#NewRelease -- SIX-GUNS -- Boxed Set of Six Western Novels -- #99cents

Six classic Western novels. The good old shoot-'em-up westerns are still around, and this collection has six by the masters of the genre.

William M. "Bill" Tilghman had one of the most illustrious careers of any Old West lawman, but he faced perhaps his greatest and most dangerous challenge when he rode alone into the wild Oklahoma Territory settlement of Burnt Creek on the trail of a gang of rustlers and outlaws with some unexpected allies . . . THE LAWMAN, by New York Times bestselling author James Reasoner, is the first novel in the West of the Big River series.

In Frank Roderus’ HOME TO TEXAS, Charlie McMurty brought a herd north, got a great price, and had enough left over once he repaid his neighbors to buy a ranch so he could ask for the hand of his sweetheart. Unfortunately, on the way back to Texas he was robbed and left for dead. To make matters worse one of his attackers was his friend he'd hired to help him with the herd. All he had left was a big debt back home and a big hole in his chest. His new quest became the need to be able to return his neighbor's money. First he had to heal and learn some fancy shooting.

Violence stole young Ben Brand's family from him, but blessed with uncanny speed and skill with a gun and befriended by an old mountain man, Ben sets out on a bloody quest for vengeance. As he tracks his enemies over the years and the miles, Ben battles men and the elements—and risks his own soul—to become the avenging nemesis known as Iron Heart! Long out of print and originally published under the pseudonym Walt Denver, IRON HEART is a classic Western from Jory Sherman.

Veteran author Clay More spins a fast-paced Western adventure in STAMPEDE AT RATTLESNAKE PASS. With her father murdered and her brother crippled by bushwhackers, half her herd stolen and her crew massacred by vicious rustlers, beautiful blond Elly Horrocks is going to have her hands full keeping the family ranch going. Luckily for Elly, drifting cowpoke Jake Scudder has a nose for trouble. It'll take all of Scudder's skill with guns and fists to save himself and keep Elly from being wiped out. Diamondbacks aren't the deadliest varmints in Rattlesnake Pass anymore!

Some men deserved to die like rabid animals. In FAST HAND the Thornberrys and their worthless cousin counted among those the world would be better off without. Judge Sebastian Hand sentences the Thornberry gang to the gallows for rape and murder. But when they escape, the judge trades in his gavel for a gun, and suddenly he's judge, jury, and executioner all in one. Karl Lassiter is the pen name of a prolific author who also writes under the pen name Jackson Lowry.

James J. Griffin's famous character Texas Ranger Jim Blawcyzk isn’t really working for the Rangers this time. In fact, he winds up on the wrong side of the law with the Rangers after him, because he takes off his badge and goes after the gang that attacked and possibly murdered his wife and son. As a result, RANGER’S REVENGE is a little grittier than Griffin’s earlier books, but it has the same fine action scenes, interesting settings, and welcome touches of humor.

Wolf Creek 12: The Dead of Winter

After a brief hiatus, we are ready now to return to the rough-and-ready fictional cowtown of Wolf Creek, Kansas. For those unfamiliar with this series published by Western Fictioneers, you're missing out -it's almost as fun to read as it is to write.

Each of our writers -there are currently over two dozen -creates one or two unique characters to be citizens of our little community. Our books are either short story anthologies, in which the authors delve more deeply into their characters, or collaborative novels in which each chapter is written by a different writer, from their character's POV.

We have two such novels to offer now... yesterday we talked about Book 11, Stand Proud... today we'll tell you a little about the second book, The Dead of Winter.

Cruel cattle baron Andrew Rogers is still trying to take over the whole county -but his resources are growing thin, and his secret investors are losing patience, so he is growing desperate.

He makes one final gamble, and Wolf Creek will not be the same...

Here is an excerpt:

Marshal Sam Gardner shivered from the cold as he stepped onto the front porch of his office. He had just been to Ma’s Café for steak and eggs and half-a-pot of coffee, which had finally warmed him up from the walk there; by the time he got back to his office, warmth was already a dim memory.

He closed the door behind him quickly, after kicking as much snow off his boots as he could. He was probably going to have to drink another half-pot of coffee just to feel human again, and this time it would be of his own making rather than the decidedly superior brew they offered at Ma’s. But enough bourbon added into the mix would balance things out a bit.

Quint Croy and Satterlee’s deputy Zack Zacherly were playing checkers. The two were often seen together when they weren’t on duty, and even when they were. It was only natural, they were a lot alike: both in their twenties, former cowboys, both known for having level heads and being slow to anger. They did both have quite a bit of green on them, especially when it came to trusting people, but maybe age would cure that—or maybe, Sam thought to himself with a bit of surprise, maybe that would make them better lawmen someday than he was. If they lived long enough. He had taken a very protective view of Quint, and the two young deputies sometimes reminded him of younger versions of himself and G.W. Satterlee, who had become the best friend Sam had ever had.

“Mornin’, Zack,” Sam said. “I see you’re using a shrewd strategy, taking Quint on after he’s put in a night shift.”

“Mama didn’t raise no fool,” Zack said with a smile. “The sheriff sent me over to drop off some reward dodgers, I figured I could spare the five minutes or so it usually takes to outwit Quint, here.”

“Well, if we’re having a party, I might as well put on a full pot,” Sam said. Then he heard a horrible caterwauling coming from the back room.

“Oh, hell,” the marshal said. “Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.”

Quint shrugged. “He’s been here since I got in, Sam.”

Sam sighed and headed for the back room, where he kept his cot. This building was more than his office, it was his living quarters—and one person in particular seemed to think it was theirs, as well.

Sure enough, Rupe Tingley was stretched out on Sam’s cot, snoring like a banshee. Sam actually wouldn’t mind—he had a soft spot for Rupe, who reminded him of an uncle he used to have—if the town drunk’s bathing habits were more consistent. Or if they existed. Every time Rupe stumbled in and occupied the marshal’s bed, the sheets had to be taken to the Li Laundry and fumigated.

Sam reached out and grabbed the other man’s shoulder—the good one, that still had an arm attached to it—and shook.

“Rise and shine, old hoss,” he said. Rupe burped, but made no indication he was gaining consciousness. Sam shook him harder.

“Damnation, man, what does it take to wake you up?”

And that was when all hell broke loose.

The air became alive with the sound of gunfire, and the thuds of bullets—it was not just a few shots, it was a veritable fusillade. It reminded him for a moment of the battlefield. And then it was over, as quickly as it had begun, and he heard the sound of horses galloping away.

