 |
|
|
|
Author shares history of healing Posted: Monday, Sep 24th, 2007 BY: ROBIN JAMES
A published author, whose roots are deeply planted in the Del Norte area, McAninch’s well of ex-perience also runs deep when it comes to life-altering occurrences and the resulting healing from them. Her book, which was published in 3 editions, the last in 2004, is a compilation of healing words. “Exquisite Grace Reveals Big Medicine” is a book of poems and art, along with McAninch’s family portraits and history. The book is about hidden treasures and is a collaboration of writings and art that encourages healing through words. Her past has been steeped in rocky roads, family abuse and domestic violence. Her family heritage in the Del Norte area goes back to the late 1800s. She is the granddaughter of the late Maude Elizabeth Fuchs and W.D. (Dan) Miller, Sr. and Homer and Eula Lee McAninch. Her great-great-grandfather, George Fuchs, is rumored to have died in a bar fight in Del Norte in 1887. Elizabeth lived in Del Norte for many years, raising her children as a single mother. She was also Miss Mineral County Stampede Queen. Her great-aunt and uncle, Dorothy and John Adams, owned the Del Norte drug store for many years. Elizabeth’s roots dive even deeper with her Lakota Native American Heritage, which shows in her high cheekbones and spiritual attitude. She has been writing since she was a young girl, beginning with letters to her grandmother, then jotting down poems and keeping journals. Some of these poems are in her book and many of them span many of her experiences. A few are painful, but most of them are about healing. The majority of the experiences she writes about took place during her years in the Valley. Her books are in many parts of the country and are included in the National Crazy Horse Memorial Library collection. Her book signings have given women a look into who she is and where she is coming from with her writing. “Exquisite Grace” is just the beginning of her story and McAninch is now ready to focus on her second book in a series of three. The book, “Fighting Fires,” will delve into the powerful experiences that have occurred in her life. It will be about her personal accounts of abuse and will focus on the experiences themselves, as well as her working through them. McAninch said writing her first book was a healing process. “I wanted to show people what I did to deal with this.” Now, she is going to be digging back into it and looking at her past, which includes literally fighting fires in Georgia, being physically and mentally abused as a child and being in a violent marriage, as well as her journey into her family history, heritage and her personal healing. The first book, more abstract, is pooled from her love of the Native American Culture. In it, she explains that she is in no way trying to teach anything about Native American Nations, but the book is simply about who she is, how she lives and what she believes. The second installation, “Fighting Fires,” will go deeper into her experiences and beliefs and give more detail in poems and short story form. McAninch has been taking a breather for the past couple of years after being involved in a near-fatal car accident. She says the break has given her a chance to think about what direction she will take with her life and her books, “I’ve been dealing with other challenges, fighting other fires in my life.” Today, she is again ready to tackle her past, trying to give women a window to see beyond their own pain into hope. She has given her words to victims of domestic violence from here to the Ogalala Lakota Nation in South Dakota. “There are certain fuels that burn long after the smoke has settled and the flames extinguished. A fire brings new growth.” McAninch explains. Her poem “Stand Alone,” which will be in her next book, is a testament to standing your ground, being your own person despite the obstacles and the difficulties for which only the ones who are forced to stand alone can understand. “True approval, unconditional love, will embrace you for your uniqueness. They’ll even help you cultivate your gifts and talents. “They’ll encourage you to live your secret heartbeat passions with grace. You’ll make peace with yourself after you face your fears. You’ll be free from the loneliness.” This excerpt of “Stand Alone” offers strength to those who read it and gives those who must stand alone the courage to persevere, even through the most stringent odds. Whatever paths “Fighting Fires,” guides its readers through, it will surely give insight into McAninch’s ex-periences through poetic language, her Native American spirit and the hope that her strength has already given to others. She continues to heal and move forward, and if the poems and short stories in “Exquisite Grace,” are any indication, her next book will give many who have suffered a glimpse into healing and let them know they are not alone. For more information on Mc-Aninch’s writings, experiences or to arrange a book signing, go to her website at: Used with permission from www.DelNorteProspector.com |
|
 |
