American Westerns discussion

Hi guys,
Just joined this group (I didn't even know groups like this existed on this site!) Love westerns and looking forward to getting some good recommendations.
I have also written one myself, it's the first of three, if anyone is interested in checking out something new. 🤠

Humans Are the Ugliest Creatures

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XL9QHWT

Welcome to the group.

I joined the group a while back but I realized I haven't introduced myself. I'm Iasa. Although I have a fervid love of books I only started reading Westerns 9 or 8 years ago.

Iasa wrote: "I joined the group a while back but I realized I haven't introduced myself. I'm Iasa. Although I have a fervid love of books I only started reading Westerns 9 or 8 years ago."

Welcome to the group, been reading Westerns since my teens, with ebooks read in multiple genres now and still enjoy a good Western the best.

I have not read too many Westerns. I've preferred to watch them on occasion via film and in old TV series format. But I have recently begun to read more Westerns. So I thought I just might mosey on over here.

I've tried the big names, Zane Grey, Max Brand, William W. Johnstone, Louis L'Amour, even Stephen King. Robert Coover's Ghost Town was so bad it almost put me off Westerns for good.

But recently I've come to really enjoy some of the lesser known names. Lyle Brandt is a modern author who is unpretentious but always has exciting plots. But my favorite is quickly becoming William Hopson. Last week there were only maybe 20 books of his listed under the name William Hopson, another 10 maybe (some duplicated) listed under William L. Hopson, and their were none listed under his pseudonym John Sims. I put his picture on his page, added a biographical summary, added photos of book covers to some of his books, and collected his works under his best known most frequently used William Hopson name. I'm currently enjoying his Long Ride to Abilene. His masterpiece is supposed to be Cry Viva!; so I have got that on order.

Here's looking forward to making your acquaintances as well as maybe meeting (by reading) some other less well known Western authors.

I'm a relatively new western reader and find that I really prefer the older western authors .

You might try some by Frank Gruber, or TV Olsen to test the waters. I'll go try some of those you mention too. There's a lot of titles, and what a Western reader really needs if a store that stocks vintage paperbacks!

Remember your wild and crazy days? Take a look at “What were you thinking?” a modern western short story by author William S. Hubbartt published in Pigeon Review, a literary and art journal. [For more information, check my GR author page]

“So, what did you do this time?”
“I smiled, with that innocent subtle shrug, my mind evaluating the alternatives, weighing one response over another. My thoughts came a bit slower when I had a hangover….”
Link blow.
What Were You Thinking? (pigeonreview.com)

www.pigeonreview.com/post/what-were-y...

Hi. My name is Barbara Martinez. I haven't written anything in the western genre but my book is heavily influenced by it. I grew up in the golden age of TV westerns. I was pretty sure I'd grow up to be a cowboy. Not a cowgirl. I preferred jeans and seemed like the cowboys were getting to ride all the horses. I spent a high school summer vacation reading nothing but cowboy books. I read The Virginian and The Ox Bow Incident and fell in love with the genre all over again. The Ox Bow Incident remains one of my favorite books. I look forward to adding some new favorites to that list.

A Disloyal Element

Mark wrote: "I am new to the group, and not quite sure how to proceed, but thought I would post about the first book in my Earp trilogy. It has received very kind reviews from the top Earp historians and was re..."

Wyatt Earp was a fascinating character. It sounds like you have done your homework.

