Interviewed by Little White Dove, Native Digest Correspondent
This article will introduce you to a rarity. She is Melinda Elmore, a successful writer and executive film producer. While she is a dedicated mother of two as well as a wife she takes the time to follow her passion. That passion is to write about Native Americans. She is also involved with helping our people in different ways. Melinda cannot prove her Indian heritage. Of course, I have my opinion on that but after you read the article I have written about her you decide if this woman is Native American.
I asked Melinda what led her to be a writer. It seemed to be a bit of a hard question for her. She paused for a few seconds and it was as if I could feel her thinking. Her response to the questions was, “I have always written stories even as a young child. I always loved to curl up with a blanket and get lost writing a story. When I was young I used to go outside and write stories about the birds, squirrels or whatever animal I saw. Sometimes I got into trouble because I would be writing a story instead of doing something I was suppose to be doing. I have always loved to read and write. I found the lore of it at an early age around 8 and I have always found myself writing words, sentences, thoughts which has helped me through some hard times.”
Melinda told me she has been writing books about the Native Americans for some time now. When I asked her why did she choose Native Americans as her subject to write so much about she said, “My heart is for the Native American People and I want to help them as much as I can. Native Americans have a lot of wisdom and guidance. I always try my best to incorporate true beliefs of the Native Americans and include animals as they are so much a part of the Native American.” Melinda continued, “The animals are on Mother Earth and they are apart of all of us. The hawk, wolf, all animals are on the medicine wheel and they each serve a purpose.”
Now she had really peaked my interest. I could not help but wonder where she was getting her information since she was not raised by any Indian culture. I wondered how much knowledge of our people she “really” knew. So of course, I asked her what she was basing her facts on. She told me that every book she writes about the Native American, she does extensive research. She said, “My research includes not only reading but talking to people that have been raised in their traditional Indian ways.”
Melinda's first book to be published was Native Dreams. Describing Native Dreams to me she said, “It is a fiction book set in the 1800's. Native Dreams is about how love always prevails as long as you believe in the Creator. It is a work of love which came from my heart to the Native American People. So, I would classify Native Dreams as a romance/mystery novel.”
Melinda Elmore's other book Native Spirit, is due to be published February 2011 and will be available on Desert Breeze Publishing. I have included the link for Desert Breeze. Melinda's biography can also be found on this “link”.
Personally, I believe that every person is created for a purpose. Some find that purpose and some seem to miss it. I believe that Melinda Elmore has found at least, one of her purposes for being on Mother Earth. What she told me next sealed my opinion.
We were just talking, not so much getting information for this article but just having a conversation. During this conversation she told me two things that made me sit up and pay attention. She has a Red Tailed hawk that visits her. She said, “When I go outside a beautiful Red Tailed hawk will fly by me and land in a tree close to my house. I love to watch and talk to him and he responds when I do. I speak to him and he lets out a cry and shuffles his body and moves on the branches as if he is talking to me. I call him Little One.
That was surprising enough, later in our conversation she told me she had had an experience that greatly encouraged her to keep writing about the Native Americans. Well of course, I could hardly wait to see what she had to say. It was not what I expected to hear at all.
She said that Crazy Horse appeared to her. Her words were, “I saw Crazy Horse. It was a sunny day. He was wearing a war shirt and was sitting on a white and brown horse. He looked down at me from atop the Black Hills. He stared into my eyes and nodded his head. A hawk flew past him and down toward me letting out a scream for all to hear. He held up his bow and arrow and gave a holler. To me it sounded like a war cry and then he vanished.”
I asked her why did she believe that Crazy Horse had shown himself to her in such a spiritual way. She answered by saying, “I felt then and still feel today that he was telling me that I would help Native people in some way. I believe it relates to my writings of the Native American. I feel very strongly that spiritually, Crazy Horse may actually be helping me with my writings. It seems he is giving me knowledge.” What kind of knowledge I asked. Her answer was, “I get knowledge of their strength, endurance and wisdom of the Lakota people.” She told me the vision occurred this year while she was doing research on the Lakota People for her newest book, “Blood on the Feather.”
