Another grand Wolf Creek adventure - STAND PROUD #western #kindle

Wolf Creek #11

Stand Proud

by Ford Fargo

This has got to be the most fun a writer can have!  It's a Western Fictioneers collaborative novel, the brainchild of Troy Smith, who is also one of the authors (his characters are Marshal Sam Gardner and Charlie Blackfeather).  We all write under the name of Ford Fargo.  I have two characters, Abby Potter who isn't in this novel, and Gib Norwood.  Actually, Gib is head of the Norwood family so I have the whole family. 

When Troy put out the call for characters, I thought Wolf Creek needed some milk.  I grew up on a dairy farm and one thing I know is milk cows.  In fact, I know way too much about milk cows and that's why I live in the 'burbs. LOL.  But one thing about dairymen, they work hard, lift lots of milk cans, bags of grain, and an occasional calf, so you can bet they'd be someone to stay away from in a fight.  And that's how the Norwood Dairy happened--there's Gib, his half-brothers Peter and Paul who are octoroons, and their mother, Glory, who is Gib's half-aunt.

In Stand Proud, the Norwoods are minding their own business, when the nasty bad guy, Andrew Rogers (um, no relation) uses the dairy as a decoy for his other objective, Matthias.  So the Norwoods start off the book.  I wrote chapters one and three.

This book has quite a line-up of authors.  Jory Sherman is one of the most talented writers of today, a Pulitzer Prize nominee, and his chapter is a thing of beauty--nearly ripped my heart out.  Robert J. Randisi is incredibly prolific and has written around 700 books to date--good books, too, so check them out.  His chapter in Stand Proud rocks.  Troy D. Smith has won both the Peacemaker and the Spur awards--he's the glue that holds these novels together (if you haven't read his Blackwells series, do it!  You won't be sorry.).  Jerry Guin has contributions in several Wolf Creek books, and then... there's me!  So here's the blurb:

Welcome to Wolf Creek.

Here you will find many of your favorite authors, working together as Ford Fargo to weave a complex and textured series of Old West adventures like no one has ever seen.

Greedy and ambitious cattle baron Andrew Rogers has caused a lot of trouble around Wolf Creek, intimidating farmers into selling out to him and hiring a small army of gunmen who have proven themselves capable of almost anything. But now he has set his sights on clearing out a whole town – Matthias, a hamlet near Wolf Creek settled by former slaves. Sheriff G. W. Satterlee has a plan to protect them… but it may be too late.

Writing as Ford Fargo in this volume:

Jory Sherman

Robert J. Randisi

Jacquie Rogers

Jerry Guin

Troy D. Smith

Wolf Creek: Stand Proud

Kindle | Smashwords

That Time Of Year by Jerry Guin in A WOLF CREEK CHRISTMAS #western #christmas

That Time Of Year

by Jerry Guin

a short story in

Wolf Creek, Book 9:

A Wolf Creek Christmas

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

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.

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: 

A Wolf Creek Christmas

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: 

O Deadly Night

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 Guin: Asa Pepper's Place (Wolf Creek 6:Hell on the Prairie) #western

Asa Pepper's Place
by Jerry Guin
A short story in
Hell on the Prairie
Wolf Creek: Book 6

This week Romancing The West features the July 2 release, Wolf Creek 6: Hell on the Prairie. It's an anthology of seven short stories, all featuring characters in or connected to the Wolf Creek series, and offering  in-depth understanding of your favorite Wolf Creek residents.  There'll be giveaways on each post, so please check back each day.

• Monday: Troy Smith discusses his character, Marshal Sam Gardner, and his role in Wolf Creek.
• Tuesday: In Drag Rider, Chuck Tyrell has some fun with Billy Below--how'd this character get his name?
• Wednesday: Clay More tells us about doctoring in the Old West and in his story, The Oath, how Wolf Creek's Dr. Logan Munro deals with the conflicts his oath.
• Thursday: Cheryl Pierson's story, It Takes a Man, gives us an in-depth look at Derrick McCain.
• Friday: Jerry Guin tells us how his character, Quint Croy deals with his new job as a lawman, and how Asa Pepper ended up owning a bar in the rough part of Wolf Creek, called Dogleg City in Asa Pepper's Place.
• Saturday: Jacquie Rogers penned a guest appearance by a special character in her story, Muleskinners: Judge Not, that runs concurrent with Wolf Creek 1: Bloody Trail.
• Sunday: In New Beginnings, James J. Griffin gives us insight into the past of the town's blacksmith, and how a surprise changes his life.

If you're not familiar with the Wolf Creek series, you're missing out! Written under the house name Ford Fargo (the house name for Western Fictioneers), each book is the collaboration of some of the best western writers in the business, steered by Troy Smith, who also writes two characters: Marshal Sam Gardner and Charley Blackfeather. Links to all the Wolf Creek books are at the end of this article, just above the contest announcement.  For more information on the story world, visit Wolf Creek, Kansas.

