TALLAHASSEE--Author Martha Lou Perritti, a resident of Tallahassee, will speak at the Business and Professional Women's luncheon about her latest novel-Standing against the Wind. Her presentation takes place around noon on October 11, 2007 at the Lincoln Neighborhood Center, located at 438 Brevard Street in Tallahassee.

The public is invited. There is no fee to attend unless you would like to order lunch. The cost for the boxed lunch is $8.50. Lunch begins at 11:45am and Perritti will speak after a short business meeting.

Perritti will talk about her widely acclaimed historical novel, Standing against the Wind. Rich in Cherokee heritage, the novel is based on the author's family. This latest novel follows the historical outline Perritti is known for in her autobiographical sketches. Her first novel, which centered around the life of her 101 year old father, is titled Crossing in the Rain. Perritti will have her collection of books on hand for purchase and to sign.

About the novel

Standing against the Wind is based on accurate family history and is written in the framework of fiction. At the center of the novel are three Cherokee women--all of whom were Perritti's great grandmothers.

At the age of 60, Perritti discovered her Cherokee heritage, thus her fact-based Standing against the Wind begins in the Cumberland Gap. It follows the path that her Cherokee family unfolds for her. The reader travels through early Native Americans living peacefully in the Carolina mountains, to the treacherous Trail of Tears, the Civil War and to the final removal of Native Americans from Martha's family homestead in the Caddo Mountains of northern Alabama.

Standing against the Wind (Lifestyles Press) took three years to research and write. Part of the research involved Perritti traveling the actual trail in each of the states where her great grandmothers traveled and lived.

This latest novel, recently housed in the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, has been compared to Cold Mountain. It was recommended highly as a book club selection on Greg Screw's Book Club on the ABC affiliate WAAYTV.

To make reservations for the presentation and luncheon on October 11, contact Robin McDougall at 212-0760 or email robin@capmed.org or contact Yolanda Hill at 559-2578 or email her at yolyhill@comcast.net. Standing against the Wind is available on Amazon.com and on Perritti's website, Marthalouperritti.com.