My thoughts on that...perhaps Crazy Horse as well as other ancestors may have more in store for Melinda than she thinks.
Consider what you have already read and think about this. I mentioned earlier that Melinda Elmore was executive producer. It is Olympus Films that she is executive producer of.
The owner Olympus Films is Don Vasicek. He is also the Producer and director of the up coming film, “Ghost of Sand Creek”.
“Just a little about Don Vasicek. He is an award-winning Writer/Filmmaker Donald L. Vasicek's dream is to create awareness by documenting the Sand Creek Massacre.”
“Don is a writer, screenwriter, director, producer and actor. His credits include
“Warriors of Virtue,” “Die Hard II”, “Faces”, “Father Dowling”, “The Mystery Crash
of Flight 1501″, ‘Born to Win.”
As you can see from Don Vasicek's credits, he is no “fly by night” producer.
Melinda Elmore and Don Vasicek are working hard to make a movie/documentary, “Ghost of Sand Creek”.
For those that may not be familiar with the Sand Creek Massacre I have provided a “link” to the web site to help.
Below you will find just a bit of information you will find on the link quoted above.
''On November 29, 1864, 700 soldiers of the Colorado 1st and 3rd Cavalries slaughtered, mutilated, raped, and murdered over 400 (Southern Cheyenne Chief Laird Cometsevah told Filmmaker Donald L. Vasicek that over 400 hundred Cheyenne and Arapaho people were murdered at Sand Creek. He based it on his oral history that was passed down through his family from his great-great grandfather, who survived the Sand Creek Massacre) Cheyenne and Arapaho children, women, elders, and disabled. Originally this act was called “The Battle of Sand Creek.” After a U. S. Congressional Committee interviewed witnesses to the tragedy, the name was changed to “The Sand Creek Massacre. The confrontation, now known as the Sand Creek Massacre, was responsible for the loss of life of over 400 Native Americans, mostly women, small children, mentally- and physically-challenged, and tribal elders. Accounts of the incident reveal that the Cheyenne and Arapaho were unprovoked and virtually unarmed at the time of the attack.”
This will be a six film series. The link below will provide you with a short yet very detailed and moving documentary of the Sand Creek Massacre that Melinda Elmore is involved with. “Sand Creek Massacre”.
If anyone would care to contact Melinda Elmore a list of her sites are listed below.
www.melindaelmoreauthorofmysteryromance.blogspot.c om
http://sandcreekmassacre.net/sand-creek/
The time I spent with Melinda was inspiring and informative. I found that she speaks and writes from her heart.
While she is a dedicated mother and wife, she is doing excellent work for the Native Americans. I am proud to call her my friend. And if you are Native American you know what that statement really means.
Melinda has proven to be wonderful blessing to all Native Americans in her writings and her work as executive producer of Olympus Films with the up coming film, “Ghost of Sand Creek”.
As I gathered information for the interview with Melinda I decided to read the book “Native Dreams” that she has already gotten published. Not being one to read romance novels, I was really surprised by the intensity of not only the romance but the action and mystery of her writing.
While I was still talking to Melinda, I asked her what other books she was writing and if any were going to be published. She said, “Yes Native Spirit will be published in Feb 2011. It is a romance also but it reveals how strength from the heart can sometimes make you rethink your actions. Currently I am working on a mystery titled "Blood on the Feather" where I incorporate the Lakota beliefs. I am now searching for one that knows the Lakota ways to make sure I do not misrepresent the Lakota people.
Blood on the Feather is a mystery novel. I use the Lakota culture and the use of animals to help the detective solve the murder. I am now looking for a publisher for Blood on the Feather.”
Melinda sent me a bit of the novel she is writing, Blood on the Feather, but it was only enough to peak my interest. I can say this, from what little I did get to read it looks to be a very promising book.
Melinda told me that her plans for the future in her writings. She said, “I want to do a series on the Apache in Arizona. I want to get to know them and learn their culture something like the Tony Hillerman did with the Navajo. Ultimately, I plan to write a book about every tribe of Native Americans.”
Melinda said that the book she already has published can be found on Amazon.com. Click this “link” if anyone would like to read Native Dreams.