Mardi Oakley Medawar | Interview | American Western Magazine

Books by
Mardi Oakley Medawar

New Release!
The Ft. Larned Incident by Mardi Oakley Medawar

In 1867, just when the Rattle Band returns to the Kiowa's traditional winter camp, a powerful healer
disappears. Then, two horses are killed, and the herdsmen blame it on a mysterious witch. When a
chief's wife dies unexpectedly, the entire camp is thrown into a frenzy of fear. Tay-bodal, sure that no witch was to blame, must uncover the truth before fear destroys the Kiowa Band.

In 1867, the Kiowa traveled to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, along with the Comanche, Arapaho, Apache, and Cheyenne to meet with representatives of the U.S. government and to sign peace treaties. But not all of the Kiowa agree that the peace treaty is a good thing, and tensions between them and the U.S. Army ("The Blue Jackets") are running high. So, when the army bugler disappears
and White Bear, chief of the Rattle Band, finds his bugle out on the plains, the army command
assumes that White Bear has killed the man to steal it. To make matters worse, the bugler's body is
later found -- murdered -- out on the plains.

In 1866, the magnificent Cheyenne Robber was charged with murdering a fellow tribesman - a crime
that threatens the unity of the entire Kiowa Nation. Now eccentric healer Tay-bodal must use his
unconventional skills to prove the truth behind the murder - and reunite the divided Kiowa Nation. *
Second in the Tay-bodal mystery series. Medawar, a Cherokee, offers historical insights onto
Native American life.

Visit Mardi Oakley Medawar's Web site

Mardi Oakley Medawar, a North Carolina Cherokee, lives and works on the Red Cliff Chippewa Reservation in Northern Wisconsin. She is the author of nine published works and a member of Western Writers, Sisters In Crime, Returning The Gift - Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.

RTW [ReadTheWest]: Your writing voice has been described as lyrical. How difficult was it to find your voice and develop it?

MM [Mardi Oakley Medawar]: Great question...however...I haven't done anything in particular to develop my voice or writing style. I simply write the way I speak. Which means streams of editors generally run the hallways screaming about my being comma-challenged. I tend to regard that as job security for them.

RTW: How long have you been writing?

MM: I've been writing for over ten years. I began writing at an early age, for my enjoyment alone. I decided to take publishing seriously when I noticed that there were so many books badly misrepresenting American Indian people.

RTW: You live on the Red Cliff Chippewa Reservation in Wisconsin. How does that affect what you write?

MM: As I write primarily about Indians I can't help but feel that being surrounded by them is a definite plus. Too many non-Indian writers plunge into the subject of First Americans with misconceptions gained from earlier works and Hollywood, so yes, I believe that anyone reading my work will definitely be in for an eye opening adventure.

RTW: What kind of books do you read?

MM: I read everything. My favorite books are nonfiction history.

RTW: What about fiction?

MM: In fiction, I'm all over the place but if I'm to be pinned down, I'd have to say thrillers...the well done ones, as in James Patterson and Thomas Harris.

RTW: Whose work has had the greatest influence on you?

MM: Okay...here we go. Confession time. The writer who has influenced me most is Stephen King. I'm not a huge fan of the spookey-lukey genre, but this man is a character master, meaning simply that by reading him I learned how to breathe life into a fictional person, give that character strengths, flaws, personality. Mr. King is one of the few writers able to do this.

RTW: When you're not reading or writing, what do you enjoy doing?

MM: I love living in the North Woods because I'm an avid deer hunter. I also love walking the creeks stalking that perfect trout. I also live on an Indian Reservation and take pride in being active in my community.

RTW: Tay-bodal, a Kiowa healer, is the male protagonist in your historical novels. How do you write so convincingly from the male perspective?

MM: I guess it because I grew up in a poor family. We didn't have TV until I was in my teens. For entertainment we sat on the porch and the men told stories. I believe Tay-bodal's voice is a combination of theirs. Anyway, that's what I tell all my uncles and they're happy with it.

RTW: Tell us a little bit about your newly released book, The Ft. Larned Incident.

MM: It is the fourth in the Tay-bodal mystery series. The series takes place in the late 1800's. Tay-bodal is a Kiowa healer and reluctant sleuth. What I like about the series is that mystery aside, I am able to display early American Indian life as it really was, not as movies and other books have led the public to believe. I'm also able to introduce the reader to genuine Indian humor which is as dry as dust but as lethal as a thrown lance. I seem to be having a bit of success on this one as many readers have virtually made the same comment..."I didn't know Indians were so funny." Well of course they were. But the best thing is, we still are.

I believe readers will enjoy a peek inside actual tribal life, enjoy the humor. Oh yeah...and the mystery. There is that.

RTW: What's the funniest thing that's happened to you?

MM: Hey, It's early morning here in Indian Country. I have no idea what's going to happen to me yet. But if I have to choose one thing from the not so distant past it would be the day I was dancing behind an auntie at a pow-wow. No, I will not mention her name as she might hurt me later, but on this day it was as hot as the Devil's breath. I was wearing my new shawl and feeling rather beautiful, okay and having it in my head that all admiring eyes were on me. The next thing I knew, my auntie had me by the arm and I was being whirled through the air, her distant voice saying, "You and I are going to dance in the shade, the younger women can kill themselves in the sun!" When my feet again touch terra firma, my auntie and I were in the one tiny patch of shade shuffling around like a pair of old matriarchs. Conceit in Indian County is the most dangerous thing there is and a wise person knows that self-deprecating humor is the only way to survive.

RTW: You are of Cherokee blood, yet your novels center around the Kiowas or Crow life. Why is that?

MM: The publishing world is teeming with Cherokee and non-Cherokee authors eager to write anything to do with Cherokees. Then there's the fact that I'm an Intertribalist. I appreciate all of the nations and the varied cultures, the Kiowa being simply one of many. About a year ago I came to the Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin to research background material for a new mystery series and ended up staying. My new family here tend to tease me about being a Chippekee. And that's fine as long as they keep passing the fry bread my way.

RTW: Do you think Indian readers identify with your work differently than non-Indian readers?

MM: The feed back I get from Indian readers is truly positive, which is humbling because praise from Indians is almost an impossible thing to receive. Kinda like my Jewish agent. But I don't slant my stories toward Indian readership. I'm simply a storyteller and my main objective can only be telling a story as effectively as I can. What pleases me most is that my stories are enjoyed by all groups.

RTW: What do you feel can be done to create a greater interest in works written by Native Americans?

MM: Basically the publishing world being more receptive to actually promoting the works of Indian authors.

RTW: What advice would you give to new writers?

MM: I hate giving advice because wise men don't need it and fools won't heed it, but if needs must then this is what I would say. Unlearn the word 'No', as it's the word you will hear from day one and then throughout your career. If you understand it you will be seriously hampered, most probably even stopped.

RTW: You've won several writing awards...

MM: Man, here we go with the bragging thing. I hate that, but yes, I have won several awards. The first being Best First Novel from Western Writers of America. The second as Writer of The Year from Returning The Gift, the Guild of American Indian Writers, and thirdly, just this year as Finalist for Best Novel, again from Western Writers.

RTW: What are you working on now?

MM: I'm beginning a new mystery series set here on present day Red Cliff. The Rez cops, aided by a young woman nicknamed Tracker, solve the mysteries. Here again is a series offering the reader insight into Indian life.