Short Westerns

The third in a series of American Western short stories compiled by Jon Tuska, and preformed by celebrity readers.

These holiday stories are about various kinds of Christmas love - the romance between a man and a woman, the devotion of a husband to his wife's memory, and the love of a child for her goose. You'll hear about familiar characters from Sweetwater Springs and come to know new ones - many of whom you'll see again in future Montana Sky Series books and novellas.

When you've got only five shots left, you have to make each one count. Like the outlaw whose quest for revenge didn't quite go according to plan. Or the cowboy who ended up using a most unusual weapon to defeat his Cheyenne enemy. Then there was the storekeeper who had to face his worst fear; the down-at-heel sheepherder who had to set past hatreds aside when a bunch of renegade Comanches went on the warpath; and the elderly couple who struggled to keep a secret that threatened to tear them apart.

Jake Logan is a cowboy and a drifter. He served with the Confederacy during the Civil War. Since the end of the war, he has traveled from town to town with no real purpose in life but survival. When he arrives in Baker's Town, he finds the love of his life, but he realizes he may not get out alive. Even if he does, his life will never be the same.

The time has come for the Lean Rider, Western hero, to pick his new sidekick, and orphaned Benny Parks is thrilled to be chosen. He looks forward to a series of adventures and life lessons alongside the famous gunslinger, but has no idea what he's really in for.

John Griffith London nació en San Francisco el 12 de enero de 1876. Hijo de un astrólogo ambulante, al que no conoció. Su madre era espiritista; se casó con John London unos meses después del nacimiento del niño, de quien el escritor tomó el apellido. Realizó estudios secundarios mientras trabajaba. London fue una gran autodidacta. Se formó leyendo incansablemente libros en la biblioteca pública de la ciudad. Realizó multitud de oficios que le resultaron muy útiles para sus novelas.

With a childhood of bitter regret, Clarissa Carter didn't stand much chance in the world. Looking back on her life, she sees her only way forward as being independent and finding a life away from her hometown. Finding solace in an imaginary friend as a child, Clarissa found that she could escape the difficulties of her reality by believing in a friend that accepted her without question. This friend was able to listen to her, while other children may have judged her.

As tense, short story Westerns go, W.C. Tuttle's "Spawn of the Desert", set in the 1850s rugged Southwest mountains, is a splendid, fast-paced example of the classic genre of tales of gold and silver mining towns run by ruthless men, and inhabited by an eclectic population of miners, gamblers, gunmen, drunks, hardscrabble women, and the obligatory "colorful" characters. Tuttle (1883-1969) was one of the most prolific Western writers of his day, with more than 40 novels and short stories to his credit.

When Hope Inkwell gets lost she is rescued by Lucky. Hope has been hurt in the past and has strengthened her walls and no one is getting in ever again. When Lucky rescues Hope he doesn't count on her rescuing him right back. Maybe Lucky will finally be lucky in love.

Chris and Danny Friessen return in a short sweet novella about unexpected consequences in their young married life.

Johnson O'Neill joined the Heartsong Ranch to escape his addiction. One night at a friend's wedding, stress causes him to fall off the wagon and into the arms of the woman of his dreams. Debra Donahue lost her husband to alcohol and then pulled herself up by her bootstraps, becoming a real estate agent selling million-dollar properties. One night with a sexy cowboy and a bottle of whiskey, Debra falls hard.

Tessa and Jake had known each other since infants. But it took one drunken night for them to realize that they were made for each other. The Cowboy's Bride by Danielle Lee Zwissler is one of 2013's sweetest love stories. It takes an arch, a romantic cowboy and a dream of forever for this couple to get together.

Beautiful young brunette Grace Purdue heads to the local barn dance with the intention of pursuing the town's most eligible bachelor. What she finds when she gets there, however, is that as eligible as the oil tycoon might be, he is also crass, inconsiderate, and bigoted...none of the things she - nor any other woman with a brain in her head - should be looking for in a future husband. Fortunately for Grace, the night is not a complete waste of time when she runs in to the blue jean, cowboy hat wearing Arthur Monroe.

Tex Larimee is a grizzled Arizona sheriff who’s leaving the deserts of Cactus County behind, blazing a trail east to mix it up with The Slickers in the canyons of Manhattan. Tex’s welcome to New York is a rude one. Robbed of his cash, gun and badge, he’s locked in a room in back of a run-down bar. Breaking out of the bar, he goes looking for his best friend...only to find him dead, his throat cut. And the cops accuse Tex of committing the murder.

In a futuristic western world where time travel is a reality, Marshal Jonah Creed, known for his shoot-first reputation, embarks on a mission to apprehend the notorious outlaw Silas Kane and his gang, the Temporal Outlaws, who have been wreaking havoc through the ages. As Jonah confronts Silas, he realizes he's been lured into a dystopian future, where Silas and the corrupt regime hold all the power.

Perry Cozzen has compiled a collection of 12 short stories for his book, Further West. His west Texas drawl spills over into his writing and transports you to a place in time, further west, so "flat you can see the back of your head standing on a tuna can," as Perry would say. The short stories in this audiobook are fiction, well, maybe half-truth, and are based on a way of life where the people made the most out of what they had and of what they could dream of having.

Mackenzie, den alle nur den "Grindigen" nennen, fristet ein hartes Leben im Grenzland des Yukon, wo die Winter hart und entbehrungsreich sind. Eines Tages macht er sich auf die Suche nach einer Frau - und wird ausgerechnet bei der Tochter des Häuptlings eines Indianerstammes fündig.

Scratchy Wilson will have his day. When word gets around that Sheriff Jack Potter is arriving on the afternoon train with his bride, Scratchy intends to raise all kinds of hell. Published in 1898, Crane’s story was indicative of the growing sentiment for the American West. B.J. Harrison’s authentic and textured narration brings a greater depth to this American classic.

With their wedding less than a week away, Jeremy and Tiffy discover they’re not on the same page when it comes to raising their son and dealing with the challenges that come their way. In true Friessen fashion, when Jeremy tries to establish ground rules, he soon learns that Tiffy isn’t the kind of woman anyone can tell what to do, and his strong personality could have her calling off the wedding and walking the other way.

“Pump 'em full of lead!” he said through his teeth. A cruel New York sneak thief breaks out of prison with an honest cowboy. Together they'll learn about robbing payrolls, mountain women, and a fast-shooting sheriff. But will they survive?