West of the Big River: The Lawman by James Reasoner

William M. "Bill" Tilghman had one of the most illustrious careers of any Old West lawman, serving as sheriff, town marshal, and deputy United States marshal in some of the toughest places west of the Mississippi. 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 . . .

James Reasoner has been a professional writer for forty years.  In that time, he has authored several hundred novels and short stories in numerous genres. Writing under his own name and various pseudonyms, his novels have garnered praise from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as appearing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.  He lives in a small town in Texas with his wife, award-winning fellow author Livia J. Washburn. His website is http://jamesreasoner.com and he blogs at http://jamesreasoner.blogspot.com.

Center Point recently acquired the large print rights and the first hardback of Western Fictioneers' West of the Big River: The Lawman is now available. The Avenging Angel by Michael Newton, The Artist by Jackson Lowry, and The Ranger by James J. Griffin are already up for pre-order and more will follow. This would be a great series for your local library to pick up.

   

The Western Fictioneers Library Presents JASON EVERS: HIS OWN STORY

Was Jason Evers just a misunderstood youth, a victim of circumstances...or a cold-blooded killer?

Forced to flee his home in Texas after a gunfight that leaves a brutal State Policeman dead, Jason Evers sets off on an odyssey that takes him from one end of the frontier to the other. But wherever he goes, from racing horses to working as a troubleshooter for the railroad to courting the beautiful daughter of a wealthy rancher, trouble seems to follow Jason...trouble that can only be resolved with the Colt .44 he wields with swift, deadly accuracy.

Packed with action, tragedy, and dark humor, this classic tale is told in a compelling narrative voice by Frank Roderus, one of the master storytellers of the Old West. The Western Fictioneers Library is proud to make JASON EVERS: HIS OWN STORY available again.

FRANK RODERUS wrote his first story, a western, at age five, and says he quite literally has never wanted to do anything else. He has been writing fiction full-time since 1980, and was a newspaper reporter before that. As a journalist, he won the Colorado Press Association's highest honor, the Sweepstakes Award, for the Best News Story of 1980. His novel Leaving Kansas (Doubleday, 1983) won the Western Writers of America's Spur Award for Best Western Novel as did Potter's Fields. A life member of the American Quarter Horse Association, he is married and currently resides in Florida.

Sample:
     The other day some sonuvabitch from an Eastern newspaper—I do not remember which one, but then they are all alike anyway—offered me fifty dollars for my life story. A mere fifty dollars, if you can imagine that. I should have thrown him out on the spot, but I was in a reasonably good humor at the time and was already seated with some of the boys from the town, reminiscing with them, and did not see any harm in the newspaperman sitting quiet on the edge of the conversation with his ears open, and that is exactly what I told him he could do.
     What the pipsqueak little son did instead was to begin correcting me when I began talking about the shoot-up with McComb and his crowd of hired assassins down on the Arkansas near what is left of old Bent's Fort. You have heard about that one, I know. Everyone has. The thing is, he had heard about it too, and he set in to telling me what happened that day, me who was the target of those would-be murderers and who was the one who stood alone to face them. What a bunch of bull he had been told. Not only that, but he insisted he was right about it all.
     Naturally I became angry—which does happen at times, I must confess—and I became quite adamant about insisting that he leave, which he did hurriedly and in some discomfort. The other boys seemed to get something of a kick out of his departure, and I gave them the fifty dollars this reporter had left behind. With it we set ourselves up to a carry-in feast of roasted prairie hen and half a dozen bottles of a flavorful burgundy, all of which we enjoyed to the fullest.
     As I have indicated, it was an amusing incident for those who observed it and one with a pleasant aftermath, but after the departure of my guests I began to reflect on what the pipsqueak had said. And I must believe that he fully accepted the supposed truth of what he had to say about the McComb shoot-up and no doubt about other false tales as well. I do not believe that a puny, chinless, round-hatted ninny like that would intentionally vex Jason Evers. And that knowledge has come to bother me.
     I therefore have resolved to set down the whole and complete truth about that and other matters personally observed by me during my lifetime.
     Such a record would be without value if I permitted myself to be less than bluntly, ruthlessly honest in everyevery detail. I intend therefore to pull no punches whatsoever. I shall name names and where necessary shall expose even those in high office to full, public knowledge of their misdemeanors and felonies. As did Caesar, they cast their own die. Let them now live under the weight of Truth.

