That Time Of Year
by Jerry Guin
a short story in
Wolf Creek, Book 9:
Romancing The West is pleased to present a double feature: Wolf Creek, Book 9, A Wolf Creek Christmas, and Wolf Creek Book 10, O Deadly Night. Each volume contains six Christmas stories, all centering around Wolf Creek in 1871, written by award-winning western authors. Today, RTW has the honor of showcasing "That Time of Year," a story by talented western writer Jerry Guin.
About Jerry
Jerry Guin aka J.L. Guin is the author of the western novel Drover’s Vendetta, and the newly released Blackhorse western Drover’s Bounty. He has also written numerous short stories about the old west including chapters in Wolf Creek Book 3: Murder in Dogleg City, and Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie. Others are included in the anthologies, White Hats, The Traditional West, Outlaws and Lawmen, Dead or Alive, Award Winning Tales. and more. Recently released are the novellas Charlie’s Money, and Crossroads Fast Gun, as well as the ebook short story Justified.
Jerry is a member of Western Writers of America and Western Fictioneers. He lives with wife Ginny in the northern California community of Salyer.
It is almost Christmas and Quint Croy is on duty in a very quiet Wolf Creek. He sees a young cowboy ride into town. He is curious as to the nature of the man’s business, for the season of receiving herds at the railroad yard is over. Croy soon finds out when Marty Rhodes, intruded Abby Potter’s house of ill repute with the intent to take Callie, one of Abby’s girls away. Rhodes professes that Callie held against her wishes, wants to leave. Abby says Callie is indebted to her.
In order to stop Rhodes advances, Abby shoots and wounds the young man. When Quint tells Marshal Sam Gardner about the episode, Gardner decides to investigate, as he wants to stay on the good side of Abby Potter.
The story revolves around the fact that Rhodes and Callie profess their undying love for one another and refuse all alternatives to the situation except leaving Wolf Creek together. Marty Rhodes has arranged for he and Callie to live and work at Tobias Breedlove’s T-Bar-B ranch.
About Quint Croy
Quint Croy rides the sidelines but is instrumental in softening up two of the toughest men of Wolf Creek, Marshal Sam Gardner and saloon owner Ira Breedlove. Gardner enlists the help of Ira Breedlove while Quint convinces Abby to have a meeting of the minds to settle the issue.
When writing “That Time of Year,” it just seemed appropriate to have normally hard-nosed people to lighten up a little, in consideration of others, and give instead of take during the holiday season.
I personally have no experience as a law enforcement official, but I am respectful of their duties. When I write about Quint Croy, it is in that frame of mind. He is new to the job but adaptable and sometimes targeted by some very mean people. Croy’s involvements reflect how things could and possibly should have been at the time.
About Jerry
 |
| Jerry Guin |
Jerry is a member of Western Writers of America and Western Fictioneers. He lives with wife Ginny in the northern California community of Salyer.
Jerry's story: That Time of Year
It is almost Christmas and Quint Croy is on duty in a very quiet Wolf Creek. He sees a young cowboy ride into town. He is curious as to the nature of the man’s business, for the season of receiving herds at the railroad yard is over. Croy soon finds out when Marty Rhodes, intruded Abby Potter’s house of ill repute with the intent to take Callie, one of Abby’s girls away. Rhodes professes that Callie held against her wishes, wants to leave. Abby says Callie is indebted to her.
In order to stop Rhodes advances, Abby shoots and wounds the young man. When Quint tells Marshal Sam Gardner about the episode, Gardner decides to investigate, as he wants to stay on the good side of Abby Potter.
The story revolves around the fact that Rhodes and Callie profess their undying love for one another and refuse all alternatives to the situation except leaving Wolf Creek together. Marty Rhodes has arranged for he and Callie to live and work at Tobias Breedlove’s T-Bar-B ranch.
About Quint Croy
Quint Croy rides the sidelines but is instrumental in softening up two of the toughest men of Wolf Creek, Marshal Sam Gardner and saloon owner Ira Breedlove. Gardner enlists the help of Ira Breedlove while Quint convinces Abby to have a meeting of the minds to settle the issue.
When writing “That Time of Year,” it just seemed appropriate to have normally hard-nosed people to lighten up a little, in consideration of others, and give instead of take during the holiday season.
I personally have no experience as a law enforcement official, but I am respectful of their duties. When I write about Quint Croy, it is in that frame of mind. He is new to the job but adaptable and sometimes targeted by some very mean people. Croy’s involvements reflect how things could and possibly should have been at the time.
What's new from Jerry
Drover’s Bounty: When a card game goes awry, drover Sam Hall wrestles with proficient gunslinger J.D. Seldon and when the pistol goes off Seldon is killed. After collecting $500 bounty on Seldon’s head, Hall travels to Wichita where he is befriended by a young Wyatt Earp and meets an enchanting young woman.
But J.D.’s older brother, Ben, is bent on revenge and has issued his own bounty on Sam Hall’s head. With gunslingers and hardcases dogging Sam’s every move, there is only one way out of this situation. He must find, and face down, Ben Seldon…
Wolf Creek Book 9:
The Last Free Trapper
by Jory Sherman
A Savior is Born
by Meg Mims
That Time of Year
by Jerry Guin
‘Twas the Fight before Christmas
by Jacquie Rogers
A Kiowa Christmas Gift
by Troy D. Smith
Renewal of Faith
by James J. Griffin
Wolf Creek, Book 10:
Sarah’s Christmas Miracle
by Big Jim Williams
Irish Christmas at Wolf Creek
by Charlie Steel
A Home for Christmas
by Cheryl Pierson
The Angel Tree
by Chuck Tyrell
The Spirit of Hogmanay
by Clay More
O Deadly Night
by Troy D. Smith
Jerry,
ReplyDeleteLot of writing, lot of work and titles listed! Well done!
Charlie Steel
Great story, Jerry. I enjoyed that. Good to see some good will at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteKeith
Thanks Charlie. You have done well yourself.
ReplyDeleteJerry, I really enjoyed THAT TIME OF YEAR! I borrowed Quint and Marshal Gardner for my story, A HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. I really like Quint's personality. I have Drover's Bounty but have not had a chance to read it yet. I'm hoping for a "reading vacation" over Christmas.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Thanks Keith, Good will goes a long way.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, Quint is available at all times. Thanks for taking on Drover's Bounty. I'm behind on my reading too.
ReplyDeleteWe all owe a special thanks to Jacquie for allowing everyone the opportunity to showcase A Wolf Creek Christmas on Romancing The West.
She is going to get "plum wore out" from all this hostessing she's doing, Jerry. She had the lot of us from WISHING FOR A COWBOY just last week! But you're right--we owe her a big thank you for all the work that goes in to putting this blog together and changing it, and advertising it every day. That's a lot!
DeleteCheryl
I enjoyed your story, Jerry. Thanks for being a guest on RTW!
ReplyDeleteAll the thanks goes to you Jacquie for putting A Wolf Creek Christmas in the spotlight and promoting the authors. I am very grateful.
DeleteJerry, I just finished Drover's Bounty,--a terrific read! I plan to let all the folks who inhabit the Amazon to know how much I enjoyed the book this weekend. I hope Sam Hall will be back for another adventure soon.
ReplyDeleteJim Meals
Thank you Jim. You are a true gentleman. Yes, I do believe there could be another Sam Hall story could come about.
DeleteI look at Quint as the conscience of Wolf Creek. He is never judgmental about the sordid lives people are living- he keeps his opinions to himself -but gives the whole town a quiet example of what a good man with integrity is.
ReplyDelete