“Ruthless Angels” From Jack And Judy Bonham: Spotlight On A Brand New Hit Western Novel!

This second interview with Jack and Judy Bonham takes place at an unspecified time and place. The subject? Their new novel, “Ruthless Angels.” Its direction? Onto the bestseller charts. This is a Western novel you may want to grab—and grab quickly so that you can say you were one of the first to discover their incredible talent.

How would you describe your new Western, “Ruthless Angels“?

Jack has always thought of the breadth and scope of this novel to mirror the sweeping storyline of Lonesome Dove, and with its historicity, it mirrors the 1960’s movie with Jimmy Stewart, How the West Was Won. Ultimately, it is the story of three sisters who do not kowtow to the way women were supposed to act in the 19th century. Women have always been free; it was simply up to them to take the initiative and move into their freedom. Ruthless Angels is the story of three sisters who had no trouble doing just that!

How did the writing process unfold for this book?

As usual for Jack & Judy, it all began with a dream. That’s right, this was a dream before it became reality, but if you think about it, all of creation was once a thought, even in the mind of God the Father before it was made real. God spoke reality into being. Read your Genesis and see. And God said let there be light and there was light. So, from the beginning, God the Father was a storyteller. He was telling the story of creation and as he told it, it came into being. All you Western writers out there know exactly how God felt. It’s an amazing process to think of something and then see it come into being. With writing, it becomes reality each and every time a person picks up the book and begins. The words create images in their minds and we’re off to the races.  Judy writes down her dream, and we begin from there. I get the research done, which means looking at what happened along the way – the routes that each of the sisters took from Montana back to San Francisco. Jack’s read books where the history is bent to fit the characters, but he prefers to bend the characters and leave history as it happened. He writes each day, and Judy comes behind him and reads what he’s offered. Many times, what he’s put down is not accepted and she changes things to better fit her dream. Jack is in complete compliance with that. Judy and Jack know that they are about God’s business, so they try not to get in each other’s way, or in the way of the Holy Spirit that began the whole process.

How do you feel readers will react to this new novel?

Judy and I both hope that readers will fall in love with strong women characters who do more than complain about their lives, they actually do something to change how their lives are turning out. Jack originally entitled this work Three Sisters, and it was in imitation of Anton Chekhov’s play by that same title. What he didn’t like about the existential angst in the play was that the three sisters in the Russian play could not find a way to get what they wanted. They all wanted to go back to Moscow, but they never got there – a lot of talk and very little action. Americans do things differently. We don’t just talk about living, we LIVE! These three sisters know what they have to do, and they never, ever balk at the tasks at hand. Jack & Judy both feel that female readers will welcome the chance to be engaged with women who aren’t weeping over their so-called conditions, but women who are willing and able to act out in their lives so that their reality changes.

Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?

As stated above, nearly all our Westerns are dreams that God the Father gives to Judy. As a matter of fact, just this weekend, Judy had another dream, and soon we will begin a Western that takes place just as the Civil War is coming to a close. That being said, there is the daily inspiration that Judy and Jack get from constantly story-conferencing. We might just be going into town from up on the hill and one of us will say something about a story we’re writing, and the next thing you know we have discovered more about our characters, and more about exactly where the plot is taking them. Plus, you can never discount the characters. Many times, Jack has had characters do things that were totally unexpected. When push comes to shove, trust your characters to know more about themselves than you do. Be receptive to the world around you and it will reward you with tangents and off-shoots, which normally you would not have expected.

How long did it take to write “Ruthless Angels”?

We’ve been working on Ruthless Angels for the past three years. It was a labour of love. Jack had books checked out that showed the overland routes of the stage coaches, which coaches from which companies went where. Also, Jack researched the paddle wheel travel in the northwest and how it was used by those who lived there. Making history a part of a novel does not disrespect history because they give what’s due to the historical events and weave their characters into those events.

How did the story change from the initial inspiration to the finished product?

You’ve seen pictures of yourself as a baby I’m sure. Now, take a look at a recent photo of yourself. This is how much the initial inspiration for the story differs from the completed novel. Inspiration is a baby that must be nurtured and fed. Grown up stories/novels are the product of a good up-bringing and plenty of food for thought.

How did you handle the development of the characters?

Most of the time, Judy and Jack let the characters help them along the way. In Christianity there is the still small voice of God. Well, in storytelling there are the still, small voices of the characters. One must be attuned to these voices and hear what the characters have to say about themselves. We do not outline, EVER! We let the story take us on the initial adventure. In fact, Judy & Jack have the most fun when the story is unfolding, when it is fresh and new.