Rupe was still asleep, but Sam Gardner was more awake than he had ever been in his life. He ran back into the front room.

The books are released under the house name Ford Fargo- but here are the writers in this volume, and the characters they write for:

James Reasoner - Sheriff G. W. Satterlee

Cheryl Pierson - Derrick McCain, farmer

James J. Griffin - Ben Tolliver, hostler

Clay More - Logan Munro, town doctor

Big Jim Williams - Hutch Higgins, farmer

Troy D. Smith - Marshal Sam Gardner

Check it out today- and if you haven't read the first ten, shoot, find 'em and see just how much fun they are!

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

Review Roundup: Riding with the Rangers

Lone Star Ranger 1: A Ranger to Ride With
By James J. Griffin
Painted Pony Books, April 2014
$8.09 paperback, ISBN 1497514045
$2.99 Kindle, ASIN B00JJ8NWOU
$2.99 most other e-formats, ISBN 9781310568404
120 pages

When fourteen-year-old Nate Stewart’s father uproots his family and moves them all from Delaware to a small farm and ranch in Texas, Nate doesn’t rebel. Instead, he mourns the loss of friends and the city life he understood. He was just discovering girls. He knew where he belonged in the pecking order, and everyone was safe in their homes.

Nothing is the same in Texas. The family lives in a dog-trot cabin far from the closest small town. They struggle to raise their own food, they have only one another for company, and the threat of outlaw and Indian raids looms on the outskirts of their existence. Even worse, Nate has no skills for living off the land and even less innate ability. Though his friends expressed excitement about the cowboy life—and his older brother lives it—Nate feels inept and useless.

All that changes when a surprise attack by some very bad men leaves Nate the sole survivor. When he balks at returning to Delaware to live with an aunt, uncle, and eight cousins he’s never admired, a company of Texas Rangers bends the rules and recruits him, promising more than a chance to avenge the death of everyone Nate held dear. The Rangers offer him a chance to become an honorable man.

Lone Star Ranger 1: A Ranger to Ride With, James J. Griffin’s first young-adult novel, offers few surprises to those familiar with the author’s work. The Rangers are tough as rawhide, the outlaws are as evil as they come, and the hero is a good-hearted man-to-be forced into a role he never intended to play. The tale is a throwback to the westerns of yore, when good and evil were easy to identify, tough frontier hombres had soft hearts, and villains always got their just desserts. Griffin is a master of the form.

Nate’s adventure is full of the gunfights, primitive living, and aw-shucks-ma’am joshing typical of Griffin’s stories. (Also typical is the way shirts disappear with reckless abandon.) As expected of this author’s work, the good guys possess unerring moral compasses and horses play a central role. Griffin, through the Ranger characters, spends quite a bit of time teaching Nate and readers how to care for and ride a cowboy’s best friend. The author also is crafty about imparting Texas Ranger history and lore, a subject about which he is an expert. Under the Rangers’ patient, protective tutelage, Nate grows into the cowboy he never thought he could be—and an estimable human being, to boot.

Texans will enjoy the book. Young readers will enjoy the book. Adults will enjoy it, too, thanks to a style that never condescends. The conclusion may be too open-ended for some, but if kids and their parents have half as much fun reading as Griffin evidently had writing, the cover price is a bargain.


Kathleen Rice Adams is a Texan, a voracious reader, a professional journalist, and an author. She received a review copy of Lone Star Ranger 1: A Ranger to Ride With from the publisher. Her opinions are her own and are neither endorsed nor necessarily supported by Western Fictioneers or individual members of the organization. Links in the review are for convenience only; they do not produce affiliate revenue.

Review Roundup: A Ranger Rides Again

West of the Big River: The Ranger
By James J. Griffin
The Western Fictioneers Library, July 2013
$8.99 paperback, ISBN 1491065117
$2.99 Kindle, ASIN B00E5RCV4M
$2.99 most other e-formats, ISBN 9781301580088
187 pages

For J.S. Turnbo, life in crime-ridden West Texas is a running gun battle. Outsmarting outlaws is just part of the job for a Texas Ranger … until one little mistake puts him at the mercy of a ruthless gang hiding out in plain sight.

When author James J. Griffin writes about Rangers, readers know what to expect: a steady stream of testosterone and no safe haven for the evildoers. Griffin’s lawdogs are indisputably good; their quarry indisputably rotten. Lots of gunplay takes place, but the violence is never graphic, and there’s nary a foul word to be found. The formula is tried and true, and Griffin wields it like no one else.

The Ranger is classic Griffin, white hats, black hats, trusty equine sidekick and all. Though the story is fictional, readers will have no trouble imagining Turnbo, a real-life nineteenth century Texas Ranger, actually might have experienced something similar. As usual, Griffin puts readers inside the story with uncommon details and dialogue that rings true to the period, and equine characters get better than a fair shake. In fact, some of the best moments in the story occur between Turnbo and his horse, a Medicine Hat paint named Hat.

The story itself moves along at a spritely pace, opening with a stagecoach robbery Turnbo triggers by throwing around his considerable law-enforcement weight. From there it’s off to the races, as the Ranger sets about cleaning up a West Texas landscape lousy with rustlers and bank robbers. Turnbo is undeniably in his element amid a hail of lead … which probably is why little things get by him during an evening of socializing in town. Those things return with big teeth later.

For traditional western storytelling about larger-than-life, tough-as-nails characters who dog a trail until their blisters have blisters, The Ranger is hard to beat. Turnbo probably would have approved.


Kathleen Rice Adams is a Texan, a voracious reader, a professional journalist, and an author. She received a review copy of West of the Big River: The Ranger from the publisher. Her opinions are her own and are neither endorsed nor necessarily supported by Western Fictioneers or individual members of the organization. Links in the review are for convenience only; they do not produce affiliate revenue.

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings Extra

One thing I like including in my stories is trains.  There’s just something about a train that fires the imagination. I’ve taken Amtrak cross-country several times and always enjoy it. I’ve also taken the Grand Canyon Railroad and the Durango and Silverton Narrow gauge, plus the Conway Scenic Railroad up in New Hampshire.

 

It’s hard to go wrong when you have a story’s setting on a train. There can be romance, intrigue, suspense, robbery, murder… or all of the above and more. What’s more, with the train rolling across the countryside, the scenery and setting changes with each passing mile. Along with the passing of time, it makes for an exciting venue. And a passenger train is the perfect setting for chance meetings, people to find and/or hide from each other, new love to bloom or old love to fade.

A train trip works for almost all genres and time periods (as long as it’s after the railroad was invented, of course). A story can be a contemporary romance, a Victorian murder mystery, or a Western gang of robbers tale… all work well on a train. A train will take your characters from the big city to the rural countryside in the course of a couple of hours. There can be swamps, prairie, mountains, and deserts to cross. There can be trestles over two hundred foot deep canyons, or dark, mile long tunnels. Every author should try at least one train story.

My first Jim Blawcyzk Texas Ranger novel, now under the title Death Stalks the Rails, was set on a train. And trains are important parts of several of my western novels.

So, if I may borrow the timeless conductor’s cry… “All aboard!” You won’t regret it.

Jim Griffin

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for January

This month, we conclude our postings about the El Paso Salt War.

Having allowed himself and his men to be surrounded, Lieutenant Tays did what no Ranger had ever done previously on Texas soil, and has never done since. He surrendered to the enemy. He, his men, and the men they were protecting were disarmed and taken prisoner. John Atkinson, John McBride, and Charles Howard, who had precipitated the entire fiasco by laying claim to the salt lakes and refusing to allow the Mexicans to continue harvesting salt, as they had done for years, were selected to be executed. As was just about everything in the El Paso Salt War, even the executions were botched.

Charles Howard was put to death first, despite his claims of innocence. In his arrogance, it never occurred to him he was the cause of all the trouble he had started. When he was shot, he didn’t die instantly, but fell to the ground, kicking and squirming. A Mexican named Jesus Telles ran up to the dying man and struck at him with a machete, but instead missed the squirming Howard and cut off two of his  own toes. Then Howard was hacked and mutilated.

John McBride was executed without making any statement.

John Atkinson, when brought to face the firing squad, reminded the Mexicans in excellent Spanish that they had promised to let all go free, if Howard’s bond had been paid, which it had. He then asked them if they intended to violate their pledge, which of course they already had with the executions of Howard and McBride. When the Mexicans insisted they were going to execute him also, then Atkinson replied. “Then let me die with honor. I will give the word.” He removed his coat, opened his shirt to bare his breast, and said, “When I give the word, fire at my heart - FIRE!”

Five bullets hit Atkinson in the belly. He staggered, but didn’t fall. “Mas arriba, cabrones!” (Higher up, you ______!) he shouted. Two more shots were fired. Atkinson fell, still not dead. He pointed to his head, and a Mexican named Desidero Apodaca shot him in the head and finally finished him off.

In the meantime, mobs were looting and plundering most of the homes and businesses. Most of them also wanted the rest of the Anglos killed. It was only the intervention of Chico Barela which stopped the mob from killing more men. The Rangers were kept under guard until morning, their fate uncertain.  Several of the Mexican leaders wanted the Rangers put to death, but Chico Barela convinced the mob otherwise. The Rangers were given their horses but not their weapons, and permitted to leave for Franklin.

Of course, the deaths of Anglos at the hands of Mexicans and Mexican Texans would not go unavenged. Within a few days, the Rangers and a posse led by Sheriff Kerber were on their way back. There first stop was at Ysleta, where they took two prisoner, a Mexican and an Indian. The next day, both prisoners were killed, allegedly when trying to escape. An innocent man in Socorro was killed by several Rangers. Jesus Telles, the man who had hacked off his own toes, was also killed there. The Rangers intended to go further, but US Army General Edward Hatch arrived and reported the road to San Elizario was lined with men waiting in ambush. Tays took Hatch’s advice and returned to Yselta with his men.

On December 28th, the entire sorry affair reached its conclusion. Tays and his Rangers recovered the bodies of Howard, Atkinson, and McBride from where they had been tossed into an old well. Atkinson and McBride were buried in San Elizario, Howard in Franklin.

A commission of inquiry was later held, but none of its recommendations were ever carried out. For some reason, Tays was not removed of his command, but remained in charge of the Rangers in El Paso for some time.

The El Paso Salt War was an ignominious affair which brought shame on just about everyone involved in it, Mexican and Anglo alike. Even to this day, over one hundred and fifty years later, people in Texas tend to avoid any discussion of it. The El Paso Salt War was one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of Texas, and in particular the Texas Rangers.

Next month, back to horses. With luck the weather will have improved around here so I can hit the trails again.

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for December

First of all, Merry Christmas, a belated Happy Hannukah to those who have already celebrated, and Happy New Year and best wishes to those who don’t observe either. I think that covers just about everyone.

Now, back to the El Paso Salt War. You’ll recall when we left off that Texas Ranger Major John B. Jones had departed El Paso, leaving the Rangers there under the command of newly appointed Lieutenant Tays, a man who would prove unequal to the task of commanding a contingent of Rangers and other law enforcement personnel facing a mob. When the mob first began to form, Tays requested help from the U.S. Army in El Paso, under the command of Captain Blair. In the meantime, Tays and Charles Howard, the man who had precipitated all the trouble by buying the rights to the Salt Lakes and refusing to allow the Mexicans access to salt they had been harvesting for years, reached the Ranger quarters in San Elizario. They were put under siege by the mob. Captain Blair and fourteen men reached the vicinity of the Rangers about nine o’clock in the evening, where he was intercepted by a mob of, by his estimate, one hundred and twenty men.  The mob leaders accused Blair of coming to protect Howard. Blair denied this, and assured the Mexicans he would not interfere in the affair at all, and marched back to El Paso.

In the first hours of the siege, on a Wednesday night, Lieutenant Hays put out a double guard. Howard and some of his friends went to Ellis’ store nearby to spend the night. They came back saying Ellis had left and not returned. Ellis’ body was brought in two days later, wrapped in  a gunny sack. His scalp, eyebrows, and beard had been cut off and his throat slashed from ear to ear. He had also been stabbed twice in the heart.

On Thursday morning, daylight showed the Rangers’ quarters was surrounded by three picket lines, with squads of horsemen in between. The Rangers’ and the men with them stretched ropes across the openings in the buildings and cut portholes into the adobe walls. John Atkinson, one of Howard’s bondsmen, arrived with eleven thousand dollars. Atkinson, who spoke Spanish, then had a parley with one of the Mexican leaders, Cisto Calciedo. Calciedo told him if Howard wasn’t handed over within three hours the Mexicans would shoot Howard and burn Atkinson’s house. Ranger Sergeant Mortimer was shot and fatally wounded as he crossed from one building to another. Tays, under fire, dragged in the dead Ranger’s body. The firing from the Mexicans became constant and at such close range the Rangers could not even attempt to reach the roofs in order to return fire. About four o’clock in the afternoon, the justice of the peace came with a flag of truce, passing along a request from the Mexicans for a ceasefire for the night. The truce lasted only a short while before Ranger Santiago Cooper went to the roof to get some blankets and had his hat shot off and his coat perforated with a shower of bullets. The Rangers opened more portholes and placed men in each room of the building. During the night firing became merely sporadic.

Next month: The only time a contingent of Texas Rangers surrendered to the enemy on Texas soil.

Writers and Their Four-legged Sidekicks

A while back I asked my fellow WF members to tell me about their pets. I love animals and know many of you do, too.

Dale Jackson says:

"A good cowhorse is an indispensible tool and an absolute necessity for all phases of cow work. A good dog like the Border Collie is like having an extra cowboy with you and, as you can see, they are great dogs to be around. The German Shepherd is the homeguard and takes care of business keeping things secure at the ranch.

In terms of writing, I find that having an insight into animals is a valuable way to better understand human behavior as it translates into the characters in our books. These guys are more like partners than pets, and they have a way of becoming a part of everything we do.

My first two novels borrowed heavily on the relationship between men and horses and, in the second book, UNBROKE HORSES, the horse became a metaphor for the struggles of the young protagonist whose survival depended on his ability to recognize his own challenges in the actions of a small band of unbroke horses.

It’s impossible to minimize the importance of a good dog and a good horse."

Dale's novel UNBROKE HORSES won the 2013 Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel.

This comes from Cheryl Pierson:

"Livia, I'm including a picture of our dog, Embry, with my daughter Jessica. This was taken a couple of years ago after Embry recovered from his stay at the Oklahoma State University veterinarians' teaching hospital. He had steroid responsive meningitis that almost killed him. Thank goodness this story had a very happy ending.

Embry is my "granddog" who lives with us now since Jessica has moved to a smaller place. He weighs in at 200 pounds and he's half Great Pyrenees and half Anatolian Shepherd. He's a herder by breed and the four people in our family are his "herd"--all others are intruders and will be bitten if they get too close. LOL

Embry still thinks of himself as a puppy and will sometimes try to sit in our laps. When I'm working, he comes in and will lie on the floor beside my chair. I have to turn my chair almost sideways so that he can raise his head from time to time and give me a hug. I've also learned to type pretty well with one hand for long spaces of time while I pet with the other. He does help me think better, and I've noticed that I add dogs to my stories more often since we've had him."

Cheryl's most recent publications are the short story "The Kindness of Strangers", which is available as an e-book, and the story "Outlaw's Kiss" in the anthology WISHING FOR A COWBOY. Her daughter Jessica is a talented artist who recently illustrated the children's book SARAH'S MUSIC.

Keith Souter tells us:

"I don't actually own a pet at the moment. I used to have a cat called Lily, who was my constant writing companion. If I was outside writing in the sun, then she would be basking in it close by. If I was at my writing desk, she would probably be curled up on a cushion in the bay window to the side of the desk. Sadly, she died a couple of years ago, but she is buried outside my study window, just six feet from where she used to sleep and keep me company. I was pretty upset when she died, so I wrote her into a crime novel, called FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. This is one of my Inspector McKinnon novels set on the Outer Hebridean island of West Uist. To make the story work, she ended up being transformed into a dog, but in my mind it is still Lily.

 

Now, I don't own a pet, but I regularly get to dog-sit my daughter's dog, Walt. He's a schoondle, a cross between a schnauzer and a poodle. We go jogging every morning when he stays with me. Well, really he walks and I run alongside him.  He is mischievous and he makes me laugh. When I have a plot problem to sort out we go for a walk and a play and generally the plot difficulty sorts itself out. I genuinely think that he helps me unravel things. He too is being worked into a story, this time a YA novel. This is in my Victorian adventure series about an orphan called Jack Moon. The second in the series is provisionally entitled THE GHOSTCATCHERS. Walt is a stray dog who happens to be psychic, so he allows Jack to communicate with his best friend, who died."

Keith is a regular contributor to WF's bestselling series WOLF CREEK and is also writing a series about the adventures of a dentist in the Old West, THE CASEBOOK OF DOCTOR MARCUS QUIGLEY.

Jim Griffin joins in with his answer:

"I have always had pets, ranging from goldfish to canaries and parakeets, to cats and dogs, to horses. Can’t imagine life without a pet or two.

Yes, I do draw inspiration from my pets. The horses in my Western stories are all based on horses I have owned. They reflect my own horses’ appearances, personalities, and peculiarities. In fact, if I hadn’t owned a horse, I never would have started writing. It was James Reasoner who encouraged me to write after he contacted me for answers to some questions which he had about horses. If that had never happened, I never would have attempted to write a Western novel.

Since I’ve been writing, my Shih Tzus, first Chauncey and now Dogie, have always stayed by my desk while I’m working on a book. Whenever it’s time to step back and take a break, I can always count on my dog being there to help me relax with a play session. That helps clear my mind and get back to the task at hand.

Finally, while they are hardly pets, there are two packs of coyotes which live in the town open space behind my place. Their nightly howling certainly sets the mood for writing Westerns."

Jim writes the original e-book series A RANGER NAMED ROWDY, is an important contributor to the WOLF CREEK series, and wrote the West of the Big River novel THE RANGER.

Charlie Whipple says:

"I brought home our first dog, Taro, for my oldest daughter's sixth birthday. My wife was not pleased at all, but we've never been without a dog since. The current resident is Tomlin, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who will turn 11 on February 21, 2014, the same birthdate (different year) as daughter No.2. 

You see, when wife Yukiko went to the shopping mall, she always wandered by the pet shop. Tomlin was a leftover. Time after time. Then she heard that leftovers were sometime euthanized. That did it. Next time she came home from the mall, she had Tomlin. He's gray haired and getting old, but we hope he'll stay around for a while longer.

While Tomlin is in the other room sleeping on our bed, I write. This year, besides the Wolf Creek series, I've had a novel entitled Monty McCord published from Black Horse Westerns, one called Diablo accepted, one called Road to Rimrock bought by Thorpe for large print. My Stryker's series of ebooks is under way. Stryker's Law, Stryker's Ambush, and soon, Stryker's Bounty. 

Also in ebooks, under Charles T. Whipple, you can find Nami of the Waves, a fantasy tale, fifth in a series, of 10th century Japan when all the mythical creatures were alive and well." 

Finally, Meg Mims tells us:

"I have two dogs, but I took in Benji in 2012 and wrote a novella about a rescue

dog in Santa Paws (totally new story, but the cover resembles him!)

