Tag: fiction

A Special Shard Story From ‘Rays of One Light’ – not yet published of the ‘Rising Wind Series’ from Book 7…

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment

 
The Weaver and the Princess
From Rays of One Light
Three-Part Story…


Secora James and Destiny Hawkins arrived at the ranch just as the sun rose on the last day in the Baja desert. Soon, they would have to return to their jobs at the University in Missoula and offer summer classes. Once they parked, they found horses saddled and waiting for them inside the vertical pole corral.

“Only two horses. Guess we’ll be going in alone again,” observed Secora. Pointing to the fence, Destiny asked, “Don’t those poles look like those spindly boojum trees we ran into yesterday?” Secora nodded, “Interesting observation.” After tightening the cinches on the bay and placing the bridle over the mare’s head, she tied the halter and rope with leather strings set near the saddle horn, and her gear bag was bunched at the back of the cantle.

A young woman wearing a protective pink and gray rebozo shawl over her head and shoulders came to greet them at the corral, humbly notifying them that her husband, Alfonso, could not take them out because he was still sick. Apologizing in broken English, she suggested a trail that would lead them to the nearest painted rocks. She added that several of the large murals were more difficult to find, but these smaller ones could be found just off the trail.

She smiled, then cautioned in Spanish, “Watch out for the spirits.”
“Spirits, Pepita?” Secora asked.
“Yes, the blessed spirits who move silently… like ghosts.”
“We will try to be respectful, thank you.” Secora and Destiny looked at each other, wondering how to interpret her words. Then, bidding Pepita and Alfonso, who waved weakly from the door a good day, the women mounted up and took the suggested trail

Destiny asked, “So, is “anima” ghost… or spirit?

Secora shrugged. After a moment, she sighed. “Perhaps she knows about some tragedy in that area. Guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Right, I suppose, spirits are everywhere.”
Hooves clattered over a thin, stony trail; half hidden on the side hill. Secora drew a breath. “This is our last chance to see the place where little Diegoaelurus, the precursor to mammalian predators once roamed.”

Destiny added, “Hopefully, we’ll be lucky enough to take in a boldly painted black and red mural.” They headed for a low ridge that dropped down into a basin toward the west, where they hoped to observe some of the impressive art left by the Archaic people who lived there more than 10,000 years ago.

Destiny reflected, “I hope we don’t get lost.”

Secora said, “We won’t. I usually turn around every few hundred feet to see what the trail will look like on our way back.”

“Yeah, and I guess we could take pictures of the main features in case we get stuck.”

“Good idea.” Secora nodded and lifted her camera. 

The changes and chances of weather and rainfall in the Baja Peninsula required special adaptations from the plants, animals, and people who lived there. Secora noticed a variety of vegetation unexpected in a desert with such wildly variable rainfall patterns and extensive droughts.

Life forms took advantage of hidden pools and ephemeral rain. Yet they must somehow survive the rare monsoonal deluges produced by storms that struck the peninsula and roared their way inland. Gashes caused by massive flash floods ripped through the terrain, leaving driftwood and huge gravel ridges along their paths.

The horses sauntered down a dried creek bed, while the women scanned the cliff sides.
Would this be the day they’d catch a glimpse of something wonderful, striking petroglyphs, or perhaps one of the well-preserved red and black murals that had caused the region to be declared a World Heritage site comparable to European Cave Art? In the distance, they saw a few wispy pines, stunted cedars, and century plants erupting from rock, gravel, or sand along the hillsides.

As they dropped into a narrow canyon, they cleared a tight corner and ran smack into a patch of jumping cholla cactus, strategically hanging over the trail. Destiny tried to steer clear, but one spike attached itself to the chestnut gelding’s mane and neck, causing him to toss his head and sidestep toward another branch. She dismounted to control the animal. “Ouch! Dang, we got too close.”

On foot, they carefully wended through a hundred feet of the dangerous spines before escaping the last of the beautiful but wicked cacti. Destiny tried to steady the gelding, while Secora grabbed a pair of needle-nosed pliers from her backpack and began plucking the painful spines from the horse’s neck. When he jerked his head, three spines ran into Destiny’s fingers. “Blast it!”


“Yeah, but it’s hard to deny how good it feels to let them do the walking.” They topped a second ridge and saw a set of beautiful palms and several species of euphorbia sprouting from the smaller side of the canyons along the arroyo.

Destiny was moved to comment, “It’s fascinating. When you look out to the horizon, lush greenery is what you see. It hardly looks like we’re in the midst of a hot, dry desert.” She stopped to take some photographs. “Oh look, I think that modest looking succulent near your horse’s leg might even be a lady slipper.”

“Couldn’t prove it by me. It’s getting on toward noon, but it’s too hot to think about eating, let alone categorizing succulents.” Destiny arched her back in a stretch. “I thought it was supposed to be cooler today, but… oof, it feels like an inferno.”

Secora pointed and spoke in a loud whisper, “There! I saw movement. Across the basin, over to our left. I think there were two or possibly three people.” “Out here?” Destiny was silent for a while as her eyes searched up and down the terrain. “People or ghosts? I can’t see anything.”

She used the telephoto to snap a picture in that direction, but her eyes saw nothing. “Where are they? Sure you didn’t see deer.”  “No, I’m pretty sure. I saw two, maybe three people walking at the base of that cliff across the basin. They were at that ruin across the way, beneath the stack of old log poles that might be remnants from a caved-in roof, but I don’t see them anymore.”

“If they were there, they probably sat down for a rest.”
“That’s certainly possible, Destiny. But now I’m seriously curious about why those old poles are clumped together.”
“Perhaps from a flash flood?”
“Could be, or they could be repurposed from an old construction site.”
Let’s go check.”

********* *********

These exciting mystery novels unfold in various multicultural settings around the globe across the first seven books. The series has received 5-Star Editorial Book Reviews from Book Influencers Reader’s Favorite, and it has won several awards, including the Book Excellence Award and the Christian Illumination Award, among others.

If you’re a reader or a movie enthusiast who loves the “Indiana Jones” saga and enjoys mystery, action, and adventure, you’ll love reading all seven books in the thrilling and gripping “Rising Wind” novel series.

Books are available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle.
Read it free with Kindle Unlimited, & Soon they will be
Available as audiobooks, too!
https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Wind-3-book-series/dp/B093PRX88L/


Welcome Readers To Another Introduction To The ‘Rising Wind’ Series of Novels With Book Two of “Ice and Bone”…

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment



More About The ‘Rising Wind Series’

The Rising Wind Book Series is a fictional mystery series with a blend of an action-packed cross-genre thrill ride!
If you enjoy reading elements of Native American flare, world religion, history, and extinct beasts, this series is for you!
These exciting mystery stories take place in multi-cultural places around the world within books one through five. The series has been awarded 5-Star Editorial Book Reviews by Book Influencers Reader’s Favorite and have won several book awards thus far, like Book Excellence Award, Christian Illumination Award, and several more.
If you are a reader or movie buff and a fan of the “Indiana Jones Saga,” and a fan of mystery action, and adventure?
Then you will love reading all the books of this thrilling gripping series of “Rising Wind” including Book Two “ICE and BONE”…



Rising Wind: Ice and Bone
FAMILY


Although Gideon’s heart longs for Secora, she has chosen a Kallawaya healer named Diego, and they plan to marry. But fate trashed their plans when they were attacked by the agents who were stalking Secora. Diego sacrificed his life to save his family and friends. Now, all were stricken with loss. 