Free sampling - two days only- Dec 17-18 - Blazing Guns on the Santa Fe Trail - E- Book on Amazon - A Clint Carrigan Adventure
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...Blazing Guns on the Santa Fe Trail: A Clint Carrigan Adventure

Free sampling - two days only- Dec 17-18- Live and Die by the Gun - 16 exciting short stories - E-book on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...Live and Die by the Gun: An Exciting Collection of Western Short Stories

Hey everybody. I just joined this group and wanted to say hi, and of course throw in a quick plug for my new book "The Devil's Hand" available on Amazon. If you are interested in a fast paced crime drama that involves an evil but charming narcissist, a naive and confused teenage boy, an aging Texas ranger, and about 1000 miles of relentless pursuit from Val Verde Texas to the Sinaloan coast, across the great plateau of central Mexico, through the Sierra Madre Oriental, and back across the Rio Grande yet again, then maybe you might want to check it out.
It takes place in 1903 when the Wild West was at an end, but the wild men who inhabited it were still hanging on. It is told from the perspective of an unnamed newspaper reporter whose luck it was to have been granted an interview with Billy -- the teenage boy in question-- on the eve of his execution. Billy was unknowingly drawn into participating in the crime of the century by a charismatic career criminal, who promised him something he had never had: a strong father figure. But when it all falls to pieces, Billy is left to face the merciless, unyielding hand of justice all alone.

https://tinyurl.com/38kpuyw9
And if you do by chance give it a try please feel free to let me know what you think. Or you can also check out my other titles on Amazon, or just say hi.
And always remember to keep on reading.
M.J. Hayes

Congratulations on your new release and welcome to the group, MJ. I did a give-away on two of my releases. (prior postings above) Good luck. wsh

Have you read “Six Bullet Justice,” the first installment of the Sheriff Clay Holland Adventures?
“Six Bullet Justice,” introduces Clay Holland, a former Texas Ranger and now Sheriff of the west Texas town of Bent Creek in the late 1870s. Clay struggles with his own demons, including the death of his wife Sarah, while singlehandedly fighting to keep the lid on a potential range war between a prominent rancher James Smith and homesteaders in an era when barbed wire is introduced to the prairie. Disputed land access and cattle rustling claims result in shootings and death, while outlaws rob the stage and kill the driver. A circuit judge arrives in town to sort out disputed land claims and sentence a killer. Sheriff Holland must track down the one murderer and confront rancher James Smith, his former Ranger partner, as tensions run high and boil over.
Can Sheriff Clay Holland overcome his personal demons to quell this explosive dispute and bring in the man who killed his wife?
Available locally at Town House Books, St. Charles and Harvey’s Tales, Geneva. Also available on the AuthorDirect store on Etsy and Amazon.


Six Bullet Justice: A Sheriff Clay Holland Adventure

HI guys,

I Just joined this group. (It's great to discover people like me.) Have always love westerns and am looking forward to getting some good recommendations.
I have also written one myself. It's my very first novel, if anyone is interested in checking out something new and exciting for a change. 🤠


Clayton's Revenge


https://www.amazon.com/Claytons-Reven...

It's great to meet you, Andrew. I've written a growing list of books. Everything that I write under the name of B. L. Blankenship is Western Horror. I love your cover art & am going to plug your book book simply because of what it is. My readership/following is growing. If you want to check me out you can do so at:

B. L. Blankenship on FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/GodWalksTheDarkHills

B. L. Blankenship on AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B09SRJTCQX

Greeting fellow Western readers and authors. I am pleased to announce release of “Against Overwhelming Odds.” This western novel Against Overwhelming Oddsis the second saga of the Clint Carrigan Adventures. Clint is a daring and resourceful teamster who works the freight wagons along the Santa Fe Trail in the 1840s. Clint must manage the local freight office to handle cross-country and local freight deliveries while dealing with unscrupulous competing freighters dishonest soldiers, renegade Apache’s, and entitled rancheros. Clint plans to marry local beauty Maria. An expert with his fists, a Patterson Colt five-shot revolver and a Hawken rifle, Clint encounters attacks upon his men and wagons, theft of horses and merchandise, kidnap of new wife Maria, harassment and incarceration by dishonest soldiers.
Can Clint Carrigan prevail against overwhelming odds to build a successful freight business in an area with fierce competitors vying for work? Will Clint and his freighters survive the depredations of renegade warrior tribes? Can he protect new wife Maria from the vengeance of spurned suitor’s family? Subjected to arrest by dishonest soldiers, how will Clint win his freedom?

