Anthologies
The classic American Western returns in this collection of brand-new stories by some of the top Western writers in the world today. Robert J. Randisi, Dusty Richards, James Reasoner, Larry D. Sweazy, L.J. Washburn, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Kerry Newcomb, and many other members of Western Fictioneers, the only writers’ organization devoted solely to traditional Western fiction, take readers from the dusty plains of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Montana and beyond, in the biggest original Western anthology ever published! Western Fictioneers was founded in 2010 to promote the oldest genuine American art form, the Western story. Its worldwide membership includes best-selling, award-winning authors of Western fiction, as well as the brightest up-and-coming new stars in the Western field. The organization*s first anthology features original stories by Steven Clark, Phil Dunlap, Edward A. Grainger, James J. Griffin, Jerry Guin, C. Courtney Joyner, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Matthew P. Mayo, Rod Miller, Clay More, Ross Morton, Kerry Newcomb, Scott D. Parker, Pete Peterson, Cheryl Pierson, Kit Prate, Robert J. Randisi, James Reasoner, Dusty Richards, Troy D. Smith, Larry D. Sweazy, Chuck Tyrell, and L.J. Washburn. With original cover artwork by acclaimed artist Pete Peterson, THE TRADITIONAL WEST is more than 100,000 words of classic Western fiction.
INTRODUCTIONWhen I eased my black 65 Lincoln Continental up to the curb outside James Ward Kirks House of Horrors I wasnt quite sure what to expect. I mean, this was the man behind the Indiana Horror and Indiana Science Fiction anthologies, with a pretty solid reputation for scaring the hell out of readers. Nevertheless, I rolled down the window and asked him if hed like to go on a little road trip for some literary larceny. He stared at me with hard eyes, piled in next to me, and said, Drive it like you stole it. Thus, we set out across the Hoosier state in search of authors with compelling crime stories from the heart of the Midwest. From the beginning, we were confident there was a huge cache of untapped talent out there. All we had to do was find it. Well, we slammed our pick-axe deep into the Indiana hard-pack and uprooted a huge clump of them. Along the way, we encountered a dealer of antiquities, a claw hammer killer, a soap factory with a secret formula, a pair of not-so-happily married newlyweds and a human smorgasbord of shooters, dealers and squealers. We were even propositioned by a hooker named Wiggles. A few times, we had to stand on the Lincolns skinny loud pedal and head for the hills. More often than not, we hit the brakes, kicked open the suicide door, gave em the old chin nod, and beckoned them to join the party.At the heart of any good story is its creator. Our line-up includes a talented group of authors who provided an eclectic mix of crime fiction sure to please even the most discerning of readers. Some of the names you will recognize; many you wont but will soon enough. Still, each story speaks for itself and these stories speak loudly. I invite you to take a tour with us through the Hoosier state presented in Indiana Crime. While there, cruise down a peaceful stretch of two-lane, get out, stretch your legs and get a lung full of fresh, country air. But if you get a whiff of anhydrous and bleach, spot a pair of blood-soaked underwear dangling from a fence post, or spot some strange lights in the northern sky, pile back in your car, fire that mother up and drive. Drive far, drive fast, but drive.Murphy Edwards
When you were a kid, did you long to put on your cowboy boots, belt on your guns, saddle up, and ride off to find adventures? Did you sit glued to the TV watching The Lone Ranger , Maverick , Bonanza , The Wild Wild West , The Adventures of Brsico County Jr. , and Firefly ? And were you caught up in movies like Outlands , Time Bandits , Serenity , or Back to the Future Part III ? If so, Westward Weird is the book for you. Thirteen original stories included here ride a very broad range between science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal—and all of them are told from a Wild West perspective. Get ready for some good old-fashioned adventure, as: –The Old Gods cross paths in the Old West. –Two theives are given a job they can't refuse, but no one told them there'd be aliens. –A mining family never expected their claim to be jumped from parallel universes. –A Mars colony may be about to find out exactly how the West was won. –Cowboys will be hard-pressed to ride the herd on the living dead. Featuring stories from: Jay Lake — Larry D. Sweazy — Anton Strout — Brenda Cooper — Seanan McGuire — Christopher McKitterick — Steven Saus Dean Wesley Smith — Jennifer Brozek — Kristine Kathryn Rusch — J. Steven York — Jeff Mariotte — Jody Lynn Nye
Smoke 'em if you got 'em, then set your jaw and steel your stance, 'cause BEAT to a PULP: Round Two is here! It's all meat, no filler in this red-raw-and-oozing collection of twenty-nine tales of pure pulp action. You'll find aliens, gangsters, drifters, mountain men, private dicks, gun molls, loners, misfits, drunks, thugs, booze-hounds, and more, all brawling in the pages of Round Two. And that's just for starters. Seething with left-hooks, uppercuts, kidney shots, and gut-punches aplenty, this powerhouse compilation doles out the genres, from hardboiled crime, western, and noir to sci-fi, fantasy, literary, horror, and more. Round Two covers all-new ground with offerings from a gang of tried-and-true heavyweights and inspired up-and-comers, all savvy purveyors of pulp at the top of their game. Haymakers include a Hemingway pastiche by famed mystery author Bill Pronzini, a stunning Chandler homage by Hard Case Crime kingpin Charles Ardai, a post-war tale with a twist from James Reasoner, a zombie-horror nightmare by Bill Crider, and even more blows to the temple from such hotshots as Glenn Gray, Patricia Abbott, the legendary Vin Packer, and more, more, more! Feel up to it? Then climb back in the ring. BEAT to a PULP: Round Two is ready to rumble.
