1999 Tour… Tour… Tour…

July 1999

Me In Butte, Montana


What a magical, yet busy year this has been– this year before the turning of the century. Did you feel it too? Or was it just me? Didn’t this year seem… well, busy?…This year marked the start of the Blackfeet Nation H.E.L.P. Learning Center which I have helped to bring into being.  Plus, there were so many things to do: a new book to write; a fundraiser to organize; the Blackfeet Days pow-wow to attend; the big Grand Opening of the Blackfeet literacy project on the rez itself; a Navajo fundraiser to support as well as the hostessing of two wonderful Navajo gentlemen who wanted to tour our literacy project. Yet into the midst of all this activity, I was determined to throw a booksigning tour, in order that my newest book, NIGHT THUNDER’S BRIDE be properly promoted.

And so it was that on a bright, sunny day in July, my husband, Paul, and I set out to Montana; there, to do some booksignings, plus visit the Blackfeet rez– even to combine a visit to each reservation in Montana, seeking out those people concerned with literacy.

 

 

In Montana

 

We began the booksignings in Butte, Montana and 
headed gradually north, until we at last, came to the Blackfeet reservation

In Montana
WalMart		 Horseback Riding
Shown here: Toni Running Fisher 
and husband Kevin

 

While on the reservation, Toni Running Fisher took us on a horseback tour into the Glacier Mountains. She even managed to get me to go fishing, where I was much happier if the fish didn’t bite. The lake where she took us, by the way, was incredibly beautiful. The pictures you see here don’t do it justice. Set in the middle of nowhere, off in the distance was a herd of horses. 
Beautiful scenery surrounds our ride<–Horses
Going fishing on the rez.
Can you see the herd of horses in the distance?

 

A ride into the mountains

Toni – in Glacier Mountains
On horseback

My husband, Paul
Toni and Paul

 

Beauty all around us

 


Glacier National Park
With Toni and Kevin’s Family

Showing a fish that Toni caught

 

We even found a cute, little stray kitten — thanks to my brother-in-law, Bob. We adopted him– the cat– right away and named him Midnight Thunder since Bob found him around midnight– and also in honor of my newest book.

 

 

Back to the Booksignings

In Wyoming with hubby, Paul 
 

 

One very exciting thing for me was the opportunity to visit Fort Union, which structure is still standing. Because all three of my books in the Blackfeet Warrior series are centered around this fort, this was a real treat.

Tepees around Ft. Union
Ft. Union

 

I was also able to visit Fort Benton on the Missouri, where my next book, WOLF SHADOW’S PROMISE (due out in July, 2000) is set.

Paul and me at the trading room/ Ft. Union
Ft. Benton

 


On the Gros Ventre/Assiniboine reservation, my  husband, Paul, had the opportunity to join in with the youngsters in their crafts. The drum he made while here hangs on the mirror in my car.
Fort Benton on the Missouri

 

And then it was time to continue the tour. Heading down into Wyoming and Colorado, I met up with fellow writer and friend, Jeanette Baker, and together, we completed the tour through Colorado and New Mexico. Unfortunately, one of the cameras I bought and took pictures with was one of those new digital films, which was promptly lost when I took it in for processing. The horrible upshot is that I have only a few pictures of Jeanette and me on tour.

 


In Wyoming
In Colorado

At WalMart in Billings
In Wyoming

In Denver I met up with Jeanette Bower and together, we completed the tour
At Barnes and Noble in Denver

 

And so ends another year’s tour. But stay tuned. Word has it that I will be storming Texas with author and friend, Heather Cullman, on yet another tour… 
coming up in February.

Glacier Mountains
The Plains of Wyoming