Though stunned, Secora and Gideon searched for a path to find and help Wakinyan Tanka who had been captured in the nets of a greedy entrepreneur who was the source of the attacks. The two were able to tend to wounds caused by a gunshot and an arrow and cut her free from the nets. In return, the winged terror helped them to end the horrific schemes that had entrapped them all.

Now…

She drove her old Dodge across McDonald Creek. Secora remembered Suzie and Ken’s offer. They’d said she could find refuge at their Buckeye Dude Ranch and had even hinted that their resort might be a lovely place for a getaway or a honeymoon with Gideon. She had laughed to herself. For her, getting away from anything or anyone was as unlikely as a marriage.

When she pulled into the parking lot, Secora found that it was packed with people and cars. Her sister, Iris, who was getting married today, came over to greet her all dolled up in a beautiful burgundy dress featuring embroidered flowers, and her flaxen hair was accented with purple and green ribbons.

Others pressed forward to greet Secora. She couldn’t believe her eyes; Jimmy Lizardeye was wearing a tux! She had to snap a picture. Guests and family began to move through the doors as the appointed time drew near. Secora took a place across from Iris and Gideon’s sister, Jane, who stood next to their husbands’-to-be.

Gideon Yellow Thunder silently came to stand beside her, looking smooth and eye-catching, also in a tux. He pinned an orchid in Secora’s tawny tresses. “A suit guy is making money off you and Jimmy,” she whispered. Gideon’s Cherished office staff, Jeannie and Mitch, waved from the right side of the circle, catching Secora’s eye. Her parents, Sage and L.W. led a party from Bolivia, which included Alai and Guillermo Santiago, parents of her deceased fiance, Diego. Sage pecked Secora’s cheek on the way.
 
Her heart instantly ached to be with the Santiagos. Suddenly she was crippled by thoughts of her foster child, and wished they had brought Monta, the little girl who had been reclaimed by her birth father after he had escaped slavery in the Peruvian emerald mine. Maybe they could visit later, after they had time to heal. She wiped away the tears. Everything became quiet when her Graduate Assistant, Tarkio, and his family Anida and Frederick stepped into the center of the room with a mike.

“Friends, this is a magical day, and if our wichasha wakan, Jimmy, would be kind enough to bring forward the brides and their grooms, we will begin the very simple Baha’i ceremonies for each couple, and then our favorite Lakota holy man, will raise a voice and chant a marriage prayer.”

Jimmy ushered Gideon and Jane’s mother, grandmother, and Kyah to the center. Jane brought Aparu forward to share their vows in front of her family. Next, Iris brought Kantun and a translator, just in case. The men couldn’t take their eyes off their brides; the same was true for the girls. Gideon offered Secora his arm and said, “Shall we?” They were the last of the three couples to repeat the phrase, “We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God” in their own ceremony.

Kyah started beating a Plains Indian drum, Guillermo played an Andean water flute, and Jimmy began to dance and offer his prayer for the new families. When he finished, people began to mingle.


A friend, Mr. Hasan smiled and said, “Hope everything is to your liking?” Secora answered, “Quite so, thank you.” Gideon said, “Some questions are better not asked. But I feel glad to be alive, and I suspect I owe you thanks for that.” He grinned and shook Mr. Hasan’s hand. “You’re welcome.” The tall man smiled. “Please visit Mr. Landsing or me up at our resort any time. You and your expansive family are always welcome guests. “In fact,” a South American contingent will be staying a night or two with us.” Secora giggled. “We’ll be sure to stop by.”

Mr. Landsing interjected, “And please, check out the gift table.” Gideon repeated, “Gift table? No gifts were expected.” Both men pointed to a table in a back corner. The four of them wandered over, and Secora saw copious presents for the Guero couples, but there were also a few for her and Gideon. There was a very long package in black and silver foil wrapping, with red, white, and green bows. The label read Secora and Gideon Yellow Thunder.

Tarkio and Jimmy had followed them and urged Secora to open it. So, she did. Inside was a long wood and glass case, complete with a velvet-shrouded skeleton in deep repose. He was surrounded, Secora noticed, by Middle Stone Age artifacts. Secora glanced around. If this had been any other family, there probably would have been screams and people fainting all over the place, and for a variety of reasons.

But this family was different. Very different. Many were healers and sensitives, from the Gueros to Alai, the last of her tribe, Kallawayas and Lakota healers, and precious representatives of the Faiths of Jesus Christ, Mohammad, and Baha’u’llah. As such, fifty people came by to pay their respects to the departed man lying in state – and offered prayers for this ancient traveler who happened to die while visiting, or moving to, North America.

William Landsing announced, “Arrangements will be made immediately to return this honored one to his tomb with his mammoth companion on property now owned by Gideon and his wife.” Landsing grinned under his new cookie-duster mustache. Secora noticed his hands were missing a few fingers from frostbite, but that didn’t seem to slow him down.

She whispered, “Thank you, Billy.” (For much of her life, she knew him as Billy the mammoth hunter, who had actually found the skeleton and saved it from destruction.) “Uh… that would be William. No, Billie or Jake—in case someone still has it in for one of them.” He winked.

“It appears Billy overcame the man who tried to kill him by knocking him out with his shovel, by the grace of God. He had already loaded the duffel, which held his camera and the notes he’d taken, as well as the gentleman preserved in this case because this discovery was not meant to be erased from prehistory by Professor Donald Chastain or others like him.


Then, Billy left for Montana. “By the way, you may wish to check this other package, with the aforementioned photos and notes with dating samples, when you get home.” He pointed to a medium-sized square package wrapped similarly. “The rest of the gift.”
Secora’s turn to wink. “I will. “You know, nobody seems to have heard from Billy since his hospital stay.” Lansing mused, “I think that’s the way he would like it.” Especially when the brouhaha about this burial comes to light.”

Secora rolled her eyes. “I understand, my friend.” Then she rejoined Gideon, who had wandered off during the conversation. He was laughing with Aparu and Kantun. Guillermo and Alai were becoming acquainted with these young Peruvian men. Iris and Jane, true to their commitment, never left their husbands’ sides.

,Alai, who had given Monta to Secora before they found out her father was alive, said, “I have something for you from someone very special.” She handed her one of the colorful toys Secora had purchased in Puno. “Monta wanted to give you a present.” Secora accepted it with glistening eyes. “Gideon, this is the happiest day ever.”

