About Storykeeper by Daniel A. Smith
NYC Big Book Award (Distinguished Favorite 2023)
Book Excellence Awards (Historical Fiction Winner 2022)
Maincrest Media Book Award (Mainstream Winner 2021)
Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Award (Top 100 Notable 2016)
Historical Novel Society (Editor’s Choice 2015)
Best Indie Book Award (Literary/Mainstream Winner 2013)
The struggles of a culture to survive, and the importance storytelling has always played in that effort frames the historical novel, “Storykeeper.” It is an epic adventure, based on three surviving Spanish journals written during the expedition of Hernando de Soto, but it is told from the perspective of the ancient people of the Mississippi River Valley, who lived and survived America’s deadliest invasion.
A century later, Manaha empowered by a dream and against the taboos of her small tribe of survivors, fights to keep alive the memories of their decimated homeland through her nightly stories. “I was not only entertained by this book, but educated about a period of history of which I knew nothing.” – Helen Hollick, Managing Editor – Historical Novel Society (Editorial Choice)
Buy the book, and follow the author on social media:
Learn more about the writer. Visit the Author’s Website.
Author Bio:
Daniel grew up in Arkansas. In his youth, he began working for his father, riding in a Studebaker pickup truck around the state, servicing refrigeration units in tourist courts and small country stores. Years later, after leaving the touring concert world as chief sound engineer for an eclectic range of musical artists, he traveled those same Arkansas back roads designing and installing permanent sound systems.
For the first time, Daniel really began to noticing the surprising number of ancient earthworks that covered the state. He realized that he, like everyone else he knew, had no idea who built them, when, or why. What began as an observation grew to a driving curiosity to research historical documents and the state's vast archeological finds. The untold stories and lost history all around him inspired Daniel's debut novel, Storykeeper.
Smith began his artistic career as a professional audio engineer. For over thirty-five years, he crossed the country, providing sound engineering services for all types of events from outdoor music festivals, concerts, and political rallies to lectures. A parcel list of celebrities Smith worked with includes numerous dignitaries such as Presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush, also Bob Hope, Colin Powell, Paul Harvey, Martha Stewart, and Dr. Ruth, and a wide variety of entertainers, including, Kris Kristofferson, Alice Cooper, Dolly Parton, Steve Martin, Allman Brothers Band, Jimmy Buffet, Barbara Mandrell, Ray Charles, Rebra McEntire, Dizzy Gillespie, Iron Butterfly, Dave Brubeck Quartet and Willie Nelson.
Daniel is currently working on the second novel of his "Nine-Rivers Valley" series. He traveled across all 48 continental states and five provinces of Canada, working behind the scenes to entertain, inform, and observe all manner of audiences, but prefers to live, roam, and write in Arkansas with his life-long friend and wife.