Ghost of the Heart and Extinct Pleistocene Mammals!!!

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The hunters stopped to rest, gazing at the beautiful sight of the meadow. Several hunters started pointing across the meadow at what appeared to be a large brown rock. It was an unusual rock since it appeared to be moving. The hunters jabbered amongst themselves, watching and pointing at this strange sight. Chayton wanted a closer look and found a place where the hunters could jump from boulder to boulder across the roaring river. The other hunters followed Chayton, sneaking across the soggy meadow and hiding behind trees and willow bushes where they could find them. Chayton quietly stalked this odd-looking rock, keeping the wind in his face and moving in harmony with the blowing tree limbs and bushes.

Chayton hoped that this rock-like thing did not hear the sound of his moccasins sinking in the muddy soil. The other hunters mimicked Chayton’s movements, only taking a step when he did. When the hunters reached this strange rock, they stared in amazement. They had heard the stories around the
campfire about such an animal. None of the hunters had ever seen anything that compared to the size of this animal. The magnificence of the animal stunned Chayton. He took a step forward and his moccasin disappeared into the smelly mire of the boggy meadow. The other hunters crouched down
behind anything they could find while gazing up at the humongous animal in front of them.

“This is the animal Tarca Sapa spoke about,” Keya whispered to Chayton.

“Ai, – Yes,” Chayton murmured, never taking his eyes off the beast.

Crouching low to the ground, Chayton waited for another wind gust and synchronizing his movement with it, he took a step forward. The other hunters moved when he moved, their moccasins sinking in the organic rich mud. Behind a stand of willow bushes, Chayton craned his neck upward...

Above is a short outtake from my new prehistoric thriller Ghosts of the Heart. In this particular scene, a prehistoric hunting party discovered a large animal that none of the hunters had ever seen before. The hunters had all heard the campfire stories and legends about this animal, but meeting one face-to-face was a lot more intimidating than any of the hunters had expected.   

When I wrote Ghosts of the Heart, I took some liberty with what we currently know about the prehistory of North America. My only defense to this liberty is in the name of fiction. I am sure that some readers may criticize me for doing this, but here is what I did and a tiny bit of justification. In Ghosts of the Heart, I added an extinct Pleistocene animal that may not have still existed at the time this adventure took place. The remains of this extinct animal have not yet been found with associated artifacts from the time of the Folsom People. That is not to say that this evidence won't turn up sometime in the future, but as of right now, the evidence is not there. Let's look at this closer in the next few paragraphs.   

At archaeological sites, investigators do everything possible to determine the dates of the site occupation  and for any human or animals that they may have found. How likely is it that any given investigator finds the last member of an extinct animal species in their archaeological site? For that matter, how likely is it that they have found one of the last ten or twenty members of an extinct animal species? Not likely and here is why.

First of all, the conditions have to be just right for any animal to be preserved in the fossil record. Most prehistoric human or animal remains have simply decayed away, not leaving any evidence of their existence in the fossil record. Now, let's say, the animal actually becomes fossilized. How likely is it that someone actual discovers the fossil remains where it has been buried? Not very likely is my answer. Finding the remains of an extinct animal is about as random as throwing darts at a map of North America and hoping that your dart hits a possible location for a fossilized extinct animal. 

Now, let's assume that extinct animal remains somehow became fossilized and then by chance, were found by archaeological investigators. How likely is it that this particular fossilized animal is the last member of its extinct species?  My answer is not likely at all and secondly, how would the investigator ever know if it was one of the last members of that species?        

There is a very low probability of finding the fossilized remains for an extinct animal species and an even lower probability that the fossilized animal remains represent the last member of an extinct animal species. Now, we add another low probability that we find the fossilized animal remains associated with human artifacts. Even if we do,, how do we know if these fossilized animal remains were the last member of an extinct species? Perhaps, the species went on to live another thousands years, who knows? The archaeologist won't know if those fossilized animal remains were the last member of that extinct animal species. So, as far as using an extinct species in Ghosts of the Heart, who knows, maybe someday the archaeological evidence will back up the story.         

