The Redemption of Red Fire Woman

When mural artist Sarah Cavanaugh lands the commission of a lifetime-a three-month stint on a millionaire’s ranch in a remote river valley in the mountains of western Colorado-she steps into a mystery that has reached through time to ensnare her. While in the local museum, Sarah faints after viewing a primitive bear claw necklace made by Ute Indians. She is plagued from that day forward by an inexplicable palsy in her left hand and ominous nightmares. The only person who understands what is happening to her is Duncan Hawk, an enigmatic Ute medicine man. Duncan’s help-and Sarah’s compelling attraction to his troubled nephew-will change her life and her sense of reality forever. As Sarah becomes involved in the landscapes, people and history she’s commissioned to paint, she finds herself an unwitting participant in a tragic story that began 160 years ago and in an environmental conflict that threatens the valley’s way of life. These seemingly unrelated events share a haunting connection that Duncan was warned about in a vision. Ancestral spirits suggests Sarah holds the key to healing the past and altering the future. But is she willing to risk her heart and her life to do as the spirits demand?The Redemption of Red Fire Woman blends suspense and romance in this riveting journey of self-discovery, rich with sacred ceremony, treacherous obsession and timeless love.

Kathleen Rude is an environmentalist, writer and shamanic practitioner trained in traditional ceremonial ways by Blackfoot, Northern Ute and Lakota elders. Kathleen also facilitates workshops in spiritual healing, environmental and social change, and The Work That Reconnects, pioneered by Joanna Macy. She began her career as an environmental journalist and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources. This is her first novel.