The Healing Pool by Gabriel Maestas

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The "Kingdom of New Mexico" (The Healing Pool's memorable setting) was claimed for the Spanish Crown by a conquistador named Don Francisco Vasquez do Coronado in the year 1540. In the year 1598, Onate became the first Governor General of New Mexico. In 1609, Santa Fe was declared the capital. It is the oldest capital city in the United States.

For the next 70 years, Spanish soldiers and Franciscan missionaries attempted to convert the Pueblo Indians of the region. Some one hundred thousand lived in the area and spoke nine languages, living in an estimated 70 multi-storied towns called pueblos. Most of these still exist to this day.

In 1680, the Pueblo Indians revolted against the estimated 2500 Spanish colonists, killing 400 of them and driving the remaining back into Mexico. The conquering Pueblos overtook Santa Fe and burned most of the buildings, except for the Palace of The Governors. They occupied Santa Fe until 1692, when Don Diego de Vargas reconquered the region. He entered the capital city after a bloodless siege.

Despite the tumultuous history in the Kingdom of New Mexico, some of the most celebrated destinations are those of peace and healing. ❤️‍🩹👀

For my first New Mexico time period piece I chose to write about Santuario De Chimayo. 

The sacred location of nearly 300,000 visitors annually has been called "no doubt the most important Catholic pilgrimage center in the United States.” The source of incredible healing soil.

For me, it was an easy decision to venture into new genres with Santuario do Chimayo in mind, which is one of the settings for my latest fictional time-period piece, "The Healing Pool."

The story begins in 1954, with two characters from California who find themselves on a road trip to New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment had a draw that Harriet couldn't explain. Her daughter Hilde is less than enthusiastic about the trip. They had no way of knowing how much the trip would change their lives forever.

For more information about the development of the story be sure to check out my article on Substack!