This year I'm writing about a black cat rescue for Santa Claws - we had to put

our black cat down this summer. So she will be 'immortalized' in that 

novella, sort of."

James and I have four dogs of our own, including the two little ones who are usually in my lap while I'm working, forcing me to twist sideways to reach my computer. They may not be very good for my back, but they certainly work wonders for my heart.

 

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for November

I’ve decided to take a break from the story of the El Paso Salt War for this month. The reason for this is Rod Miller’s recent post about GENESIS, his favorite Western short story. Rod’s post got me to thinking once again about one of my biggest pet peeves, which will be the subject of my post this month.

GENESIS is a more realistic look at cowboy life than most Western fiction, which of course it will be, since it’s a memoir. And that’s my point. Why is it that so many “literati” complain about how Western fiction romanticizes the West, yet hardly anyone complains about other genres romanticizing the period in which they were set?

We all know that cowboying wasn’t glamorous at all, that it was dirty, lonely, low-paying, and dangerous work. Yet, at the same time, it was that same dirty, lonely, low-paying, dangerous work which formed the basis of the only true original American hero, the cowboy.

The medieval “knight in shining armor” is highly romanticized, yet where are the critics of that genre? You don’t read about the knights, and other people of that era, being filthy, dirty, smelly, lice-covered, and taking a bath maybe once a year if they were lucky. Same goes for the heroes of Greek literature, or the Roman legions. The examples go on and on. Yet most self-described experts on literature seem only to pick on Western novels as being highly romanticized and untrue.

The one theme all critics of Western fiction seem to settle on is that cowboys weren’t the gunfighters so often pictured in Western books. Now matter how true this is, there were plenty of heroes of the old West who did indeed enforce law and order or help bring civilization to a wild land by use of the gun if necessary. The annals of the Texas Rangers alone provide enough true stories of gunfights to fill several history books. There is a mother lode of material to mine for Western fiction that is based on absolute truth. And there were indeed “super” horses that, while they could never duplicate some of the feats attributed to equines in the pages of the pulps, did indeed perform heroically or raced long journeys far beyond normal endurance to help their riders escape trouble or bring help to some far-flung outpost or settlement.

I for one refuse to apologize for writing Western fiction. I love the genre, which is THE ONLY TRUE AMERICAN GENRE in literature, and hope to keep promoting the Western until I’m no longer breathing. To borrow a phrase from Kit Prate in her introduction to her short story, THE REDEMPTION OF CADE BEAUCHARD, in the Western Fictioneers’ anthology THE TRADITIONAL WEST: “… My love affair with the West and things Cowboy continues still; but bear in mind -- I write fiction, not history.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Jim Griffin

Wolf Creek 8: Night of the Assassins

I know I'm a little prejudiced, being the editor of this series, but I think most people who follow it would agree with me: Wolf Creek just keeps getting better and better.

Several people have told me they think Night of the Assassins is one of the best ones yet- that's hard to gauge, but it is definitely the most different story we've told so far.

Here's the official description:

"Wolf Creek, Kansas, is not peaceful on a good day –but things really escalate when Tsu Chiao, owner of the Red Chamber, decides to edge out his competitors in the seedy part of town with the aid of Tong assassins sent from San Francisco. All-out war ensues, with peaceful Chinese citizens like the Li family caught in the middle. Can the lawmen of Wolf Creek hold the town together in the shadow of a threat they have never faced before?"

In this volume we learn a lot about the Chinese inhabitants of our fictional town- and there are some huge surprises. You don't want to miss it!

And if you've been eagerly awaiting more Wolf Creek adventures -due to some scheduling surprises, our two-part Christmas anthology will be out next week. After that, we'll give you a break till January -you'll need it, because these are some exciting tales.

Here are the links to Night of the Assassins-

amazon

smashwords

createspace

barnesandnoble.com (any day now!)

Review Roundup: Hell is Relative

Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie
By Ford Fargo
Western Fictioneers, June 2013
$10.99 paperback, ISBN 1490505059
$2.99 Kindle, ASIN B00DPPFUPM
$2.99 most other e-formats, ISBN 9781301613717
240 pages

Unlike previous volumes in the series, Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie is not a collaborative novel. Instead, in this collection of short stories, seven members of the posse collectively known as Ford Fargo wrote as themselves. The effect is both cacophonous and musical, as each author’s voice is distinctive when not required to disappear behind the Ford Fargo filter.

Troy D. Smith, Chuck Tyrell, Clay More, Cheryl Pierson, Jerry Guin, and James J. Griffin all write characters who are pillars of Wolf Creek society—though being a pillar of society in Wolf Creek generally indicates a character has earned an extreme lack of hospitality somewhere else. Jacquie Rogers introduces a group of newcomers whose potential to become series regulars seems iffy, mostly because the characters insist they are unwilling to stick around.

Smith’s, Tyrell’s, and More’s stories provide series and character backstory. Marshal Sam Gardner (Smith) reveals a hidden talent. Who suspected the man was an expert at something besides loafing and sardonic wit? Tyrell gives readers a glimpse at cowboy Billy Below’s genesis in a sweeping saga almost too long to be called short. Below has come a long way from the naïve boy who left home under a different name. Doctor Logan Munro’s past may be the most surprising, and More weaves the tale with no little mystery and quite a bit of violence. The psychological games Munro and his adversary play would do a thriller proud.

Pierson’s and Griffin’s stories take familiar characters in new directions. In Derrick McCain’s story, Pierson’s talents as a romance author shine. McCain, tortured by his mixed heritage and obligations to both sides, emerges as a swoon-worthy hero, yet Pierson manages a delicate balance between romantic sentimentality and thorny issues. Griffin drops a bomb on both readers and his character, perennially shirtless livery owner and former Texas Ranger Ben Tolliver. Tolliver may have dropped his alias several books ago, but he didn’t quite shed his past, which bounces into his present in a big way. McCain’s and Tolliver’s new issues not only deepen each man’s character, but also provide intriguing potential fodder for future entries in the Wolf Creek series.

Guin’s and Rogers’ stories stand out because they’re different from the others. Although series regular Deputy Quint Croy is the presumed narrator of his tale, the story really belongs to a relatively minor Wolf Creek character: Negro saloon owner Asa Pepper. The choice seems odd, until one realizes Pepper’s backstory speaks to the character of the town itself. Rogers’ story is even more unusual in the context of the series. Her characters, just passing through on their way to the West Coast, have never been seen before and may never show up again. The story displays Rogers’ signature sarcasm, and the characters are endearing. Surely Wolf Creek could use a team of good mules.

