Water on a Flat Rock

Book excerpt: Water On A Flat Rock gives readers an intimate portrayal of John and Annie Coker, from their marriage in 1819 through the Trail of Tears and the Civil War, and opens with words from Annie herself: "Osiyo. I am Annie. I have come here to this place in the woods to tell you my story. I am glad you have come, hungry for the story that was lost. Learn that we are not so different, you and I. Learn that tragedy, happiness and love do not change through the years ?Ǫ Learn about John." Readers are transported to 1800s Tennessee where 16-year-old Annie Ratliff meets and marries 41 year-old John Coker. Drawing on the known facts of John and Annie Coker, the author offers a vivid picture, credibly filling in the gaps with imaginative fiction, a compelling love story of two Cherokee people, living in times of turbulence and change