Western Fictioneers Announces the Peacemaker Award Winners

Western Fictioneers is proud to announce the winners of the 16th Annual Peacemaker Awards, presented for the finest in Western fiction published in 2025. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and special thanks to the judges who make the Peacemaker Awards possible.

BEST WESTERN NOVEL

Winner: WHERE THE LONG TRAIL ENDS, Rod Miller (Speaking Volumes)

Finalists

SNOWBOUND, Harlan Hague (Wolfpack Publishing)
CRY FLINT, Scott McCrea (Dusty Saddle Publishing)
RIVEN, Lincoln Valentine Mears (Lincoln Valentine Mears)
LOST CANYON, John D. Nesbitt (Wolfpack Publishing)
DISMAL TRAIL, Ron Schwab (Uplands Press)

BEST SHORT FICTION

Winner: “Shadrach”, Vicky J. Rose, RIDIN’ WITH THE PACK, VOLUME 3 (Wolfpack Publishing)

Finalists

“Goddess of War”, Kelli Fitzpatrick, SILVERADO PRESS PRESENTS (Silverado Press)
“Leaving Deadwood Behind”, Bruce Hartman, SADDLEBAG DISPATCHES ANTHOLOGY (Saddlebag Dispatches)
“Of Emerald Hue”, John D. Nesbitt, PLAYING A LONE HAND (Thorndike Press)
“River of Retribution”, Vicky J. Rose, SHE RODE WEST (Saddlebag Dispatches)

16th Annual Peacemaker Awards Finalists

 16TH ANNUAL PEACEMAKER AWARDS FINALISTS

FOR WESTERN NOVELS AND STORIES PUBLISHED IN 2025

BEST WESTERN NOVEL

SNOWBOUND, Harlan Hague (Wolfpack Publishing)
CRY FLINT, Scott McCrea (Dusty Saddle Publishing)
RIVEN, Lincoln Valentine Mears (Lincoln Valentine Mears)
WHERE THE LONG TRAIL ENDS, Rod Miller (Speaking Volumes)
LOST CANYON, John D. Nesbitt (Wolfpack Publishing)
DISMAL TRAIL, Ron Schwab (Uplands Press)

BEST WESTERN SHORT FICTION

“Goddess of War”, Kelli Fitzpatrick, SILVERADO PRESS PRESENTS (Silverado Press)
“Leaving Deadwood Behind”, Bruce Hartman, SADDLEBAG DISPATCHES ANTHOLOGY (Saddlebag Dispatches)
“Of Emerald Hue”, John D. Nesbitt, PLAYING A LONE HAND (Thorndike Press)
“River of Retribution”, Vicky J. Rose, SHE RODE WEST (Saddlebag Dispatches)
“Shadrach”, Vicky J. Rose, RIDIN’ WITH THE PACK, VOLUME 3 (Wolfpack Publishing)

Winners will be announced June 15, 2026 on the WF website (www.westernfictioneers.com) and on this blog.

Western Fictioneers (WF) was formed in 2010 by professional Western writers, to preserve, honor, and promote traditional Western writing in the 21st century. Entries were accepted in both print and electronic forms.

The Peacemaker Awards are given annually. Submissions for the Peacemaker Awards for books and stories published in 2026 will be open in August 2026. Submission guidelines will be posted on the WF website. For more information about Western Fictioneers (WF) please visit: http://www.westernfictioneers.com.

Western Fictioneers would like to thank the judges for their excellent work and James Reasoner for being the Awards Chair.