by T. K. Lukas
Along with the above mentioned books, I found other informative literature through the Saint Joseph (Missouri) Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Pony Express Museum, and www.ponyexpress.org and www.xphomestation.com.
While researching historical data on Quanah Parker and the Comanche raids in North Texas, I came across S. C. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History. I must have read it at least four times, and then kept it handy when I needed a reminder of the brutality of life on the western frontier.
Although I am part Native American Indian (maternal great-grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee and paternal great-grandmother was full-blooded Blackfoot), I don’t pretend to speak any native tongue. The Lakota Siouan language I used for my book was taken from The Full Text of the Lahcotah: Dictionary of the Sioux Language, University of Pittsburgh Library System, authors J. K. Hyer, W. S. Starring, and Charles Guerreu (originally printed in 1866—not in copyright and no longer in print). I cross-checked this information with www.native-languages.org. Because of the many dialects of the Siouan language, I wanted to make sure the words I chose were correct. I apologize to any Native American if I’ve not done an accurate job—please email me—I’d value your coaching for future manuscripts.
Though the Pony Express operated for less than two years, it was during a critical time in America’s history, and both the ponies and the riders captured our imaginations and our hearts. We’re still writing (and reading) stories about them more than 150 years later.
A Note From the Author
This is the “Thank You” page—the most important page of the book. Then why is it at the back? I see it as being at the bottom of a pile of pages, holding everything up that’s on top. Because, without all the people I have to thank who’ve helped me and who’ve encouraged me along the way, this book wouldn’t have legs to stand on.
To my early readers, Renee Jordan, Megg Elliott, Beverly Helton, and Susan Bertram, I owe all of you much thanks, many sushi dinners, bottomless wine and endless chocolate, and more gratitude than I can describe.
To my adorable father-in-law Theodor Lukas, whose first language is German, thank you for being my first “official” reader and purchaser. Hearing your laughter and seeing your tears as you read showed me that a good story transcends language barriers.
To my dear friend Ines Eishen, whose words of encouragement when I was your student and you were my English Literature and Creative Writing professor gave me the courage to follow my dream, grazie. I’m grateful for our lasting friendship—it feeds my soul.
To Carol Dawson, author, editor, and courageous leader of the summer editing retreat in Alpine, Texas, sponsored by the Writers’ League of Texas. Thank you for your kind honesty. It hurt cutting my first twenty-five beautifully written, eloquent, poetic pages, but you were so right. “Get to the nitty-gritty,” you said. Yes ma’am.
To Sara Kocek and David Aretha at Yellow Bird Editors, thank you so much for your expertise in polishing my manuscript and in advising me with your straightforward answers to my many questions. I can’t imagine having a more positive, professional experience during the editing, revising, and rewriting process. I’m looking forward to our next collaboration.
To Gary B. Haley, my old high school chum, thank you for your eagle eyed proofing and critiquing. Gary is the accomplished author of the novel The Attunement, a fast-paced thriller reminiscent of the Jason Bourne stories.
To Baron, Ryan, Angie, Malachi, Erik, Marla, Miriam, and Krista, I love you all. Now, someone please pop the Almondage!
*****
And to you my dear readers, I offer my sincere gratitude for taking the time to read my book. I hope you enjoyed the story and characters, and perhaps learned something new about the American west and the Pony Express. If you feel so inclined, please leave a review on the Orphan Moon Amazon.com page and on Goodreads. For Goodreads, you can follow the link provided. For an Amazon review, just scroll to the end of the book and Amazon provides a convenient review capability right on your Kindle or Kindle reader app. Your review is invaluable and provides the feedback I need to become better at my craft. You can also leave feedback on my website at www.TKLukas.com and at the Orphan Moon Facebook page. If you would like to receive periodic updates about my projects and excerpts of works in progress, including books two and three of Orphan Moon, please leave your name and email address at the following link: http://www.tklukas.com/contact-me-newsletter. You can look for books two and three of the Orphan Moon trilogy in 2016.
About the Author
T. K. Lukas, an accomplished equestrian and author of the award-winning contemporary short fiction Of Murder, Mayhem, and Magnolias, lives with her husband on a small ranch in rural Palo Pinto County in North Central Texas. Their three grown children are scattered across the globe. Along with international travel, she and her husband enjoy spending as much time as possible riding their horses through the woods, taking their dogs for walks, and watching their Belted Galloway cattle get fat. She is currently working on the second book in the “Orphan Moon” trilogy. Visit her at her website www.TKLukas.com and at the Orphan Moon Facebook page.
The author with her appaloosa mare, Hollywood Jackie GN. “Holly” is the cover girl for the book. You can see how the cover art went from a photograph to the final masterpiece, an original oil on wood panel, by visiting: http://www.orphanmoon.net
Original cover art by renowned Texas artist Sharon Markwardt.
http://www.sharonmarkwardt.com
