Nouvelles

What do wolves, coyotes and Métis history have in common? More than you might think. The Lesser Blood was inspired by the emergence of the Métis as a distinct people and culture, and by the challenges of belonging between two worlds. Here's why I chose wolves and coyotes to tell a story about prejudice, acceptance, family and the creation of something new.

When I began writing the story that eventually became Grandmother, I knew one thing for certain.

There would be bison.

I wish I could tell you that Grandmother arrived in my imagination fully formed, wise, strong and very definitely a bison, and demanded that I tell her story. But she did not. The truth is much less poetic.

I wanted to write about bison because of their importance in Métis history.