You Were Never Here

The main fictional character, Lolotea, is based on Lozen, a historical Chihenne Chiricahua Apache skilled warrior and prophet, and younger sister of Victorio. Lozen and Lolotea team together using Lozen's documented mental ability to locate the enemy, the U.S. and Mexican Armies, destroying their homeland and cultures. Lolotea uses her incredible cunning in strategy, ruthless bravery, and fluency in English, French, Spanish and Apache with an acquired skill of Morse Code to act as an interpreter and scout for the U.S. Army while a secret agent for Geronimo and the rebellious Chiricahua. A chance encounter with Sergeant David A. Howcroft, an artillery battery commander changes her life, as well as his, forever as they become entangled in a tragic love story caught in the conflicting web of Native Americans protecting their families, property and customs against the "noble" directive of a young nation, "Manifest Destiny". The reader will experience historical battles that have been verified on the ground with descriptive clarity bringing surrealism to the years the Chiricahua evaded capture. Historical characters and events are juxtaposed with fictional ones in an intriguing manner that is graphically poignant and though provoking.