Monday, December 3, 2012

Charley Blackfeather from Bloody Trail

Welcome back to Nighthawk Talks. This is the third in a series of four interviews with residents of the town of Wolf Creek who can be found in the pages of Bloody Trail by Ford Fargo. Ford Fargo, by the way, is not one author but many. Today's guest is the creation of Troy D. Smith, who is also the editor of the Wolf Creek series.


Tonight we are joined by Charley Blackfeather, a black Seminole who works as a scout for the cavalry outpost at nearby Fort Braxton and supplements his income by trapping, was dropping off some traditional Seminole medicines to the town doctor when the outlaws struck. He has encountered the Danby Gang before, when he was a Union soldier and they were riding with Confederate guerrillas William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson. He volunteers for the posse, but is troubled when he recognizes one of the other posse members from the war as well…

This room is strange. But I’ve seen it before, in a dream –there is strong medicine here.

I've always thought so. How long have you lived in Wolf Creek?

I don’t really live in Wolf Creek, I just kinda pass through now and again. I live on the prairie. I scout for Colonel Vine over at Fort Braxton sometimes, when they need me–most of the time I hunt and trap. I bring my hides in to Wolf Creek ever’ month or so, and usually head over to Asa Pepper’s saloon to have a beer. I been comin’ around town like that, off and on, for ‘bout a year.

I take it, you have no family to tie you down to one place.

I used to have a wife and three young’uns. They’d all be growed by now with families of their own, if they’d lived – but they all died when the Confederate Cherokees attacked Opothleyahola’s band at the beginning of the war. And there’s my pa, I reckon he was born a slave in Georgia but ran away to the Seminoles in Florida and married my ma–but he got killed a long time ago, back yonder in the swamps when our people was fighting the U.S. Army.

And yet, you later fought with that army.

Like a lot of my Seminole brothers, I fought for the Union in the war. Partly because of what the Reb Indians did to my family–but I was Union before then, that’s why they done it.

Why fight at all?

Why was I Union? (snort of laughter) Well, let’s just say I wasn’t as much for the Union as I was ag'in' slavery. I take that kind of behaviour personal.

I understand you’ve had some prior experience with the Danby Gang. Can you tell us about that?

(Grunt) I don’t like talkin’ ‘bout that.

(Takes deep breath) But you been real polite and neighbourly, so I’ll say this much… That bunch that rode with Bloody Bill was as low-down as they come. I was at Centralia, where they slaughtered a whole sight of Union soldiers who had surrendered. One of the ones they killed was… well, somebody close.

So this is about vengeance for you.

(Grunt) My people believe in balance. In life for life, eye for eye. We call it Blood Revenge–till a death has been avenged, the world ain’t right. And I been out of balance ever’ since that day at Centralia… and when I seen Jim Danby robbin’ the Wolf Creek bank, I knowed I was gonna finally have a chance to get that balance back. And that’s all I’m sayin’.
 
Which means we'll have to find out the rest of this story in Wolf Creek Book 1: Bloody Trail, written by the authors collectively known as Ford Fargo, published by Western Fictioneers.

18 comments:

  1. I appreciate the chance for myself and Charley Blackfeather to come on here and tell folks about Wolf Creek. Charley is rapidly becoming one of my favorite characters I've written.

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    1. I can see why you'd like him so much. He has that lovely blend of complexity and being straightforward.

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  2. Charley, you've had a rough life. Do you ever give a thought to settling down and maybe getting married again? Seems like you haven't had a lot of happiness come your way. It seems like maybe you might be able to start over in Wolf Creek--the townspeople are pretty accepting of you, aren't they?
    Cheryl

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    1. I ain't give it no thought, ma'am. Last few years I got used to bein' on my own. But it ain't lonely... sometimes, see, if you can learn to be real still, a body can have one foot in this world and one in the spirit world, both at once. And that's where my wife and young'uns is, and my old ma and pa too. Some nights, out yonder on the prairie on moonshinin' nights, I can see 'em standin' not far off, and feel 'em smilin'. And I ain't alone at all. You can see through the veil too, if you just learn yourself how. I knowed an old chief once, back in the Everglades, who could turn into a bird... *sad smile* You got me to talkin' too much, and here I am preachin' quietness.

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  3. Troy, I love Charley, too, and the interaction between him and Derrick. I look forward to getting know more about Charley as this series goes on! You did an excellent job with him--very multi-faceted.
    Cheryl

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  4. I'm enjoying the book and all the characters. Just a bit frustration with all the things happening I can't seem to find the time to sit and finish it...but I will.

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  6. Looks like a good one! Best of luck.

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  7. Charley, I know Doc Munro has been impressed with the efficacy of some of the remedies that you have shared with him from time to time. I guess that most of those are ones that have been handed down to you by someone. Could you enlighten us on who that was?

    Clay

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    1. That'd be my grandpa, he was a strong medicine man. He taught me all I know about herbs and healing, and about the spirit world.

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  8. I so enjoyed Charlie Blackfeather's character. It's good to get a background on him. I have the first book in this series and I hope to get going on it after the holidays. I'm probably going to get way behind since I believe the second book is already out. I think it's going to be a deeply emotional read. Loved this character interview, Troy and wish you every success. The Wolf Creek series sounds fantastic.

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  9. Love Charlie Blackfeather. He's my kind of guy.

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  10. Well, of course Nighthawk took a shine to Charlie right off -- being birds of a black feather.

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  11. Charlie, have you ever and the green frog salve used on you? After all those injuries, how's the body holding out?

    And about that balance--what exactly will create balance for you personally?

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    1. *chuckles* More'n once, ma'am. I got me a right smart of scars. Worst time was when a bunch of lowdown Reb guerrillas shot me in the back, right after they killed somebody I was responsible for.

      And that's where my balance comes in. That somebody I mentioned -well, their blood is unavenged. Long as that's true their spirit cain't rest. And neither can mine.

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