The second book in my series was released April 2009
After surviving through the throes of being kidnapped by Indians and traded for goods to the Arapahos, Sarah Anderson proves herself worthy of the Indian name Vision Seeker and marries a warrior. She settles into the daily routine of wife to Running Swift and mother to Little Feather until a twist of fate brings her world crashing down around her when the Army charges into the village to arrest the warring warriors.
Rescued from the Indians and sent to Fort Laramie, Sarah now faces the difficult task of transitioning back into the white world with an Indian child. Shunned by the white populace and considered a soiled dove, she struggles with her uncertain future until a man she once knew crosses her path
Excerpt
The thunderous hoof beats of the horses reverberated through the village. Men scrambled from their lodges, many of them still naked. They ran and waved their arms to divert the spooked horses. Running Swift and Hands So High dashed through the village.
Some of the women with small children ran for cover of the woods while others stood ready for an attack as the enemy rode past, raising their clubs in the air. Young boys ran among the enemy, firing arrows from their small bows. Many of the villagers scrambled between teepees to seek safety from tomahawks and pounding hooves, all the while swinging knives and clubs to defend themselves.
The Blackfeet galloped into the center of the campsite, shooting arrows wildly into the crowd of attacking Arapahos. One warrior slashed a teepee pole, causing the covering to collapse and catch fire from the pit inside.
“Stop the horses,” shouted Running Swift. Quickly, he ducked a wild thrust by an attacker, which barely scratched his shoulder. He nocked his arrow and took aim. The feathered shaft pierced the rider’s chest. The brave died on his way to the ground. Running Swift grabbed a handful of mane and swung into the empty pad saddle.
As he rode into the melee, he yelled, “Push them to the lake.”
Deer Hunter ran toward the water, trying to keep the raiders in front of him. With his quiver empty, he threw his spear at one of the Blackfeet, missing by two feet. His arrows would have found their mark.
Hearing the thunderous hooves pound the campsite ground, Vision Seeker darted from the path of the panicked animals. She held her son, Little Feather, in one arm and waved the other, trying to divert the frantic horses.
A woman in front of her stood terror stricken by the battle raging around her.
“Move,” Vision yelled, as she dodged a Blackfoot’s tomahawk. She grabbed the woman by the shoulder and pulled her between two teepees. A young boy bumped into Vision, knocking her off her feet as he sprinted after the enemy with his bow and arrows.
Clutching Little Feather to her chest, Vision raced toward the shelter of several trees to hide her son. She hung his baby bag safely from a branch.
From the tree line, Vision saw Many Faces pick up her small daughter, Little Fawn. She yelled, “Many Faces, behind you.”
The woman swung a club at a brave on horseback. An arrow struck her in the stomach. As she crumpled to the ground, she dropped her daughter.
Overcome with anger, Vision screamed, “Kill them. Kill them. Kill the Blackfeet.”
Professional Reviews
Elmer Kelton, Hard Trail to Follow, Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
A full-bodied saga about the adventures of a frontier family, their friends and their enemies in the Indian-war years just before the Civil War.
Johnny D. Boggs, Three-time Spur Award-winning author of Camp Ford and Northfield, Dorchester Publishing Co, Inc.
With an easy, unpretentious writing style, Gwyn Ramsey keeps her novel moving at a brisk space. WINDS OF CHANGE blends the best elements of historical, romance and Western fiction, and reminds us of why Americans like to read a good, strong story about our country.
--Martha Kowalski, Reader
The characters in Winds of Change are so real that it is evident Gwyn Ramsey did in-depth research. The way she weaves the different character's lives together is intriguing and exciting, and kept me wanting more. The incite into the lives of the American Indians and how they survived off the land is extremely vivid. These native people had so many good qualities but the violence among the different tribes is an eye opener. By our standards, even in that time, they lived a very hard life even before the Whites encroached upon them. This story is a fascinating read.
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