—Jason Evers

James Reasoner recently reviewed Jason Evers: His Own Story here.

    nook link  Smashwords

Holiday Sale -- West of the Big River: The Artist Only 99 Cents

For one month, the ebook of this amazing western about Charlie Russell will be on sale for only 99 cents. This is a series that does not have to be read in any order, so if you haven't read one of the West of the Big River novels, this is the perfect chance to start.  It has ten 5 star reviews on Amazon.

Before he was a world-famous Western artist, Charles M. "Charlie" Russell was a horse wrangler on a ranch in Montana during the worst winter in that state's history. The danger of freezing to death while riding for the brand isn't the only threat Russell has to face, however. A ruthless band of rustlers is sweeping the range of cattle, and a beautiful but trouble-making rancher's daughter complicates Russell's life even more. He'll need more than his artistic ability to survive this deadly winter!

THE ARTIST is the third volume in the popular West of the Big River series from the Western Fictioneers. Acclaimed author Jackson Lowry spins as entertaining a tale as any of those from Charlie Russell himself in this superb new historical novel.

Sample:

Chapter One

    "Kin I have this here dance?"

    I looked up at about the ugliest galoot I'd ever laid eyes on. He was more a scarecrow than a wrangler, but my opinion formed more because of his shabby clothes, which looked as if he had stripped them from said scarecrow out in some granger's cornfield. The red-and-black checked flannel shirt could have been used as a checkerboard, if you didn't mind the pieces getting greasy while they waited to be jumped around and turned into kings. His voice screeched above the tune the piano player hammered out with less skill than enthusiasm.

    Nobody else in Gus' Watering Hole cared that the piano player missed every other note in The Boogaboo. For my part, I appreciated that he hit that many. In the past he had missed most notes 'til the song about the poor girl fearing a man's parts sounded more like a scalded cat dancing across the keys than a talented musician plying his trade. His voice had been sandpapered down to a hoarse croak easily drowned out by his piano work, which was likely a good thing. But I appreciated his sprightliness.

    "I ain't much the dancin' sort." I watched his face cloud over at the insult. "Not sayin' you ain't my type, mind you, but you'd have to let me lead."

    "Won't do that," he said, hitching up his gun belt, more to show off his brand spanking new .32 caliber Lemon Squeezer than to be menacing. He wore that double action Smith & Wesson high on his right hip in a soft leather holster. Not a shootist but a wrangler like me. Unfortunately I had left my iron back at the bunkhouse. All I had was a knife shoved into the broad rainbow colored nine-foot-long Hudson's Bay sash I wore wrapped around my middle.

    "Aw, go on, Charlie," my partner said, reaching over to nudge me hard. "You jist sit and suck up Gus' tarantula juice scratchin' pitchers into the table. Have yerse'f some fun fer a change."

    Rusty Rawlins brushed away some spilled foam from my beer that had hidden the latest effort I'd made with my knife point in the wood tabletop. Since I had lost my drawing pencil I had to make do with whatever came to hand. His stubby fingers traced over a carved likeness of the best looking whore in town. Or had been in town until a week ago Thursday when she climbed on the stagecoach. Most men in town had lined the streets, hats doffed and heads bowed like they were at a funeral. I was pining for Maggie something fierce myself, but she and most all of the other soiled doves had gone south for the winter because Montana winters could freeze the balls off a brass bull. She had asked me to go along with her, but I couldn't let down Jesse Phillips, the owner of the OH Ranch, who had been so good to me. As much as I longed to share Maggie's bed all winter long, loyalty to Mr. Phillips was greater than lust.

