MANY THANKS TO John Flint, a volunteer at the Apache Culture Center in Fort Apache, Arizona, for taking the time to describe the natural beauty of the White Mountain Apache Reservation to me, complete with the technical logistics of the town of Whiteriver. He was infinitely patient with a nervous writer who’d never personally visited the reservation but wanted very much to get the details right. If I succeeded, he deserves a large share of the credit. Where I didn’t succeed, the responsibility is entirely mine.
My thanks also to Edgar Perry, head of the Apache Culture Center, for the graciousness with which he allowed me to interrupt his busy schedule with my questions. I owe a debt of gratitude to both Mr. Perry and Mr. Flint for their input on ancient Apache rituals and ceremonies—and for understanding that I had to take some “literary license” with certain elements of a rich and wonderful culture for the dramatic purposes of this story.