Going Back to School, Sort Of

If you read Call of the Whisperwind then you know that my protagonist, Rachel, underwent extensive training to become a curandera, a traditional healer. What I wrote was authentic. The characters may be fictional, but the practice was not a work of fiction. The traditions of curanderismo are quite real and practiced throughout the southwest United States and Mexico to this day. I did a lot of research to ensure that that what I wrote was accurate.

Not long after CW was published a friend in New Mexico, who read CW, called to say that she took a course on curanderismo at the University of New Mexico. I told her that I sure wished I had been able to take a course like that; it would have helped enormously in the writing of CW. My friend did the next best thing, she sent me her course books which I read cover to cover and took copious notes. Now, an even-better-next-best-thing has happened. She emailed this morning to tell me that UNM is offering a free online curanderismo course! I like "free". It's one of my favorite words. But more importantly, I can now study the craft more in depth by one of the world's most respected authorities on curanderismo, Eliseo Torres. Needless to say I signed up faster than one of those jack rabbits hopping across the high desert in my novels. The only down side is that the course doesn't begin until mid-August and I'm all pumped up and ready to roll now! Patience is not one of my greater virtues. However given that this is completely out of my control, I will wait. Not patiently, but I'll wait.

Till next time,

Jeffree Wyn