Monday, April 30, 2018

Now Available -- West of the Big River: The Dime Novelist by Clay More




Adventurer, showman, charlatan, best-selling author, Ned Buntline was all of these things and more, including one of the most colorful characters in American history. Buntline, whose real name was Edward Zane Carroll Judson (he called himself Colonel Judson, but the rank was as fictional as the pseudonym), produced hundreds of dime novels during the second half of the 19th Century and was the leading author of popular fiction during this period. He was also a womanizer, a liar, and a self-promoter who made heroes out of Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok but never missed a chance to build his own name and legend. Acclaimed Western author Clay More has painted a vivid portrait of this larger than life figure in THE DIME NOVELIST, the latest historical novel in the popular West of the Big River series from Western Fictioneers. It’s a tale filled with adventure, fantastic characters, and the raw enthusiasm of a young, expanding country.

“Ned Buntline is sometimes credited with creating the mythic version of the Wild West. THE DIME NOVELIST is a fascinating exploration of that legend and a brilliant portrayal of a largely forgotten but hugely influential figure in American popular culture.” – James Reasoner, best-selling author of THE LAWMAN

EXCERPT

Nashville, Tennessee

March 14, 1846

     The judge rapped his gavel on his desk and called for order.
     “I will have silence in this court! Now pipe down all of you or I’ll have the marshal and his deputies begin arresting folk.”
     He grunted, pushed his wire-framed spectacles further up his aquiline nose and turned his attention to the defendant sitting nonchalantly as he wrote in a small notebook at the table by the window.
     “You, Mister Edward Judson, have stirred up a dust storm of trouble for yourself. If you haven’t already, I would suggest you start praying that Robert Porterfield makes a full recovery, instead of scribbling away. Now put that book away and have some respect for this hearing.”


     

7 comments:

  1. I'm looking forward to this, Keith! I always love your stories, and this one looks wonderful, as always! Congratulations on your new release!

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  2. Ditto to Cheryl's comment. Sell a million!

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  3. I've read some of Buntline's stories. This will add to the color I've pictured in my mind of this character who told stories. Wishing you all the best. Thanks. Doris

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  4. Interesting excerpt. Now I'm curious to know what the defendant is writing in his notebook. Good luck and God bless you, Keith.

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  5. Looking forward to reading this one, Keith.
    Great concept. Congratulations.

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  6. This will be an entertaining read. Thank you for sharing the release information. As always, best of luck to you.

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  7. Thank you, all. Ned Buntline was a fascinating, paradoxical character, afflicted by cacoethes scribendi - compulsive writing. In fact, that was only one of his many compulsions

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