Chaco Canyon and The Turquoise Legacy

            

            Chaco Canyon and The Turquoise Legacy. To win an e-copy of both books—My Heart Will Find Yours and Flames on the Sky get your comments in TODAY! Books will be awarded on June 17, 2017.

It’s fascinating for those of us who write flying by the seat of our pants when ideas and settings fall into our laps. I’d written My Heart Will Find Yours, a time travel romance that involves an antique turquoise locket. It has magical powers and transports Texanna Keith back to 1876 Waco, Texas. I wanted to write a sequel and knew the story would be set in the present, would include time travel, and revolve around an ancestor of Texanna’s. My research began with turquoise in the Southwest and boy-o-boy, I hit a goldmine—Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

Interestingly enough, my husband and I had visited Santa Fe and Madrid, New Mexico and been on part of the Turquoise Trail, though unfortunately we did not visit the Carrillo Mines where the Anasazi of Chaco Canyon obtained most of their turquoise back around 1000 AD. Chaco Canyon was a center of trade and prosperous during their time trading turquoise for items not available to them in the canyon. Remains of parrots, macaws, seashells and other artifacts indicate traders came from far distances to barter with the Anasazi.

The Anasazi occupied Chaco Canyon between 850 AD and 1100 AD. No one knows exactly where they went or what happened to them. There are several theories surrounding the mystery. The one I prefer to believe is they migrated to live with other Pueblo tribes.

Chaco Canyon is a mysterious place and covers a vast amount of space. It includes ten buildings, some of which are believed to have been five stories high. “Pueblo Bonito also the center of an elaborate solar calendar:  all of the buildings are either part of the solar calendar that traces the 18.5-year lunar cycle.”

A large rock structure, Fajada Butte, is seen as you enter the canyon. There archaeologist discovered a sun calendar that has been named “The Anasazi Dagger.” “Concentric circles carved in the rock, with slabs of rock placed in just such a way that would make the light passing through turn into a dagger which, when it hit the circles would reveal the solstices and equinoxes.”

It is now believed that the entire Chaco Canyon, the way that its buildings were placed, the directions of the roads, etc. indicate they were aligned so as to line up with the arch of the sun and moon on important dates of the year.

Though Pueblo Bonito is the most impressive structure, my story, Flames on the Sky, revolves around Una Vida as it is nearer the visitor’s center and the setting was perfect for the scenes I created back in 1000 AD.

If you’ve not visited Chaco Canyon, you should stop by if you’re ever in the neighborhood.

References:

http://www.garygordonproductions.com/chaco2.html

http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/sundagger.html - photo of sundagger.

http://www.jqjacobs.net/southwest/chaco.html - photo of Fajada Butte and photo 2 of sundagger.

Links of interest:

http://www.nps.gov/chcu/planyourvisit/directions.htm

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/HTML/canyon.html - this site has interactive videos showing solstice patterns and lighting changes in the canyon.

Here is an excerpt from Flames on the Sky, the second book in the Turquoise Legacy.

“Yes, you need to tell me about the dreams. They started at the time you received the necklace, right?”

Madison nodded. “How did you know?”

“I assumed the ancient Elders would haunt you, but when Lonan called yesterday, I knew so for a fact.” Her smile was sympathetic. “Tell me about them.”

Lilly’s eyes lit with excitement as Madison talked. When she finished, the older woman leaned back and closed her eyes.

Lonan’s brow was furrowed, his mouth pinched. “What did you mean when you said, ‘You are the one’?”

She pierced him with an intent look. “Did not Madison say you were the very image of the warrior in her dream? The prophecy requires that someone from the past, which is you, Son, be chosen to be Madison’s protector.” Lilly turned to Madison.

Oh, no. I don’t think I want to hear this. She held up her hands and shook her head. “No—”

“Yes, Madison, with hair of fire, whether you like it or not, the gods chose you, someone from the future, to find the third stone and reunite the twins with the mother stone. Together, you two will find a way to consign the evil one to the pit below Mother Earth, where he belongs.”

Please leave a comment. On the 17th, a name will be drawn for both books in e-book format.

Thank you for stopping by and Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda