Author Paty Jager joins us along with her Nez Perce shapeshifter, Himiin, from Spirit of the Mountain. I love the gorgeous cover.
Spirit of the Mountain
ISBN 9781940064833
Evil spirits, star-crossed lovers, and duty…which will prevail?
Wren, the daughter of a Nimiipuu chief, loves the mountain and her people—the Lake Nimmipuu. When a warrior from the enemy Blackleg tribe asks for her hand in marriage to bring peace between the tribes, she knows it is how she must fulfill her vision quest. But she is torn between duty and her breaking heart.
Himiin, as spirit of the mountain, watches over all the creatures on his mountain, including the Nimiipuu. When Wren shows no fear of him as a white wolf, he listens to her secret fears and loses his heart to the mortal maiden. Respecting her people’s beliefs, he must watch her leave the mountain with the Blackleg warrior.
When an evil spirit threatens Wren’s life, Himiin rushes to save her. But to leave the mountain means he’ll turn to smoke…
Available at: Nook, Amazon, Apple, Windtree Press and Kobo.
Paty’s Interview with Himiin, Spirit of the Mountain
Paty: Thanks for sitting down with me today. Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a shapeshifting Nez Perce spirit who was placed upon this mountain by the Creator to watch over the Lake Nimiipuu, the Nez Perce band that summers near the lake at the foot of my mountain. I have been watching over these people for the lifetime of many generations.
Paty: I understand you have some kind of special power. Can you tell us about it?
As a spirit I can shift from man form to wolf form. I prefer to move about my mountain as a wolf. I am also able to slip into other animals and humans as the need arises. I rarely slip into humans as they are less tolerant of my entering their bodies. But there are occasions, like when the evil Blackleg hurt my precious Wren. I had to enter his body to discover where he had left her to die. However, the Creator gave me a barrier. I cannot leave my mountain, to do so would turn me into smoke—never to be a spirit or a creature of the mountain.
Paty: When did you discover you were able to shift?
My siblings and I were made spirits when our father followed the greedy coyote and his actions killed the warriors of our village. The elderly and women turned on us. The Creator seeing the fury of the people, cradled us in his hands and laid us upon the land of our mother. The home of the Lake Nimiipuu. He instructed us to watch over them and gave us each the body of a creature. Myself the white wolf: my brother Wewukiye, the spirit of the lake, a bull elk: and our sister, Sa-qan, the spirit of the sky, the bald eagle. At this time he gave us the ability to shift into other forms and the duty and honor to watch over the Lake Nimiipuu.
Paty: Do you consider your power a gift or a curse? Why?
Shapeshifting is both a gift and a curse. I can use my power to help others, but it keeps me from socializing with anyone other than my siblings. That is until Wren, the daughter of the Chief of the Lake Nimiipuu, comes upon me in a meadow after I have fought with an evil dark wolf spirit. She comes to me with no fear and doctors my wounds. She talks as if I am her Weyekin(spirit who gave her her gift to her people). Her words and gentleness bring out needs I had not experienced for season upon season.
Paty: How does having this power complicate your life?
Being a spirit complicates my life because I cannot be with the woman I love. We are of two different worlds. I cannot live in her world and she cannot live in mine. But I am willing to give up everything even my essence to keep her alive with the Blackleg enter her village.
Award-winning author Paty Jager and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. On her road to publication she wrote freelance articles for two local newspapers and enjoyed her job with the County Extension service as a 4-H Program Assistant. Raising hay and cattle, riding horses, and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
Her first book was published in 2006. Since then she has published eighteen novels, two anthologies, and five novellas. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her penchant for research takes her on side trips that eventually turn into yet another story.
You can learn more about Paty at her blog Writing into the Sunset; her website; or on Facebook; Goodreads and Twitter @patyjag.
My thanks to Paty for being our guest today. Leave a comment or question for her.
October Paranormal Blogfest Giveaway
October’s monthly drawing is for a Halloween gift basket containing:
Do You Believe in Magic by Susan Squires, autographed trade paperback
Alliance: Stellar Romance by Lyndi Lamont, autographed trade paperback
Spirit of the Mountain Mug donated by Paty Jager
Halloween SKull and Crossbones socks
Milk Chocolate and Candy Corn (white chocolate) M&Ms
Halloween notepad and post-its and assorted author swag
You can enter by using the Rafflecopter form below. There are three options including simply leaving your name and email address.
Lyndi Lamont