He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll have other happy days, but this one will always be special.” He kissed her cheek just as Kyah flashed a picture. 
That was a cue. The three brides rushed over to L.W., each grabbing a bouquet, which they hadn’t needed for the ceremony—but they needed them now. Giggling, they lined up, side-by-side, and with sweeping gestures, they hurled them backward—at Jimmy. He was startled and caught two of them in self-defense.

Cameras flashed again, catching the shock on the holy man’s face, and when he noticed every eye was on him, he hurriedly escaped to the men’s room with a slight smile on his lips. Hetchetu alo’ (meaning as it shall be). . .

If you’re a reader or a movie enthusiast who loves the “Indiana Jones” saga and enjoys mystery, action, and adventure, you’ll love reading ALL the books in this thrilling and gripping “Rising Wind” novel series!

Books are available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle!
Read Free with Kindle Unlimited too!
https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Wind-3-book-series/dp/B093PRX88L/




Welcome Readers To ‘RISING WIND’ and Book One ‘THE THUNDER BEINGS.’ The Backstory of Romance Between Gideon & Secora. . .

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment

“All the time I wondered who Secora James was, and how we could
possibly find, let alone help, a mythical creature.“


Wakinyan Tanka, the Great Thunderbird contacted me in a dream while I was in the hospital healing from a lightning strike. She was perched atop a misty cliff and stood at least eight feet tall as far as I could tell. Her stare had a primitive fierceness that made me feel paralyzed, unable to move or speak. She was aware, and telepathically said, “All life is tenacious. You have survived what most men would not. My kind has survived what many of the large ones from a cooler time did not. She marked the statement by raising a Mohawk of crimson-tipped feathers that ran from the crest of her head partway down the back of her gray-black neck.

I am Wakinyan Tanka.
Long ago, humans relied on the grace of my people to lift their prayers by the wind of our wings to the Great Mystery of which we are all a part of. To those who sought our aid all over the earth, we were the embodiment of effortless grace, the Winged Power who protected and destroyed.

Awestricken, I noticed that her face and the under part of the neck were lighter in color, but overall, there was a golden eagle-like impression and, just maybe, a little hawk thrown in. Yet, there were also definite differences. Her back feathers were gray, and there was bluish skin on her face near the eyes and beak. The beak was large and primitive, not like modern raptors. It looked like an upside-down canoe, meant to carve deeply into her prey.

Listen. Do not let your attention stray. I showed myself to you in a vision before the lightning strike, because you were in danger. You came outside where I could save you. The Thunder Beings are in trouble, and I am calling on you for help. She adjusted her balance. In these times, wherever we fly we are targeted and harassed. Soon, greedy men will want to imprison us and keep us from our lives in the sky. She shifted her massive wings. When the chest muscles moved, I was struck by how beautiful the gold-tinged breast feathers were.

Wakinyan continued, ‘All life is sacred, even a bug chooses to live.’
But change is the way of nature, and many animals and plants I knew are gone since the ice came and went. Only a few remain, even as they slide away as heat increases and land dries. For your kind, change is difficult. Two-leggeds hold onto vestiges of the past as sacred, often with disregard for the sacredness of the now. She dropped her head, but the reddish-gold eyes never left me.

The bird spread her dark glistening wings, which seemed to exceed the length of a large school bus. Your life is changing; mine may well be ending. I call on you now to help my people, the Thunderbirds. Either we will continue a while longer or we will end very soon. It is a thing to be decided by the Great Mystery, not for humans to control. The Wakinyan must accept whatever path is chosen for them by the One who gives life to all. And you must accept the new path chosen for you, or perish. The great bird cupped her wings and rose silently, effortlessly, from the cliff on which she perched. An updraft tickled her wing feathers, which became gilded with sunlight. Still, her eyes seemed to pierce me.

I was shocked. Gideon Yellow Thunder was a successful realtor in Missoula, Montana. I purposefully had not chosen the way of the Oglala Lakota. Wakinyan’s final thought reached me. You must prepare for a transition. Be aware of what is and be ready for what is to come. I rescued you once. If you help me, I will save you again. Still recovering at the trailer owned by my sister Jane, and her 12-year-old son, Kyah, I was catching the winking sun during a beautiful daybreak near Porcupine Creek, South Dakota. There was an undeniable peace. I was alone except for an irritated roan horse that was stomping a foot trying to dislodge a botfly that was laying eggs on its hair.

It was late June, but the breeze was tinged with crispness as I savored coffee on the porch, while taking in the surrounding beauty, and attempting to block out every stress that still clung to me. I have to admit there are times, the reservation seems like heaven. That peace was interrupted when My sister’s friend Iris Snowden arrived to plan their summer trip to South America. Try as I might, I could not ignore the trail of dust that followed a small red car off Bigfoot Road and up the drive.

“Hey, Jane! Somebody’s coming.” I slid my walker out of the way as my sister banged through the trailer door, squinted, and said, “Ah, that would be Iris,” as she trotted down the steps. “It’s been nearly a week since her sister, Secora, left for Brazil, and we still need to finalize our fieldwork travel plans.”



Jane and Iris, who worked for the Anthropology Department in Missoula, plotted and schemed while I sat on the porch and listened to the cricket music. A close family friend, Jimmy Lizardeye, climbed the steps and pulled up the second chair. He was a holy man, but I wasn’t open to that sort of 2 thing. “Hey, Jimmy, what’s up?” Jimmy offered me one of two sodas he’d brought with him. “Are you ready to deal with your haunting visits from Wakinyan Tanka?” Instant panic creased my face, as I answered in a whispered voice, “Sh… man what are you talking about? You know I don’t believe in that nonsense.” “Deny it all you want. But a Wichasha Wakan is not entirely without abilities.”

“What is a Wichasha Wakan again?”
“A holy man. Just think of me as a kind of priest who is ready to share with you the way of the Kecheta Heyoka, and to help you unravel the power of your visions. That is if you are ready.”
“No, I’m not ready.” I rubbed my eye, “I’m not looking to participate in any secret rituals!” After a long evening of planning and squabbles, I went to lie down for a rest. Another vision awaited me. It was evening, and the wind was blowing.

Wakinyan was soaring so high she couldn’t be seen from the earth. She cut through the atmosphere at incredible speed as she looked directly at me and said, Arise Heyoka. You must find the one who will save us both. We cannot endure that which is coming, alone. You need what she can teach you, to redeem yourself.
Who? The sister of the one who seeks the little humans. Is her name Secora? Wakinyan grew ever more distant, only a speck now, and then gone. I was hyperventilating when I opened my eyes, and my knuckles were white as I snatched the walker to find Jane and Iris folding clothes for their trip to research the Duendes.

“Okay, girls, hold everything! I’m coming with you.” I panted and teetered stiffly. Jane rushed to steady me. “Just get me out of here, will you?” “Change of heart?” asked Iris. “You can hardly walk, brother, and your right arm is just about useless.” My teeth clenched against a wave of pain. “I’m getting better. Listen, I think I need to talk to your sister, Iris. I’ll pay my way and cover any additional expenses. No interest.” That snagged their attention.