Do you foresee a sequel to “Ruthless Angels”?

Could readers once again be called upon to read a second book in a series? It is unlikely that there will be a sequel to Ruthless Angels. We have discussed several of the characters and what could happen to them once that particular tale had ended, and Jack has an idea that the Anglican priest, Father Ned Papers, could have an adventure there in the city by the bay, but we shall see. Mostly, when a novel develops from a dream, it seems the novel revealed is complete, start to finish.

Where do you think the Western genre is heading?

Jack & Judy both know that the Western as an art form is anything but finished. Jack was talking to a man in a saddle shop the other day. He was selling all his William Johnstone books for a dollar a piece. After buying several copies, Jack asked the man why he was getting rid of the novels. “Well,” he said, “it’s the same story over and over again. A person is wronged and the good guy goes around killing all those who were in the wrong. End of story.” Jack thought about that for a while and realized that in a good Western, that is not exactly the case. Jack & Judy believe that in a well-thought out Western, there could be tangents that excite the reader and make them think about things. They both believe that there are Westerns, then there are thinking people’s Westerns. In an article written for Round-Up Magazine, the magazine of the Western Writers of America, in the August 2018 edition, Win Blevins wrote an article entitled The Unwritten West. Judy & Jack believe that this article spells out where the modern Western novel is headed. To quote Mr. Blevins, “Bottom line: Let’s broaden and write about the big, full West as it was lived and breathed – blaze new trails in the West that have not yet been written.”

Why do you think Western readers will enjoy “Ruthless Angels”?

What’s the hook? The hook is easy: Three ‘helpless’ women take saddlebags full of gold back to their home in San Francisco. They are followed by the two hombres who shot up the miner that willed them the gold. Will they make it or will evil win?

Sisters, Ruthie, Elizabeth, and Sally Jo were ripped from their posh San Francisco mansion and transported to wild Montana only to be left orphaned when their parents are killed by Indians. Then, a stranger who had been mortally shot rode up to their rustic cabin and bequeathed his findings from his gold claim to them before succumbing to his injuries. The girls disposed of the body just shortly before the killers rode in. The girls told the outlaws that the man had rode through, watered his horse and left. After the men were run off, the sisters decided to high-tail it back to San Francisco with their found money, but not wanting the bad guys to get all of the gold if they were to catch up to them, the sisters split up to meet back in San Francisco.

After many months of travel and many trials and tribulations, all three sisters make it to San Francisco and attempt to begin a new life. But as fate would have it, Ruthie, the middle sister kills a man in self-defense, but the man turns out to be the son of one of the most prominent men in California. Now she stands accused of murder and the only thing that can save her are the journals her mother kept, which implicated the father of the dead man in an insurance fraud scheme.

Love and intrigue abound when the Phillips Sisters set their sights on a target. Grab your copy today by clicking here.

Texan, Westerns: The Watts Way! A Brand New Release From David Watts!

From one of the most popular Western authors of today come the stories of the Old West that make up “Bring Me Back To Texas” These are tales of the gunfighters, the marshals, the ranchers and the cowboys who made America what it is today.

Ride along as this collection takes you across America—with tales you just won’t be able to put down!

Roll along, draw your gun and fire by grabbing this book today by clicking here!

Fred Staff Scores A Major Movie, And A Brand New Hit Western Series!

Could things be going any better for Western author Fred Staff? His hot, hot, hot series of books are being made into a major motion picture. Yes, you heard me! A movie! You know… those things you go to a movie theatre to see. “Hell On The Border” is a brand new Western motion-picture based on the legendary exploits of Bass Reeves, as written by F Staff. I don’t think anyone could ask for more than to have a movie made out of their books. A movie with Hollywood favorites such as Ron Perlman. It’s a gas for Fred Staff right now.

A New Breed Of Douglas Cobb: Gunshots on Hell’s Border Revisited

Love Westerns? Have you tried “Gunshots on Hell’s Border” from Douglas R. Cobb?

Matt “The Boot Collector” Hardy leads an interesting life as a bounty hunter in the territory surrounding the wild town of Fort Smith, Arkansas, otherwise known as “Hell’s Border.” Living by his own rules, he always gets his men, more often dead than alive, ridding the area of the meanest outlaws, and adding their boots to his collection of trophies. A family man at heart, when he isn’t hunting outlaws, he lives peacefully with his wife and son on his farm across the river from Hell’s Border. Everything changes, however, when evil crosses that border and invades his family.