I already have Blazing Guns on the Santa Fe Trail on my TBR list. I'm anxious to read both! Thanks so much. 😊

Thanks for your note. I welcome your feedback.

By the way, new release Against Overwhelming Odds will be offered as a Goodreads Giveaway starting in two days. Good luck for all who bid.

Three days left on the Goodreads give-away of "Against Overwhelming Odds," This is the second saga of the Clint Carrigan adventures.

639 Good Reads followers entered the give-away for Against Overwhelming Odds, the newest Clint Carrigan western adventure. The system selected the 50 winners who received e-copies yesterday. Thank you all. I appreciate your interest and welcome your feedback, ratings and reviews.Against Overwhelming Odds #westernfiction

Read “A Favor Returned,” a short story by author William S. Hubbartt excerpted from the western novel Against Overwhelming Odds appearing in Frontier Tales Magazine, issue #155, August, 2022, the premier on-line magazine of western stories.
Highlights:
Teamster Clint Carrigan is delivering goods through territory controlled by Jicarrilla Apaches. There he encounters a Puebloan maiden who fears for her life. But during a deadly battle, the maiden disappears. Will they ever cross paths again?
Read-Vote-Tell a Friend. It’s Free. Link follows.
http://frontiertales.com/2022/08Aug/f...

Well, I just joined the group, and impressed with some of the folks who are members. I've loved the stories of the Old and New American West. I have a small library of books on the subject, collect archive photos I find on the web, and have watched more movies and western series on TV than I care to mention. I was a criminal trial attorney and prosecutor before I retired, and am also an author, but my stories are all expressed as narrative poems. I like to say that if Zayne Grey or Louis L'Amour wrote narrative poems instead of western stories as prose -- mine are probably what they would have looked like. Anyway, if you care to take a look, my website [oldwestpoems.com] has a link to the book with some excerpts, and also a couple of links to YouTube videos I've done on a couple of the poems. Just know, I'm new to video editing, so the YouTube stuff is always improving. There's also a page on my website that's up just until Christmas 2022 where you can get the book at cost, including shipping. Also available on Amazon at a higher price. Anyway, thanks for the read. Hope to get to know several or more of you along the way. Marshal

Marshal wrote: "Well, I just joined the group, and impressed with some of the folks who are members. I've loved the stories of the Old and New American West. I have a small library of books on the subject, collect..."

Welcome to the group

thanks for the welcome

Hey there, just purchased my first western on the first after browsing for a few weeks. I picked up William J. Johnstones Riding Shotgun and I’m a little less than 100 pages in. Hopefully you guys have either read this or have some good suggestions for me so I can grow my Western library! Hope y’all are still reading.

try some Zayne Grey or Louis L'Amour. Two of the greatest western writers of all time. oldwestpoems.com

Hi Richard. Check out our Group Bookshelf for some really good suggestions!

Welcome aboard Marshall. Happy reading.

You'll want to read one William W. Johnstone wrote, also check out Charles G. West, Ralph Cotton, Peter Brandvold, Jory Sherman and you'll want to read are several favorite Western Author's of mind.

Hey, everyone -- My name is Zach Hanson. I have been lurking here for a while. I am traditionally a non-fiction writer on my journey out west to hunt and trap, but recently signed a 3-book deal writing historical fiction based around 1800's Idaho history. My first book in the series "The Bone Scraper" was just released this last week!

https://www.amazon.com/Bone-Scraper-A...

Hi everyone!

I love Westerns and American history. I'm excited to read and talk Westerns with y'all.

My debut, Bladestay, comes out this November. Lots of No Country for Old Men/The Departed/True Grit vibes!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Books on history, mainly American History is what I read the most of, use to read a lot of Western. I have read most all of any subject books by Louis L'Amour.

