Title: Cheyenne War Drums in Yellowstone
Author: Philip R. Morehouse
ISBN: 9798537432258
Page count: 159
Genre: Fiction; Survival/Adventure
Book Price: $14.95
Kindle Price: $4.99 or Free with Kindle Unlimited membership
Author Bio:
The author was born in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, where he started his life's training on the family-owned farm. Throughout his youth, he was taught by his grandfather how to fish, set a trap, and stalk big game. Learning these skills was crucial to the family's survival.
After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy, received engineering and survival training, was assigned to an amphibious ship, deployed and participated in the blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and later rescued Americans from Haiti during the Dominion/Haiti Crisis. Then, he served an extended hitch during the Vietnam War. Returning home, he married and joined the Army National Guard, serving in aerial and ground support photography assignments.
Among the many diverse jobs, he also worked as a professional writer and photographer for over 60 years. With his children grown and on their own, he now pursues what he loves the most - writing true-to-life, survival, adventure-type stories from which he draws on his past experiences, training, and extensive research.
Tell us about your book:
"Cheyenne War Drums in Yellowstone", is a story about Ben Ferguson, a Yellowstone guide and forest ranger who is trapped by an avalanche near death; he is rescued in the nick of time by the Cheyenne Chief and his daughter, who are part of the tribe who are living deep in the no man's land within Yellowstone Park. After being nursed back to health, he decides to live with the Cheyenne, where he learns their ways and much more. He helps them to ward off an attack by their mortal enemy, the Crow, and works with them to survive several other dangers to the tribe, including being discovered by the US Parks Division, who moves to throw them out of the park. To find out all the details leading up to the surprising ending, be sure to get a copy of this book.
How does this book relate to your real-life experiences?
The only part of this book that relates to my experiences is the bits and pieces of survival, hunting, and bow-making; the rest is based on research and my imagination.
How long did it take to write the book?
It took 4 months from concept to rough draft, initial edits, final edit, and proofing to finally see it published on 11/22/2021.
What inspired you to write the book?
My love of nature and Indian history inspired me.
Let's talk about the writing process. Did you have a writing routine? Did you do any research, and if so, what did that involve?
I do my best writing after 9 PM to approximately 3 AM. Having a computer and word processor at my disposal, which I use to research resources for this book, and being retired, I find that I have unlimited time to write, and what better subject to draw on than a story about Native American Cheyenne Indians laid against the background of Yellowstone Park?
What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?
I would hope that after reading this book, the readers would come away with a greater understanding of the workings of our National Parks and a greater understanding of the Cheyenne culture. Also how badly they were treated by the US Government, which directly led to their genocide.
Where can we go to buy your book?
This book is readily available online through Amazon.com as a softcover, a Kindle download, or at Barnes & Noble. If any of your bookstores should be out of stock, be sure to give them the following number: ISBN- 9798537432258.
Excerpt from this novel:
"Ben couldn't stand the unbearable pain any longer and felt himself slowly sliding back into unconsciousness. As he did, the pain left him.
How long had it been? He had lost count as the hours passed like ghosts on a dark, fog-laden road. If he had to guess, it had been over 24 hours since an avalanche containing house-sized boulders, cobble rocks, and sand had suddenly let go far above him, descending without provocation or warning - all but burying him.
"Then he saw it, and he desperately wished that he hadn't. What was about to happen was beyond anything that he could have imagined, certainly far worse than what had already happened.
A huge male mountain lion came into view only a few feet away. The big cat's eyes glowed iridescently as it watched him. Instinctively, it knew that Ben was helpless, certainly no danger to him."
"Daylight swept down from the mountain tops, treading softly across its slopes, and tiptoed to where he lay. By now, he was shaking uncontrollably, his teeth chattering like an old manual typewriter while waiting for the sun to warm the rocks around him, which would, in turn, warm the soil and himself. Until then, his body was fighting to keep him alive."
"It was then that Ben felt the hair standing up on his arms and the back of his neck. It was too late to warn the others of what was about to happen next, but to yell for them to throw themselves to the ground, now!! He had no sooner landed on the ground when a deafening sound slammed into them as lightning hit a tree in the center of their camp, causing it to explode. Then, it was as if the sky had fallen on them. The smell of sulfur filled the air, and then the gates of hell opened.."