R. Allen Chappell is an American author who is best known for his Navajo Nation series of books. Chappell spent a significant portion of his life among the Navajo people, forging many enduring friendships that would later inspire his series. He grew up, went to school, and worked alongside the Navajo, and it is through these experiences that he gained a deep appreciation and understanding of their culture.
Chappell's writing is heavily influenced by his experiences with the Navajo people, and he strives to make his characters as believable as possible while keeping the culture accurate. He believes that there is much to be learned from the Navajo way of life and seeks to share these insights through his stories. Chappell's writing focuses on the people of the Four Corners region, both past and present, and he avoids romanticizing his characters. Instead, he prefers to paint them as he finds them, with all their qualities, good and bad.
Chappell is the author of thirteen novels and a collection of short stories. Each book in his Navajo Nation series is a stand-alone story that can be read out of sequence. However, many readers prefer to start at the beginning to gain a fuller sense of the characters, as they age and change over time, reflecting the evolution of reservation culture. Chappell continues to pursue a lifelong interest in the prehistory of the Four Corners region and its people, and he makes a concerted effort to maintain the accuracy of the culture and people in his books. He currently resides in Western Colorado.