Hell on the Prairie may not be what fans have come to expect from the series, but none of the stories disappoint. More Wolf Creek anthologies would not go amiss.



Kathleen Rice Adams is a Texan, a voracious reader, a professional journalist, and a novelist in training. She received a review copy of Wolf Creek Book 6 from the publisher. Her opinions are her own and are neither endorsed nor necessarily supported by Western Fictioneers or individual members of the organization. Links in the review are for convenience only; they do not produce affiliate revenue.

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for October - More on The El Paso Salt War

Got to do this fast, because there’s severe thunderstorms about a half hour away rolling in my direction so will probably have to shut my computer down.

When last we left the El Paso Salt War, murder was about to out. On October 10th, Luis Cardis entered the store of E. Schutz and Brother in El Paso. He was sitting with his back to the door when Charles Howard entered, carrying a double-barreled shotgun. A bystander attempted to warn Cardis, who was able to get behind a desk which protected the upper portion of his body. His move was to no avail, as Howard emptied one barrel into Cardis’ lower belly, groin, and legs and as he fell emptied the other barrel into Cardis’ chest, penetrating his heart. Howard calmly left, but realizing discretion would be the better idea took two servants and fled by buggy for Mesilla, New Mexico.

Two days before Cardis was killed, Governor Hubbard asked his adjutant general Steele about sending Rangers to El Paso. Steele told him the nearest Rangers were over five hundred miles away, and it would take a month to get two companies of Rangers to El Paso. Steele also said the Rangers were needed more urgently elsewhere. With Howard gone, nothing much happened until October 24th, at which time Judge A. Blacker wired the governor, from Fort Stockton, that El Paso County was in the hands of a mob which completely controlled the city and county.

On October 24th, Major John B. Jones, famed commander of the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers, left Austin and went to Mesilla, where on November 3rd he met with Howard and his friends, getting only their side of the story. Since Jones was an Anglo, and was meeting only with Anglos, he was hearing all sorts of dire warnings, such as this issued by Sheriff Kerber from Yselta:

“Be on the lookout, Major, these greasers are very treacherous.”

Upon arrival in El Paso, Jones wired the governor that the trouble was indeed serious. He also said: “Think I can control the mob in a few days, in the meantime will organize three months’ minute company.” He later decided to recruit a detachment for Company C, Frontier Battalion, and place it under the command of a local man, John B. Tays, who would have the rank of lieutenant.

For one of the few times in his life and illustrious career, Major John B. Jones, usually a fine judge of character, completely misread a man. His appointment of Tays would lead to disaster.

The lightning and thunder are getting close, so… to be continued in November.

        

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for September

As promised last month, this post will deal with one of the most shameful incidents in the history of the Texas Rangers, The El Paso Salt War. Even boiling the Salt War down to its very basics will take more than one post, so the I will take the next few months to recite the tale, kind of like a serial in the old pulps.

The Salt War involved politics, intrigue, greed, corruption, unscrupulous businessmen, Mexican peons, a corrupt and eventually disgraced Roman Catholic priest, officials from both the United States and Mexico, local law, and the Texas Rangers. It was marked by misunderstanding, miscalculation, and mistakes all around. Even an execution was botched. It also marks the only time a company of Texas Rangers surrendered to the enemy on Texas soil.

While the actual “Salt War” took place in 1877, the history goes back as far as 1862. In 1877, El Paso, Texas was still a very isolated settlement, separated from the settled parts of the Lone Star State by miles of badlands, bad roads, and no railroad. El Paso is over six hundred miles from Austin or San Antonio, and at that time the nearest settlements of any kind were five hundred or so miles away. In between water was scarce at best, sometimes impossible to find at worst.

The city itself was “divided” into Anglo and Mexican factions. There were about twelve thousand Mexican in the area, about five thousand in Texas and seven thousand on the other side of the Rio Grande. The Anglos numbered only about eighty, and they were fragmented further into English, Germans, Jews, even a few Canadians. Clearly the Anglos were far outnumbered. It was under these circumstances that the Salt War occurred.

The Salt Lakes themselves are a good distance from El Paso, near the Guadalupe Mountains, approximately one hundred ten miles east, or ninety miles from San Elizario, Mexico. El Pasoans first took note of them about 1862. By 1863, the Mexican citizens of El Paso opened a road to the Salt Lakes. The salt was free for anyone who wanted it, was bartered in Mexico, and was an important source of cash for the border population. However, it didn’t take long for Texans from outside the area to attempt to acquire legal possession of the Salt Lakes, monopolize the salt, and collect a fee for each wagonload of salt removed. Samuel Maverick, the same rancher who gave us the term “maverick” for unbranded cattle by refusing to brand his herds, made the first attempt in 1866, but his certificate did not include all of the Lakes. The Mexicans and Texas-Mexicans were soon hauling salt again.

In 1867, another attempt was made. Two of the principals in the company were A.J. Fountain and W.W. Mills. When their certificate of location proved defective, the company broke into two factions, one headed by Fountain, the other by Mills. This split eventually fractured the Republican party in El Paso, which by then was the only strong area left for Republicans, most of the state now firmly Democratic. Into all this mix was added an Italian priest named Antonio Borajo. He intended to make a fortune for himself through the salt trade. When Fountain defied him, Borajo turned to another Italian, Don Luis Cardis. To sum up what happened next, Borajo and Cardis played the Mexicans against the Anglos and the Anglos against each other. This provided the opportunity for one Charles H. Howard, a Democrat and unscrupulous businessman, to step into the breach. He made an arrangement with Borajo and Cardis, they would deliver the Mexican vote and in turn they would become partners with him in the salt trade.  Soon there was a falling out, with most of the Mexicans supporting Cardis, who had the money-crazed Borajo with him, and the Americans and some Mexicans supporting Howard. By now, the Church had gotten wind of Borajo’s perfidy, and ordered him recalled, and reassigned into interior Mexico. However, he refused to leave, and even threatened the bishop with murder when he arrived in San Elizario.

In June, 1977, Howard surveyed his property and posted notices he owned the Salt Lakes and ordered that no salt be taken without paying his company a fee. He had two Mexicans arrested merely on the allegation they were planning on taking salt without paying. When the charges against one were dismissed, but the other was held, the first riot broke out. Judge G.N. Garcia, who had ordered the second Mexican held but refused to issue a requested warrant for Howard’s arrest, was seized by a mob. Howard and several of his cohorts were also captured. Howard was only released upon relinquishing all claims to the Salt Lakes and posting a twelve thousand dollar bond, ordering that he leave El Paso County and never return.