 You might be asking what extinct Pleistocene species did I use in Ghosts of the Heart? Well, for that answer, you are going to have to read Ghosts of the Heart.

Shadows on the Trail and Ghosts of the Heart by John Bradford Branney are available at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and better booksellers around the globe. 

 

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Archaeological Site on Safer Ground

Article on Florida archaeological site that dates back over 8,000 years ago.

Archaeological Site on Safer Ground

Ghosts of the Heart by John Bradford Branney - European Press Release!

       America’s Prehistory Brought Dramatically to Life in Stunning New Book!

 


Ghosts of the Heart, the second installment in the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy.

 

The latest novel by bestselling author John Bradford Branney dramatically portrays
Prehistoric America at the end of the last Ice Age.

As a result of huge pressure from fans of the first book in the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy,

Mirador Publishing have brought forward the publication date of the second book, Ghosts of the
Heart, just in time for Christmas. This latest instalment picks up from where the original novel
Shadows on the Trail left off and continues saga of the Folsom People, a prehistoric tribe of
hunter-gatherers.

Hailed for its accurate depiction of life on the prairies and mountains of prehistoric Colorado,

Ghosts of the Heart is a fast-paced read that accurately builds on clues from the archaeological
record and oral traditions practiced by early Americans.

“We are thrilled to be bringing out this latest instalment so early,” said Sarah Luddington,

Mirador Publishing’s Commissioning Editor. “John has a knack for bringing this era to life and
combines an incredible eye for historical detail with a thoroughly engaging story.”

The story covers the tumultuous changes and disasters that plagued these primitive people and

highlights the difficulties faced in trying to exist in such a hostile environment. Branney’s
attention to historical accuracy is extraordinary and even includes three genuine indigenous
languages within the narrative.

“I was born and raised in Wyoming and have been searching for evidence of prehistoric man for

most of my life,” said John. “I’ve assembled a collection of several thousand prehistoric artifacts
dating back to around 13,000 years ago in the Pleistocene Epoch.”

John Bradford Branney holds a geology degree and MBA from the University of Wyoming and

the University of Colorado, respectively. John currently lives in Houston Texas with his wife,
Theresa. Ghosts of the Heart is the third published book by Branney.

Mirador Publishing continue their support of new authors and are proud to present John Bradford

Branney as an author to watch out for.

For more information visit the author at Shadows on the Trail Trilogy by John Bradford Branney

on Facebook and at his blog at http://johnbbranney3.blogspot.com/.

Ghosts of the Heart is available in all good bookshops and online retailers both in paperback and

eBook formats. Mirador Publishing may be contacted via their website at
www.miradorpublishing.com

Shadows on the Trail, the first book in the Trilogy.

Ghosts of the Heart - A Return to the Controversial Vero Site!

Ghosts of the Heart by John Bradford Branney - return to the
end of the Ice Age! Ghosts of the Heart available at better booksellers! 

A Return to the Controversial Vero Site

New Novel from Author John Bradford Branney Portrays a Violent Prehistoric America!

Ghosts of the Heart available in paperback and e book from better booksellers. 

 

Readers have anxiously awaited the second novel in the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy and Mirador Publishing and John Bradford Branney have just released it! Ghosts of the Heart picks up where the original novel Shadows on the Trail left off, the ongoing adventure of the Folsom People, a prehistoric tribe of hunter-gatherers. The Folsom People’s journey to the idyllic North Country continues as they make their way across the dangerous prairies and mountains of prehistoric Colorado.

 
Ghosts of the Heart is well researched and a fast-paced read that accurately depicts clues from the archaeological record and oral traditions practiced by early Americans. The characters in Ghosts of the Heart face extreme climatic changes and natural catastrophic events that create a rapidly changing world for them. In the book, readers will witness complicated alliances and relationships between three culturally different prehistoric tribes. Another treat by the author is utilizing three actual indigenous languages and lineages to differentiate between the three prehistoric tribes.

