An extract from Wild Bill Williams by Jack Martin

There was nary a frown when Wild Bill Williams was in town. He had a way about his manner that enabled most folks to forget all their troubles and become positively festive. It was said that Bill could start off a dance at a funeral and carve a grin out of the most granite of faces.


He had been born a Welshman; in a village called Gilfach Goch, a name that was unpronounceable to all but himself. But as a young man of fifteen summers, with no compulsion to go and work in the coalmines, those same mines that had aged his father beyond his years, he had had set out in search of adventure and found himself stowed away on a ship making the Atlantic crossing to the United States. He’d landed in New York and after a few aimless years had started out West in search of the future he had in mind for himself.

“Go West, Young Man, and grow up with the country”, The New York Tribune had advised in striking headlines that had filled men such as Bill Williams with optimism for a future on the rugged frontier. It had seemed Bill’s destiny to follow the westward trail. What that destiny was no one, Bill included, knew.

Indeed if Bill had ever known what he had intended to do with his life then he’d long forgotten. And these days he just walked through life happy-go-lucky and faced whatever fate threw at him.

Fate sure did like to interfere with Wild Bill Williams....

Read more at The Tainted Archive

Linford Westerns - July 2012

 Shotgun Messenger by Colin Bainbridge

ISBN: 9781444811643
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 232 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

The outlaws' first mistake was to shoot Rhett Coulter's dog. He wasn't a man to mess with, Norman Roberts and his gang of gunslicks discovered. And when Coulter's friend's ranch, the Block H, is burned down, his woman barely escapes with her life - another reason to put Roberts out of business - quite apart from the little matter of his hoard of stolen bullion. Coulter fights overwhelming odds, while events rapidly draw him towards the final, blistering showdown...

Lonesome Range by Tyler Hatch

ISBN: 9781444811650
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 248 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

He had many names. He was the fastest gun in Texas, Colorado, or just about anywhere. When he was recognized, the challengers would come, guns would blaze and he'd ride away from yet another dead man. Then came the day where he'd killed one too many and the fastest gun had to swap his Colt for a sledge on the rockpile - for ten long years. But a chance for freedom came along, and he grabbed it with both hands...

Trail Of The Hanged Man by Steve Hayes

ISBN: 9781444811667
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 328 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

Haunted by a missing past, Ben Lawless heads for Arizona to start a new life. On the way he provokes Joey Morgan's wrathful vengeance when he prevents him from hanging Sheriff Tishman. Then he helps his neighbour, Ingrid Bjorkman, to fight Stillman Stadtlander, a ruthless cattle baron who wants her land. Lawless will do anything for the beautiful Ingrid. But this deadly conflict will begin a series of perilous events that will lead him to the man who hanged him...

Wyoming Double-cross by J.D. Kincaid

ISBN: 9781444811674
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 224 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

The notorious Blair Wilton and his gang of outlaws plot to raid the bank at Medicine Bow, first sending Chicago confidence trickster Paul Springer to reconnoitre the town. But here, Springer encounters an old acquaintance and suddenly changes his plans. Meanwhile, the outlaws' woes increase when Jack Stone, the famous Kentuckian gunfighter, enters into the fray and goes up against Wilton and his gang. Will it be Stone or Wilton who survives the final, deadly confrontation?

Smoking Barrels by John Ladd

ISBN: 9781444811681
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 224 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

Steve Hardie arrives in Cripple Creek and becomes involved in a scuffle with a bunch of drunken cowpokes. Bravely, he saves the life of the local sheriff, but accidentally kills one of the cowboys. Nobody kills one of Hyram Slade's men and lives, so he rides out of town. Only Hardie's death will satisfy Slade and he quickly leads his hired henchmen in pursuit. And, in a close confrontation with Slade, death beckons Steve. Can he survive another day?