This revised Cobb adventure is now heading to Amazon. Just grab it– for the best Western enterainment your buck can buy!

Western Veteran Cherokee Parks Racing Up The Bestseller Charts For The Second Year Running!

A brand new action-packed Western novel collection from “Hard Ride To Cora” bestseller Cherokee Parks. This is the Old West… Parks style! Three great Western novels—one huge adventure! 

Colt’s Justice: Chasing a Shadow – Book One

Parks expands on the life of Colt Raines, a Confederate veteran trained in the art of dealing death that all began with the short story Colt’s Justice: Almost Home. Although now a peaceful rancher with a small place in East Texas, his skills and sense of right and wrong are still in high demand, which brings Jacques Devereaux in search of those services. Devereaux’s daughter and grandson are in trouble, held for ransom by a vicious killer, the leader of a band of men like him who have been gathered for the sole purpose of robbing trains and banks, and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.

As Colt takes on the job, he begins his pursuit where the criminal was last seen, Abilene, Kansas. Always seeming to be a step behind, Colt chases him into Colorado, New Mexico, back across Colorado to Wyoming, and finally to Lincoln, Nebraska. Colt manages to free the daughter and grandson and get them to apparent safety, but that is only the beginning of the fight to save them. The closer Colt gets to his quarry, the more bodies begin pile up, both friend and foe, until he finally manages to injure the elusive pariah and slow his movements. Still, the villain manages to escape once again, again leaving bodies in his wake. But his escape is only momentary, as Colt Raines, the relentless pursuer, ends his reign of terror on the plains of the Old West.

Colt’s Justice: Blood Along The Dove Creek – Book Two

In Cherokee Parks’ second book in the Colt’s Justice series, Parks expands further on the life of Colt Raines, a Confederate veteran trained in the art of dealing death that all began with the short story Colt’s Justice: Almost Home. Although now a peaceful rancher with a wife and children, and small place in East Texas, his skills and sense of right and wrong are still in high demand, bringing yet another individual in need of his unique talents. A one-time outlaw who turned to the ministry, thanks to a bullet from Colt’s Sharps rifle, comes seeking help for his entire congregation. Recommendations from friends in the San Angelo area prompt Colt to finally accept the request. Another friend, bounty hunter Bill Carson, decides to delay away his hunt for lawbreakers and include himself in this fight for justice.

Colt’s Justice: The Death Ride – Book Three

In Cherokee Parks’ third book of the Colt’s Justice series, The Death Ride, Parks takes Colt Raines, the Confederate veteran trained in the art of dealing death, on a journey to the mountains of Northern Wyoming and Southern Montana Territories. Leaving his peaceful ranch, and his loving wife and children, makes it harder than ever to do, but his sense of right and wrong compel him to take on another job in an attempt to stop rustlers from picking Wyoming ranchers blind. The request for aid is brought to his door by a man who falls dead at his door. Within the next few days, before Colt can even decide to accept the job, another man comes to kill him, but is thwarted by his new ranch hand. That attempt seals Colt’s decision, and he starts preparations to leave.

About the Author – Little is known about this reclusive Texas writer. What is known is that he spins an excellent story, that he is a cowboy who still believes in, and lives by, the Code of the West, and that he has traveled the West extensively. Beyond that, he remains a mystery. Look for other stories by this very talented Western author such as Willy Rode Alone, Pinto’s Run, Hard Ride to Cora, Colt’s Justice: Chasing a Shadow, Colt’s Justice: Blood Along Dove Creek and others as well as upcoming releases.

 

 

 

New Western Hits From Michael Haden, Jim Burnett, Cherokee Parks And Charles Ray!

Brand new hits from some of the biggest Western names for January. Have you tried all of these great Western novels? Tuck yourself up by the fire, and enjoy some great, great action-packed yarns!

Red Hot, And Western: The Jacob Blade: Vigilante Western Adventure Series

Have you seen these two great releases from Charles Ray? The first two books in the “The Jacob Blade: Vigilante Western Adventure Series” are now available for readers who enjoy GREAT Western adventures written by a fine, fine author.

 

Jacob Blade, as drawn by Charles Ray, for his new series “Jacob Blade: Vigilante.”

Jacob Blade—a man with a vengeance. A man with a gun, a steady aim—the steel will to fire his weapon and end a life. A man who hunts down those who have crossed him and kills them with a cool, steely glare. A man with no desire except for revenge and justice. This is the man you will be reading about. This is the book you are currently holding.