The reader also receives a front row glimpse into the perceptions that prehistoric people may have had with natural disasters, such as wildfires, tornadoes, snow blizzards, and flash floods. The emotionally exciting, fear invoking descriptions of these natural phenomena provides insight into the fears and frustrations these prehistoric peoples faced with forces completely out of their control and for which they had no explanation or understanding.

Ghosts of the Heart laces its often violent and hostile subject matter with humour and ‘heart’, a description borrowed from the title of the book and demonstrated throughout the pages of the book. The reader will find it easy to identify with the characters in this novel. After reading Ghosts of the Heart, readers will anxiously await the third novel of the trilogy, the true mark of a successful series.

John Bradford Branney was born and raised in Wyoming and has been searching for evidence of prehistoric man for most of his life. He has assembled a collection of several thousand prehistoric artifacts dating back to around 13,000 years ago in the Pleistocene Epoch. The author holds a geology degree and MBA from the University of Wyoming and the University of Colorado, respectively. John currently lives in Houston Texas with his wife, Theresa. Ghosts of the Heart is the third published book for Branney.

For more information, visit the author at Shadows on the Trail Trilogy by John Bradford Branney on Facebook and at his blog at http://johnbbranney3.blogspot.com/.

Ghosts of the Heart is available in all good bookshops and online retailers both in paperback and eBook formats. Mirador Publishing may be contacted via their website at www.miradorpublishing.com

 

 

 

The Sequel to SHADOWS ON THE TRAIL released by Mirador Publishing

 


Ghosts of the Heart is now available at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com,
and other better booksellers in paperback and e book formats.

The seed for the original story in my prehistoric novel called Shadows on the Trail sprouted on an early summer morning in 2010 on a northern Colorado ranch where I found an Ice Age tool made by prehistoric man from a red and gray striped rock found only in a prehistoric rock quarry in Texas. As I stared at this prehistoric tool made by one of the First Americans, several questions raced through my mind. How did a prehistoric tool made from Texas rock end up in a prehistoric campsite in northern Colorado? Who made this tool? What was he or she like? What happened on the journey from Texas to northern Colorado? Since it was impossible for me to find out the answers to these questions, I wrote my own version of the historical journey in the novel Shadows on the Trail.       

     As the Folsom People began their journey from present-day Texas to the idyllic North Country, they faced much adversity and their adventure quickly outgrew the pages of Shadows on the Trail. The Folsom People’s adventure now continues with the second book in the trilogy called Ghosts of the Heart, which takes place on the prairies and mountains of present-day Colorado at the end of the Ice Age. It was a time of drought, rising temperatures, and mammal extinctions. It was also a time when small bands of humans competed to survive in a harsh and unpredictable world. Here is a brief outtake from Ghosts of the Heart;

 

 

 

The snowstorm caught the hunters halfway down the rocky plateau. It began with a few light snowflakes streaming past the hunters, but soon the snowflakes became heavier and wetter, turning the scattered rocks and tundra into a slippery mess. The winds intensified, pushing the hunters down the plateau. The snowfall increased even further, reducing the hunters’ ability to see as they wound their way through the maze of boulders on the sloppy tundra surface. 

The wind velocity increased and the snowfall escalated, dumping and blowing deep snow across the surface of the plateau. With visibility gone, the two hunters drifted apart, heading in separate directions across the plateau. Avonaco, still hanging onto the deer carcass, continued walking in a direction he thought was east. He finally stopped to make sure Hexaka was still behind him and found he was alone. Leaning into the wind, Avonaco surveyed the whiteout conditions of the plateau.

“HEXAKA! HEXAKA!” Avonaco screamed, his voice lost in the shrieking roar of the howling wind. Unable to locate Hexaka, Avonaco searched for a landmark he recognized. In the midst of the heavy snowfall, he caught a glimpse of something dark in the midst of the blowing snow. He trudged towards it and came to an area of the plateau where humongous limestone blocks surrounded him. He slowly walked forward, confused and not having any idea which direction he was traveling.  

