Lou Bradshaw has two favourites
of his own novels. One is his first western, HICKORY JACK, first of the Ben Blue westerns. Lou tells me
he enjoyed every minute of writing it: ‘It was the story that created the
characters Ben Blue and Patty Anne.’
Orphan Ben Blue is raised in the
Ozarks by the Moore’s as a brother to their biological son Andy. But in the
lawless years after the Civil War, outlaws led by Amos Poke (nicknamed ‘The
Judge’) attack and murder Ben’s step parents. When they’re ready, Ben and Andy
set off in pursuit. They come of age in their violent quest to bring the Poke
gang to justice, journeying from Missouri to New Mexico.
The Ozark Mountains cover an area of 47,000
square miles where the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas
adjoin.
There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of
Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri.
Many peaks in the Boston
Mountains exceed 2,000 feet. Buffalo Lookout, the highest point in the Ozarks,
is located in the Boston Mountains and is 2,561 feet.
Two Ozark Mountain farm boys, 19th
Century.
Naturally, thinking of two young
Missouri brothers on a revenge quest brought to mind Jesse and Frank James.
FRANK (front left) and JESSE JAMES
(front right)
and as depicted by and Tyrone Power (Jesse) - left - and Henry Fonda (Frank) in ‘Jesse
James’ (1940)
Two young brothers at the centre of a
western brought to mind the TV series ‘Lancer’
and ‘The Quest.’
WAYNE MAUNDER and JAMES STACY in 'Lancer'
KURT RUSSELL and TIM MATHESON in 'The Quest'
Other
westerns/ Civil War movies set in the Ozarks include ‘The Shepherd of the Hills’
(1941) and ‘Ride with the Devil’
(1999.)
John Wayne
in ‘The Shepherd of the Hills’
REVIEWS
of HICKORY JACK:
‘A
satisfying, believable, entertaining and engrossing old western tale, told by a
skilled writer and master story teller!... brings this Western to life with
tantalizing vigor.’
‘Wonderfully written … I like the writer's use of colloquialism consistent with the setting. The story is about two young men coming of age in a very difficult period of our nation's history when the country was still reeling from the civil war and expanding into the western frontier.’
‘Wonderfully written … I like the writer's use of colloquialism consistent with the setting. The story is about two young men coming of age in a very difficult period of our nation's history when the country was still reeling from the civil war and expanding into the western frontier.’
‘If you enjoy a fast paced, action pack, intriguing and believable tale set in the Old West, THIS IS IT!’
‘Lou Bradshaw
keeps a positive direction in his writing with a great humorous twist
regularly.’
‘Hickory
Jack hits the ground running. The story moved quickly and captivated our
attention … Lou has made the characters come to life, and the storyline flow.’
‘A wonderful
job.'