“Maybe Jimmy can come along to help me get around. I need help packing, Kyah can y…?” Kyah and Jimmy were already silently standing by. Iris warned, “Does everyone have a passport and proof of hepatitis, typhoid, and yellow fever vaccinations? Everyone assured her they did. Jane said, “Kyah, road trip?” “Ready, Mom.” “Hetchetu aloh.
One big happy family. So be it.” Jimmy smiled. I rolled my eyes at my unsought mentor and sighed. “Whatever.”
Who was Secora James, and how could the two of us find her let alone help, a ‘mythical creature.’

After we arrived in Bolivia, it was extremely difficult to find her. She must have been chased, attacked, and injured on several occasions before we found her. By then, I was thinking that not only Wakinyan needed her, but for some reason so did I, and I fretted until Jimmy and I got a lead to go to LaPaz, after another vision that seemed more painful than the
others. My hand was shaking as I held up the postcard image of the church I’d envisioned and compared it to the stone edifice that towered before us in La Paz. The Basilica de San Francisco. It was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. The beautiful cathedral, an example of Andean Baroque architecture, had been completed in 1758, or so the postcard said. “This is the place where I will finally find Secora.”

However, my intuition hadn’t told me how long Jimmy and I would need to wait in the church courtyard. It had already been a couple of hours. It was time for the elusive Secora James to make her predicted appearance. Half an hour later, I pointed. “That’s gotta be her.” The woman wearing a tight white dress, with broad lateral brown stripes. We were sitting close enough to catch a bare whiff of her floral perfume, which we inhaled deeply. I stood with my cane, stretched, then began a hobbling approach wondering thinking at long last how to introduce myself.

Jimmy grabbed his sleeve. “Hey, you sure? Doesn’t look much like the picture Iris gave us.” I braced against the cane and responded impetuously. “Has to be her, Jimmy. Look around, no one else is even a candidate and I know she’s here. I can feel it.” Jimmy Lizardeye chuckled and said, “Remember how Iris laughed when she told us that Secora’s fashion statement was ‘huh?’.No sense of style. Fringe and boots, not tight dress and perfume.” I faded into disappointment as we again sat on the bench to wait.

The plaza filled and emptied a few times. I could tell Jimmy was tired. He’d even taken-off the beaded shoulder bag, which held the sacred pipe, and set it beside him. Jimmy grinned, as a black car parked long enough to drop some people off. Gideon could see two men jump from the back seat, and pull out someone, possibly a woman. When the vehicle left, they all looked around surreptitiously, before moving down the steps toward the church. The cloaked person appeared to be limping badly.

Jimmy asked, “What about that one?” “The cripple?
I can’t even tell if it’s a woman. At any rate, no fringe, and… okay, so there are boots. Darn.” “If that is Secora, who are the guys?” The walk from the car looked rough. The suspected woman’s steps were hesitant and she was panting, or was that weeping. The young man without a hat half-dragged her forward. She seemed to be drawing back and pleading with him.

Jimmy hefted his beaded sacred pipe bag. “Maybe they’re trying to baptize her?” I regarded Jimmy, my face twisted in consternation. “Or maybe, they are abducting her.” I took a cleansing breath. “Man, I’m not even sure I want to mess with that.” “What does Wakinyan want?” I could hear crying now. “Maybe we’re already too late.” I limped forward slowly at first, psyching myself up for a confrontation. When I was only a few feet away, I froze, puzzled by a comment made by the man with the hat.

“We must get you out of sight now. Those people will not stop until you are dead. ”The woman’s voice said. “This is crazy. Other people need you.” The curly-haired one said, “No, we’re in this together. What will be, will be.” She wobbled, grabbing for a bench. Then she pulled the hat and ruana away so she could see. I hobbled up with my cane in a hurry, coming up on the trio to confront the men and alarming everyone.

The older man with the hat said, “Step away from her.” I turned my eyes onto the unexpectedly attractive woman. “Are you Secora James?” She stared boldly back. “What do you want?” “I’m Gideon Yellow Thunder and I’ve come through hell to find you.” “I’m Guillermo, said the middle-aged man with the hat. He held his hand between me and Secora. Then twisting his palm into an offer to shake, he said, “Sorry about the trip through infierno, son. She’s safe with me and my son, Diego.” Secora’s mouth dropped open as she squinted at Guillermo.

“You’re kidding–he’s your son?” Guillermo nodded with a grin. Diego was also smiling and nodding. She added that these men were healers, Kallawayas, who saved her from a poisoning. I stammered, “What? That makes no sense. I’m supposed to be the one who saves you.” Jimmy stepped between us and looked into Guillermo’s eyes, he turned to me. “Gideon, you can believe what he says. This man and his son are entirely dedicated to the service of the Great Mystery.”
I was in a state of shock and momentarily looked away, unsure how I felt about this whole thing. It was nothing like I’d expected. Diego suggested anxiously, “Perhaps we should rest inside the church, to dodge prying eyes.” He took Secora by the arm and helped her to stand.

As we crossed the plaza, she asked Jimmy, “So tell me, who are you?”

“Name’s Jimmy Lizzardeye, Wichasha Wakan from Pine Ridge at your service. And my momentarily speechless friend is Gideon Yellow Thunder, who also is from Pine Ridge, but he won’t admit it.” “Really, Pine Ridge?” Secora’s smile could have lifted the clouds. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance Wichasha Wakan, and you too, Gideon.” “Two cripples, I can’t believe it.” Still puzzled, I scratched my head. “This doesn’t feel right. I expected to rescue you, but my plans didn’t include dealing with two other heroes.” Jimmy closed in on Guillermo, whispering loudly. “So, you’re this guy’s father?” Guillermo nodded.

“Secora and my son Diego have become very close. It was the fabled love at first sight. Their souls recognized each other immediately.” Shaking my head, I said, “I just don’t get that. There was nothing about him, or you in my visions. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around everything. Guillermo nodded. We are taking her to our island to hide and protect her until we can figure out why she is being attacked. She is still quite weak and we need to keep her out of sight.”

Diego turned to him. “So, who are you Mr., Yellow Thunder?”
“I am beginning to wonder about that, myself.” I snapped. I’ve been trying to find Secora for weeks, to save her. Even though we never met before.” Gideon slowly shook his head and tapped his cane by the kneeling bench. Diego stared at the cane. What happened to the leg?” “That was the lightning strike. But my friend thinks a sniper took a shot at me. at the same time.” “Those people must not like you very much.” The Kallawaya slid to the side to get a better look.
“You should seriously change your lifestyle.” I glanced sidelong at Jimmy. “So I’ve been told.”

Jimmy and I took the ferry to the Isla del Sol with Secora and the healers. I didn’t know what else to do. Secora and Diego shared quick moments of complete connection and I had difficulty accepting their relationship. No. Wakinyan had everything else right. Somehow, I must continue his path with this– distracted woman. Things grew very quiet for a moment before I broke the ice.

