Broken Road, published by Exile Editions, 2009.
Set against the historical backdrop of the events leading up to the Trail of Tears and deeply rooted in the mythology and sacred history of the “Real People” (the name by which the Cherokee referred to themselves), Broken Road is an account of the intense love-hate relationship between white Americans and the tribe that, more than any other, embraced white culture and emulated its institutions. It was a relationship that was to end in the destruction of the Cherokee way of life and the heartbreaking loss of their ancestral lands. It can be ordered directly from Exile Editions (www.exileeditions.com), from www.amazon.ca or www.chapters.ca.
These stories bring to life the harsh struggles, the dreams, the greed, the obsessions, the xenophobia-and the love-experienced by the traders, trappers and prospectors who flocked to northern Ontario during the Porcupine Gold Rush (1900-1922). It can be ordered directly from Knopf Canada at www.randomhouse.ca or at other online bookstores.
Constant Fire, published by Oberon Press, 1995
According to my publisher's catalog, Constant Fire is "a book-length collection about the past and present of the Cherokee nation. The poetry of nature, the passion of ancient folk-song, the soul of a people, they're all here in this elegant suite of stories." You may order directly from me by email, or from online bookstores.
2010/melissahardy.com
