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C.H. Foertmeyer was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1949, the eldest of four children. After graduating from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he returned to Cincinnati to pursue a career in his hometown. Today, Mr. Foertmeyer divides his time between a full-time job and fiction writing.
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AUTHOR
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"I don't know, Denny. There may be more deer now than there used to be, but they sure seem smaller than they used to."
Denny looked at Scott and smiled.
"It's just your imagination, Scott. They're no smaller than they ever were," Denny replied, patting his friend on the shoulder and laughing. "These desert mulies were never any bigger than a minute."
Scott shook his head and replied, "Maybe-but I still think they're smaller than they were the first time we came up here."
Scott Franklin and Denny Miller had been best friends since childhood and ever since they had turned sixteen they had been making the sixty mile trip from their home in Chatsworth to the Huevos to hunt deer every November. This was their eleventh trip to the New Mexico highlands, a trip that was planned to last five days.
Denny looked around and picked out a good rock to sit on and sat down facing the east slope of the narrow canyon, which was still completely shaded from the early morning sunlight. He and Scott had learned early on to hunt the west slope in the morning to benefit from the warmth of the sun. Huevos mornings in November were bitter cold if you chose to set up in the shade on the east slopes of the canyons and the deer seemed to know that fact, too. Regardless of comfort, the hunting was always better on the west slopes in the morning.
Scott plopped down on another rock nearby and looked to the east slope of the canyon and quickly spotted a small herd of deer working their way up the slope in single-file progression toward the top.
"Look," Scott said to Denny, pointing out the small troop of deer.
"Yeah, I see them," Denny answered.
There were four doe following a good size buck up the east slope, across the canyon and probably five or six hundred yards away. These deer were for watching, not hunting, as they were far too far out of range for either man's gun. Both Denny and Scott preferred brush hunting with their thirty caliber brush guns; Denny's a Winchester and Scott carrying a Marlin. Cross canyon hunting was challenging, but both men preferred the challenge of the stalk rather than the challenge of a long shot. They were not stand hunters either, waiting in a tree for a hapless deer to walk by. They were hunters, not shooters, and always went after their deer by tracking and stalking; moving in silently for the shot that would produce venison for the upcoming winter.
Scott watched the lead buck make his way up the far slope, weaving his way around boulders and scrub pines. Just ahead of the buck Scott noticed a small black patch on the side of the canyon, darker than any other area on the slope. As he focused on this black spot, trying to discern what it might be, the buck reached the spot and vanished into it, followed first by the lead doe and then one by one the remainder of the small herd.
"Did you see that?" Scott asked abruptly, turning to face Denny.
"See what?" Denny asked.
"The deer. They just vanished," Scott stated, excitedly.
"Where?"
"Right into that dark spot over there," Scott replied, pointing to the place where the deer had disappeared.
Denny stared hard at the canyon wall and finally spotted the dark spot Scott was referring to.
"You mean the big rock over there?" Denny asked. "They probably went behind it."
"If it is a rock it isn't big enough for the whole herd to be behind, but I don't think it's a rock. I think it's a cave and I think they all went into it," Scott suggested, trying to make some sense out of what he had seen.
"Deer don't go into caves, dummy. Bear go into caves and puma go into caves, but deer don't," Denny stated.
"Okay then, where'd they go?"
"Like I said, behind the rock. Just wait a few minutes and they'll move off from behind it. You'll see."
Scott kept his eye on the spot and waited while Denny snickered and shook his head. A full five minutes went by before Scott had finally had enough waiting. He stood up and looked at Denny.
"Come on, Denny. We're going over there. I want to check that out. That's a cave and I'm telling you those deer went into it. Come on," Scott ordered, as he started down the slope toward the canyon floor. "If that is a cave I want to find out why those deer would go into it. Like you said, deer don't go into caves, and you're right about that-usually anyway."
"Oh come on, Scottie. It'll take an hour or more to get over there and we'll have wasted the whole morning on a wild goose chase. We've got hunting to do," Denny pleaded.