 

                I hope you enjoy Ghosts of the Heart!

 

 

 

 

 

         

Ice Age Boy Shows Linkage to Both Western Europe and Native Americans

Ghosts of the Heart, the soon to be released prehistoric adventure
sequel to Shadows on the Trail by John Bradford Branney.  

More evidence that Europeans and just not Asians first populated North America. I think the big question now is when North America was populated. Clovis First thinking has gone the way of the buggy whip and new archaeological evidence on the east coast continues to push the entrance date into North America further into the past.    

Exciting times for North American archaeology!


Ice Age Boy Shows Linkage to Europeans and Native Americans

Holiday Book Special

                     Have an Adventure for the Holidays!

There is no better gift for the holidays than a book! Take an adventure that transports your mind to another time and place! While supplies last, I am selling signed copies of any or all of my three books for the holidays.

Shadows on the Trail takes place at the end of the Ice Age on the plains and mountains of Texas and Colorado. The end of the Ice Age was a time of global warming, rising air temperatures and melting ice caps and glaciers. It was a time when several large mammal species went extinct and when small bands of humans roamed the mountains and plains attempting to survive in an unforgiving and violent world. This is a tale of three prehistoric tribes whose paths collide, culminating into an emotional thriller loaded with predatory animals, hostile encounters with other humans, and the unpredictable forces of nature.

Saving Miguel takes place in the not too distant future when the global economy collapses into the deepest abyss the world has ever known, pushing over seventy-five per cent of the world’s population into poverty. Most of these people lose to this global economic crash. Security, money, dreams, and most importantly, hope for the future all destroyed by the greed of a few. Out of this world comes an eight-year old boy named Miguel who initiates a roller coaster ride of events that turns this world upside down. Miguel is just a boy but he is the only hope the world has left…

Ghosts of the Heart is the second book in the Shadows on the Trail trilogy, the continuation  of the Folsom People’s journey from present-day Texas to the idyllic North Country at the end of the last Ice Age. The Folsom People faced so much adversity in Shadows on the Trail that the adventure quickly outgrew the first book. The adventure continues on the prairies and mountains of present-day Colorado as the Folsom People battle predatory animals, hostile humans, and the forces of nature in a harsh and unpredictable world. Publication will commence for Ghosts of the Heart in December 2013. Preorder it now and enjoy all three adventures! 

Prices for author-signed books are as follows;

      ·         Any of the three books signed by the author for $22 each, U.S. postage included.*

·         Shadows on the Trail and Ghosts of the Heart signed by the author for $42, U.S. postage included.*

·         All three books signed by the author for $50, U.S. postage included.*

Checks and money orders, or Paypal are all acceptable means of payment. Offer is good while the supply of books lasts. Contact the author on Facebook at Shadows on the Trail by John Bradford Branney or email to arrange your order.   

Unsigned copies of any of these books are available at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and several other booksellers in paperback and e book.  

*If the publication date of Ghosts of the Heart goes past the Holidays for any reason, the buyer will receive a gift certificate from me for the book and it will be shipped immediately after publication.    

Prehistoric Conflict in the Shadows on the Trail Quadrilogy!

CLICK to ORDER Shadows on the Trail

       Shadows on the Trail is loaded with conflict; beast against beast, man against beast, man

against  man, and man against his own fate. Conflict was not uncommon in the prehistoric world, just

search the Internet with the words prehistoric conflict or prehistoric murder and there are literally

hundreds of links describing all kinds of prehistoric conflict, going all the way back to humans killing

Neanderthals. When it comes to human conflict, the weapon systems may have changed through

history but human nature hasn't.

The Weapon Tips of Choice. In Shadows on the Trial,
the Folsom People used the top projectile point type for their spear tips
while the Mountain People used the projectile point at the bottom.
Both spear tips are equally lethal to man and beast! 