RTW: Jerry Guin wrote the fifth story in Wolf Creek 6: Hell on the Prairie  showcasing his character, Quint Croy, in Asa Pepper's Place. Welcome, Jerry! First, we'd like to know a little about you.

JG: I wrote my first western story, “Caught Red Handed,” for Western Digest in 1995 with six other stories to follow, all of which are included in the short story collection “Trail Dust,” 2007.

I am a member of Western Writers of America and the Western Fictioneers. I have stories in the anthologies, White Hats, The Traditional West, Six-guns and Slay Bells, Award Winning Tales, Outlaws and Lawmen, and Wolf Creek, Book 3: Murder in Dogleg City.

My first western novel was “Drover’s Vendetta,” 2011.

RTW: Tell us about your story, Asa Pepper’s Place.

JG: Deputy Quint Croy hears threats from outside Asa’s Place. He enters only to be shot, then in turn shoots the shooter. Quint then prevents Asa Pepper from killing Watson Brown.

Upon grilling Asa, Quint learns, Watson (Watty) Brown, had years earlier killed an innocent man in Texas while he and his partner, Burl Stimson, were drunkenly attempting to rape Asa’s wife Ruby. Stimson was killed in the assault. Watty Brown and Asa recognized each other; each intent on revenge; Brown sought vengeance for Burl Stimson’s death and Asa wanted Watty to answer for the attempted rape and the murder.

Asa relates how he became a business owner in Wolf Creek and is now fearful that Marshal Gardner will close him down.

Quint tells what the future holds for Asa’s Place.

RTW: What prompted you to write Westerns? What keeps you writing them?

JG: When I was in my teens I enjoyed reading Zane Grey’s westerns. It wasn’t until later in life that I began reading others such as Louis L’amour and Max Brand. What better to write about than something you like? I love the genre. I feel at ease putting my stories together because there is nothing to compare them to. I hope my voice is distinctive as I know others would tell the same tale a little differently.

I keep writing because I enjoy it. I get a feeling of accomplishment each time one of my stories is published. If I had a goal, it would be simply to have a story that is remembered as a good one.

RTW: If you lived in 1871 at Wolf Creek, Kansas, what would your job be and how well would you get along with your character, Quint Croy?

JG: I would most likely be the town’s lumber supplier. There isn’t much timber around Wolf Creek so it has to be brought in. I would freight the lumber in and get to know Quint on a friendly basis. I believe we would get along fine as we would be close to the same age and we both came from somewhere in Texas.

RTW: What surprised you the most about Quint Croy? Are there more surprises coming in future Wolf Creek books?

JG: Despite the rough life he’s endured as a cowboy and now becoming a sincere deputy marshal that quells violence daily, Quint is able to maintain his easy going nature. He is tough but also thoughtful.

I intend to make sure there is a surprise of some sort in each episode with Quint.

RTW: What would give Quint Croy the ultimate happiness?

JG: At some point he needs to meet up with the gun man that killed his friend, in Abilene, before Quint came to Wolf Creek broke and looking for a job.

RTW: Quint Croy is an interesting character and I look forward to reading more of his adventures.  Give us an intro to an excerpt from Asa Pepper’s Place.

JG: Quint has just shot a man and kept Asa from killing another and he wants some answers.  This is an excerpt from page 97.

Excerpt from
Asa Pepper's Place
by Jerry Guin
a short story in
Hell on the Prairie
Wolf Creek Book 6

Asa shrugged his shoulder. “It’s like I said, he’s crazy drunk.”

“Do you know him?” Quint asked.

Asa stood. He was still breathing hard. He looked around. “He came in while I was clearing one of the tables. He would of never got ahold of me if I was behind the bar. I got an axe handle and a loaded shotgun back there.”

“I asked if you know him,” Quint said. “I want to know why he attacked you.”

Wolf Creek: Hell on the Prairie

Available in print, or ebook at

Amazon | Smashwords 

and soon at other online stores

♦♣♥♠ All Wolf Creek buy links ♦♣♥♠

Wolf Creek, Book 1: Bloody Trail

Wolf Creek, Book 2: Kiowa's Vengeance

Wolf Creek, Book 3: Murder in Dogleg City

Wolf Creek, Book 4: The Taylor County War

Wolf Creek, Book 5: Showdown at Demon's Drop

Wolf Creek, Book 6: Hell on the Prairie

RTW: Tell us about your other current releases.

JG: “Who Shot Billy Dean,” is my story in the anthology Dead or Alive from La Frontera was released June 15.

My short story, Justified is an eBook from High Noon Press and was published in April.

Charlie’s Money, an eBook novella from High Noon Press was released earlier this week.

My novel, Drover’s Bounty, a Black Horse Western from Robert Hale is to be released on August 30.

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

Oh, I’ll produce some more short stories and hopefully a novel or so. I’m currently working on a novel about a bounty hunter around 1872.

Thanks to Jerry for visiting RTW today.

Be sure to check back for more interviews with other Wolf Creek authors.

You can enter to win books all this week!