I thought I’d tell you a bit about the story behind the story of LAKOTA SURRENDER.

LAKOTA SURRENDER was the first book that I ever had published.  Above and slightly right is the new ebook cover and off to the far right here is the mass market cover that was originally produced by AVON Books, which is now a subdivision of HarperCollins Publishers.

Inspired at the time by the movie, DANCES WITH WOLVES, I found myself entranced.  I had been writing for a few years, but had only been writing contemporaries — believing that I couldn’t write an historical because of all the research necessary.

But after the film of DANCES WITH WOLVES, I became so interested in the American Indian way of life, that I started to read every book from the library that I could get my hands on.  One of my favorite books to read was by George Catlin, who toured the West (going where no European had gone yet) in 1834.  His observations of the West, of the land and his admiration for the peoples that he met and grew to like and admire, touched me deeply.

Hard to believe this picture to the right is its full size.  Catlin toured the West in order to capture the image of the original inhabitants of this continent as they were in their native state.  He knew that their system of life would soon be in danger of passing into the pages of history — and he wanted to leave a record of what he found.  His observations greatly influenced me — and influenced this book.  In his book, I was treated to wild pony chases, dances, buffalo hunting, wild fires, flaming prairies, interesting traders and scouts and an idea of the romance of the West.

But the writing of this book came straight from my soul.  It had started with the movie DANCES WITH WOLVES, but it evolved into a love of this land of these people.  In truth, I hadn’t intended to write this book.  I’d been writing contemporaries for a while with very little success at publishing them, and had decided to give up my “habit” of writing, not even considering writing an historical because I found the idea of research so daunting, even though I read and loved the American Indian Historical Romance genre.

It was a friend, Jeanne Miller, who one day said to me, “Well, you know — you have done enough research now that you could write that book about Indians.”  My response was, “Oh, no, I don’t do that anymore (write).  It costs too much money in paper and postage to send out the manuscripts and ink (I wrote this on a typewriter or by hand).  It’s become an expensive habit, and so I’ve decided to stop.”

But the idea was planted.  And no more than a few weeks had gone by when I found myself with a plot and an avenue to express my love for this culture and for these people.   I don’t write about myself.  My heroines are usually based on my friends and this heroine was based on one of my best friends, ever — from High School, Chrissy Pickens (Milliman).  And the hero was based on my idea of a man of honor — an image that was partly created by a character from out of the book, BUCKSKIN BRIGADES, by L. Ron Hubbard.

And so the story was born, and eventually was picked up by AVON Books, my publisher for eleven of my stories.  Lakota Surrender was a story from my heart — a story of the courage of these Western nations and also the courage of those who came to settle the country.

25th Anniversary

Lakota Warrior Series Book 1

As she travels west to join her cavalry officer father at his Kansas outpost, Kristina Bogard eagerly anticipates new adventures—and her first glimpse of wild Indians. She has long dreamed of flashing black eyes, skin-covered lodges and buckskin and leather.

What she finds in Fort Leavenworth, though, is a far cry from her Indian nanny’s thrilling stories. What few natives she’s encountered have been broken shadows of their proud past. All except one. A handsome warrior who stands tall and proud. A warrior who stirs up an entirely new set of dreams and emotions for Kristina.

Tahiska can’t take his eyes off the green-eyed beauty whose graceful hands are fluent in his native sign language. But he can’t afford to let anything distract him from avenging his father, who was murdered by two white soldiers.

Though anger fills his mind, Kristina steals into his heart, igniting a wildfire passion that must remain their desperate secret. For soon comes the day of reckoning, when justice will be served…or a travesty will shatter their love.

This is the 25th Year Anniversary Edition of this book

Warning: Sensuous romance for the romantic at heart

Buy it today!