Anybody writing any western stories?

[Harley Starr]

Just curious to see if anyone here is working on a western storyline. I know I am.

[Forty Rod]

Yeah, I'm working on my third western novel.  Got a three month gap that I don't know how to fill in.  I hope to sort it out and have it ready for the publisher about the first of April...I hope...I hope...I hope.

[Harley Starr]

A three month gap? If that means what I think it does, then I think I can relate. Me, good grief, I'm having a rough time on writing mine but I can't stop now! It's been over a year since I first started writing this story, and everyone of my closest friends think it's pretty darn good, so that's been a big help to me.

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[Forty Rod]

   The gap is in the story line: what the hell do I do with six ex-Conferate soldiers in the winter of 1865-1866 in a secluded northern Utah valley.  Hard winter but not very long that year.  They get along well with the Mormons, but aren't of the faith.....and I lived in that country.  There's nothing to do there in the winter NOW except go to work and school and church functions.  Even less back then.

I'm really having a hard time filling in four and a half months of the tale.  Bears and most other critters are hibernating or forted up until Spring.  The Indians, with the exception of some of Sanpitch's group, are way off south.  Immigrants are stopped over east for the most part until the weather breaks again.  Not much traffic except for wagons bringing in some supplies, but they were few and far between because the settlers had stocked up early.

The gap in writing is closer to ten months.

I started a science fiction yarn to relax and get a change of pace.....and it's noy going anywhere, either.

[Queasy Dillo]

I have one.  Sort of.  Only it's closer to the present day and lurking around South America. 

[Will Ketchum]

Forty Rod, couln't you kind of just skip through the period with something like "after a tedious and near starving Winter, Spring came at last...."   

I read a LOT and the author often uses such ploys to get trhough a time period such as you discribe.

Will Ketchum

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Forty Rod,

If there are any mountains around where your six ex-Confederates are holed up, perhaps they could take up skiing. I've read articles about miner's ski racing in Colorado and Utah during the mid to late 1800's. They sometimes used ski's that were over twelve feet long and and reached speeds well over forty miles per hour. Skiing was also a means of delivering mail way back then.

[Forty Rod]

Forty Rod, couln't you kind of just skip through the period with something like "after a tedious and near starving Winter, Spring came at last...."   

I read a LOT and the author often uses such ploys to get trhough a time period such as you discribe.

Will Ketchum

I hate to resort to that because of an almost day-to-day narrative up to this point.

[Texas Lawdog]

Forty Rod, I have a copy of your first book, but I do not have the second one. What is the Title, and where can it be purchased?

[Leo Tanner]

40,

I haven't read story, but how about an inner conflict amongst the men due to their current situation.  If one of them has taken a leader role (I would guess based on rank, which they may realize doesn't mean anything at this point) there could be desention as the harsh winter settles in.  Just an idea.


Leo

[Forty Rod]

Forty Rod, I have a copy of your first book, but I do not have the second one. What is the Title, and where can it be purchased?

gun.slick@juno.com

I'll send the details out to you.

Christmas is coming and they make great gifts. 

I'll take a buck off every book sold between now and New Years day and two bucks off every one sent to and APO or FPO, service member or family.

[Harley Starr]

I should have mentioned this awhile back. My story is a western set in somewhere in the late 21st century in a small forgotten town in the Southwest. I have another western story set in present day West Texas. My closest friends I've told these stories about are pretty much impressed by what they've heard so far. I would like for them to become graphic novels though. I've told James Drury of The Virginian that I'm writting western stories and he told to "keep up that writing".

[Forty Rod]

Forty Rod, I have a copy of your first book, but I do not have the second one. What is the Title, and where can it be purchased?

TL, did I ever answer this?  If I didn't please send me a PM and I'll get back to you ASAP.

[Jake MacReedy]

I'm starting on one set in Colorado Territory and Northern New Mexico in the late 1860's.

Jake

[Drayton Calhoun]

Finishing up on a five book series, none published yet, in fact where my handle came from. Got plenty of story line, little time to write with a full time job while the Mrs. and I raise three grand-children. Different twist on the west and history in general.

[Goatlips]

Jailhouse Jim over at the Dammit Gang Hideout writes about one a month and posts them in the Campfire DAMMIT.  He's replete with facts and trivia and occasionally includes some cowboys you might know as characters.  He's a prison guard so has plenty of material and time to write about it.     Have a look:

http://dammitganghideout.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0

Goatlips