    Ever since I'd got a job riding night herd from Horace Brewster, nothing but wrangling interested me. Well, not like Maggie interested me, but I don't talk about women much, even if I have a way with them. More than one of the whores in the same crib as Maggie showered their affections on me in exchange for a little drawing of them. I always was careful to make sure they showed up in fancy dresses. They liked that. Maggie, well, Maggie I did a few for her naked as a jaybird because she enjoyed showing them to other customers. Truth is, I didn't mind her posing for me like that one little bit.

    But I was a tad ashamed of the etching I'd put into the table.

    The drover who'd asked me to dance leaned over. His mouth fell open and a drop of chaw spattered onto the table. Rusty hastily wiped it away since it had fallen right on Maggie's likeness.

    "You and her, you do that to her? She let you do that to her?" The wrangler moved closer and poked his S&W in my ear, crowding to get a better look. The new gun oil made my nostrils flare.

    "Naw," I said, lying like an Indian rug. I wished I hadn't added the extra details — me — along with the scratching. "Wanted to but never did."

    The wrangler stared hard at me, then stepped back and squared off, like he was fixing on throwing down.

    "You're a liar. And you don't wanna dance with me."

    The piano player had finished butchering The Boogaboo and moved on to the even raunchier The Keyhole in the Door. I'd always appreciated that one, having taken some pleasure myself spying on Maggie when she wasn't wearing even "a sky blue garter."

    "You gonna dance with me? Or are you too consarned good for that, you who's done that with a woman?" He glanced toward the etching in the wood, then he shot a gob of tobacco juice in the direction of Gus' fine cherrywood bar.

    The gob hit the corner and trickled down. I stood and pointed.

    "See that brass turtle on the floor? That there's a cuspidor."

    "What?" He looked confused at the way I'd gone from denying him the pleasure of a dance, our spurs clinking and our boots tromping on one another's toes, to the cuspidor.

    "I designed that brass turtle for Gus." I stepped over, applied the toe of my boot on its tail and the shell stood upright to reveal a right fine spittoon. Gus hadn't bothered cleaning it out in a while, so even the brass was corroding. "You want to dance, you got to act polite."

      

  nook link
Also available on Smashwords

The Western Fictioneers Library Presents Two Novels by Jory Sherman

BUZZARD BAIT

Matt Cord is going to avenge his brother's hanging . . . no matter who he has to kill!

Matt just wants to get his brother Luke, Luke's fiancée, and the herd of cattle to their ranch in Montana Territory. But when old enemies strike at Matt through his family, he takes his .44, his Bowie knife, and his old Hawken rifle and sets out on a vengeance trail that takes him through blizzards, hostile Indians, and deadly ambushes to a final showdown!

BUZZARD BAIT is a classic early novel by the legendary Jory Sherman, dean of living Western authors. Out of print for more than 30 years, it's now available again from the Western Fictioneers Library. Don't miss this action-packed tale from a writer Loren Estleman describes as "an American treasure"!

RED TOMAHAWK

Young Sioux warrior Red Tomahawk and his best friend Curly face the dangers of an increasingly hostile frontier as soldiers and gold-seekers encroach more and more on Oglala and Lakota lands. But neither young man can predict where destiny will take them as the fires of war spread across the plains and Curly becomes the visionary leader of his people known as Crazy Horse! Their fate awaits them in the valley of the Little Big Horn . . .

RED TOMAHAWK is an epic novel of war, friendship, and danger, full of poetic visions and gritty action, a compelling tale spun by living legend and master storyteller Jory Sherman, one of the most honored Western authors of all time. This sweeping saga is a proud addition to the Western Fictioneers Library, which is devoted to making the best classic Western fiction available again for today's readers.

