She Who Holds the Wind

A woman’s story, unearthed by silence, shaped by wind.In the borderlands of southern Arizona, Birgit returns to a desert town she once passed through, but this time, seeking something more lasting. San Aluna is no ordinary place: memory clings to its adobe walls, the wind carries voices, and in the rhythms of ritual and daily work, Birgit begins to sense the land itself is listening. With Luca, her partner and co-creator, whose culinary devotion turns the kitchen into an altar, each dish an offering steeped in memory, silence, and something just shy of prayer. In the spaces between them, Birgit is drawn into ancestral truths and the possibility that staying may demand more than leaving ever did.Told in cinematic fragments, journal entries, spare haiku, and voice-rich prose, She Who Holds the Wind is a richly textured novel of feminine reckoning and spiritual inheritance, drawn from true events and lived experience. A story where silence carries meaning, presence becomes prayer, and the most profound transformations begin not with answers, but with the courage to remain.Official Selection: 2026 Tucson Festival of Books - Indie Author PavilionFinalist: 2025 American Writings AwardsAdvance Reviews:"A lush and atmospheric concoction of a woman's longing made tangible and the exploration of her own intrinsic essence. Dunbar Chace's characters are at once palpable and poetic, and Birgit's story blends a yearning for the sustenance of belonging with the beckoning of ancestral connection that underpins it."Mimi Rea - Writer, Foodie, Culture Lover, Minnesota"What I got most from your book was how I have gone for so long without really feeling. I used to feel so connected to the universe but for some time now just been emotionally cruising on autopilot. Your writing made me realize that and seemed to bring me back to the ground."Michael, CA"Chace has painted a beautiful story with many unforgettable characters and sprinkled it with many family traditions and sayings that I want to incorporate into my own family."Debra Nowell - Genetic Genealogist, Ohio"What a beautifully written novel depicting an endearing love story, with undertones of a poetic and mysterious supernatural touch. The reader is taken through a culinary journey of Caribbean cuisine set in the fictional town of San Aluna in Southern Arizona. The beautiful descriptions of the desert landscape as the reader journeys to their destination fill the reader with awe. The characters are fully developed, such that the reader can feel a kinship with each person depicted. The unexpected ending leaves the reader wondering many "what ifs", but also exhibits a totally satisfying solution to this 'slice of life' experience. I loved it!" Monica Smith - Tucson, AZ"Dunbar Chace has a talent to create beautiful images with words. A quiet book that talks."Zulia Gotay - Fine Art Artist, AZ Read more