Either Scott didn't hear Denny or he just didn't care. He was now a good fifty yards on down the slope and still going.
"Jeez," Denny uttered to himself. "I don't know why I put up with that jerk," he mumbled, half smiling as he said it. But he did know why. Scott was what made life interesting for him. Scott was his best friend and he trusted him completely and unquestionably. Scott was a good guy in every way and not only that, he was fun to be around. He also made life very interesting with his perquacky imagination that knew no bounds. Scott was Scott.
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Moon Cave
By C.H. Foertmeyer
ISBN 0-595-31482-1
189 pages at 14.95 paperback
www.iuniverse.com
In his sixth novel, C.H. Foertmeyer spins a tale of friendship and courage within a maelstrom of disguised reality. Past, present, and future blend into a kaleidoscopic view of parallel worlds.
Scott Franklin and Denny Miller are childhood friends, grown to adulthood. While on their annual fall hunting trip, their lives are changed forever. Deep within the Huevos, along the Rio Hondo, Scott spies a cave and suggests the friends explore it. When Denny enters the cave and disappears, both men begin a shocking and exciting journey back in time.
Denny is transported to a place both frightening and wonderful, to the American west of 1874. This is a land without modern conveniences and communication, a land before telephone poles. TV and asphalt highways. What he sees is an almost pristine west, in a time before expanding civilization soiled the land.
Trapped back in our present time, Scott discovers Moon Cave holds a special place in ancient Indian beliefs. In hopes of discovering a way to rescue Denny, he consults a Mescal Indian shaman, Cha-tah-wa. The path back through time is not easy and holds many dangers, but Scott and Cha-tah-wa discover a key to the past.
Together again in the past, Scott and Denny face down the savage tribes who still believe the white man can be defeated. They explore the old west with delightful curiosity, thankful for the opportunity to see living history first hand. They are befriended by Custer, Sacajawea's grandson, and other famous Indian warriors of the time. Soon they are assimilated into the past, forgetting what life was like before Moon Cave and their time warping transition. Cha-tah-wa is their only hope of escaping from the past, but the Mescal shaman has his own problems. Will he succeed?
Moon Cave is escapist fiction at its best. The author's vivid imagination and writing style make for mystery and excitement. Despite some strong language and violence - the sort you'd find in any old west saga - this is an exciting tale for adult readers of any age.
Laurel Johnson
Midwest Book Review
Moon Cave
By C.H. Foertmeyer
ISBN 0-595-31482-1
189 pages at 14.95 paperback
www.iuniverse.com
Travel back to a time where Indians roamed the land freely. Where Custer leads a cavalry into historic battle and where men had to carve their livelihood from the soil beneath their feet.
Scott and his best friend Denny stumble upon the secret of Moon Cave. It's a magical and sacred Indian portal to the past. It's an honor to be one of the few braves picked to take part in this ancient ritual. They have the chance to give up their lives living on an Indian reservation in the present, to travel back to live among their ancestors on the open planes of the past.
The freedom and rustic beauty of the past aren't quite the ideal dream for Scott and Denny and they will do anything to find their way back to the present. Along with the help of Cha-tah-wa, a Mescal Indian shaman, they discover the key to getting back home with their lives.
C.H. Foertmeyer is truly among my favorite authors. His creative imagination conjures up the past as vividly as if you were walking the dusty plains with each of his characters. I'm always excited to see a new book by Mr. Foertmeyer because I know I'll be in for a wonderful adventure.
Stacey Bucholz
allaboutmurder.com
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CONTACT:
Moon Cave
Writers Club Press
iUniverse, Inc.
ISBN Trade Paperback: 0-595-31482-1
ISBN Hardcover: 0-595-76599-8
PDF EISBN: 0-595-76299-9
Toll Free US: 877.823.9235
International callers: 402.323.7800
Email: Author Email custservice@iUniverse.com
2003 © C.H. Foertmeyer
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