Vengeance. He swore it. His gun will make sure of it. His resolve. His will. Blade—a man with killing on his mind. This is the latest rip-roaring Western adventure from Charles Ray, the bestselling Western author. This is the first book in a new series that will blow criminals away, avenge those who have been crossed and bring justice to the Old West.

Grab your copy of this great new Western adventure today—for a journey that will lead one man to the very ends of civilization to bring justice to his heart.

The second book in the bestselling “Jacob Blade: Vigilante Western Adventure Series.”

After avenging the murder of his parents, half-breed Jacob Blade decides he can never go back to the simple life of a farmer; he has seen so many others suffer, so much evil, he’s determined to wipe out as much of it as he can. He arrives in the little town of Loblolly just after a gang of outlaws have cleaned out its bank and killed several of its citizens. This senseless violence upsets him, but when he meets two young people whose parents were gunned down before their eyes, he gets angry, and decides he has chosen the right calling: he will rid the world of evil, one outlaw at a time. His search takes him to a hidden valley in New Mexico Territory’s Sangre de Christo Mountains, where he faces twelve outlaws with just a teenager whose brother the same outlaws killed in another bank robbery, and an old miner who is given to flowery, almost incomprehensible monologues. The odds are against him, but Jacob Blade is not one to back down. He will either succeed in his mission, or die trying.

Grab your copy today!

“Timber” Bestseller Robert Hanlon Explains Why It Was Worth Wading Through Those Lean, Hard Days Before Success Hit His Novels!

It’s been several months since Robert Hanlon sat down for an interview. This one was conducted on Thursday, 10th January. Hanlon, an older gentleman with a style of writing readers now seem to love, has just finished working on the ninth Timber novel, with the eighth released to the reading public last week. Robert Hanlon has been one of the top selling Western authors for months now, but in this interview, he talks about the time before he was a success—back when he was writing and praying that readers would pick up his books. Let’s see what “Bob,” as he likes folks to call him, has to say. Before we start though. You can download your copy of his latest “Timber” book by clicking here.

Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Bob.

It’s my pleasure.

Bob, let me ask you—how does it feel to have had such success in 2018 with your Timber series?

Well, early on, I learned to take the rough with the smooth. It’s all very well and good to crow about the great success you are currently having, but what about the lean years that came before? I have had a few years of success with books, but it took time and concentration to get to that stage. I still remember when I wasn’t selling all that hot. It wasn’t fun, but it prepared me for the success I’m having now.

There was a time before you were selling well?

Yes, absolutely! My first sixteen Westerns were all duds. Complete flops. Then came a few hits followed by the Timber series which, of course, sold the back catalogue. All those books readers didn’t want to read years ago suddenly got read.

So, what would your advice be to Western authors who aren’t selling all that well?

Hang on and wait your turn. Sometimes it takes a certain book to make the whole bonfire go up in flames. For example, the first book in the Timber series took about three months to take off. During that time, I was wondering if readers would ever see value in the work I was doing. Then, all of a sudden, we released number two, and WHAM, it’s a smash! Eight books later, I have been blessed with the great success that only faith and consistency can bring.

What made all the difference?

Well, I’d had a few minor successes with books like “Texas Gunfighter” and stuff like that. But it was hit and miss. My publicist outlined a series—a full series with this character Timber. Timber would go from place to place killing and cleaning up crime-ridden towns. He outlined four, and we are now at number eight. Each one has been a smash hit.

What do you think made the series such a success?

Promotion to get folks looking at the cover, I’d say. Then good, easy-to-read writing to get them reading what’s between the front cover and back cover. Plenty of action to keep people motivated to read on. Nothing political—everything entertainment. There are too many political Westerns in my humble opinion.

So, you planned a series that was easy to read?

Pretty much. It’s a simplistic series filled with entertainment. The writing isn’t simple—I just mean to say that the series IS what it says it is: a gunfighter with conviction who cleans up the crime-ridden towns of the Old West.

Do you think a story like Timber would translate to readers outside of the Western genre?

Absolutely. That’s what we hope to do with the movie. We want to reach readers who don’t even know they like Westerns. We want people to sit down and read for entertainment. There’s nothing heavy or philosophical about Timber. He’s just a man who has a conviction to fight crime. This storyline isn’t far off some of the great TV shows of today. But it will take the means of a movie to truly convey this to that wider segment of the public.

Interesting. What happens in the eighth Timber novel?