Jory Sherman began his literary career as a poet in San Francisco’s famed North Beach in the late 1950s, during the heyday of the Beat Generation. His poetry and short stories were widely published in literary journals when he began writing commercial fiction. He has won numerous awards for his poetry and prose and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Letters for his novel, Grass Kingdom. He won a Spur Award from Western Writers of America for The Medicine Horn. He has also won a number of awards from the Missouri Writers Guild, and other organizations. Sherman was a book producer, packaging books for many major publishers. His CHILL series of mysteries, published by Pinnacle, appeared in 14 countries. He has published more than 400 books since 1965, more than 1000 articles and 500 short stories. In 1995, Sherman was inducted into the National Writer’s Hall of Fame. Literary critics consider Sherman to be among the top 5 of western writers, according to Dale Walker, historian. Warren French, former professor of literature at the University of Florida, wrote that: “Jory Sherman has a strange and powerful knowledge of language and an almost perfect ear.” Sherman continues to write novels and short stories as well as conduct writing workshops. He received the Western Fictioneers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and is the 2013 recipient of the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature. www.jorysherman.com

Now Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

    

And if you missed it Western Fictioneers also published Jory Sherman's Gun For Hire in May.

Steps of Creating Covers for Western Fictioneers Novels And Ebook Giveaway

The next Western Fictioneers novel to be published will be Jory Sherman's BUZZARD BAIT. I start with the right shape for a cover even if I end up covering it up with a full image.  The color really doesn't matter at this point.  This gives me the shape 6 inches wide and 9 inches tall, which is trade paperback size.

All of the novels published in The Western Fictioneers Library have the same text and logo at the top of the cover.  Colors may vary, however. The black is easy to read on the orange/yellow so that's what I'll start with.

Next I need an image.  I can't find just one picture that fits what I want the cover to say, so I'll add a blend of them. Over at shutterstock.com I bought this image (2847541).  This doesn't feel like a blue book to me, so I took the photo over to a photo editor and played with it.  I painted the blue over with a golden orange. You can find images to buy all over the internet, just search for them on Google. Never use an image that you do not have permission to use.

With the change in color I ended up with this image.

I added the hang rope image to the bottom of the cover.

 

Next I changed the color of the original rectangle to blend with the image.

With a title like BUZZARD BAIT, we have to have a buzzard.  I found this one on Print Shop.  I think it'll look great with the scaffolding.

Is it better to put the author's name on top or the title?  I know there's been a lot of debate on this subject, but honestly I use what I think works best with the image.  I'd rather have the title take two lines than the author's name, so space-wise I decided to put Jory's name on top.

I used akaPosse font for the text.  This font was found just by Googling 'free western fonts'. It's a very visible font, so I think I'll use it on the title, too.

I want to give this a little more of a western feel.  I go looking for a bull skull.  I found the perfect one in a clipped photo, but it requires me to have my disc in the computer and I'm away from home, so I keep looking. I like this one, but I need it clipped.

Fortunately the program I'm using, Print Shop, allows me to hand crop. Adding the skull tells more of the story.

Now I want to add a little text, but the spacing doesn't work that well, so I copy the hanging image and crop the bottom, then copy and paste that section to add a little length to the pole.

This gives me added clear space I needed at the bottom for a little cover copy.

Add a few words to intrigue the reader, and I have a finished cover.

Jory Sherman's BUZZARD BAIT will be featured in tomorrow's Western Fictioneers blog, so be sure and come back.

The following are covers from The Western Fictioneers Library. All are great reads and a bargain at $2.99.  Covers have Amazon links and you'll even find a few are on sale for only 99 cents right now.

One lucky person will get to choose a free ebook from any of The Western Fictioneers Library books, including Jory's newest coming out tomorrow, BUZZARD BAIT. The winner's name will be drawn from the people who comment.

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

Western Fictioneers Presents West of the Big River: The Artist

Before he was a world-famous Western artist, Charles M. "Charlie" Russell was a horse wrangler on a ranch in Montana during the worst winter in that state's history. The danger of freezing to death while riding for the brand isn't the only threat Russell has to face, however. A ruthless band of rustlers is sweeping the range of cattle, and a beautiful but trouble-making rancher's daughter complicates Russell's life even more. He'll need more than his artistic ability to survive this deadly winter!

THE ARTIST is the latest volume in the popular West of the Big River series from the Western Fictioneers. Acclaimed author Jackson Lowry spins as entertaining a tale as any of those from Charlie Russell himself in this superb new historical novel.

Review

Once, Rusty tossed his burnt steak over his shoulder, a coyote ate it and got so almighty sick, the marshal rode out from town and threatened to arrest him for abusin' the wildlife.