Of course, Howard had no intention of leaving El Paso and the potential profits from salt. By October 7th, he was back in El Paso. Murder would soon follow…

To be continued…
      

Western Fictioneers Presents West of the Big River: The Ranger

Acclaimed author James J. Griffin, noted for his fine stories of the Texas Rangers, joins the West of the Big River stable with THE RANGER, a short novel featuring real-life Ranger Sergeant J.S. Turnbo. Tangling with rustlers, bank robbers, and road agents is all in a day's work for Turnbo as he fights to bring law and order to the area around Abilene and San Angelo, Texas, but solving a deadly mystery will put Turnbo's life in more danger than ever before. It'll take all of the Ranger's wits and gun-handling skills to keep him alive as he untangles the strands of a lethal conspiracy!

THE RANGER is a novel based on historical characters and situations in the bestselling West of the Big River series from Western Fictioneers. Don't miss any of these action-packed tales!

Excerpt: 

    "Travelin' by overnight stagecoach is sure blasted uncomfortable, ain't it, Ranger?" Las Cruces, New Mexico Deputy Sheriff W.L. Jerrell said. He shifted around in his seat, trying to ease the pain in his butt, and then settled deeper into his coat in an attempt to ward off the early February cold. "No heat, cramped and smelly, and this road's sure rough. I don't think our driver's missed a chuckhole yet. Too bad the rails don't run to San Angelo."
    "I'd rather be ridin' my horse," Texas Ranger Sergeant J.S. Turnbo answered. "When all's said and done, though, don't much matter to me how I travel, long as I get where I'm goin'. Besides, it's not all that far to San Angelo. We'll be there before sun-up. For now, I'm gonna try and get some more shut-eye before we reach town."
    Turnbo leaned back in his seat and pulled his hat down over his eyes. He'd prefer to be back in Abilene, having a beer at John Billings' saloon rather than taking a ninety mile ride in a jouncing stagecoach. Even more appealing was the thought of returning home and to Company A in El Paso, but that wasn't about to happen until most of the rustlers and robbers plaguing the Abilene area had been run to ground. He'd been sent to Abilene to solve those problems, but this assignment was taking him away from doing just that.
     Jerrell had taken a Texas and Pacific train from Las Cruces to Abilene, the closest point the T & P tracks came to San Angelo. He had a warrant for a man wanted for armed robbery back in Las Cruces, and needed a Texas lawman's authority to serve it. Turnbo had been given the chore of accompanying the New Mexico deputy to San Angelo. Ordinarily a Ranger wouldn't have drawn the menial job of serving a warrant on a penny-ante out of state criminal, but Jerrell's brother-in-law was El Paso County Sheriff James White. When White wired Austin asking for Ranger assistance, his request was promptly granted. 
    Besides Turnbo and Jerrell, there were four other passengers inside the coach: Corporal Adam McGee, a cavalryman on his way to Fort Concho, Sam P. Cochran, a Dallas businessman, rancher John Reed, and a dry goods drummer named Paul Dunham. In addition, one other man, Wade Thurston, a Kansas City cattle buyer, had decided to ride alongside the driver in the shotgun seat. He wanted to take advantage of the relatively cool night air and breeze, as opposed to being crammed in the stuffy coach along with six other men.
    Despite the rough ride Turnbo dozed off, for a Ranger grabbed sleep whenever and wherever he could. However, when the stage slowed he was instantly alert.
    "Hey, driver! What're you slowin' for?" he called as he eased his six-gun from its holster.
    "Eastbound stage's comin'," the driver answered. "Wavin' for me to stop. Looks like trouble."
    He pulled the horses to a halt. A moment later, the Abilene-bound stage rolled up and stopped.
    "Hey, Albie, what's wrong?" the westbound driver shouted.
    "Robbers! Bandits! That's what's wrong, Jake. Sons of bitches hit us about a mile back," the eastbound driver answered. "Warned me not to turn back to San Angelo but to keep headin' east."
    Turnbo and Jerrell, along with the other passengers, had climbed out of the coach.
    "They shoot anyone?" Turnbo asked.
    "Nah," Albie answered. "Robbed the passengers of some cash and valuables and rifled through the mail. Jake, I'd bet my hat they're waitin' on you to do the same thing."
    "They ain't gonna get the chance," Jake said. "I'm turnin' around right here. We'll head back to the last way station, spend the night there, then head for San Angelo come daylight."
    "No, you're not, driver," Turnbo said. "You'll get back in your seat and start this stage movin' for San Angelo again."
    "You can't give me orders like that, Mister," Jake snapped.
    "This says I can." Turnbo dug in his shirt pocket and pulled out his badge. "I'm Texas Ranger Sergeant J. S. Turnbo of Company A in El Paso."

This is the 4th West of the Big River novel, fictional tales starring historical characters. Below are some links where you can find this book.

Trade Paperback  Kindle           nook    Smashwords

Review Roundup: Revenge is a Bitter Brew

Ranger’s Revenge
By James J. Griffin
Western Fictioneers Library, March 2013
$0.99 Kindle, ASIN B00BNQJ2G8
195 pages

When a gang of outlaws attacks Texas Ranger Jim Blawcyzk’s wife and son, a dyed-in-the-wool lawman sheds his badge to get revenge. Determined to deliver justice personally this time, he disobeys orders and sets out after the lowlifes, not knowing whether his family will live or die of their wounds. Will he cross the line and become exactly the sort of man he’s always hunted?

First published in 2008 and out of print for several years before Western Fictioneers re-released the book in digital formats, Jim Griffin’s Ranger’s Revenge represents something of a departure for the author. Griffin typically draws a bright line between good and evil, hero and outlaw. In this tale, Blawcyzk — one of the author's recurring characters — wears the mantle of an antihero, and he wears it well. The outlaws wanted him dead; his wife and son were collateral damage. That notion twists a knife deep in Blawcyzk’s soul. Part of him demands the personal satisfaction of avenging his innocent loved ones, yet he can’t quite turn loose of his bone-marrow-deep principles. The conflict tears him up inside and creates a honed edge of tension for most of the book.

While Blawcyzk hunts the outlaws, the Rangers hunt him. He must employ everything he’s learned about both sides of the law just to survive. When partners and old friends come to his aid, he’s burdened with the additional knowledge their careers and lives are in jeopardy, too. Nevertheless, he forges deeper into the bowels of a self-made hell, more conflicted than ever but unwilling to abandon his quest.

Ranger’s Revenge is gritty, action-packed, and full of Griffin’s signature historical detail. For Griffin fans, this is a must-read. For writers, it’s excellent study material. Readers who enjoy classic westerns will find all the tradition they could want between the covers.