Let me just read the blurb. Easier than me trying to make something different up over the telephone. “Marshal Jake Timber, on the hunt for yet another wanted man in Wyoming territory, finds himself in the town of Peerless. His man isn’t there, but Timber finds a greedy cattle baron by the name of Donavan Davis, who has been wreaking havoc and terror on the local small ranchers, endeavoring to amass a cattle empire all his own. It wasn’t his original assignment, but can Timber root out the devious plot and all the players in this wicked game and bring peace to Peerless?”

Basically, Timber ends up in Peerless and decides to clean the place up.

I’m sure readers will love this new entry into the popular series…

My hope is that they get a kick out of it during these dreary winter months. It can be hard to get out of bed when you wake up to a sky as dark as the one you went to sleep with. Hopefully this book will give them a bit of an adrenaline boost—a kick up the rear end to go out with a smile on their face and conviction in their heart.

(laughs) You are something of a recluse. How do you spend your days?

You’re going to give people the wrong impression. I’m not a recluse—not like dear Howard, anyway. [referring to Howard Hughes] I don’t have tissue boxes covering my gigantic toenails. I’m just not interested in email, social media or any of that junk. I don’t really want to deal with it all. I did my years of work, and that was enough for me. Now I like to fish, sit on my porch and enjoy a few cigars while I write about the Old West. Nothing more than that. It’s an easy life for someone who was never all that social anyway.

Before I let you go—what would your advice be to a new Western author?

Don’t enter this business with any preconceived notions. I thought my first book would be a major seller. It wasn’t. It took a series of books, over time, to make me a success even with publicity. Once you become a success, don’t expect it to continue forever. I’ve had fleeting moments of success before Timber but those vanished. I didn’t get depressed; I didn’t kill myself; and I didn’t quit. I just wrote another book. Financial reward is wonderful, but don’t expect those big checks to keep coming in. Keep writing and keep aiming for the highs while overcoming the lows. As for writing—write whatever the heck you want to write—and be sure to use an editor. Lordy, did I learn that using an editor, listening to the editor and making sure to write books readers could actually read was as vital as the writing itself.

Thank you for your time, Bob. I’m sure many readers will find this interview of value.

I sure hope so! Thank you for giving me a call and asking me about my books.

 

AVAILABLE NOW: A C-Bar Ranch Western Adventure: Ride To Hell: The Complete C-Bar Western Series Books 1 – 7

For the first time! The complete series from Arizona’s most popular Western author Mark Baugher!

The whisperin’, shiftin sands, the beating hot sun… the cowboy struggling to make his way through the arid desert. A man with a mission. A man with a gun. A man without a star. These are the seven adventures that make up the popular “C-Bar” series, a brand-new series of Western adventures from top Western seller Mark Baugher.

Filled to the brim with action, adventure, plot twists and gunsight justice—Dockie is not a man to be crossed. These are Western adventures filled with the dead, the dying and those who don’t get in his way—because those who do cross Dockie, end up dead. Real dead. C-Bar Volume 4 is told by Chris, the nephew of that tough old pioneer named Dockie Barnett, owner of the C-Bar Ranch. Chris was a city slicker attorney when he first came to visit his Uncle Dockie and Aunt Marsha, but he became one of the C-Bar Ranch family and a real cowboy. These are the Western adventures you won’t want to miss.

If you like your Westerns written in the style of Robert Hanlon, C. Wayne Winkle and Paul L. Thompson, you will love the seven full length western novels that make up the “C-Bar” series. Download your copy of this great collection today, and start a read filled with action, adventure and drama—and the hopes and dreams of the American West. Grab your copy for 99 cents by clicking here!

A Brand New Western Adventure You’ll Love From Charles Ray: Jacob Blade: Vigilante!

 

Jacob Blade—a man with a vengeance. A man with a gun, a steady aim—the steel will to fire his weapon and end a life. A man who hunts down those who have crossed him and kills them with a cool, steely glare. A man with no desire except for revenge and justice. This is the man you will be reading about. This is the book you are currently holding.

Vengeance. He swore it. His gun will make sure of it. His resolve. His will. Blade—a man with killing on his mind. This is the latest rip-roaring Western adventure from Charles Ray, the bestselling Western author. This is the first book in a new series that will blow criminals away, avenge those who have been crossed and bring justice to the Old West.

Grab your copy of this great new Western adventure today, by clicking here—for a journey that will lead one man to the very ends of civilization to bring justice to his heart.