Indian Summer by Douglas F. Graney

About the book

Capturing the spirit of the Native American plight, Indian Summer chronicles a modern Apache trek from a Seminole reservation in Florida to an Apache reservation in New Mexico. Inspired by an ancestral calling, Ben Henry the protagonist leads his fellow Apaches halfway across America on horseback. Along the way to their native land they encounter political hostility, racism and violence, which parallels what their ancestors experienced over a century before.

Glenda Ives, a reporter from the Miami Tribune, is able to change how many people feel about what the Apaches are attempting, and becomes involved with Ben Henry. She investigates and uncovers a government plot to stop the Apaches. While some of the story is factual and may surprise readers, it is a fictional adventure involving the strengths and weaknesses of the human condition with a subtext of Indian rights.

How the Apaches overcome and prevail in their arduous journey against overwhelming odds against the backdrop of modern America is related with different points of view by characters in the story. It is a story of mans struggle against adversity.

The ending involves a spiritual twist that completes Ben Henry's transformation into the reality of today's world as described in the following:

Morning light moved slowly down from the mountaintops. Ben sat up and looked around. He felt someone was watching him. As he looked at his surroundings he had a strong feeling he'd been here before. He didn't believe in the supernatural yet he felt a presence. He wasn't alone. He was standing in the exact spot his great grandfather, Hatatua stood while he agonized over the surrender of his people to the white soldiers across the stream.

An early fall cool wind blew down from the Capitan Mountains. Ben pulled his collar around his neck. Without knowing why, he said, aloud. "Grandfather, I've returned. I brought your people home to the land of their ancestors. Now your spirit can rest in peace." At the last word, the warmth of the morning sun reached him and the stream. He suddenly felt as though a heavy weight had lifted from his being. A great feeling of relief and joy filled his heart, warming him as the sun warmed the earth. He was free. Lance, having somehow gotten loose, pranced toward him giving him a light push with his head "How did you get loose? Relax big fella, no more long hot rides. It's over for both of us. You feel it too, the freedom... we're both free!"

As names and faces disappear from current television and newspapers, heroes become, like the rest of us, ordinary people. At the Roswell, New Mexico airport, one of those ordinary people wearing a light blue shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, carrying a small canvas bag, had just purchased a plane ticket. The airline ticket agent said, "Your set is twelve A. Your flight is two hundred and twenty-three leaving in fifteen minutes from gate three. And here's your ticket, one way to Miami Florida. Have a good flight Mr. Henry!"

About the author

Douglas F. Graney was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. At seventeen he quit high school and joined the U.S. Army. A year later, in 1950, he was with Easy Company of the 23rd Infantry Regiment fighting in Korea where he was wounded and later returned to the United States. Upon his discharge he returned to school and graduated from Boston University with a degree in Business Administration.

He is married and is the father of two daughters. While working his way up to become president of the company he represented, he continued to write stories he hoped would someday be published. He traveled worldwide on business and pleasure. Taking early retirement he and his wife, Janet sailed in their wooden schooner across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He has had stories published in sailing magazines and association journals. Currently he has a book of short stories entitled Another Time Another Place on the market. Because of his observations of different cultures and the behavior of people from around the world the book contains a variety of genres intended to entertain and enlighten readers.

Mountain climbing and desert treks afforded him more ideas for writing. He is a member of the Explorers Club.

He has completed two novels, one of which is being offered to publishers by the Harris Literary Agency entitled Indian Summer. He will complete a third novel early in 2002.

Douglas resides in Houston, Texas with his wife and writes full time.