How could you not love a book that serves up this kind of prose? It's like Mama putting a dish of strawberry shortcake on your plate, and smothering it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream topped with just the right amount of shaved sweet chocolate.

The story of Charlie Russell is full of adventure, amusing tall tales, and rich with characters who come alive on the pages and work their way into your heart. You can feel the cold of a Montana winter, as well as the camaraderie of the cowboys who fight not only nature, but a gang of cattle rustlers.

Best of all it gives considerable insight into one of the greatest artists whoever put pencil to paper portraying what the real west was like. This is a must read for anyone who loves westerns; and a magnificent addition to Western Fictioneers "West of the Big River". A five star effort for sure.

-- Kit Prate

       nook link
Also available on Smashwords

Amazon's Western Father's Day Sale

Amazon's Father's Day Sale features 7 Westerns by Robert J. Randisi on sale for only $1.99 and Broadway Bounty which is only $2.99 on Kindle, from now until Father's Day.


               

West of the Big River: The Avenging Angel by Michael Newton

Orrin Porter Rockwell is more than just a deputy United States marshal and a deadly gunfighter. He's a member of the Mormon Danites, the group of enforcers known as the Avenging Angels, and he's the personal troubleshooter for Governor Brigham Young. And when Young sends Rockwell to the rough-and-tumble mining town of Tartarus, there'll be plenty of trouble for him to shoot. A group of Mormon miners has vanished, and before Rockwell uncovers the secret of their disappearance he'll face deadly danger from all sides. What his adversaries don't know is just how dangerous the Avenging Angel is . . .

Award-winning author Michael Newton spins an action-packed, historically accurate yarn in THE AVENGING ANGEL, another exciting adventure west of the big river.

nook $2.99   Kindle $2.99   Large Print Trade Paperback $9.99  

                                

West of the Big River The Lawman Review and More

West of the Big River is an exciting new series by the members of Western Fictioneers. These traditional novels feature real people and places in history.

THE LAWMAN Review

It's no secret to most of us that James Reasoner is a fine writer, especially when he's penning traditional Westerns. THE LAWMAN will only add to his already sterling reputation. Based on the life of Deputy United States Marshal Bill Tilghman, this is an action-packed novel, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages until the last word is read. I neglected finishing the rest of my next short story once I started to read THE LAWMAN. Didn't get to bed on time, either, and I really can't afford to miss much sleep. That's how engrossing this book is. THE LAWMAN is another star in the firmament of James Reasoner's work. Get yourself a copy. I highly and enthusiastically recommend THE LAWMAN.

--Jim Griffin
Coming soon:

Award-winning author Michael Newton spins an action-packed, historically accurate yarn in THE AVENGING ANGEL, another exciting adventure west of the big river to be published May 29th.

THE AVENGING ANGEL is a novel based on the life of Orrin Porter Rockwell, religious enforcer, and Deputy United States Marshal.

Michael Newton has published 263 books since 1977, with 19 more scheduled for release from various houses through 2014. His work includes 200 novels (published under his own name and various pen names), plus 82 nonfiction books in the fields of true crime, history and cryptozoology. His history of the Florida Ku Klux Klan (THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE, University Press of Florida) won the Florida Historical Society's Rembert Patrick Award as Best Book in Florida History for 2002. In 2006 the American Library Association chose his ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CRYPTOZOOLOGY (McFarland Publishing) as one of the years 12 Outstanding Reference Books. His novel MANHUNT (written as "Lyle Brandt" for Berkley Books) won the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel in 2010. Newton lives in Indiana with his wife, Heather. Visit him on Facebook or through his Web site at www.michaelnewton.homestead.com.

The Western Fictioneers Library Presents: JUDGE ON THE RUN by Clay More

Wesley Talbot is a respected frontier judge devoted to the law. So why does he adopt the identity of wanted desperado Diamond Jim Chance and go on the run? Why is the ruthless bounty hunter known as The Deacon on a bloodthirsty quest to track down the judge? What dangers lurk in a hidden canyon in the Pintos Mountains? Who is the real mastermind behind a gang of vicious killers? And what secret that leads to a gunpowder-laced showdown lies in the church of a small Mexican village?

