Over the Chrismas break we had lunch with Dr. Laura Scheiber while she and Shannon were in Wyoming to move into their new digs in Cody. Part of a buffalo burger lunch was dedicated to planning for the course in our books that Laura is teaching through the Indiana University anthropology department. We’re going to be traveling to Bloomington for the final class on April 29 to discuss the books in a seminar, and to give a public lecture sponsered through the anthro department. While most of the students are anthropology undergrads, assorted other majors have signed up, so advance knowledge of anthropology and North America archaeology are not prerequisites. Readers need only acquire the books on the syllabus.
During the course, the students are going to be interfacing on Facebook with the Gear fan club: book series First North Americans. One of the TAs is going to be feeding comments to the fan club and reporting to the class. To our knowledge this is a first. Anyone interested in participating can join the fan club and submit their questions, comments, and observations. You can do so by clicking on the tab on the Gear-Gear.com homepage.
We will keep you appraised of developments as they occur. The books to be read and discussed include PEOPLE OF THE WOLF, PEOPLE OF THE RIVER, PEOPLE OF THE SILENCE, COMING OF THE STORM, and THE VISITANT.
Meanwhile, we’ve got some reading of our own to do. It’s been a while since we’ve reread these old classics. We’re pretty excited.
7 thoughts on “Fan Club Participation”
December 28, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Thank you! Thank you for writing! I love your books! I discovered your books a couple of summers ago and can’t put them down nor read anything else. Well, I’m spoiled and can’t enjoy other authors. I am a fan for life! I am glad to have finally looked up your website and see there are many books still to read from you. Thank goodness! I’ve already read at least 50 in a very short period of time. Looking forward to newsletter and blog. You guys are awesome! You’re honesty and story-telling is refreshing, wonderful, etc. etc.! You don’t hold anything back. I love it!
January 1, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Mike&Kathy, If you are to present a program at I.U April 29, about when do you expect to arrive in Bloomington? You should have my phone numbers and e-mail address due to our snail mail contacts. Please give me a heads up and I will ride down to meet you both and depending on your available time show you some of the great curving roads in the area to ride. Then bribe you by buying lunch for you both, lol. Or if you & Laura want some shopping time & if Mike is interested I can take him to the BMW dealer here.
January 4, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Linda: Thanks so much for your kind comments. And yes, we’re still working on more. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of people like you. Actually, there’s not that many authors we can read either. After you’re in the business for a while, you start falling over other people’s mistakes. But it keeps us fresh. We’re currently working on PEOPLE OF THE MORNING STAR, a new novel about Cahokia. Read in health!
January 10, 2013 at 9:29 am
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of your informative “People” books. It is rewarding to read books so thoroughly researched. However, when I opened People of the Black Sun, I think perhaps a boob boob got by your editors. On the Nonfiction Introduction page it refers to the location of the World Heritage site in St. Louis, Illinois. To my knowledge there is no town by that name in Illinois. St Louis is in Missouri. Keep writing these wonderful books.
Lois Jacobson
January 11, 2013 at 9:53 am
Dear Lois: Yeah, you’re right. We could have stated that better. But when you say St. Louis everyone knows exactly where you are, and part of the great Cahokia complex was located where downtown St. Louis stands today. And don’t worry, we’re in the middle of a new Cahokia novel as this is written. And you bet, the characters are doing their thing in mound centers on both sides of the river.
January 28, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Can you tell me why the Muskogee people removed all the flesh off the bones of the dead before burial ?
Thank You for your answer and most of all your great books
Phillip Pizzi
February 9, 2013 at 6:26 pm
I have have fallen in love with the “Contact” series. I finished book 3 just today. I am starting the “People” books now. My spouse is reading “The Visitant” and is also loving it. We have a friend who has also gotten hooked your your writings. We all live in the Peoria, IL area; just 4 1/2 hours from Bloomington, IN. Is this visit to I.U. going to be open to the public at any time? I have found the Gear fan club on Facebook and have asked to be invited to follow the dialogue.
If not, Peoria has several noted mounds in the area. The most popular is Dickson Mounds in Lewistown, IL, (http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/dickson); less than an hour south of Peoria. We also have Dayspring United Methodist Church/Native American Fellowship (http://nafdayspring.org/), Four Directions Healing Foundation (http://www.4directionshealingfoundation.com/) and Seven Circles Heritage Center (http://www.7circles.org/). What are the chances of a visit to this area in future?
Keep up the incredibly good writing combined with historical integrity and thank you both.
In Peace!
Lauren Padgett