“Look, Diego, Secora and I were meant to be together. Wakinyan said she needs us, and we won’t survive without her.” Diego solemnly acknowledged, “So, I’m not sure who this Wakinyan is, but you’re saying it is your destiny to work with Secora?” “More than that. I think we’re supposed to be together.” I paused. “What if she decides she wants more from me?” Diego laughed, “Oh, so you like her? She is pretty, no? You are most welcome to find out.

I think she will do what she will do. No matter what we wish.” – – –


********** ********** **********


ABOUT THE RISING WIND SERIES:

“The Rising Wind Book Series is a fictional mystery series with a blend of an action-packed cross-genre thrill ride!“

If you enjoy stories that incorporate elements of Native American culture, world history, extinct creatures, and romance, then this series is for you!

These exciting mystery novels unfold in various multicultural settings around the globe across the first seven books. The series has received 5-Star Editorial Book Reviews from Book Influencers Reader’s Favorite, and it has won several awards, including the Book Excellence Award and the Christian Illumination Award, among others.

If you’re a reader or a movie enthusiast who loves the “Indiana Jones” saga and enjoys mystery, action, and adventure, you’ll love reading all seven books in the thrilling and gripping “Rising Wind” novel series.

Books are available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle! Read free with Kindle Unlimited too!
https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Wind-3-book-series/dp/B093PRX88L/



A Special Poem and New Shard Story for Valentine’s Day… Introducing The ‘Rising Wind’ Series of Novels and Book One ‘The Thunder Beings,’ and How The Series Begins.

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment


MIST

Early in the morning

In the wake of rain

The drowsy trees exist

Draped in silence

And a distant thunder

Rolls… along

Beads of sunlight drip

Off water spotted ferns

The forest now breathes

And a distant thunder

Rolls along. . .


**********



About Book One ~ The Thunder Beings

When impassioned paleontologist Secora James is summoned to South America to confirm or dispel rumors of a creature long thought extinct, she lands herself in more trouble than she had ever imagined. Secora knows that the Mapinguari, a giant ground sloth that rivals King Kong for size, is probably just a local myth dreamed up by the indigenous tribes. 
Or is it?
Gideon Yellow Thunder is Montana’s top real estate broker and is perfectly content with his modern life, choosing to leave behind his Lakota heritage in order to lead a life of wealth and success. But when he starts having visions of bison on the open prairie, he feels compelled to act. . .
Now two separate lives are on a collision course as Gideon sets off for the jungles of Brazil to find a woman he’s never met and protect the sacred beings he’d long given up believing in—the Thunderbirds. Could they be real after all?
Or are they just a myth?
Gideon’s about to find out in an adventure of a lifetime, where everything he’d pushed aside is determined to leave its mark on his life.

*********

A Shard Story of Book One “The Thunder Beings”


A New Vision

Gideon Yellow Thunder shuddered back from his startling daydream. Mitch was squinting into his face, worry wrinkles etched onto his forehead. “You okay, dude? I heard you crash on the stairwell.”

********


Gideon Yellow Thunder tapped his pencil eraser on the desk as he finished a call from an eager business property buyer. He hung up thinking that was too easy. Kicking his chair back, he stretched and yawned. Then smiling confidently, he clipped together a few pages before standing up and slipping them neatly into a filing cabinet behind his desk.

Mitch, Gideon’s string bean of an assistant, and Jeannie, their resourceful secretary, were setting up a snack table for a party celebrating the continued success of Treasuremont Realty as it successfully shifted its way through Y2K.

“You’d think a hundred people were coming.” Gideon smiled. “We’ll have leftover snacks for the rest of the year.” He closed the file drawer and wandered over for a cup of punch.

“Hey, Jeannie, hope the company lasts as long as all these snacks.”

“That’s your job, sugar.”

He grinned, then sipped, “Yum, Seven-Up and…?”

“Cranberry juice.”

“I was just going to say that. Here’s to us!”

The office crew was about the only “family” Gideon acknowledged, though he had a younger sister who attended the local university. Jane was a nice girl, but their paths never seemed to cross. When she wasn’t attending classes, she took her breaks on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, staying with their mother, grandmother, and her son, Kyah.

The old doublewide on Bigfoot Road was twelve hours away, but that was still too close for Gideon. He wanted to stay as far away as he possibly could from his childhood home and the dysfunction he remembered.

Gideon’s eyes focused solidly on Mitch, who was now moving toward him with a certificate and a gift box. “What’s this stuff?” “Another annual certificate of appreciation from the Montana International Business Brokers Association saying you’re the best, and a little acknowledgment from your partner.” Mitch tipped his head in the direction of Glen Greenbriar, then popped a Frito into his mouth and wandered off.

Glen sat slumped in his chair with his chin idly cupped in one hand, adding drops of Angostura bitters to his whisky with the other to make his favorite drink, an old-fashioned. His desk sported a figurine Gideon hadn’t noticed before—a shrunken head. The face had brown skin, and a shiny green tooth, and bore a caption: My Retirement Plan.

That’s odd, thought Gideon, for several reasons. He glanced over the certificate, then surveyed the crowded wall behind his desk. Where the heck am I going to put this one? He sighed and set the certificate on his polished monkey wood desk. Grabbing the box with smooth manicured fingers, Gideon began to rummage through the curious assortment of packing materials. “Keep digging,” offered Glen. At length, Gideon located a two-inch clear plastic case in the midst of all the newspaper shreds and styrofoam peanuts.
“Wow, Glen, a penknife?”
He flipped it over. Hmm, no engraving. He sorted the box and packing materials into his garbage and recycling bins. Stray bits drifted to the floor.
While he was gathering the shreds, his hand bumped across a small object. He brought up a white marble that looked like it had been squished, the kind that people sometimes put into vases. Closer examination showed it had green specks peeking through. That’s different. He popped it into his shirt pocket. He turned toward Glen and pressed a finger thoughtfully against his lips regarding his partner whose wavy red hair was turning mostly gray. “What’s the knife for? I already have a letter opener.”

Between crunched chips, Glen made a suggestion. “Go skin a buffalo.”

“What… Excuse me?” Gideon stammered in shock.

“You’re an Indian, aren’t you?”

“You know I am. Why is that important?”

No answer. Gideon narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t minded that he had been hired to do the heavy lifting, while Glen phased out and retired. He’d even shrugged off the fact that his colleague had no love for anyone whose skin tones were different from his own. He learned early on from Mitch that Glen’s great-great-grandfather had been part of the 7th US Cavalry and an eager participant in two massacres during the late 1800s. These actions, no doubt, affected Gideon’s family, personally. Mitch said that Glen believed his ancestor was justified in the killings, regardless of the truth that time had since revealed.

Gideon tapped the table with anxious fingers. Maybe Glen had a tumor, or a demon on his tail. Maybe his great-great-grandfather was looking for a comeback. Whatever the cause, this was not business as usual.

“I was going to get you a bronze plaque partner, but…” Glen fidgeted with his glass, then belched. “Well, never mind, the plaque will have to wait. You got the damn award, and we got you that fine piece of cutlery.” His blue eyes turned to ice. “Clearly, Gideon, you’re worth every cent.”

