AMERICAN HISTORICAL NOVELS discussion

We're happy to introduce this week's host, Amanda Skenandore, author of Between Earth and Sky.



1. Please tell us about yourself!

Thanks for having me! Looking forward to hosting chatting with the group this week.

I’m an author and infection prevention nurse. My debut novel, Between Earth and Sky, came out this past April. When I’m not writing or chasing germs, I enjoy anything that takes me outside—swimming, biking, gardening—and the simple pleasures of good friends and good food. And, of course, I love reading. Historical fiction, but other genres too. I live in Las Vegas, NV with my husband and our pet turtle, Lenore.



2. Please tell us more about your book.

Between Earth and Skyexplores the tragic intersection between white and Native American culture, seen through the eyes of a young girl who learns about friendship, betrayal, and the sacrifices made in the name of belonging.

It begins on a quiet morning in 1906 when a newspaper headline catapults Alma Mitchell back to her past. A federal agent is dead, and the murder suspect is Alma’s childhood friend, Harry Muskrat. Harry—or Asku, as Alma knew him—was the most promising student at the “savage-taming” boarding school run by her father, where Alma was the only white pupil. Created in the wake of the Indian Wars, the Stover School was intended to assimilate the children of neighboring reservations. Instead, it robbed them of everything they’d known—language, customs, even their names—and left a heartbreaking legacy in its wake.

3. If you could meet your protagonist, what would you ask her?

While I’d love to meet Alma, the main protagonist of my story, I’d relish even more meeting Harry. He’s my favorite character in the novel. I’d ask him to take me to the forest, like he does Alma, and teach me the Anishinaabe names of trees. I’d also ask him what he thought of white and Native American relations today and what hopes he had for the future.

4. Tell us about some of your writing highlights this year!

The book’s debut in April was by far the biggest highlight of the year for me. I’m still basking in the surreality of it all. The book was Southern Lady Magazine’s Book Club pick this summer and received a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice review. I’ve had wonderful support from family, friends, and readers—that’s been an amazing highlight too.

5. What are you working on next?

My next book, THE UNDERTAKER’S ASSISTANT, is set in Reconstruction-era New Orleans. It’s a story of human resilience and of the unlikely bonds that hold fast even in our darkest moments. It’s slated to release August 2019.

Connect with Amanda at:

Website: http://www.amandaskenandore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkenandoreAm...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaskena...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARShenandoah

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AmandaSkena...

I have read a bit about the Indian schools and found it very interesting, this sounds like a book I would enjoy

I'm really interested to hear more about this. The way cultures clash (or don't clash) is always interesting to me, especially if one is Native American—there is so much misinformation and prejudice out there. Looking forward to more.

Martha

Stella wrote: "I have read a bit about the Indian schools and found it very interesting, this sounds like a book I would enjoy"

Thank you, Stella.

Martha wrote: "I'm really interested to hear more about this. The way cultures clash (or don't clash) is always interesting to me, especially if one is Native American—there is so much misinformation and prejudic..."

Hi Martha. There is a lot of misinformation and prejudice out there. I found that not only during my research but in talking with people and hearing about their experiences. I like to think literature, historical fiction included, can help. :)