August column



I would like to apologize to my book store customers for my inconsistent business hours. I have a family member who is ill and I am the transportation for all the Dr. appointments. So having to be closed some days to take care of what is most important to me. I have posted my phone number and if you are coming from very far please feel free to give me a call to be sure I am there, 417-312-0956.

I have learned a new technique in weaving for my little table top loom. It is called tubular weaving and I have been busy making new tote bags on the loom. They are all lined with pockets. Anyone interested in learning more about weaving come by the store and I will be glad to give you a demonstration and even let you have some hands on. There will be some great classes offered at Fiber Daze on September 20th, & 21st at Mt. Vernon. Everything from crocheting, weaving, spinning, basket weaving, felting, and dyeing. Go to this site http://www.fiberfolksofswmo.com/ and you can look it over and register if you want. I will be there on Saturday as a greeter in the morning and will be taking a class in afternoon.

I find that I read a book and if I like it I will look on my shelves and find several to read. This month I have read several books by Kirk Mitchell. If you are a Tony Hillerman fan, you will like Mitchell. He brings authenticity to his books as he was a deputy sheriff on a Paiute-Shoshone reservation in Ca. The books here all have the same characters to follow and I find that interesting.

Cry Dance

by

Kirk Mitchell

Emmett Parker, a Chomanche and a seasoned investigator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Anna Turnipseed, a Modoc and rookie FBI agent are the main characters. A body is found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon on Havasupai Nation land. Emmet and Anna are teamed for the first time to investigate this crime. It leads them into a complex mystery with Anna eventually used as bait for the killer to get to Emmet. It deals with the gaming industry on the reservations. Some tribes want to have it on their land and others want to maintain their heritage. A very good read.

Dance of Thunder Dogs

by

Kirk Mitchell

In this investigation Emmet and Anna work on a case on a reservation in Oklahoma. Oil well funds are being diverted from the rightful reservation recipients, but where has the money gone and why? Then a fellow investigator is murdered and Emmet becomes the prime suspect. In this book you start to see a little love interest developing between Emmet and Anna. I like the way this guy writes and the weaving of peoples lives to create a picture for you.

Spirit Sickness

by

Kirk Mitchell

What I find interesting about the way Mitchell writes is that his characters somehow manage to maintain their Indian heritage while upholding the law. Emmet and Anna are brought to the scene of a brutal murder of a cop from a Navajo reservation in New Mexico, and his wife. There are spirits and Gila Monsters added to the mix. The murderer has woven his personal madness with Navajo myth to create his own reality. They have to stop him before he kills again. The love interest between Emmet and Anna has evolved but has become complicated.

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.

“It's today,” squeaked Piglet.

“My favorite day..” said Pooh.

-A.A. Milne