The answers to these questions can be found in JUDGE ON THE RUN, the action-packed novel that's the latest release from acclaimed author Clay More and the Western Fictioneers Library. Previously published as a Black Horse Western by Robert Hale, this newly revised edition is full of excitement and thrills.

Keith Souter aka Clay More

Review:

JUDGE ON THE RUN is another fine action Western from Keith Souter writing as Clay More. Judge Wesley Talbot is a respected frontier jurist, but when a gang of outlaws raids the town where Wes is stopping over and kidnaps two women, he has to take desperate measures to deliver justice and rescue the prisoners. Complicating matters is the presence of a ruthless bounty hunter known as The Deacon who is on Wes's trail seeking revenge for his brother, who was hanged after being convicted of rape and robbery in Wes's court.

Souter really piles the troubles on his protagonist in this novel and keeps the pressure on with a series of gritty, well-paced action scenes, one of which is a brutal fight between two men in a pit that's very effective. He throws in some nice twists in the plot, including a final one that leads to a dramatic showdown in the church of a Mexican village and a satisfying conclusion.

I'm glad the Western Fictioneers Library has brought out a new edition of JUDGE ON THE RUN, because I probably never would have had the chance to read it otherwise. And I'm looking forward to reading more from Keith Souter.

--James Reasoner

Author of Rivers of Gold

  Barnes & Nobles Nook Link

The Western Fictioneers Presents: RANGER'S REVENGE by James J. Griffin

James J. Griffin brings back Texas Ranger Jim Blawcyzk in this book. Blawcyzk isn’t really working for the Texas Rangers this time, though. In fact, he winds up on the wrong side of the law with the Rangers after him for part of the book, because he takes off his badge and goes off on his own 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.

Reviews:

Tough, gritty, poignant, and packed with action and emotion, Ranger's Revenge is James J. Griffin's best novel so far.  The return of Texas Ranger Jim Blawcyzk is always welcome and he's in top form in this yarn that finds him tracking down the outlaws who attacked his family.  Highly recommended for Western Fans and anyone who enjoys an exciting, well written story.

--James Reasoner, Author of the Wind River series, and numerous others.

Once again Jim Griffin has spun a tale of action and valor that will keep you riveted until the last word is read.  Another true adventure of Ranger lore that gets better with each book.

--Texas ranger Sergeant Jim Huggins of Company F

Jim Griffin knows his stuff when it comes to the Texas Rangers.  Ranger's Revenge is the best Jim Blawcyzk tale yet.

--Lee Pierce, Author of Rough Justice

  Barnes & Noble Link

WELCOME TO WOLF CREEK

It’s time to let the cat out of the bag.

We stalwart guardians of literary excellence here at Western Fictioneers have been cooking up a secret for readers, for months now. We’ve dropped a hint here and there, but given few real details. Now we are unveiling our project, and there is no more need for our members to keep mum.

WF is producing a new series of western novels, under the umbrella title Wolf Creek. The series gets its name from its setting, the fictional 1870s town of Wolf Creek, Kansas. The first installment, Bloody Trail, will be released on September 1, with a new volume to follow every three or four months.

Well and good, you say. But there are plenty of western series out there, some of them darn good. What sets this one apart?

We can honestly say, Wolf Creek is not like any western series you have ever read. Every WF author involved in the project has created one or two “main characters” from whose perspective they will write, making this a large ensemble effort. This type of venture has been tried before in other genres –especially in “shared universe” science fiction series, the most successful of which was the 1980s Thieves’ World books. But it has not, to our knowledge, been tried with a western –and certainly not on this scale, or in this particular manner.

Our series is not going to be comprised of anthologies, like those sci-fi series were; our books will be collaborative novels. Each one will feature five or six authors, who will write chapters framed around their specific characters (some of whom are very much good guys –and some of whom are very much not.)

