Western Life

Hunter Cooper was made to be a veterinarian, to heal animals of every kind, far and wide. But when his first patient dies—by his hand—his confidence shatters and his dream dies.

For a whole year on his train to work, TLS editor Stig Abell read books from across genres and time periods. Then he wrote about them and their impact on our culture and his own life. The result is a work of many things: a brisk guide to the canon of Western literature; an intimate engagement with writers from Shakespeare to JK Rowling, Marcel Proust to Zora Neale Hurston; a wise and funny celebration of the power of words; and a meditation on mental unrest and how to tackle it.

On February 3, 1889, just two days shy of her forty-first birthday, Myra Maybelle Shirley—better known at that point by her outlaw sobriquet “Belle Starr”—was blown from her horse saddle and killed by a pair of shotgun blasts, delivered by an unseen assailant, only a few miles away from her home in the Indian Territory of present-day Oklahoma. Thus ended the life of one of the most colorful, authentic, and dangerous women in the history of the American West.

Edward Zane Carroll Judson aka Ned Buntline (1821-1886) was responsible for creating a highly romantic and often misleading image of the American West, albeit one that the masses found irresistible in the mid-to-late 19th century. Some scholars estimate that he wrote at least 400 dime novels over his lifetime and perhaps as many as 600. The Notorious Life of Ned Buntline is an open-eyed look at the man who sparked an American legend but whose own scandalous life somehow escaped history's limelight.

In pursuit of their dream of a simpler life amidst the natural beauty of Andalusia, Sabina and Robert embark on a life-changing journey from Abu Dhabi to the rugged landscapes of Spain. Drawn by the allure of whitewashed villages, red geraniums, and endless olive trees, they find their paradise—a quaint stone cottage nestled in a secluded mountain valley.

Talk about a bad hair day. Louisiana beauty salon owner Charmaine LeDeux has a loan shark on her tail, and Raoul Lanier, the six-foot-three hunk of testosterone she thought she divorced, has just delivered a bombshell: They're still married! At least the rundown ranch they've inherited together is the perfect hideout. With the moon shining over the bayou, this Cajun cowboy must sweet-talk his way into his wife's arms again...before she unties the knot for good!

After one too many heartbreaks, Travis Blake hung up his cowboy hat and put Big Verde, Texas, behind him. But when he gets the call that his young nephew needs him, he knows he has to return home. His plan is to sell the family ranch and hightail it back to Austin, but there's a small problem: The one person who stands in his way is the one person he can't resist.

His childhood proficiency with a six-gun both amazed and frightened his aunt and uncle. As a teenager, he drank too much, alarming the other members of Ben Fitzpatrick's outlaw band. His anger as a young man scared himself almost as much as it did everyone else. And there was good reason to fear Harry Sanders, infamous outlaw and killer. He'd killed his first man early in life, and found he liked it. He and his brothers, Charlie and Ralph, rustled cattle with Fitzpatrick, killing anyone in their way.

Many of the first artists in the West were assigned to exploration and geological parties, working as archivists and obedient to demands of cold accuracy. However, a few were driven by an imaginative mix of real events and fantastical visions to whet the appetite of Eastern consumers and preserve their own nostalgia on canvas. Among the most prominent artists depicting the "old" West was Charles Marion Russell, a prolific painter, sculptor, writer, and storyteller based in the heart of the Montana country.

When the world as we know it falls, the New Texas Republic rises to face the harsh realities of holding civilization together one town at a time. Such is the task before Austin Reynolds, Texas Ranger, as he rides into the community of New Hope where a shifty-eyed mayor, his alluring and beautiful assistant, and a blind prophesying preacher complicate an inevitable battle against wild northern raiders. No Kinda Life is a post-apocalyptic adventure and traditional western rolled together into a riveting short novel

Friendship? Melissa Stone has done a fine job of avoiding her former best friend, Cooper Ford. She was devastated when she discovered her husband was cheating on her and felt doubly betrayed that Cooper had known all along.... Forgiveness. But she can't ignore him forever - especially now that they're working together on a charity project! And as she and Cooper get closer again, she confides in him her plans to start a family - alone.

For Avery Spencer, the sight of rugged, sullen and dangerously sexy Callum Shepard is enough to set her pulse racing. Too bad she's only on his ranch to tell him that her adorable baby niece is his daughter! Reclusive rancher Callum is shocked to discover he's a father. But now Callum must learn to believe he does have what it takes to become a dad, and convince Avery that both she and baby Nell belong on the ranch - with him!

Casie Carmichael is hardworking but softhearted. She has a broken-down mare, two lambs, three lost teens, a busted-up bronco rider, and a whole lot of trouble. Casie has returned home to Hope Springs, South Dakota, to sell the family’s tumbledown ranch with the hope of returning to Sioux Falls and her very practical fiancé. But leaving Hope Springs isn’t quite as easy as she thought it would be, especially since her barn seems to have a homing beacon leading every stray in the territory straight to it.

After losing her husband in the line of duty, Annie Brooks moves in with her mother in Sweet Water, North Dakota with her two small children to try to put the pieces of her life back together.

Nick hadn't planned on being the prodigal son. But when his father dies and leaves half of Silver Buckle, the Noble family ranch, to Nick's former best friend, he must return home to face those he left behind - and to make sure that the Silver Buckle stays in the Noble family.

Dutch painter and printmaker Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is considered one of the greatest artists of all time. As a painter, he never considered glamorizing what he saw, and he was a master of creating extraordinary scenes with light and shadows. His paintings were unique for their ability to depict action and moods. Sadly, having a mistress and spending recklessly went far to ruin his reputation during his lifetime. Rembrandt died penniless and was buried in a pauper’s grave.

New American West adventure story about the expansion of the American West. A captivating and exciting American West series told in an ongoing story of American history brought to life. In this thrilling American West series, you will follow Union soldier Luke Johnson through the Civil War and onto his life's journey in becoming a famous federal marshal in Montana territory.

Volume Two of The Tagger Herd series: Horses, cows, trucks, and tractors - who wouldn't love the ranch life! Wade Tagger is livin' the life, until an accident threatens to take it all away. When he refuses to discuss what happened, the family tries to unravel the mystery of the accident, while dealing with the life or death surgery of Wade's rescued horse, Rooster.

In the dusty town of Rattlesnake Ridge, 12-year-old Sheriff Jimmy faces a daring challenge. When an outlaw named Black Bart threatens the town, Jimmy must summon all his courage to protect his home. Will he overcome the obstacles and save Rattlesnake Ridge?

If a dream is a wish your heart makes, then Cindee Ellis is in major trouble. There's no way Henry Christensen will ever notice her under all those oil stains and brake fluid splattered across her shirt. Unless - she's dead wrong about him. Join her with this real life fairytale set in the small town of Silver Creek to find out how she'll work her guts out to make her own happily ever after.