Gideon Yellow Thunder was taken by surprise and rubbed his brow. Glen got up from his chair and stormed toward the buffet. Something was definitely fractured in their partnership, and he wondered how much longer the arrangement would last.

Eight and a half years ago, he’d given a talk at a business conference in Seattle on Seizing the Day. Glen had approached him afterward using words like “impressive” and “charismatic” that poured from his lips. Glen’s eyes smiled as he used phrases like “changemaker” and “closer” and “just the man.” Gideon would fit right in at Glen’s classy realty shop.

Despite Gideon’s hesitation to move to Missoula, Montana, he’d been excited about working for a legend in the profession. At first, the praise was almost constant. Glen assured Gideon he was doing the work of any three decent agents. Things had been good. But honest interaction between them was quickly fading. With a sigh, he put on his headphones and pulled up the quarterly accounting spreadsheets on his computer.

He flicked through several screens before he slowed down to focus on the figures for travel expenses. 
Something’s off. 
His finger traced the lines of expenditures that seemed not only out of place but way out of line with their budget. His calculator couldn’t make the problem go away and suddenly, there was more than racism bothering him.
Perhaps he had just uncovered one source of the problems with their partnership. Before he said anything to Glen, he’d check the figures against the budget history with an external accountant. He copied the questionable expenses onto a DVD, which he slid into his back pocket while exiting the computer.

He cleared the desk except for the new certificate and snatched his silk and cashmere suit coat from a hall tree. As he slid into the jacket, Gideon lifted his hair, which was neatly longer in the back, over his collar. He noticed Glen’s eyes were fixed on him. For show, he flipped the little silver steel knife into the air, smiled, then dropped it into his pocket.
“Never know when a knife will come in handy.” Glen growled, “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Not feeling well. I think I need to stay away from the punch.”

“You think Jeannie spiked it?”

Gideon shrugged.
“Well, go ahead, partner, enjoy a long easy weekend.
But if you’re not back Monday, Stevenson here will have your job.”

Gideon returned and placed his hands on Glen’s desk, looking directly into his eyes, he said slowly, “What are you getting at?”
“Don’t think you’re irreplaceable.” Glen emptied the whisky bottle into his glass.
Gideon’s mood plunged. “We’re partners.”

Greenbriar stared back and smacked the whisky bottle down on the desk, causing the new bauble to jiggle.

“Take it easy, Glen.” I’m not just talking about the drinking. Yellow Thunder wrinkled his brow and pushed his hands away from the desk. He pointed to the shrunken head. “That’s new. A souvenir?”

The stand for the head was surrounded by a tiny terrarium. Little palm trees sprouted from a white beach made of squished marbles like the one he’d found on the floor.
Glen grinned like a hyena. “Something like that.”

“Aren’t their mouths usually sewn shut like their eyes?”

“Yeah, but I had custom dentures made for this guy.” Glen brushed a finger against his nose. “He’s smiling because he’s a retiree. Kinda like I’ll be, very soon.”

Gideon became momentarily distracted when he thought he heard the boom of distant thunder. But the sunny sky out the window gave no sign of a storm. He shrugged it off and started to leave the office. “Bye, everybody. Have a fantastic weekend.” Jeannie and Mitch looked surprised.

Gideon offered as an explanation, “Not feeling too great.” Suddenly that statement felt very real. Two steps into the stairwell Gideon’s tall frame collapsed. He nearly fell to the first stair as he grabbed for the rail. Lightning flashed, and immediately the thunderclap boomed and echoed. 

That was way too close, he thought. I smell ozone. Clouds swarmed in his mind’s eye. He tried to shake them off, but now he could feel and hear the shrieking wind around him as he watched the storm descend on a Pine Ridge meadow.

At first, the bison calves danced and charged the gusty air, but before long, a strangely rising wind caused them to bawl and bolt for the herd’s protected inner circle. The growling of distant thunder disturbed a few of the anxious cows, who raised their muzzles from the summer grass.

The mothers began to call and sniff their babies. The cottonwoods by Porcupine Creek lifted the white undersides of their leaves as they beckoned and ached for the rain. Thunderheads swallowed the last eerie yellow light, and the storm was on. Thunder crashed over the land and the animals. The small bison herd froze with foreboding.

Swift darkness swept over the herd-like sinister magic once, then twice. Two of the calves were gone with the crack of thunder. The trees bent even further, and the squall splattered fat raindrops on nearby rocks. Next came the hail, smashing and bouncing through a bunch of grass and bushes, obliterating everything from view.

Gideon Yellow Thunder shuddered back from his startling daydream. Mitch was squinting into his face, worry wrinkles etched onto his forehead. “You okay, dude? I heard you crash on the stairwell.”

Gideon rallied, shaking the strong prairie images that had assailed him without warning. Mitch sighed with relief and helped Gideon to his feet. “Thanks, Mitch, I’m not feeling well. Better get home.
See you Monday.”

Mitch didn’t seem convinced, so Gideon made himself smile, however weakly, and wobbled down the steps, his hands gripping the railings. He still couldn’t believe it. His thoughts had just been violently overtaken by a vision of bison and the shadows of gigantic birds. Why in the world? How? He’d tried so hard to push that Indian nonsense away from him and now this…this daydream that made no sense, literally came crashing down around him.
“Unbelievable, he murmured to no one”
Outside, he was surprised to see slate-colored clouds crawling across the sky, rapidly consuming what had been a bright afternoon. He choked in the muggy air. Loosening his tie and opening the shirt collar, he stepped over the curb to cross the street to his car. A bank clock read two-thirty, and traffic was slow. Almost no one was visible on streets that would be swamped within half an hour. He fumbled with the knife in his pocket. “Just about useless.“

Sparkles of distant lightning danced among the blue-black clouds that billowed in. He shivered. It reminded him of the strange daydream that seemed so real. Gideon reached the other side of the street just as lightning flashed with a nearly simultaneous thunderclap. Damn, that couldn’t have been even a thousand yards away. Am I in that blinking dream again? 
He looked up to the stormy sky. A metallic light flashed from the roof of his office building across the street. He squinted to get a better view, shading the last of the sunlight from his eyes with his hand. His attention was snatched from the roof by the shadow of a low-flying plane that came ripping through the clouds. Stunned, Gideon dropped his arms and stood by his car in total disbelief.

A whining sound increased as the approaching craft quickly descended. Its shadow swept over him just as his driver’s side window shattered only inches from his hand. His jaw dropped as he noticed a visible pit appear in the passenger door. Upholstery stuffing, that was hanging precariously, fell to the floor. Finally, able to react, he panicked and crept around to the more protected side of the BMW.

