GuestPost and Nook/eBook Giveaway - Q & A with Rebel Runs Fast from Mystic Cowboy by Sarah M.Anderson

Just who does Rebel Runs Fast think he is? 
Our favorite mystic cowboy sits down with author Sarah M. Anderson for a little Q&A.

SA: Hello, Rebel.

Rebel: Hiya, Sarah. Thanks for having me here today.

SA: Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Rebel: Sure. My name is Rebel Runs Fast, and I’m a medicine man for the White Sandy tribe of Lakota Indians—you may know them better as Sioux, but we call ourselves Lakota. I do all sorts of things for my tribe, ranging from keeping the souls of those who have gone on to taking someone to their doctor appointment at the Clinic.

SA: But that’s not all you do, is it?

Rebel: Nope. I have another name, Jonathan Runs Fast. That’s my white name. I have a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico and I’m a highly respected beadwork artist. Collectors from as far away as Japan pay way too much money for my beaded pipe bags, shirts, and moccasins.

SA: Which name are you more comfortable with?

Rebel (grinning): Rebel is my real name. Jonathan is who I have to be to pay the bills.

SA: Now, you live in a tent down by the river, is that correct?

Rebel: You say that like it’s a bad thing—but yes, during the summer, I live in a tent down by the river. In the spring, I move to higher ground—the White Sandy river floods. And in the fall, when the river drops, I have a different spot. I spend as much of the winters doing art gallery tours and shows as possible, but I prefer sleeping under the stars to sleeping in hotels!

SA: I think the question on everyone’s mind is, do you have a brother and is he available?

Rebel (chuckling): I do have a half-brother, Jesse. He hasn’t quite found his place in the world yet, though. He did a couple of tours in Iraq and now he thinks he’s going to be an X-Games champion or something. He’s not exactly available, though. He’s got a daughter, Nelly, who’s four.

SA: Is it true that you skinny-dip in the river?

Rebel (not even blushing a little bit): Of course. I like the feeling of freedom. Don’t you?

SA (blushing a whole bunch): Uh…moving on, then. What’s your horse’s name?

Rebel: Blue Eye. She has one blue eye, but she can see out of both eyes. A lot of horses with a blue eye are blind in that eye, but not Blue Eye.

SA: Saddle or bareback?

Rebel: Are we still talking about horses?

SA (blushing even more): YES.

Rebel (laughing so hard he cries): Right, right. I own a saddle, but most of the time it’s easier just to mount up and go. I find that to be true in many areas, don’t you?

SA (turning an unnatural shade of red): Gosh, um—I know! How did you feel when my son and I turned your story into a Legoized movie, Mystic Cowboy: Brick by Brick!

Rebel (finally managing to look mildly embarrassed about something, even if it is just Legos): Well, that was awkward. You managed to put your son’s toys into highly . . . suggestive poses.

SA (feeling brave): It was for art. You understand, don’t you?

Rebel (eyeing YouTube video): The cinematic event of the century?

SA (defensively): It was for him, anyway. He’s only seven. He wouldn’t let me use the Legos without including the droids. That was a deal-breaker.

Rebel (chuckling): It’s not like Legos are really skinny dipping. No harm, I guess.

SA: Did you like the music that went with the video? I had that done just for you by Haven Yates (husband of author Maisey Yates).

Rebel: I did—very twangy! Sadly, I do not include playing the guitar on my list of talents. But the next time you make a video—can you get me different hair? I felt awkward wearing Snape’s hair from Harry Potter.

SA: We got another 4,000 Legos for Christmas. I’m sure we can come up with something. Well, thanks for taking the time to chat with me today, Rebel. I look forward to catching up with you in the upcoming Men of the White Sandy books!

Rebel: Thanks for having me. I can’t wait to see what other Men you come up with!

SA: Me, neither! Look for Jacob Plenty Holes’ story, The Masked Cowboy, in late summer, 2013 and Nobody Bodine’s story in early 2014. Even Sheriff Tim Means will get a story, probably in late 2014. Stay tuned for more Men of the White Sandy!

Readers, what questions do you have for Rebel? One lucky reader will win a e-copy of Mystic Cowboy and everyone who comments will be entered to win a Simple Touch Nook!

The White Sandy Reservation needs a doctor, and Madeline Mitchell needs to do a little good in the world. It seems like a perfect fit, until she meets the medicine man, Rebel Runs Fast. As far as Madeline can tell, Rebel's sole mission is to convince her patients that modern medicine can't help them.  And the fact that he makes her heart race every time he looks at her only irritates her more.

 Rebel swore off the white man's world—and women—years ago. But he's never met a woman like Dr. Mitchell. She doesn't speak the language, understand the customs, or believe he's anything more than a charlatan--but she stays, determined to help his people. He tries to convince himself that his tribe doesn't need her, but when patients start getting sick with strange symptoms, he realizes that he needs her more than ever. 

Mystic Cowboy is available for pre-order! Visit your favorite bookseller, the Samhain website, Amazon, or for the Nook.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Sarah M. Anderson may live east of the Mississippi River, but her heart lies out west on the Great Plains. With a lifelong love of horses and two history teachers for parents, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves out in South Dakota among the Lakota Sioux.  She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how their backgrounds and cultures take them someplace they never thought they’d go.

When not helping out at school or walking her rescue dogs, Sarah spends her days having conversations with imaginary cowboys and American Indians, all of which is surprisingly well-tolerated by her wonderful husband and son. You can learn more about Sarah at www.sarahmanderson.com.