Buzzard Point by Caleb Rand
ISBN: 9781444811698
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 216 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 8.99

After a street shooting in a Texas cow town, Jesse Tripp is forced to flee his family home. Two years later, he makes a reluctant return and finds his father dead and his brother Owen in control of the family's Triple T ranch. Suddenly, Jesse needs to consider his situation. Taking to the hills again isn't an option, so should he fight to retain what's rightfully his? Sparks will fly before the dust settles on the Triple T ranch...

Review of Three Rode Together by Steve Hayes and David Whitehead

Steve Hayes and David Whitehead have written a number of other novels together that have been published by Hale, but this is the first western. Both have had westerns published individually under their own names, and in David Whitehead’s case, under a number of pseudonyms too.

The book is well written, as expected, and moves forwards at a great pace. As well as the three main characters, Jesse, Sam, and Geronimo, there are others that are as equally memorable, Morning Star and Cochise being but two of them...

Read more at Western Fiction Review

Bestsellers on Amazon - 16 July

1. Buck and the Widow Rancher by Carlton Youngblood (29 Feb 2012)

Available for download now £2.74

2. Wild Bill Williams (Black Horse Western) by Jack Martin (31 Oct 2012)

Hardcover Available for pre-order £12.38

3. The Ghosts of Poynter (Black Horse Western) by Amos Carr (30 Jun 2012)

Hardcover  £9.52

4. All Guns Blazing by Doug Thorne (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £3.43

5. Shadow Man by Andrew McBride (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £3.43

6. Trail to Fort Laramie by Jack Edwardes (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £3.43

7. Arkansas Smith (Black Horse Western) by Jack Martin (30 Apr 2012)

Available for download now £3.43

8. Twilight Trail (Black Horse Western) by Lance Howard (31 May 2012)

Hardcover £12.38

9. Last Man in Lazarus (Black Horse Western) by Bill Shields (30 Mar 2012)

Hardcover  £9.94

10. Colorado Kid (Black Horse Western) by Dale Mike Rogers (29 Feb 2012)

Available for download now £2.74

An Interview with Amos Carr

Q. Jill, great to have you here. I don’t know a lot about the western genre, so why don’t you start by telling us about your writing?

A. Well, I will be having two books published this year by the Black Horse Western imprint of Robert Hale. They are both around 50 – 60,000 words in length and should be a good read for any Western fans, old and new. I don’t have an agent, I simply approached Robert Hale directly and to date, getting a contract for my first and second ‘real’ books is my most memorable writing success, a lifetime’s dream come true....

Read more at Nikki Goodman

Review of Trail of the Burned Man by Thomas McNulty

It's been quite a while since I've read a really good, authentic western. So by the time I finished chapter one of Thomas McNulty's Trail of the Burned Man, I knew I was in for one great ride. And this hardcover edition, a "Black Horse Western" from Robert Hale Ltd of London, is absolutely beautiful. Simply outstanding! I wish the publisher would put out sword and sorcery, and fantasy. These books are so cool...!

Read more at The Dowser's Delusions

Review of Gallows Bound by Ben Coady

From what I can gather this is Ben Coady’s twelfth Black Horse Western and it’s the first I’ve read. For roughly the first half of the book Ben Coady only introduces four characters, two being Ryan and Cuskin, the others being one who staggers in only to die moments later, and the final person who has a major role to play in the plot. During this part of the story Ryan has time to reflect on his life and on his untold love for Kate Collins. A message from Kate further into the tale causing him to have to make a difficult decision that could affect his future relationship with her...


Read more at Western Fiction Review

Dales Westerns - July 2012

Montana, Here I Be! by Dan Cushman

ISBN: 9781842629130
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 256 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 15.99

The brawling gold mining camp of American Flag, Montana is organized and controlled by a showboat trick-shot artist named Captain Brass. Brass and his gang of renegades kept the gold and whatever else was worth anything to themselves and killed anyone who got in their way. The Comanche John, the legendary gunfighter, rode into camp and proceeded to take Brass's comfortable little empire apart...
 