Is someone shooting at me? 
From the back tire, he lifted his head a few inches to take another peek. Amazingly, the plane he’d thought was perhaps a Cessna 182 flapped its wings. The whooshing sound across the feathers of a bird, whose body size exceeded three times that of an ostrich, sounded like a cross between the shriek of wind through a well-ventilated abandoned shack and the reverberating impact of thunder—comparable to a jet engine. The avian zeroed in on a man with a rifle standing on the rooftop while Gideon gaped in astonishment. Just then, a sharp sizzle of lightning turned the world a silent white. . .

**********

Momentarily, Gideon was one with a warm golden-white universe. Atom for atom, he was willed into motion with millions of superheated particles. For that awesome interval, he was part of the oneness of all matter and energy, a unified component of all that existed. He was One.After an unfathomable increment of time, he separated and returned to semi-consciousness, his senses hyper-aware. There was an overwhelming aroma of pine needles, and the staccato beat of raindrops bounced from the car’s roof. He tried to move, but everything went dark“…



Readers can now read the full story about Gideon and Secora within the first book that begins their journey in the ‘Rising Wind series!’ Packed with romance and exciting mysteries they solve around the globe!

The full series is now available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01LWDB4K7/allbooks

Let’s Connect>> https://dianeolsenauthor.allauthor.com/



“Steve” New Shard Story From Book 5 ‘Rock My Soul’ of ‘The Rising Wind Series’ of Novels…

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment

An enormous being, a thunderbird known by some as, “Wakinyan Tanka,” became part of my life twelve years ago. Our telepathic connection was the entire reason I met my wife, Secora, who recently brought our son, Steve, into the world.
We couldn’t be happier.

As Wakinyan Tanka lay dying on the rugged Armenian mountain, she asked telepathically, if I was willing to connect with one of her offspring.

Now we owe our lives to another Argentavis Magnificens, “White Feather”, one of Wakinyan’s last daughters. She, along with my nephew, Kyah, saved us that night.
But, finding out about the pregnancy was interesting…

******

My wife, Secora, had been in an automobile accident, and we were in the Jackson Hole hospital. I tried to rouse her. She groaned in response, tried to open her eyes, and attempted to sit up.

“Ow.”

“Just stay down for now. Can you see anything?”

“A little, but Gideon, it’s dark. Are we still in the cave?”

I was puzzled at first, and then asked her “Do you mean the

cave in Africa where our friend, Mosa, was killed by the scimitar-toothed cat?”

“No, the one Destiny sent me to, today.”

“Sorry, that was three days ago. Secora, you’re in a hospital. You’ve been kept asleep to let the swelling in your brain diminish before you start moving around.”

Our adopted daughter, Monta, interrupted, announcing, “Guess what Mom, I’m going to have a baby brother.”

“Gideon, what is she saying?”
“She’s been telling me that for the last hour.”

Secora didn’t respond, she’d closed her eyes and looked as though she was thinking.

“Mom, did you hear me?”

She winced and said, “I did dear. That’s wonderful, but it’s a little more than I can handle at the moment.”

Monta, was undeterred and continued, “He likes the name,

Steve – in case you are wondering.”

Secora did a double take, focusing on Monta’s words, until

the physician arrived.

Before he had a chance to speak Monta emphasized, “Don’t forget, Mom, STEVE.”

*****

The day didn’t start as a tragedy. Secora and I had been showing a listed property in the Plains area West of the Flathead Reservation. It seemed like a good idea for us to go on this outing together, to get Secora away from her stresses and worries.

In the fading sunset, the client waved goodbye. With a strange look on her face, Secora turned to me and said, “Gideon, I think my water just broke.” We hurried into the truck and followed an access road to the highway that would take us to Missoula.

Although it was evening and we were miles from the hospital, she was beginning to feel excited about becoming a mom. But things turned ugly on the access road when we had a blowout in the right rear tire. It was tough to retain control of the vehicle on the old, cracked pavement.

I knew the tires were practically new and that something was off. The moon had yet to rise, and it was pitch dark as I pulled over and cut the engine. Suddenly, we heard the roar of another truck, and headlights closing in quickly from behind. Then a shot rang out.

“Get out Secora. We have to leave, NOW!” I dashed over to open the door and led her off into the darkened

brush toward an obscured ravine on our right. A deer trail took us away from the lights. We stumbled along as quickly as we could.

Secora moaned, “Oh my God,”

Behind us we heard the other truck leave the road, and lights indicated it was headed in our direction. Three squeaky doors opened and then slammed.

Moving as quickly as possible over to the edge of a ravine, we dropped more than three hundred feet, in a series of layers. My eyes strained to focus as we jogged along one fork of a path that wandered along the top of a gully. We stopped to catch our breath and I dialed my nephew, Kyah, who was a part of the search and rescue team, and quietly let him know we needed emergent assistance. I asked him to bring his search dog, “Penny”, then I gave him the coordinates for our rescue from my Satfon.

Secora and I were now dodging unseen bullets fired over the rim in our general direction. We moved from bush to bush, running for our lives in the pitch-dark night. She was hurting with regular contractions and I was panicked. Hiding behind the tumbleweeds wouldn’t be good enough. Eventually, our pursuers would catch up.

Out of desperation, I tried to get her to climb a small hill. There might be places to hide up there. Then, the thought of a pack of dogs treeing a mountain lion came to my mind. When the cat runs out of rocks to climb, it sometimes climbs a tree on the top – it has nowhere else to go. The dogs and the hunters find an easy target in the end.

I turned back to check Secora’s progress. She had stopped about ten feet back. I tried to coax her but she didn’t look good. She was doubled over, and when she looked up, I saw that her lips were blue.

“Honey, we can’t stop here. At the very least we need to reach those rocks about fifty feet away. Maybe we could hide from these wild bullets.”

She moaned through gritted teeth in response, “Can’t move… contraction….”

“Let me try to carry you.”



Lightning danced across the road as thunder rumbled.
Secora growled and fell to her knees. “No… can’t believe this is happening here. Please go, Gideon, one of us should live.”

At a complete loss, I knelt beside her and made sure she focused on her breathing. I was pretty sure she already was, but I didn’t know how else to help. Things became even more uncomfortable when rain began to blow in sheets.

In some ways it seemed refreshing, but it was cold. Even worse, I could no longer hear how close our pursuers were.

I began to quietly chant. “He-a-hey, hey-a-hey. Grandfather, I offer up everything to you. You are the Source…You are the end. We thank you for all you have given us. We thank you for this child. We will care for it as long as we can, then ask that You take him tenderly into Your care when the time comes.”

Suddenly, I heard something else: Heyoka, the nestling is coming. So am I.

“I have to push… it hurts.”

“Concentrate…focus.”

“O.K.A.Y.Y.Y.”

I thought I heard another gunshot and bent lower as lightning pirouetted with the ground. Thunder roared and rumbled. It was then I felt the presence of White Feather, who’d agreed to keep the connection after the ancient bird’s passing.

A predator is close to you. That one is mine to take.

My heart sank at the thought a killer was already so close, and also, because of the impending loss of life.

Thank you, great protector.

To Secora, I said, “White Feather says there are only two attackers left.”