Kathleen Rice Adams is a Texan, a voracious reader, a professional journalist, and a novelist in training. She received a review copy of Ranger’s Revenge from the publisher. Her opinions are her own and are neither endorsed nor necessarily supported by Western Fictioneers or individual members of the organization.

Ranger Jim’s Ramblings for July

Since it was too doggone hot and humid, and with enough mosquitoes and deer flies attacking to lift Yankee off the ground and carry him off, I quit riding early today. It’s so sticky and buggy up here in New England right now it’s almost as bad as living in Hades… or Florida, which is pretty much the same thing.

So, since I had to get inside once Yank was settled in the barn with his buddies, out of the sun and away from most of the insects, I figured I might as well do some scattershooting around the world of horses this month. I’m going to toss out a few tidbits which will help make writing about horses a bit more accurate, as well as bring the equines in your stories to life.

First thing I’d like to mention is swimming horses. Yes, once they get used to it, most horses love to swim. I’ve got a couple pictures of Yankee in the pond which show only his ears, eyes, and nostrils. Which brings me to my point. I once read (I kid you not) a passage in a Western novel where a cowboy chose a horse because it “swam high in the water”, so he (the cowboy) could “stay mostly dry”. One of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read. All you have to do is look at a horse to realize “swimming high” is anatomically impossible. When a horse is in water over his head and swimming, most of his body is naturally going to be underwater. You’ll see his head, part of the neck, maybe just the top of the rump, and the tail will be floating.  Which is a good way to have your character save his life if he’s drowning, by the way. Just have him latch onto the horse’s tail and be pulled to safety. Also, when a horse in water reaches solid footing, he usually lunges out of the water. That’s because his front feet hit the bottom before his hinds. So anyone sitting on a swimming horse better hold on tight when they near shore. And be ready to be shaken when the horse decides its time to shake himself off.

Second, a bit of information about horse vision. Horses’ eyes are the second largest of the land animals (no, don’t ask me which has the largest, I forget). Their eyes are set high and to the sides of their heads, so they can see almost 360 degrees. That’s the reason so many draft, carriage, and race horses wear blinders, to keep them from seeing what’s behind them. The only real blind spot a horse has is directly in front of his face. Also, because their eyes are so far apart, and the makeup of their brains, the horse sees the same object separately, and differently, from his right and left side. Therefore, a horse might walk calmly past an object on his right side, but if he’s turned and sees the same object in the same place on his left side, he may shy at it.

While not completely color-blind, horses are indeed partially color-blind. Most things appear to them in muted shades of blues and grays. Reds will look more brownish.

Third, on to the ears. A horse’s ears are probably the most expressive part of his anatomy, and the one a rider should pay the most attention to. (Unless, of course, you happen to be the target of a kick or bite-then move, fast!). Ears pricked sharply forward, especially when the neck and head are held high and the horse is looking ahead, means the horse is interested in or studying something, often out of curiosity, sometimes to see if it’s a threat or predator. One ear forward and one back means he’s listening in all directions, or listening for something ahead while at the same time listening to his rider. That position, or both ears laid slightly back, can also mean the horse is relaxed. However, both ears pinned back flat against the head means you are looking at one angry horse, who’s getting ready to fight to defend himself or a herd mate.

Fourth, the horse’s nasal passages. The horse’s brain is about the size of a grapefruit, so most of the head in front of the cheekbones and above the mouth and jawbone consists of nasal passages. A horse could actually have a hole shot through the nasal passages in the lower part of his head and survive. So you could have your character’s horse hit there and still get him away from any pursuers. However, if you want a character’s horse to get stunned and dropped, but not killed, use the method the old-time mustangers used to capture wild horses. They would aim their rifles carefully and clip the top of a horse’s neck, stunning him for a spell, long enough to rope and tie. I’m certain quite a few horses died from misplaced shots, but it was a method used, so would be valid in your story.

Fifth, a few more random observations. Most of you have probably seen the phrase “standing hip-shot” in a Western. That describes a horse who is standing on three legs, with one of the rear ones hitched up with little or no weight on it. That means two things - the horse is relaxed and content, and is resting one leg. After a while he’ll shift his weight from one rear leg to the other.

Horses can sleep standing up, due to a special function of their joints that locks the legs in place, but contrary to popular opinion they usually sleep just like us, lying down. And horses generally sleep only three to four hours a day. You will see in a herd, or even a pair of horses, that they don’t all sleep at once. At least one horse is awake and upright at almost all times, looking for danger or predators.

Unless you have a real need to do so, don’t have a stallion as a riding horse in your story. Stallions generally were, and are, far more trouble than they are worth as riding horses. Most cowboys, then and now, rode geldings or the occasional mare. Some men just didn’t like riding female horses, (wasn’t masculine enough) and like stallions, mares could sometimes be a lot of trouble. Since geldings are generally interested only in eating and sleeping, they are the best choice for general all-around riding. So keep the stallions for breeding, and the geldings for riding.

If you have an appaloosa in your story, and the story is set anywhere but the Northwest, make sure that appy attracts a lot of attention. Appaloosas were very rare outside of the Northwest US and Canada until well into the 20^th century, so anyone riding one in say, Texas, was bound to be noticed. And never capitalize “appaloosa” or any other breed in your Western, since formal breed organizations, for the most part, didn’t come into being until the mid-1900s.

Ladies, of course, should always ride sidesaddle, although I admit most of the women in my novels ride astride. It would be a scandal in the frontier period for a woman to wear pants and straddle a horse. Even split riding skirts were uncommon and usually frowned upon. Better to have your female character drive a horse and buggy if you want to have her move fast but not be labeled a loose woman.

Horse treats can be carrots, apples (not too many of those, unless you want to kill your horse with colic), biscuits, doughnuts, candy, potatoes, or just about anything you can think of that’s not meat. Watermelon is a favorite treat. And at the risk of repeating myself, in case I’ve already mentioned these, two fun terms to use when describing a horse are “pie-biter” and “biscuit-eater”. These are terms which cowboys used to describe a horse which was spoiled by its rider, and which hung around camp looking for treats.

As far as horse vocalizations, a whole book can be written about those, or at least another whole blog. I’ll save that for another time.

So, when you write your Western novel or story, don’t just have your horses be props. Make them come alive, give them character and personality, have them be a friend and partner to your humans, and you’ll bring a lot more life to your stories. The bond and trust between a horse and rider is one of the most powerful on earth, probably second only to that between spouses or lovers.

Jim