The Desert Sun

Literary Society of the Desert lunch features author Anne Hillerman

The legacy of author Tony Hillerman continues with his daughter Anne Hillerman taking familiar characters and locations and creating a literary legacy of her own. She was introduced by Literary Society of the Desert president Nancy Cunningham as a journalist, bestsellin­g author of fiction and nonfiction and one of her most admired authors.

Hillerman informed members and guests that her father wrote 19 detective novels and was best known for his mystery novels featuring Navajo Tribe law enforcemen­t officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Hillerman said after the death of her father in 2008 she decided to write a novel that would keep the stories he created alive by putting his characters to work solving new crimes. She added some spice when she developed one of his minor characters, female Navajo Tribe law enforcemen­t officer Bernadette Manuelito, into the central protagonis­t.

She discussed the importance of setting in the novels and especially the location of Bears Ears National Monument in her recent novel “The Way of the Bear,” the eighth book in the series. “Lost Bird,” her next book, will be released April 23, and it explores the issue of adoption of Indigenous children by non-native parents. She also mentioned that “Dark Winds,” the popular television series based on characters and stories her father and she created, will return for season three in 2025.

The Literary Society of the Desert presents prominent authors to members and guests, invites local high school students to meet the author and makes grants to local libraries. The luncheon was held at the La Quinta Country Club. Students and teachers in attendance were from Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert High Schools and had an opportunit­y prior to the luncheon to meet the author and ask questions. Over the course of five luncheons each season, 100 students are provided with the opportunit­y to meet an author. The student programs coordinato­rs are Malinda Gilchrist and Lyn Chernis.

For informatio­n on upcoming luncheons and membership, visit literaryso­cietyofthe­desert.org. The author of “The Pirate’s Wife,” Daphne Palmer Geanacopou­los, will be the guest author for the March 14 event.

Marge Dodge serves on several local nonprofit boards supporting her passions of education, literacy and the arts.

“The Way of the Bear” was written by Anne Hillerman using characters created by her father.