         The below passage from Shadows on the Trail  demonstrates one particular man against man

conflict in a prehistoric world that is large enough for both groups of humans to live in harmony, but

too small for them to avoid conflict with each other. For those of you who have not read Shadows on

the Trail, I am not going to disclose too much information about this conflict. I will tell you that Ei

Hanit was the leader of a warring group of people called the Mountain People. Here, the Mountain

People were battling two other tribes in the close confines of the haunted Spirit Rock Canyon.

Ei Hanit ended the warriors’ chaos with his booming voice, screaming out orders to the warriors. Ei Hanit, a spear in one of his hands and a massive war club in the other, rallied his warriors back up the canyon, away from the rock wall. The warriors jumped over and crawled through the downed pine trees, heaving spears at the hunters. Now organized, the warriors methodically moved up the canyon, launching spear after spear at the outnumbered hunters. The hunters’ ambush had temporarily surprised the large force of warriors, but the tide of the battle had now turned in the warriors’ favor. Spears flew at the hunters from every direction as they hid behind boulders and trees.

            “KILL THEM ALL!” Ei Hanit roared above the sound of Chindi.
            The warriors had made enough progress up the canyon that soon they would overrun the position of the hunters. Ei Hanit smelled victory and screamed at his warriors, rallying them to push forward and launch more spears. The warriors advanced up the canyon, killing hunters when they found them. Avonaco, Hexaka, and seven hunters were still alive and retreating up the canyon, while Ei Hanit and his thirty warriors screamed and chased the surviving hunters. The battle was now a rout, but Ei Hanit would not be satisfied without the complete annihilation of the hunters. It was only a matter of time before the warriors caught up to the hunters and killed them. When Ei Hanit realized the hunters were doomed, he shouted to his warriors, “I WANT THEM ALIVE!” Ei Hanit planned on an entertaining, but sadistic death for the remaining hunters.
           I won't tell you how this battle ends, but I will guarantee that you will be surprised by the outcome. You will just have to read Shadows on the Trail to find out how it actually ends. 

           For those of you who have not read Shadows on the Trail, now is the time. The second and third books in the trilogy are also available around the globe. CLICK for INFORMATION.

     

CLICK to ORDER all THREE books



    

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Shadows on the Trail Trilogy and the Mysterious Folsom People.



Shadows on the Trail - the first book in
a trilogy about the mysterious Folsom People.

Shadows on the Trail is the first novel in a trilogy about the mysterious people called Folsom who roamed North America from about 10,900 to 10,200 years ago. These people did not leave behind any written words or DNA or anything that could tell us more about them as people. The only real evidence that we have of the Folsom People lifestyles are their campsites, kill sites, and their artifacts, including the remarkably well made fluted projectile points that ultimately became the hallmark of their culture.


A Fluted Folsom projectile point,
a surface find from Middle Park,
Colorado.

 

The link below takes you to a documentary video about the mysterious Folsom People. New Mexico PBS produced this video about the Folsom People with guest Dr. Bruce B. Huckell, an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology  at the University of New Mexico. The documentary is factual and interesting, but nothing like the high drama action found in my book  Shadows on the Trail, but the documentary is based on scientific facts and hypothesis, based on archaeological evidence.  

I hope you enjoy the short documentary and I really hope you enjoy my book Shadows on the Trail, the first book in the trilogy about the Folsom People. Follow the Author and Shadows on the Trail on facebook at Shadows on the Trail by John Bradford Branney. 

Now, please click the link below for the documentary:

  The Mysterious Folsom People (Click Link)

Ghosts of the Heart, the second book
in the Trilogy.




Click for John Bradford Branney Books

Winds of Eden, the third book
in the Trilogy.  

A Stone Cold Inspiration - SHADOWS on the TRAIL QUADRILOGY

Figure One - Alibates agatized dolomite discoidal biface found by the author on a ranch in

northern Colorado in 2010. The type of flaking and its association with four 

Folsom artifacts leads the author to believe this discoidal biface was

associated with the Folsom Complex.

