the future.
Thanks for reading!
Thank you for reading about the story of the picture of Harvest Moon!
What are you currently reading? Do you enjoy novels about Native Americans?