Secora screamed as she pushed with all her strength. “Ahhh…” She set her jaw and pushed again. I caught Steve on his way into the world, protecting his head and tiny body from the dirt, scratchy sagebrush debris, and the windy-cold rain. It must have been a shock for the newly entered being, because he cried out – daring the rain or anything else to stop his entrance.

“Grandfather thank you for the birth of this precious child.”

Secora weakly, added, “Thank you, Source of all beings. Welcome, Steve.”

The siren of a Deputy’s vehicle was shocking. I held my breath as I anticipated the approach of running boots and heard two voices only fifteen feet to our left.

“Are you kidding!”

“How’d they find us?”

They weren’t voices we knew.

From the dark, Kyah bellowed, “Drop your weapons and hit the ground!”

Two bodies thudded into the brush, and Kyah called the deputies to cuff the suspects.

Secora and I were both shivering, but somehow, we had to keep the baby warm. I cuddled Steve inside my coat.

“I love you Gideon Yellow Thunder.”

“I know.” My tears joined the rain.

There was sudden movement right beside us and Secora yelped despite herself. Our fear faded slightly as Kyah’s Rescue dog, Penny, sniffed our faces. She barked twice, signaling my nephew to our position. At that moment, two other sirens could be heard coming in our general direction – way too close.

Secora asked, “What if they don’t stop and run over us?”

How could I respond? It was tough for me to move because the wet clothing clung to my cold skin. I struggled to wave, then brought my arm back to encircle her. Together, the three of us made the best of the circumstance.

I was still mumbling prayers, but I could feel Kyah was nearby. I grabbed his hand. He immediately bent down and hugged me. I love my nephew like a son. Steve seemed curious when the paramedics arrived to help. Within fifteen minutes we were all on the way to Community Hospital in Missoula, grateful, but shivering from the ordeal.

*****

Within the week of his birth, Steve was able to save his mother’s life with a timely howl that diverted her from opening the front door for an unlikely assassin; Mosa’s enraged sister screamed as the bullets entered the wood, “You killed my brother in the Ennedi cave, then made up a story blaming an imaginary beast, a scimitar-toothed cat.

I am here to avenge my brother. I am your death, cave monster.”

*****


All my books are available from Amazon Online
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01LWDB4K7/allbooks


HAPPY HOLIDAY READING!

‘Death of an Icon’ Shard Story From Book 4 of ‘Like Feathers of a Wing’ and The Rising Wind Series…

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ Leave a comment



After the fight with brutal cave hyenas that had attacked Secora and Gideon in the remote, rugged mountains of Armenia; the age-old thunderbird, Wakinyan Tanka, rose aloft with a second bird that flashed white chest feathers.
Together, they landed on the ridgetop thirty yards above the humans...
By Diane Olsen Author.

*****************


Ignoring the lightning and thunder crashing around them, Gideon and Secora clambered over the ragged incline to be near the old bird. When they arrived at the divot between two rocky outcrops, they found the ancient one huddled with one wing partially outstretched for balance, the other folded beneath her. Weak and broken, her beak sagged open.

Their guide, Kheridan, tentatively approached and squatted near Secora, but Seamus, who disliked birds, called out from below, “I’m good here.”

The second bird perched on a higher boulder, anxiously raising her magnificent crest of red, black, and white quills; and alternating her weight from foot to foot. Twisting her head in various positions, she observed the humans with those piercing eyes. Besides the blaze of white feathers on her chest, she had white speckles on her wings.

Even though her body, not counting the enormous tail, was over six feet long, Wakinyan looked weak and broken.
Lightening cracked the sky open and rain blew in sheets soaking everything.
Wakinyan Tanka’s head drooped, beak resting on the ground and breathing through her mouth.



Secora gave into her tears but heard a sound behind her. As she glanced over her shoulder, she noticed that despite his fear, Seamus had joined them. A thought came to Gideon, oddly Secora felt it too. He said to the others, “The old one’s day of quiet is here. She wants us to bond with this daughter.”

One last time Wakinyan Tanka raised her glorious crest and turned her red-gold eye seated in blue-tinted skin toward Gideon and Secora. As she lifted her grizzly bear-sized head, they noticed blood oozing from her leg and chest feathers. Without speaking, they removed their coats and spread them over the old bird, hoping to give her the feeling of being a protected nestling. The two other men followed suit, then shivered beside the noble creature, in awe of the event.

It wasn’t long before the downpour moved off to the south and the imminent threat of lightning passed. So too, had Wakinyan Tanka. Gideon, his head pressed on top of his mentor’s crest, was sobbing openly. Seamus captured some of the epic situations on video.

Suddenly, they felt Kheridan hands on their shoulders. “Let’s think about this another time. We are a long way from safety, and I’m sure those giant cave hyenas weren’t the only dangers in this area.”

The young bird that would from now on be referred to as, “White Feather,” spread her wings and rose quietly, circling the currents until she was barely visible, and following the pattern of her mother, two piercing shrieks signaled her departure.

The storm moved on, and the petrichor fragrance of the grateful earth was redolent and calming. . .


If you enjoyed this short story, I invite you to read “the rest of the story” in my novel series, “Rising Wind,” Book Four: “Like Feathers to a Wing.” This book is filled with action, adventure, and mystery, celebrating Native American culture while exploring diverse cultures worldwide. It would make a fantastic holiday gift for the avid readers on your Christmas list and may be purchased from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01LWDB4K7/allbooks



VISIT AUTHOR: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon,

Happy Holiday Reading!

Happy To Be Back Writing and Sharing My New Author Website Design While Delighting Readers With Short Stories and Much More Soon. . . .

~ DianeOlsenAuthor ~ 2 Comments


Welcome, everyone, to my new official author website and writing corner of the world!


I am happy and excited to announce I am back to blogging and eager to delight my readers in new ways. After taking a break from publishing books, I have been writing actively and sharing some of my fascinating and popular shard stories, poems, short stories, and other book titles published and unpublished.



My purpose is to engage with you and all who visit on a personal level while sharing captivating tales filled with mystery, thrilling suspense, and action. I aim to take you on global cultural adventures!

I look forward to sharing these stories and experiences with you and everyone who visits. I am proud of the books I have written and published thus far and have enjoyed hearing readers’ feedback through the years with exceptional book reviews for all my books they graciously took the time to read.



As autumn is in full swing and with Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaching, I wanted to remind you that all of my books would make fantastic gifts for the avid readers on your holiday shopping list! With a wide selection to choose from, you can stack a few together, gift-wrapped, and place them under the Christmas tree.

They are sure to delight anyone who enjoys gripping mystery and global action adventure reads.

Make sure to visit my books page here on my website and learn about all my award-winning books or you may visit my Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01LWDB4K7/allbooks for purchasing and read the book reviews and the editorial media reviews too!

As I begin this new chapter of writing and sharing my stories, don’t be shy to leave me your thoughts or feedback in the “comment” section of each new post. I thank you for stopping by and visiting my literary corner of the world avid readers! 📚✍🏻🥳

Sincerely,

~Author Diane Olsen