Daughter of the Sun
One afternoon, years ago, I stood in the heart of an ancient canyon in New Mexico, gazing upon the ruins and artifacts of a people long forgotten. And I learned on that day, beneath a hot sun as a lone hawk circled overhead, that not only was the race who had lived there forgotten, it was never really known, for those who had lived in Chaco Canyon a thousand years ago disappeared suddenly and without a trace, leaving no clues as to their identity - where they had come from, where they went, why they had left so abruptly.
When I decided to explore the mystery of Chaco Canyon in a novel, I set out, as I always do, collecting reference materials, and one of the first books I read happened also to be one of the most inspirational and captivating. It is one I recommend to readers who, having enjoyed Daughter of the Sun, ask me to suggest further reading.
That inspired book is In Search of the Old Ones: Exploring the Anasazi World of the Southwest, by David Roberts (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1997).
Archaeologists and historians, Roberts writes, have been puzzling over the Anasazi (Navajo for "ancient enemies") for years, trying to determine what caused their society to collapse. He paints intriguing controversies and mysteries in a region known for stunning beauty, with sheer cliffs, canyons and mesas, and haunting pueblos that stand in ruins, mute testament to a thriving race that vanished inexplicably.
Mysteries abound at Chaco Canyon. Here is one (in David Roberts' own words): "The strangest aspect of the Chaco culture …. is an interlocking system of roadways, now known to exceed a total of four hundred miles in length, radiating outward from Chaco Canyon…. They pose a great puzzle: why should people who had no vehicles, no beasts of burden, need highways?"
This is only one of the mysteries I address in my novel, Daughter of the Sun. There are many more, and I invite you to explore them in my book and then, if you are still curious, in David Roberts' excellent book.
