Black Hills

What inspires a story? Every story has a different answer—which is why I decided to write a Story Inspiration page for each of my books. So far I’ve shared 8 of these Story Inspiration pages here on my blog, and now it’s time for a new one!

RESCUING RAVEN – STORY INSPIRATION PAGE

Being an avid fan of the Dances with Wolves movie (starring Kevin Costner and Graham Greene) and the Deadwood TV series (starring Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant), I’d always wanted to write a story set in South Dakota or the town of Deadwood. After registering for the 2018 Wild Deadwood Reads (WDR) author-reader event, an intriguing opportunity arose—join 16 authors (who would also be attending the event) in writing a new story for a limited-edition anthology called Wild Deadwood Tales. The anthology would be available for 2018 only, it would be showcased at WDR and Deadwood’s annual Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event, and all proceeds would go to the Western Sports Foundation (WSF).

The WSF and the PBR connections had many of the anthology authors choosing to write stories about modern day bull riders, but I’m a historical fiction author—who now had her chance to write about Deadwood in 1876!

Why 1876? That’s the year the town of Deadwood was born. Prior to 1876, the site was a gulch with dead trees. Then gold was found in the Black Hills and white settlers flooded in—illegally taking permanent residence on the Lakota’s sacred land that had been forbidden to whites by the U.S. government’s 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty.

1876 is also the year of the Battle of the Little Big Horn—which was followed by General Crook’s march (from Montana Territory into the Dakota Territory) in pursuit of the Lakota Sioux. But General Crook only took enough rations for a few days—which resulted in the Horsemeat March (also known as the Starvation March) when his men had to eat their horses to survive. Near Deadwood, General Crook and his men fought the Battle of Slim Buttes and stole not only the Lakota’s winter food preserves but their horses (to replace the ones they’d eaten).

Al Swearengen arrived in Deadwood early in 1876 and opened the Cricket Saloon, a barebones establishment that he built before his fancier and much more well-known Gem Theater. Not long after his arrival, his relationship with his first wife, Nettie, became extra complicated when a very attractive saloon girl named Kitty Austen came to town and became Al’s employee and more.

All of this history created many complications for Raven (a Lakota woman born in the Black Hills) and Charlie Jennings (a white man from Oregon) who were perfect for each other even if their two worlds were not.

MORE INSPIRATION TO COME

CLICK HERE if you’d like to read the opening of Rescuing Raven on my website.

I hope you enjoyed reading what inspired me to write Raven and Charlie’s story. Charlie is from the 1st novel I wrote (and the 2nd that I published), Between Heaven and Hell. But in that story (set in 1850) Charlie was a young boy and now (in 1876 in Rescuing Raven) he’s grown (with the guidance of his Aunt Hannah—who was a scout on the Oregon Trail) into a uniquely brave man.

**WANT TO READ ALL OF MY STORY INSPIRATION PAGES?**

Here they are…

Between Heaven & Hell – inspired by the Oregon trail, Native tattoos of guardian spirits and more.
Following Faith – inspired by Marguerite Henry’s San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion, Native legends and more.
Choosing Bravery – inspired by The Revenant movie, Oregon’s Cascade Volcanic Arc and more.
Between Love & Lies – inspired by Dodge City, the Time-Life Old West book collection, the longhorn cattle tick and more.
Between Home & Heartbreak – inspired by Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and by the names Eldorado Jane, Eldora, Dorothy, Dory, Dority and more.
Adella’s Enemy – inspired by the Hell on Wheels TV series, cutthroat railroad races and more.
The Calling Birds – inspired by the Fourth Day in The 12 Days of Christmas song, stubborn/determined people and more.
Robyn: A Christmas Bride – inspired by O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, My Fair Lady and more.

Wishing you happy reading ❤

Jacqui

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The HISTORY of THEFT is NEVER-ENDING. In the Old West, they hanged you for horse theft. In Merry Olde England, they transported you to a colony for any kind of theft (over a certain monetary value). But in the Black Hills, the thieves who stole the Lakota’s sacred land went unpunished.

Buffalo Hunt by George Catlin. The Black Hills gave the Lakota everything they needed.

At the end of my last blog, I shared how…

In 1875 after gold was found in Deadwood Creek, the U.S. government failed to honor the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty requiring them to protect the Lakota land from white intruders. Instead, the government offered millions of dollars to buy the land. The Lakota refused because it was their holy land. Their home was taken from them illegally and by force.

The Battle of the Little Bighorn by C.M. Russell.

But the thievery, of course, doesn’t start or stop there.

The First Sioux War was fought between 1854 and 1856. It started after a small detachment of soldiers entered a large Sioux encampment to arrest a man accused of stealing a migrant’s cow.
The Great Sioux War (also known as the Black Hills War) was fought between 1876 and 1877. It started after gold was found in Deadwood Creek and white intruders invaded and stole the Lakota’s land.
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn (also known as Custer’s Last Stand), General Crook marched in pursuit of the Sioux. He took only enough rations for a few days. Which resulted in the Horsemeat March (also known as the Starvation March) when the soldiers had to eat their horses. I suppose one could say that Crook stole his men’s dignity by starving them and leaving them with no option for an alternative food source.
Near Deadwood, the Battle of Slim Buttes resulted in more thievery (also known as the spoils of war) this time the soldiers took the Lakota’s horses and their winter food preserves.
Finally, General Crook and his men’s march ended in Deadwood where they were entertained lavishly by the townsfolk.

It happened because of thievery – of all sorts.

Soldiers charge at Slim Buttes, by Charles Schreyvog

Surrender at Slim Buttes, by R.F. Zogbaum

Pictures: soldiers charge at Slim Buttes (by Charles Schreyvog) and surrender at Slim Buttes (by R.F. Zogbaum).

How did this particular HISTORY shape Rescuing Raven?

DEADWOOD, 1876… In a gold rush storm, can an unlikely pair rescue each other?

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Raven is a rescuer at heart. First, a family member needs her help then her horse is stolen at the Battle of Slim Buttes. There’s no way Raven will allow her beloved Appaloosa to remain with men who eat their own mounts rather than pause their hunt for the Lakota to hunt for food.

She embarks on a rescue mission that takes her into the heart of Deadwood where she finds a man also in need of rescuing.

A man named Charlie Jennings who wants to rescue Raven in return.

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Want to read more about Raven and Charlie and Deadwood?

Rescuing Raven Excerpt ~ Cover Creation Magic ~ Deadwood Early Years Facts

Can’t wait to share more about Deadwood with you, including another Deadwood story set a year after Rescuing Raven. Next time I’ll share my history inspiration for Healing Hope. I’m excited to finally be writing a story about a heroine who is a doctor!

Jacqui

Want to find out more about the Wild Deadwood Tales anthology? Like/follow our fan page at www.facebook.com/WildDeadwoodTalesAnthology & meet all 17 of the Wild Deadwood Tales authors here.

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