Angels and Eagles- Choosing this Subject:
- kmitta58
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Many people ask us, “Why did you choose this subject to write about?” The truth is, we didn’t . . . it chose us. The inspiration came to Kevin in a vivid dream while staying at a hotel in Paducah, Kentucky. After sharing the dream, I remarked that it would make a compelling book and began jotting down notes. Once Kevin started writing, we experienced a series of remarkable events—forty-three in total—that convinced us we were meant to retell this story in a way not seen in textbooks.
These spiritual encounters, which at first left us puzzled, gradually revealed a witty sense of humor and creativity that echoed the themes we were exploring. Over time, we came to understand that we were simply vessels, chosen to give voice to the lessons the ancestors desired today’s world to hear.
Our research spanned more than nine years as we worked hard to ensure historical accuracy (particularly for the 1838 timeline) even down to the weather that the displaced Cherokee people endured. Kevin never experienced “writers block.” The words flowed with ease to the point that sometimes he wondered where those words actually came from. We are honored and humbled to be a part of this. We treasure every experience that we have been given to let us know that this is much bigger than just the both of us creating a story.
We enlisted four Cherokee beta readers to review the manuscript for authenticity and sensitivity. If there are still some errors in the spelling of the Native language or how something is portrayed, please excuse us. We noticed that language differed from the different bands of the Cherokee Nation just as language today differs slightly with our regional accents. While recreating this emotionally tragic period was challenging, we also wrote in acts of generosity, love, and the unity between the Cherokee people to help all survive their forced 950-mile march.
We made sure not to overlook other Indigenous tribes, each of whom endured their own forced relocations and their own form of a Trail of Tears. Our research uncovered many facts omitted from school textbooks—numerous broken treaties and the repeated broken promises due to greed.
We need to keep in minds that Europeans, the first true immigrants, also were leaving their old life behind with some seeking religious freedom and others escaping hardship or violence, and yes, some came to escape their criminal past. It is time to look with honesty at our country’s past so we can make sure that we move forward to making better choices. We invite you now to walk alongside these individuals to better understand the injustices that occurred. The situations depicted in the book that our invented Crow family either experiences or witnesses, was created from actual events that happened on the Trail and not created for just for special effect.
We are most proud of the fact that Angels and Eagles allows the reader to feel like they are walking the trail, step-by-step, with this family. The two timelines functionally weave together and occasionally provide even a bit of humor as both eras are really two standalone stories that come together in a magical blend. The ending will surprise you and will leave you feeling completely satisfied.
We hope that this story also inspires readers to plan a road trip to travel the path that this family took from New Echota, Georgia to Tahlequah, Oklahoma. There are many wonderful sites along the way. Stop by the Chocolate Factory near Golconda, Illinois and pick up a couple of Terrapins or other chocolate delicacies. Check out nearby Dixon Springs State Park and follow the original Trail that is such a huge part of this story. Southern Illinois is a beautiful area to explore with many wineries, beautiful parks and trails, historic lodges, and great food.
Within this site are ways to interact with us: ask questions, request a visit, or talk with a book club, view the book trailer, and, when you can, preorder before the May 5 book launch, and then list all business options to purchase the book afterwards. As you explore our author’s page, be sure to provide permission to contact you with special educational information, a chance to win free book copies and other gift giveaways. We hope that you will join us on this mystical journey into the past and come to realize that the past can still color our lives in the present day too. When the past speaks, the present must listen.