The historical fiction novel highlights Columbus's ties to the ecological destruction and enslavement of the South Caribbean

Showing the gruesome reality serves as a stark reminder that the true savages were the invaders and not the native people.”” - Peter Von PerleNEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, October 12, 2023 /EINPresswire / -- As the world prepares to commemorate Columbus Day, a new book challenges the conventional narrative surrounding this historically significant holiday and underscores why many now prefer to observe Indigenous People's Day instead. "BLOOD FOR PEARLS - The First American Genocide ," the debut novel by self-published author Peter Von Perle, sheds light on the hidden truths of the early American pearl fisheries Columbus coveted. As a work of historical fiction, the story unveils a hidden chapter in history that has been overlooked for centuries.

In "BLOOD FOR PEARLS," readers embark on a“thrilling journey to the sixteenth century”, a time when the third voyage of Christopher Columbus triggered a series of events that would forever alter the course of history. While the world often celebrates Columbus Day as a pivotal moment of discovery, this book uncovers a different reality. Long before Columbus, other Europeans had already crossed the Atlantic Ocean, including the Vikings and the Templars. However, it was Columbus and his crew's discovery of the world's richest pearl beds in 1498 that set the stage for an ill-intentioned turning point in time.

The Southern Caribbean island of Cubagua is at the center of the thriller. There, inhumane acts forge a bond between characters Charaima, a Native American, and Dembe, who is African. Both Charaima and Dembe are enslaved by greedy and murderous European invaders. The sadistic pearl-fishing boat captain, Captain Pedro, adds further complication to the story as the duo attempts to stash away some of the pearls in hopes they can use them to free their people.

Peter Von Perle, a seasoned American researcher and writer, was born and raised amidst the vibrant landscapes of Venezuela, where his enduring fascination with saltwater pearls and their rich historical significance took root.

Peter's journey into the annals of history led him to an extraordinary achievement - a coveted place in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS©, as he played a pivotal role in curating the largest concentration of pearls. His subsequent foray into storytelling resulted in the creation of the compelling trailer and screenplay, "BLOOD FOR PEARLS," a project that garnered accolades and prestigious awards at esteemed Film Festivals worldwide.

Since 2011, Peter has embarked on a globe-trotting adventure, crisscrossing continents to engage with a diverse array of experts and unearth hitherto undiscovered, vital insights into a controversial chapter of world history.

Connect with Peter on his website at https://www.petervonperle.com

Author Q&A

What inspired you to write your first book? 

My research about early American saltwater pearl fisheries. I started my research over a decade ago, stumbling upon a cache of natural saltwater pearls, that presumably were five hundred years old and had ties to Columbus. During my initial years, I realized that I had to learn everything about pearls from scratch. Every time I would perform a search in relation to natural pearls, I would receive an answer about cultured pearls. One thing led me to another, first determining what are natural pearls, where are they harvested, what are the differences to cultured pearls, how rare are they. Then, the historical discoveries started. Travelling to Spain and visiting Museums and researching the archives of the West Indies in Seville and talking to the curator, who told me that there is only very limited written material available pre 1540, I realized that I had to dig even deeper. The research done in Europe was followed to my trip to the Middle East, specifically Bahrain, where I met with one of the world’s leading authorities of natural pearls; Dr. Kenneth Scarratt, who was gracious and helped me tremendously with my historical research. Parallel to the historical research, there was also the gemological research. What determines the value and desirability of a pearl, what are some famous pearls and why are they so rare? All this research made me realize the humanistic aspect of the story. Certainly, we have read documents about Spanish conquistadors, but what about the other side of the equation? What happened to the Natives, why is there so little information about them? What happened with the interactions between the Natives and the Africans under the suppression of the Europeans? What triggered the European exodus to America? In the initial two decades, it was mainly because of the pearls of Cubagua Island. Once all the pieces were put together like a puzzle, I decided to publish the results of my findings.

How did you come up with the title?

It was important for me to write the book from the perspective of the Indigenous people. I needed to reflect their suffering and how the European invasion and exploitation changed their lives. I wanted to give a voice to those who never had one. History books had forgotten about them and I wanted to bring them back to life through the books plot.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Absolutely, it is about human interaction, about the best and the worst within us, about cruelty driven by greed and religious pretenses and it is about the innocence of those who lack materialism.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

As a teenager, my family used to travel to very remote places in Venezuela. One of those trips was to the rainforest of the Orinoco River, where we stayed for a week on a deserted island in the middle of the river. We were taken there by local Natives, the Pemon tribe, in their piraguas (doug-out canoes) and they let us practice with their blow-darts (cerbatanas). We stayed there completely cut off from civilization and I can remember the howler monkeys, the screeching maccaws and all the marvels, wildlife has to offer. Another time, we went to a beach, very close to Cubagua Island and I was snorkeling, when a tiny seahorse wrapped its tail around my finger. Many of the detailed passages in the book are written of my personal experiences in my life in the same area where those historic events took place.

What books have most influenced your life most?

My biggest influence as a child comes from Karl May. He was a German author and wrote many books about the American Old West. His main protagonists were Winnetou, an Apache chieftain and Old Shatterhand a European settler. I devoured his books and his adventures to a point that 35 years later, I took my family on a one-year RV trip where we visited most of the United States, specifically the Midwest. We went to see the places described in those books, we visited Native American reservations and saw many Archeological sites (it helps that my wife is an Archaeologist). Another of my favorite authors is Jean M. Auel. Her description of prehistoric life transports me into that ancient world.

What are your current projects?

Among my current projects are the feature film production of BLOOD FOR PEARLS and the documentary series of the early history of American pearl fisheries.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

My biggest challenge was my language. Despite being multilingual, I realized that I needed to make a decision with respect to which language would I first use for the book. Once I started writing about the historical aspect of the gemological research, I started to receive pushback from some people who did not agree with my historical perspective. Despite their opposition, I decided to move forward with the project. Another big challenge was the financial part. Extensive travelling was part of the research and during that time I was not able to generate meaningful income to my family. I still decided to keep going until the project was completed enough for publication.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paperback books?

Paperback

Which famous person, living or dead, would you like to meet and why?

Steven Spielberg. He has a fantastic mind to visualize epic events and create projects that are of worldwide interest.

BLOOD FOR PEARLS is available for purchase on Amazon.