Twenty-nine Indiana authors write about their love of books, bookstores, and reading. Proceeds from the book support Indianapolis adult literacy program, Indy Reads. The collection features bestselling authors John Green, Will Shortz, Dan Wakefield, Cathy Day and John David Anderson, Victoria Barrett, Frank Bill, Ray Boomhower, Mary Susan Buhner, Lorene Burkhart, Michael Dahlie, Cathy Day, Carol Faenzi, Terence Faherty, Lou Harry, Liza Hyatt, Angela Jackson-Brown, Lyn Jones, Jeff Knurek & David Hoyt, Karen Kovacik, Norbert Krapf, Bonnie Maurer, Susan Neville, Barb Shoup, Amy Sorrells, Gordon Strain & Dianne Moneypenny, Larry Sweazy, and Ben Winters. It was edited by M. Travis DiNicola and Zach Roth. Television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show used to offer audiences a little of this and a little of that, introducing them to a range of styles in an unintimidating way, making it easy to shake off a dud while continuing to mine for gold. That is what a good anthology such as Indy Writes Books does as well. Lou Harry, Indianapolis Business Journal Indy Writes Books: A Book Lover's Anthology. Published by Indy Reads Books and benefiting the adult-literacy nonprofit Indy Reads, the book features 27 authors, poets, and even puzzle-makers with significant Indiana connections. The publisher nailed the book's physical appearance clever visual play on the cover makes it a handsome collection. But is it any good? Yes quite good, actually. Matt Gonzales, Indianapolis Monthly
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the crimes! Join the award-winning Austin Mystery Writers and friends as they explore the dark side of the Lone Star State. These thirteen talented authors penned fourteen tales of cowboys and criminals, girlfriends and grifters, morticians, motel clerks, and even a big, bad wolf! Lone Star Lawless includes stories by the Austin Mystery Writers: Gale Albright, V.P. Chandler, Kaye George, Laura Oles, and Kathy Waller. The friends who contributed are: Alexandra Burt, Janice Hamrick, Scott Montgomery, Mark Pryor, Terry Shames, Larry D. Sweazy, George Wier, and Manning Wolfe.
" For a quarter of a century, Five Star Publishing, an imprint of Gale/Cengage, has offered readers the best in new voices, as well as many beloved authors, in the traditional Western and American frontier fiction genres. The Spoilt Quilt and Other Frontier Stories , edited by Hazel Rumney, features sixteen brand-new stories that will delight historical fiction fans. These stories capture the spirit of freedom and individualism in the evolving American frontier through the early 1900s and feature pioneering women of the West who face life-changing challenges in settings that are in stark contrast to civilized society. Ranging from high-action traditional Westerns to introspective historical dramas set in the American West, readers will discover previously untold stories about the strong women that shaped the iconic American West. In this anthology, you'll enjoy stories by New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors such as Sandra Dallas, Deborah Morgan, Charlotte Hinger, Larry D. Sweazy, Sharon Frame Gay, Matthew P. Mayo, Randi-Samuelson Brown, C. K. Crigger, W. Michael Farmer, Candace Simar, P. Grady Cox, Marcia Gaye, John D. Nesbitt, Patricia Stoltey, Paul Colt, Preston Lewis. The Spoilt Quilt and Other Frontier Stories is a great addition to your Western fiction library. "
"Double Deceit" by John D. Nesbitt A man named Dunbar comes to Temple Basin where he goes to work for an old rancher who is laid up with a broken leg. The rancher's granddaughter tells the story. After one man turns up dead and another man is known to have gone missing, it becomes known that Dunbar has come on a mission to find a killer and bring him to justice. "Scarecrows" by Jim Jones Tommy Stallings hears his aunt and uncle in Texas are in trouble. He and his cousin, Rusty, leave the New Mexico Territory and head east. Cattle rustlers are terrorizing small ranchers in the Texas Panhandle and his Aunt Martha insists they look like "scarecrows" because of the canvas bags they wear to hide their faces. Tommy and Rusty join forces with Bill Slaughter, agent for the Stock-Raisers' Association of North-West Texas, to investigate the rash of crimes. "Cold the Bitter Heart" by Phil Mills, Jr. A child's personality often mirrors that of a parent. Could it be Catherine Baxter was hiding behind a faðcade of fake innocence? Although Jake Summers would follow a trail littered with suspects had he missed the most obvious one and in the end did he really know the truth? "Wind in His Face" by Larry D. Sweazy Scrap Elliot, a veteran Texas Ranger of the original Frontier Battalion is on an important courier mission when he encounters an old flame in Waco, Texas. When the woman's husband dies in front of Scrap, the old flame disappears. That sets Scrap on a mission to find the woman and prove to the local sheriff that he was nothing more than an innocent bystander, not a cold-blooded killer