Ray wrote: "Books on history, mainly American History is what I read the most of, use to read a lot of Western. I have read most all of any subject books by Louis L'Amour."

Welcome to the group!

Howdy fellow western readers-writers! I wanted to tell you about my current offer. Sheriff Clay Holland adventure series 4 western stories in three books, offered as a 15% discounted package on my AuthorDirect store on Etsy.com. Top individual seller is Lawman's Justice with Amazon 72 rtgs avg 4.4 and 10 Goodreads rtgs avg 4.05 + 19 reading. Happy trails. Lawman's Justice: A Sheriff Clay Holland Adventure - 2 Novels

For an action-filled short story, read “It’s Done, Sarah.” Check Frontier Tales Magazine. It’s free, online. Then vote for your favorite story. (I hope that you like mine the best. “It’s Done, Sarah is an excerpt from my western book “Six Bullet Justice” available from Amazon. Link follows:
William S. Hubbartt
http://frontiertales.com/2023/12Dec/d...

Hi all,
My name is Jeff and about 16 months ago I decided to start reading books instead of wasting time on my phone. My go-tos are westerns, crimes, and mysteries.
Thanks for having me and happy trails!

Jeff wrote: "Hi all,
My name is Jeff and about 16 months ago I decided to start reading books instead of wasting time on my phone. My go-tos are westerns, crimes, and mysteries.
Thanks for having me and happy t..."

Welcome to the group, Jeff.

Welcome aboard Jeff, I have similar interests as well.

Russell wrote: "Hi everyone,
I'm Russell, never written a book but a very keen reader! I live in Scotland so pretty far out from the subject at hand :)
I decided last year to broaden my reading and try the wester..."

Welcome to the Western genre Russell. I am a huge fan of the Scottish accent, and have tried to render it in writing in a couple of my books, Indigo Heaven, and a new book I am working on (to be published later this year.) If you ever read my books, I hope you won't be too critical of my valiant attempts!

Has anyone read booksby Lee Nelson such as The Storm Testament?

Never heard of the author. Can you post more about him, what the books about and thanks.

Black Hawk Journey Paperback Lee Nelson Brigham Young's Journal The Storm Testament VI: Rockwell (New Cover) Joseph Smith's Journal
Many of his Western novels seem to focus on the West around Utah, or on the LDS/Mormon faith.
I came across his novels and wondered how they were.

I'm not familiar with him - I'll keep an eye out

Jeff wrote: "I'm not familiar with him - I'll keep an eye out"

Thanks.

Historical fiction author. I've taken readers to Woodstock with Goodybe Emiliy, to the bright lights and dark alleys of 1930's New York and Hollywood with my Jake and Laura series and in January I'll take readers to the Wild West in mywWestern legal thriller, Sundownn.

I am a western historian. I have been researching the West for 60 years, and I lecture around the country and write historical fiction. I have a number of westerns that have won a Spur Award, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards, and the 2024 New Mexico - Arizona Book Award. The trilogy is "Wyatt Earp, An American Odyssey" which consists of "The Long Road to Legend", "Born to the Badge," and "A Law Unto Himself." My book that recently won the New Mexico - Arizona Book Award is "A Last Serenade for Billy Bonney," which is on the life of Billy the Kid. I hope you will check out my author page.

Hello,
I'm new to the group. I've been writing for a couple of decades, mostly for other people. Finally, wrote a book for myself. It is on pre-order and due to release June 30th. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7RN9H1B

Mark wrote: "I am a western historian. I have been researching the West for 60 years, and I lecture around the country and write historical fiction. I have a number of westerns that have won a Spur Award, the W..."
Howdy, Mark. If you're a western historian I think you'd really enjoy "The Girl in the Middle" by Martha Sandweiss. It's a well-researched book about the 1868 Peace Commission tasked with making peace with Native Americans. Really, really good. I left a review on my feed.