INDIGENOUS
SEPARATED BY A CENTURY, ONE WOMAN SHAPES HER FUTURE WHILE THE OTHER SEARCHES FOR HER FAMILY'S PAST.
This captivating story was inspired by a true account of the unlikely convergence of strangers from different backgrounds in the West in the 1800s. INDIGENOUS weaves together contemporary and historical threads that explore identity, heritage, connection to traditions and land, and the complex relationships among people as they struggle to find understanding. The novel promises to engage and inspire readers with a slice of America's often-untold history.
Isabel, an Acoma Native American girl, and Samuel, a young Prussian man, meet in 1877 in the heart of the New Mexico Territory and form an unlikely friendship that shapes their futures and those of their peoples.
When an earthquake strikes Berkeley, California, in early 2020, and a vase belonging to Shira's grandparents is uncovered in a cemetery, the former grad student travels to New Mexico to return it and investigate a family mystery. Will what she discovers, whom she meets along the way, and the land she comes to know forever alter her path?
INDIGENOUS will be released on October 27th, 2026, by Denouement Press and will be available on Amazon in softcover and e-book formats.
REVIEWS
"A beautifully researched novel in which boundaries, heartache, and religion collide when a young Jewish woman discovers her own connection to the Native Americans of New Mexico. INDIGENOUS is a sensitive portrait of two women across time and space in the rich, complicated story that is the American experience."
—Carrie Hayes, author of Naked Truth and Well Dressed Lies
"A global pandemic, loss, and an identity crisis are just a few of the themes you'll find in this book, which, impressively, spans timelines, locations, and cultures, a hallmark of Debra Green's writing. There's so much love and compassion alongside conflict and misunderstanding … a compelling read."
—Chen Drachman, award-winning filmmaker and actress
"Debra Green's fascinating new novel, Indigenous, offers a contemporary take on ancient issues. What does it mean to be indigenous? A San Francisco earthquake is one of many shake-ups that prompt Shira, a young Jewish woman, to examine her life. As Shira moves forward, she loses people, faces new challenges, and, like her companions, wrestles with questions of identity and indigeneity. Thought-provoking and very discussable!"
—Esther Erman, author of Rebecca of Salerno: A Novel of Rogue Crusaders, a Jewish Female Physician, and a Murder