Post by Okwes on Jun 6, 2007 17:29:29 GMT -5
Author hopes to help Crow with self-published story
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
Author Michelle Post has always been interested in American Indians and their culture.
Her desire to learn includes researching her great-great-grandmother's tribal ties and a trip to bring her children to Crow Fair in 1987.
Post has published a novel, "The Spirits of Nature," in which Crow Indians are among the key characters. She has also agreed to donate half of the book's proceeds to Little Big Horn Community College in Crow Agency.
The story centers on a writer who is researching her family genealogy. Her efforts lead her to the Crow Tribe, where she finds an elder who refuses to die until he tells her a story that is the fulfillment of a prophecy. A Chicago native who lives in Florida, Post started writing the book years ago.
"It was kind of neglected for way too long because of life," she said. "It was just always on my mind to get it done. The summer before last, I got back to it and couldn't stop."
Post asked David Yarlott, president of Little Big Horn Community College, to read the book. She hoped Yarlott would point out any inaccuracies about the Crow. She also planned to make a financial gift to the college, but Yarlott offered assistance before Post told him of the donation.
Yarlott said he read "The Spirits of Nature" twice. The first time, Yarlott said, he read to "get the lay of the story."
"It was very enjoyable reading," Yarlott said.
Yarlott's second read was to look at the appropriate language and cultural context for the Crow. Post immediately followed his suggestions, Yarlott said.
"When I read it, one thing I really appreciated was she was concerned there wasn't any language in there that would offend the Crow people," Yarlott said. "She wanted to make sure it was appropriate to our culture and our people."
Yarlott said Post has already sent some contributions from the book. The money has been put into an account and when there is enough it will be given to students as scholarships, he said.
Post loves the idea of being able to help American Indians.
"I always knew I would give back something," Post said.
The donation follows the Indian belief "that you should never have when somebody is going without," Post said.
"I thought, 'I know it's a good story and people like it,' " Post said. "I'm not going to be another of those people who uses their (Indian) culture for my own gain."
Post said among the Indian cultural perspectives she most appreciates are the values of family and respect for the Earth.
"The family culture is just beautiful," Post said. "They loved the Earth, respected the Earth, gave back to the Earth. We take and take and take and never give anything back anymore."
Post works as a banquet server and bartender. That's a job she called "labor intense but not mind intense." It gives her time to think about writing while she is working.
"I'm a writer, and I do banquets to put food on the table," she said. "I make a good living for me to do the research and writing I want to do. It gives me a lot of leeway."
Post is also an actress - a good reason to avoid having her age listed, she said.
"The Spirits of Nature" is Post's second book. She is already working on a sequel to the book that is about ready for publishing.
"People liked it and said, 'You have to go on, you have to tell more,' " Post said.
She has also followed readers' advice and written a screenplay based on the book.
"Everything is ready to go, it just needs to get out there," she said.
Friends, mentors and even people she didn't know, such as Yarlott, have made it possible for the projects to happen, Post said.
"I feel like there has been a reason for all of this coming," she said. "So many things have worked."
Post said she "feels humbled" by the Crows she has worked with and is anxious to repay their generosity.
"It will come full circle," she said. "When this takes off, I hope I can do some really great things there."
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
Author Michelle Post has always been interested in American Indians and their culture.
Her desire to learn includes researching her great-great-grandmother's tribal ties and a trip to bring her children to Crow Fair in 1987.
Post has published a novel, "The Spirits of Nature," in which Crow Indians are among the key characters. She has also agreed to donate half of the book's proceeds to Little Big Horn Community College in Crow Agency.
The story centers on a writer who is researching her family genealogy. Her efforts lead her to the Crow Tribe, where she finds an elder who refuses to die until he tells her a story that is the fulfillment of a prophecy. A Chicago native who lives in Florida, Post started writing the book years ago.
"It was kind of neglected for way too long because of life," she said. "It was just always on my mind to get it done. The summer before last, I got back to it and couldn't stop."
Post asked David Yarlott, president of Little Big Horn Community College, to read the book. She hoped Yarlott would point out any inaccuracies about the Crow. She also planned to make a financial gift to the college, but Yarlott offered assistance before Post told him of the donation.
Yarlott said he read "The Spirits of Nature" twice. The first time, Yarlott said, he read to "get the lay of the story."
"It was very enjoyable reading," Yarlott said.
Yarlott's second read was to look at the appropriate language and cultural context for the Crow. Post immediately followed his suggestions, Yarlott said.
"When I read it, one thing I really appreciated was she was concerned there wasn't any language in there that would offend the Crow people," Yarlott said. "She wanted to make sure it was appropriate to our culture and our people."
Yarlott said Post has already sent some contributions from the book. The money has been put into an account and when there is enough it will be given to students as scholarships, he said.
Post loves the idea of being able to help American Indians.
"I always knew I would give back something," Post said.
The donation follows the Indian belief "that you should never have when somebody is going without," Post said.
"I thought, 'I know it's a good story and people like it,' " Post said. "I'm not going to be another of those people who uses their (Indian) culture for my own gain."
Post said among the Indian cultural perspectives she most appreciates are the values of family and respect for the Earth.
"The family culture is just beautiful," Post said. "They loved the Earth, respected the Earth, gave back to the Earth. We take and take and take and never give anything back anymore."
Post works as a banquet server and bartender. That's a job she called "labor intense but not mind intense." It gives her time to think about writing while she is working.
"I'm a writer, and I do banquets to put food on the table," she said. "I make a good living for me to do the research and writing I want to do. It gives me a lot of leeway."
Post is also an actress - a good reason to avoid having her age listed, she said.
"The Spirits of Nature" is Post's second book. She is already working on a sequel to the book that is about ready for publishing.
"People liked it and said, 'You have to go on, you have to tell more,' " Post said.
She has also followed readers' advice and written a screenplay based on the book.
"Everything is ready to go, it just needs to get out there," she said.
Friends, mentors and even people she didn't know, such as Yarlott, have made it possible for the projects to happen, Post said.
"I feel like there has been a reason for all of this coming," she said. "So many things have worked."
Post said she "feels humbled" by the Crows she has worked with and is anxious to repay their generosity.
"It will come full circle," she said. "When this takes off, I hope I can do some really great things there."