AUTHOR FAVOURITES: HICKORY JACK by LOU BRADSHAW

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, 19^th 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.’

‘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.' 

https://www.amazon.com/Hickory-Jack-Ben-Blue-Book-ebook/dp/B00CTT66L2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512295864&sr=1-1&keywords=hickory+jack+lou+bradshaw

and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hickory-Jack-Ben-Blue-Book-ebook/dp/B00CTT66L2

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: THE ROCK HOLE by REAVIS WORTHAM

THE ROCK HOLE is the first of Reavis Wortham’s acclaimed series of Red River mysteries. It’s 1964 and farmer and part-time Constable Ned Parker works in a little community in rural Texas near the Oklahoma border. Normally he only has to deal with petty crime and moonshiners; but a disturbed individual enters his patch. This felon moves from killing animals to humans and earns the grisly nickname ‘The Skinner.’ To track down ‘The Skinner’ Parker combines forces with John Washington, a black deputy sheriff.

African-American Police Officers were appointed to police departments in the U.S.A. from the late 1860s onwards.

On May 28 1867 CHARLES COURCELLE, a 'newly enfranchised citizen' was appointed to the board of police commissionaires in New Orleans. A few days later DUSSEAU PICOT and EMILE FARRAR were appointed as police officers. (My information is that they were the first African-American police officers in U.S. history - perhaps someone can verify this.) In 1868, also in New Orleans, OCTAVE REY became the first African-American police captain.

On April 12 1870 WILLIAM JOHNSON, of Jacksonville, Florida was the first recognized African-American police officer killed in the line of duty. 

In 1875 BASS REEVES (1838-1910) was appointed as the first African-American deputy U.S. marshal. Reeves definitely deserves a blog all to himself. He operated in and around the lawless Oklahoma Territory in the last quarter of the 19th Century. He was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. He shot and killed 14 outlaws in self-defence. Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous criminals of the time but was never wounded, despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions.  

In 1916 GEORGIA ANN ROBINSON was the first African-American police officer to serve in the Los Angeles Police Department, and possibly in any U.S. police force.

In 1941 WILLIAM B. LINDSAY was the first known African-American state trooper, hired by the Illinois State Police.

Small Texas towns have featured in many movies, from ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘Hud’ (both based on novels by LARRY McMURTRY)

MELVYN DOUGLAS and PAUL NEWMAN in 'Hud'

to ‘Home from the Hill’ and ‘The Chase.’

'The Chase' (MARLON BRANDO on right)

The interracial police aspect in THE ROCK HOLE made me think of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.

SIDNEY POITIER and ROD STEIGER in 'In the Heat of the Night'

Reviewers have compared Reavis’s nourish thriller with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. That may be because the story is partially narrated by Parker’s 10 year old grandson, Top (as well as its literary merit.) Whatever, to be compared to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, IMHO, is about the greatest praise any author can receive!

GREGORY PECK and MARY BADHAM in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

Other reviewers of THE ROCK HOLE:

‘An unusual combination of old time Texas humour and chilling thriller.’

‘Great mystery, Great start to this series!’

‘Lean and fast paced… I couldn't put it down.’

‘Very memorable.’

https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Hole-Red-River-Mysteries/dp/159058886X

AUTHOR FAVOURITES: LADY LAW by KEN FARMER

Ken Farmer is another western novelist who can’t make up his mind! When I asked him to pick his favourite of his own work he came up with 2 choices. One is the sixth of his NATIONS series, LADY LAW about FIONA MAE MILLER, the one female Deputy US Marshal in the Indian Nations (what is now Oklahoma.) Fiona’s on the trail of a Cherokee renegade, Cal Mankiller, in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma.

Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma

The ‘Fort Smith Elevator’, in its November 6, 1891 issue, described Fiona as: ‘A dashing brunette of charming manners... an expert shot and a superb horsewoman, and brave to the verge of recklessness.’ As I couldn’t find an image of her, here’s some of Beverly Garland in the 1956 film ‘GUNSLINGER.’

 
Fiona was even called a female BASS REEVES. (Bass Reeves was the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi, another law officer operating in the Indian Nations at this time. He’s the hero of THE NATIONS, co-written by Ken and BUCK STIENKE.) See my earlier blog: http://andrewmcbrideauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/author-favourites-nations-by-ken-farmer.html

Bass Reeves

Civilisation, advancing west, leap-frogged over Oklahoma, which was used as a dumping ground for Native American tribes from all over the States, from Florida Seminoles to the Nez Percé of Idaho to Arizona Apaches. White settlement didn’t even begin until 1889, which left Oklahoma an island of lawlessness until much later than surrounding states and territories.

Movies with this backcloth include TRUE GRIT

and HANG EM HIGH.

Here’s some real Cherokee renegades of Oklahoma:

NED CHRISTIE, posed whilst dead (as was fashionable) after being shot by a posse in 1892

and CHEROKEE BILL (half-breed CRAWFORD GOLDSBY) who was hung in 1896.

REVIEWS of LADY LAW:

‘Another splendid western by Ken Farmer.’

'Awesome story with meaningful characters... Great job Ken!!’

 ‘Thrilling!’

‘A very interesting and exciting book where the action never stops.’

‘I read this and was stunned… A true mystery thriller, on the level of writers like James Patterson and Lee Child, but set in the historic American West... I cheered, I laughed, and at times I was horrified. This is one of the best westerns I have ever read, and one of the best mystery/detective novels.’

‘I was immediately caught up with Ken Farmer's Lady Law - with its "True Grit", its authenticity… And Fiona Mae Miller makes for a spectacular heroine.'

‘This has it all, great characters, settings, characters, a despicable enemy, historical facts and a little touch of the supernatural. Great stuff!’

 ‘I love Ken Farmer’s storytelling and his diverse characters and truly respect the research he puts into his work.’

Find LADY LAW here:
https://www.amazon.com/…/dp/0997129069/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2…