The idea for this series came about last fall, when we were tossing around ideas about what our next WF anthology could be. Someone suggested a collaborative novel, and from there we thought: why not make it a whole series of collaborative novels? Since then, however, I have realized that the earliest seeds were planted at our very first WF organizing meeting, in Knoxville in 2010. Several of us were discussing the popular western video game Red Dead: Redemption, and how we might go about pitching an idea to publishers about an anthology of short stories set in that universe. That idea never got off the ground, but we have come up with something better. We have created our own fictional world, that we can all play in –at the same time! And believe me, we have some exciting, action-filled stories coming up for you.

While we are all awaiting the actual release of volume one, we have prepared a special Wolf Creek website where you can get some details about our town and the people in it, and find news about upcoming volumes. You can find it here:  http://wolfcreekkansas.yolasite.com/

You’re going to love this.

Troy D. Smith

Department of History
Tennessee Tech University 

Review of Larry D. Sweazy's The Badger's Revenge

SWEAZY, LARRY D. The Badger’s Revenge. Berkley Publishing. Softcover, 320 pps., $6.99. ISBN 9780425240489.


The third book in Sweazy’s Josiah Wolfe, Texas Ranger series, The Badger’s Revenge, is aptly titled, as the book serves up that cold dish left, right, and center. It also whips up a mess of guns, heat, trail dust, Texas Rangers, Comanche Indians, and people stuck in hard-luck lives, doing their best with the cards they’ve been dealt. This time out, Josiah Wolfe has a price on his head. He is dogged by two Comanche scouts, a murderous Irishman nicknamed The Badger, and the whiff of something—or someone—unseen and dangerous.

It’s a pleasure for me to sink back into the dusty, dangerous, and complex world of everyman Josiah Wolfe. His rich inner monologues, his self-doubts, and his moments of emotional vulnerability counter the convictions that form who he is and what he stands for. But in The Badger’s Revenge, that rigid moral core threatens to fill him completely.

As with all of Sweazy’s characters, Wolfe is refreshingly human. Even the bad guys aren’t wholly bad, they’re driven by understandable, if unacceptable, impulses. Wolfe is still plagued by a bloody war and the brutal deaths of his wife and daughters. His young son is a constant reminder of what should have been, and his trying friendship with Scrap Elliott hints at something unknown, but looming.

The Badger’s Revenge is a richly layered story that offers twists and turns that dare the reader to speculate who is guilty and why. There is blood, killing, deceit, anger, mistrust, and betrayal and, in the midst of it, Josiah Wolfe does his best to keep it all at arm’s length as he tries to make sense of the mayhem, even as bullets whistle by his ears. My only complaint is that since I have grown so fond of these characters and Sweazy’s artful unfolding of their predicaments, I have to wait for the fourth book before I find out what happens next.

—Matthew P. Mayo

Strongheart by Don Bendell

Don Bendell had been writing mystery/thrillers until his editor mentioned that he might go back to Westerns. It seems the recent success of the remake of “True Grit” has brought sales back again for novels of the American West. 

  

Synopsis

A son of both Lakota and white worlds, Joshua Strongheart has two prized possessions--his father's Bowie knife and his stepfather's Colt .45 Peacemaker, entrusted to him by his dying mother.

In the Colorado Rockies, Strongheart falls prey to the cold-blooded McMahon brothers who steal his pistol and knife.  The brothers are unaware that hidden inside Josh’s money belt are crucial War Department documents, signed by the President, ordering a fair trial for Captain Jack, Chief of the Modoc tribe.  Josh must recover both his birthrights and the secret papers before violence erupts across the West.

  Excerpt from Strongheart

“Joshua stared into the eyes of Long Legs and the tall man got very nervous. He could see this man was trouble, wounded or not.

Westbrook said, “You’re barely able ta stand partner. Drop the hogleg, an I’ll let ya live.”

“Mister, you’ll never touch that woman while there is breath in my body,” Joshua said, “You gonna start the ball or are you gonna talk me to death?”

He saw the ears on Westbrook’s magnificent paint horse shoot forward honing in on something coming down the stage coach road behind him. He figured the gang came back and was slowly moving up behind him.

