The Gitche Gumee Diaries: The Secrets of Velvet LeBlanc

(Paperback)

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Lake Superior, the largest of the five Great Lakes which Longfellow dubbed "Gitche Gumee" in his epic poem "The Song of Hiawatha, is the center of a trilogy of political novels written by Dr. James Hill. Situated mainly in Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula, this is the story of a First American woman named Velvet LeBlanc and her political and spiritual journey to protect Gitche Gumee from a mysterious, decades old military scandal that poses an existential threat to the lake. The trilogy begins with a series of dramatic and tragic events that lead her to run and win a seat in Congress, where she plays a key role in deciding the winner of the hotly contested 2024 Presidential elections. The second novel traces her investigation into the mysterious arrival of barrels of military waste which wash ashore on the beaches of Lake Superior, leading to her discovery of a decades-old cover-up of a scandalous military secret that poses an existential threat to Lake Superior. This third novel is her battle in Congress, now that the contents of these barrels is discovered to contain radioactive waste, to have the barrels removed from the lake. It is an uphill battle for Velvet who is now an independent member of Congress, but who has strong ties to the President she helped put in office. Through a reading of her diaries, the reader learns of Velvet's strong spiritual and tribal cultural beliefs that help her fight a wall of resistance by the military and its allies who want this issue to go away. It uncovers many of her secrets that explain why she chose the path less traveled to protect Lake Superior and the mortal danger she placed herself by engaging in a political environment so alien to this young and spiritually driven woman. The diaries provide a glimpse of the political world and its challenges it poses to First Americans who seek justice in a white dominated government.

Reviews

Endorsed by best selling author Sue Harrison, who wrote:
"Begin with a political premise that boggles the mind. Include meticulous research by an author long familiar with the political machinations of Washington, D.C. Add your main character, a young Native American woman who has risen triumphant from tragedies that would destroy most. And you have a formula for a best seller.

Author Bio

Dr. Hill is a retired university professor, having taught law and political science over a period of four decades. He previously worked in the U.S. Senate and U.S, House of Representatives and as a political consultant on numerous federal election campaigns. His primary research interest is the Great Lakes, and he has served as a gubernatorial appointed Commissioner on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources which oversees the state's water resources,
He hold degrees from Michigan State University (B.A. and Ph.D), University of Michigan (J.D.), and Harvard University (MPA).
He was born and spent his early years in Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula and currently lives with his wife in Geneva, Illinois