A Review of 
"Raven Woman"
by Nancy J. Reid

In the course of wearing the many hats that Lisa and I wear as publishers, editors, "marketeers" for the Southwest Blend Magazine as well as our clientele', we get to meet a variety of incredibly interesting and talented people. One of these is Pinkie Paranya, author of "Raven Woman".

We met Pinkie at the River Daze Street Fair and Art Festival in Yuma, Arizona. It was definitely one of those "chance" meetings that were meant to be. Pinkie is one of the most unassuming people one could ever meet. A small package just loaded with creativity, compassion and energy that travels. She mentioned her latest book, "Raven Women", one of 12 novels to her credit, and as a lover of historic novels, I immediately wanted to read it.

My favorite historic novelists are Wilbur Smith, (a South African author, and master at telling a tale while being true to the history of that beautiful country), and James Michener....anyone who loves historic novels will know who that is. Pinkie is a great combination of the two; master story teller and true to the research that goes into the birth of such a novel. This makes "Raven Woman" not only an exciting read, but a tribute to the Inuit nation.

"Raven Woman" is a novel, part of a trilogy, Women of the Northland, about the life of Eskimo womanhood. Pinkie lived in Alaska for five years and concentrated her research talents for two years towards this project. Her love and respect of the Eskimo people shines through, even when tackling some of the most ancient and-- to those of us from Western culture-- bizarre or disturbing customs. This is not an easy task. She is open enough to come to terms with customs of other peoples and able to present them is a fashion that is not derisive but informative--not judgmental-- but accepting.

Umiak, the main character of the novel, is a young Inuit girl who is forced through disaster to live among a tribe not her own; one that views her with fear and suspicion. She calls upon the innate strength of womanhood, her own powers as a shaman, and the power of one of the most revered Intuit "spirits" the Raven, to survive and fulfill her pre-ordained destiny. To find out what that destiny is, I strongly encourage you to read the book. It is exciting, fascinating, one of those books you can't put down until you're done--and then are sorry the read is over. I personally can't wait for the rest of the trilogy. It is no wonder Pinkie is a finalist in the 2002 ForeWord Magazine.

Pinkie lives in Arizona and has written 12 novels, over 50 poems, is a Master Gardener, mentor for fellow writers, known for animal rescue, an artist and much more.