The 4.1-inch long discoidal biface above was my inspiration for the prehistoric fiction novels in the Shadows on the Trail Quadrilogy. The prehistoric hunter who made this discoidal biface used it as an all-purpose tool for scraping animal hides, chopping wood, and cutting through animal bone and tendons. In addition, this nomadic hunter probably used this discoidal biface as a portable rock source if he found himself away from another source of rock. When he needed a new stone tool or projectile point, he simply hammered off a rock flake from the discoidal biface and made a new tool or projectile point, right there on the spot.

Figure Two - Concave profile makes
author believe that this discoidal
biface was on its way to becoming
an ultrathin knife form, another
tool type associated with the
 Folsom Complex.  

I found this discoidal biface in northern Colorado on a site where I have documented prehistoric artifacts dating back further than 13,000 years ago. This discoidal biface had something else interesting about it. The prehistoric hunter had made this discoidal biface from Alibates agatized dolomite, a rock type originating from the Panhandle of Texas, some five hundred miles to the south. This led me to believe that the prehistoric hunter made the discoidal biface in Texas and then transported it by foot to northern Colorado where he lost or misplaced it.

Finding Alibates in northern Colorado is not a common occurrence and this was the first discoidal biface I have ever found made from this rock type. Why did this prehistoric human carry this large piece of Alibates agatized dolomite all the way from Texas when there were numerous sources of rock within a stone’s throw (pardon the pun) of where I found this artifact? It appears that prehistoric humans were infatuated with the beauty of Alibates agatized dolomite. I can see why. Alibates had a wide distribution of artifacts made from the stuff so the prehistoric people were either carrying it with them over long distances or trading it to other people who carried it over a long distance.      

For those of you unfamiliar with Alibates, it is a very distinctive, multicolored rock with colors ranging from maroon to red and gray to black. Mix in some white and tan with banded shades of pink, blue, purple, and brown and Alibates exhibits a rainbow of colors. It is apparent that prehistoric hunters were fascinated with its bright and exotic colors and must have believed that the rock held some mystical power over the animals they hunted. Prehistoric people made some of the finest prehistoric artifacts in existence out of Alibates agatized dolomite.     

Figure Three - Side B of the discoidal biface.  Note the pedogenic
(secondary) carbonate deposit that has formed on this artifact.   

    

Of the thousands of artifacts that I have found, none of them captivates my imagination any more than this particular discoidal biface. I do not know why, it is just special to me. When I found this ancient discoidal biface from Texas, my mind went into overdrive thinking about who made it, what he or she was like, and how did it end up in northern Colorado.

The Shadows on the Trail Quadrilogy is my interpretation of how this particular artifact ended up in northern Colorado from Texas. 

The Shadows on the Trail Quadrilogy is the prehistoric adventure that defines all other prehistoric adventures! A small band of Paleoindians fight to survive in a violent and unpredictable world over 12,000 years ago. The late Pleistocene is a time of dramatic climate change, large mammal extinctions, and shifting alliances among those humans attempting to survive. 

Figure Four - The second edition of the Shadows on the Trail will be available before May 30, 2020. 

 Click to Join the Adventure     

                                              Shadows on the Trail
                               is also available at better booksellers.     

                                                  

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Prehistoric Man in Brazil Over 30,000 Years Ago?

Shadows on the Trail - the first book in
this prehistoric trilogy. Available
at better booksellers.

In my novel Shadows on the Trail, the Folsom People lived from 10,900 to 10,200 years ago in North America. Based
on current archaeological evidence, the earliest people in North America came around 15,000 years ago. Now, new archaeological evidence is proposing a 30,000 year old date for prehistoric humans in Brazil, based on cave drawings and artifacts found near a fire hearth. That is quite a leap backwards from what has been proposed in the past. 

I would expect a lot of pushback from other archaeologists on this evidence for humans in Brazil over 30,000 years ago. No matter what, it will be fun to watch the evidence go through its due diligence.

I hope you enjoy the article and Shadows on the Trail.      


Prehistoric Man in Brazil 30,000 Years Ago

The Shadows on the Trail Trilogy IS a Matter of Survival!!