 
Loco  by Lee Hoffman

ISBN: 9781842629147
Large Print (Soft Cover) - 240 Pages
Published - 01-07-2012
Genre - Western
Price - £ 15.99

They called him Loco because he was wild and unpredictable in shootouts on both sides of the Rio Grande. He didn't look for trouble - it found him. This time it found him as he fled from Mexico into Texas. He was caught in the middle of a range war between desperate men - and a strong woman who drove him so crazy she made him sane.

Bestsellers on Amazon - 9 July

1. The Ghosts of Poynter (Black Horse Western) by Amos Carr (30 Jun 2012)

Hardcover £9.58

2. All Guns Blazing by Doug Thorne (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £2.74

3. Shadow Man by Andrew McBride (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £3.43

4. Buck and the Widow Rancher by Carlton Youngblood (29 Feb 2012)

Available for download now £2.74

5. Wild Bill Williams (Black Horse Western) by Jack Martin (31 Oct 2012)

Available for pre-order £12.38

6. Trail to Fort Laramie by Jack Edwardes (30 Dec 2011)

Available for download now £3.43

7. Twilight Trail (Black Horse Western) by Lance Howard (31 May 2012)

Hardcover £9.26

8. Arkansas Smith (Black Horse Western) by Jack Martin (30 Apr 2012)

Available for download now £3.43

9. Last Man in Lazarus (Black Horse Western) by Bill Shields (30 Mar 2012)

Hardcover  £9.95

10. Colorado Kid (Black Horse Western) by Dale Mike Rogers (29 Feb 2012)

Available for download now £2.74

Westward Dreams - D M Harrison interview

Author D M Harrison always had the urge to write, but like many of us the duties of a working life tended to cut down on the time devoted to writing, however after taking early retirement Diana, (well what did you think the D stood for? ) found that she now had the time to devote to following her dream. There followed a learning curve which involved various creative writing courses and soon Diana found herself selling short stories to various magazines.


"I've had enough reject slips to paper a whole room (large size) A couple of the books were rejected and I worked on them again and sent the elsewhere and they were accepted. You have to persevere and believe in your own abilities. A writers group is good and reading out loud helps a lot."

Read more at Tainted Archive

Review of The Bloodstained Crossing by Matt Laidlaw

Right from the opening paragraphs Matt Laidlaw grabs his readers attention with questions about the strange events surrounding the wagon of silver ore, and then continues to sink yet more hooks in as people die for, as yet, unknown reasons.

Matt Laidlaw brings together a group of superb characters, both fictional and real, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, the Clantons and more, who might be behind the silver movements and killings. Probity already knows Earp as they worked together as lawmen for a time...

Read more at Western Fiction Review

Bestsellers on Amazon.com - 2 July

1. Arkansas Smith (Black Horse Western) by Jack Martin (Apr 30, 2012)

Auto-delivered wirelessly $5.35

2. Comanche's Revenge (Black Horse Western) by D. M. Harrison (Mar 1, 2012)

Hardcover $22.80

3. Bear Creek (Black Horse Western) by Jack Edwardes (Jan 1, 2011)

Hardcover $26.97

4. Hope's Last Chance (Black Horse Western) by Rob Hill (Jan 1, 2011)

Hardcover  $21.96

5. Outlaw Canyon (Black Horse Western) by Jack Sheriff (Feb 1, 2011)

Hardcover $19.94

6. Trail of the Burned Man (Black Horse Western) by Thomas McNulty (Feb 1, 2010)

Hardcover  $0.54

7. Wind Rider (Black Horse Western) by Thomas McNulty (May 6, 2010)

Hardcover  $0.03

8. The Black Mountain Dutchman (Black Horse Western) by Steve Ritchie (Jan 1, 2011)

Hardcover   $19.93

9. Dead Man's Range (A Black Horse Western) by Paul Durst (Oct 31, 2011)

Auto-delivered wirelessly $4.21

10. The Gallows Gang by I.J Parnham (Dec 30, 2011)

Auto-delivered wirelessly $4.46