Joshua made a decision, he fired, fanned the hammer back and fired again, and saw a large stain of crimson in the center of Long Leg’s chest as he fell back dropping his gun. Joshua immediately went to the ground rolling to his right toward the bloody corpse of Chancy, but on his way down he felt a bullet slam into the back of his left shoulder which spun him. He crawled forward quickly to Chancy’s body and drew his gun and spun around, as another bullet slammed into his right thigh. He saw both Stumpy Shaw and Slim Dyer. One held a Winchester and the other a six-shooter.

Instead of firing wildly Joshua knew he had to save the woman no matter how many bullets hit him. He forced himself to stand and fired first at Dyer, the rifleman, and hit him in the right hip, and then a second shot hit Dyer right on the face tearing his lower jaw off. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell back dead.

Stumpy Shaw looked over and was terrorized by the sight of his dead riding partner, and he fired as quickly as he could, one bullet hitting Joshua in the upper left arm. Joshua pointed, aimed, fired, and the bullet hit Shaw in the right cheek, breaking the cheekbone and tearing the man’s ear off. Strongheart limped forward fanning the hammer back to a cocked position, and he squeezed a shot from the hip which hit Shaw’s upper torso center mass.

The outlaw thought to himself. “I’m dead,” and that was his last thought as his back slammed into the rocks.

Now, Joshua turned, and barely able to walk, started towards Long Legs. Annabelle ran forward, tears streaming, “Oh Mr. Strongheart. You have been shot over and over.”

He grinned, “They are just little holes in me. Don’t worry.”

Then he fell forward into her arms in a faint. His weight took both of them to the ground. She tried to lower him as gently as she could while falling with him on top of her. He opened his eyes, and was an inch from her face. They stared briefly into each other’s eyes, and he smiled.

“Annabelle,” he teased, “We just met.”

He stood, and she grinning, jumped up, helping him raise up on wobbly legs. She immediately started tearing shreds from her petticoat and started bandaging his wounds. Joshua smiling pushed her aside.”

Author Bio

Don Bendell is the top-selling author of 25 books, a television pilot, and a feature film, with over 2 and a half million copies of his books in print worldwide. He is also a producer, director, actor, stuntman, cowboy, poet, and speaker. Skilled in tracking, the former US Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer, big game guide, and bow hunter, is often called upon, and has had success in, searching for missing hikers, hunters, prized animals, and fugitives.

Don is a 1995 inductee into the International Karate Hall of Fame and 1996 inductee into the Martial Arts Museum of America.  He owns and operates two karate schools in southern Colorado. He has served on the National Advisory Board of the American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts along with such notables as Burt Reynolds, Wayne Newton, Will Sampson, and Jonathan Winters. In 2007, Don was honored in a speech by US Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson along with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.  He has worked extensively with Vietnamese Montagnard refugees and on Montagnard issues and has also been listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and WHO'S WHO IN ENTERTAINMENT since 1992. Don is Past President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Special Forces Ass'n where he is a Life member, is a member of the Special Operations Ass'n, Life member of VFW, American Legion, Life member of DAV, and is a Disabled Vietnam veteran. A former member of the International Platform Ass'n, and is a member of the Western Writers of America, where he was nominated for Spur Awards for 4 of his 10 Western novels. He is also a member of the Military Writers Society of America.

Don was appointed to the Colorado Governor's Council on Physical Fitness by former Governor Bill Owens and reappointed to the Council by current Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. Don has also testified for the Colorado Legislature on a bill about Search and Rescue and another bill Don had first suggested to Representative Tom Massey about economic and other incentives to attract film and TV producers to Colorado. Both bills were passed and made into state law.

A graduate of Colorado Christian University with a degree in Business, Don is currently in graduate school at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix pursuing a Master of Science in Leadership. Don is the father of 6 grown children and grandfather of 8. Don rides a big pinto National Showhorse named Eagle, and he and wife Shirley own the Strongheart Ranch south of Florence, Colorado. Don is currently writing westerns after publishing several military thrillers through Berkley Books (Penguin Group-USA) and is represented by the John Talbot Agency, Inc.

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