Click to Order John Bradford Branney Books



First, a brief update on the status of the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy. All three books are now out! I am working on the fourth book. There is no reason not to add Shadows on the Trail, Ghosts of the Heart, and Winds of Eden to your book list and get ready for the fourth book. You can visit Texas and Colorado about 10,700 years ago without leaving your living room!

For those of you who have already read the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy, I thank you and I appreciate the notes and comments you have sent me in regards to the books. I promise you that the fourth book will not let you down! Now, on with the show!

Figure two - The trappings of modern society. Piled
up luggage at some airport, not a rare occurrence.  

Have you ever noticed how modern-day society has surrounded itself with physical possessions and how many people have become prisoners to their possessions? What would any of us do without the conveniences that surround us? When we are hungry, we go to the refrigerator or a restaurant. When we are bored we watch one of four hundred channels on our high definition plasma televisions. If we want music, we can listen to one of thousands of songs on our iPods or smart phones  The possessions and trappings go on and on. We have become a society that is completely dependent on our modern conveniences. We are spoiled!  
     

To illustrate my point, I am going to cite a recent example from my personal life and compare it to the lives of the Folsom People, the protagonists in the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy. Recently, my wife and I took a four-day trip to California and when we arrived at the airport we each had a suitcase. In addition, I had a stuffed backpack with my laptop, books, and various other electronic gadgetry and essentials. My wife had a laptop roller suitcase with all of her gear. Four days, four suitcases! When we finally boarded the airplane (another amazing transportation convenience), the passengers fought to get their precious possessions stowed in the limited overhead luggage space. I looked around and watched people shoving everything but the kitchen sink into the overhead luggage bins. It gave me pause to reflect about our heroes in the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy, Chayton and the Folsom People.     

Figure three - Dinner time, literally fast food!

Let’s jump into our time machine called the Shadows on the Trail and go back to around 10,700 years ago, the days of Chayton and the Folsom People. They did not have any of the modern conveniences we have today. They couldn't go to a grocery store or a fast food restaurant if they were hungry. If they needed to travel from Point A to B, they did so by walking, there were no cars, buses, planes, or even horses. The Folsom People had to carry everything they owned when they roamed from place to place. All of their possessions were transported by them and their wolf dogs.

                

Below is a passage from the first book of the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy where our hero Chayton was preparing a multi-day crossing of the inhospitable Arid Plains with two other hunters.  The passage describes what Chayton took with him on this difficult journey. He would have to survive an extremely hostile and unpredictable environment with very little. If he and the hunters were going to eat, they would have to find, kill, clean, and cook the food. If they became thirsty, they would have to find water. There were no maps or convenience stores. They would have to hunker down near the safety of their campfire during the night and have to deal with the scorching heat of the Arid Plains during the day.

          Chayton carried a deerskin quiver with five spears on his back and his spear thrower on his left hip. On his right hip, he carried his water pouch and on his back, he carried a hide pouch containing the four remaining inyan wakan or sacred rocks, four spear points, knife blades, a sandstone abrader, a hard wood spindle for fire starting, and several chokecherry patties. On a leather strap around his neck, Chayton carried a stone knife with a handle made from a shortened bison rib. In his hand, he carried a long spear that doubled as a walking staff. Except for a blanket and the hut he was leaving behind, this was all Chayton owned in the world. 

Figure Four - Folsom artifacts from the Author's Collection.

                                                                
            Figure four is a photograph of the stone tools that Chayton might have carried in his deerskin pouch. In the center of the photo, notice the red and gray banded discoidal biface he brought on the journey from his original canyon home in future Texas. To the right of  the discoidal biface are two razor-sharp ultrathin knives used for butchering animals and in the lower left hand corner, an end scraper used for hide work. Resting on top of the discoidal biface are two Folsom projectile points. Add to the hide pouch a tool to create fire and a small amount of dried food and Chayton could survive anywhere. How about you? I know I couldn't.  

Shadows on the Trail Trilogy is not only an action adventure series, it is a testament to human survival. Get your copy now and learn how Chayton and the Folsom People survived!    

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