Friday, June 19, 2026

Anniversary for Brothers of the Mountain: Heart of the Frontier (Stories 1-7, Vol. 1)


I know. I just posted an anniversary announcement for Where the Gravel Lane Ends, but who cares. Let's do another one. 

Today marks ten years since the release of Brothers of the Mountain: Heart of the Frontier. Without looking at the numbers, I would guess this one has been my most consistent seller. This book contains the first seven stories in the series, which has eleven in total thus far. I plan to add a Volume 2 sometime in the future. 

Anyway, here's from the back cover. Links are below if interested.

Brothers of the Mountain: Heart of the Frontier follows the lives of brothers Henry and Lucas McCarty. Come along on their journey as they travel from eastern Kentucky to America’s untamed western frontier where they seek a life of freedom and exploration as mountain men and fur trappers. The stories within not only portray extreme action and adventure but also represent the special breed of men who were willing to risk their lives in the adverse and hostile conditions of America's western frontier in the 1820s and 1830s. These stories have been arranged in chronological order. (novel-in-stories)
Pride of the Shawnee - Lucas McCarty has his sight set on America's western frontier. He wants to be a trapper and explorer while his brother, Henry, rides along to escape a tragedy that has changed his life forever. However, a blood-thirsty stranger is on their trail, and getting out of the mountains of Eastern Kentucky alive will be a feat all on its own for the McCarty brothers.
River Pirates - Henry and Lucas cross the Mississippi River with hopes of catching up to William Ashley’s trapping brigade and reuniting Little Otter, a young Shawnee boy, with his mother and father. But first, they must deal with a couple of no-good river pirates whose dirty and reckless means to making a quick dollar places them directly on the fighting side of the McCarty brothers.
Two Buffaloes - Life is getting tough on the frontier for the McCarty brothers. Dealing with starvation, sickness, and now the vicious murder of an innocent family is more than they can handle. It seems their only hope of survival is to take up with the Shoshone chief, Two Buffaloes. First, they must prove themselves worthy to the old Shoshone leader by taking on the ruthless Blackfoot warrior, Mighty Wind.
Grizzly Rendezvous - An ornery grizzly is on the prowl and making life tough for a few settlers that happen to get in its way. Lucas, who's also had a run-in with the mighty beast, has had enough. It's up to him and an old trapper named Jude to track down the bear and set matters straight.
Blood on the Prairie - When Henry and Lucas encounter a severely beaten Indian maiden matters become personal, especially for younger brother Lucas. With a band of cutthroat Indians wreaking havoc across the frontier, the brothers set out to stop the renegades and try to prevent what could become a bloody massacre of an unwary Shoshone village.
Justice in the Valley - Henry and Lucas McCarty are heading to the port of the Missouri River to cash in their bounty of beaver pelts. Along the way, they stop at the frontier town of Fog Valley for a much-needed rest and drink. They meet a few interesting characters, and their visit quickly goes from bad to worse when they discover their pelts are stolen. With their livelihoods at stake, they must track down and teach the no-good, thieving culprit a valuable lesson ... and you can bet it won't be a pretty one.
Savagery of the Blackfeet - The McCarty brothers have experienced many troubling and even gruesome events ever since first stepping into the uncompromising American West. This time their hopes, dreams, and ultimately their lives hang in the balance when they come face to face with members of the bloodthirsty Blackfeet tribe.

Kindle

Paperback

Audio

   

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Anniversary for Where the Gravel Lane Ends


Today marks five years since the release of my short story collection Where the Gravel Lane Ends. It's a collection that I'm certainly proud to have published. Like a lot of short story collections, it doesn't receive the attention that novels do. And that's okay. The medium isn't for everyone. But I'm still proud of it. Links are below if interested. 

From the back cover:

An assortment of twelve stories that begin in the gritty depths of rural noir and slide down the literary spectrum into the tragedy and triumph that is contemporary realism; then shuffle through small-town America where carnivals and psychedelic awakenings are experienced, and finally, the last three stories take a detour into the strange and surreal.

In DOWN ON THE FARM, Army veteran Lyle Mullins loses his farm to the bank and is now being forced to leave. But for Lyle, cowering to the bank’s orders will not be an option.
In MY BROTHER’S FLAG, Jake McGee carries an abundance of grief for the loss of his little brother, which also hinders his ability to coexist with his grandfather who has come to visit for the summer.
In ARCADE MONEY, two boys go door-to-door swindling people in the neighborhood for a quick dollar to spend down at the arcade, but their cheating ways are met with unforeseen consequences.
In the Americana flavored CARNIVAL FUN, Preston Monroe sets out to see his favorite wrestler at the town carnival, but his course is rerouted by fistfights, barking carnies, freak show mermaids, and lizard people.
In PAINTED SMILES, a young boy gets to know his grandmother and finds comfort in an unorthodox family tradition.
In WHERE THE GRAVEL LANE ENDS, a brother and sister go on a strange school bus journey that takes them to see their deceased father.
These are only some of the stories to be found in this entertaining collection. Discover pain and sorrow, love and joy, and the strange and off kilter throughout this entire mixture of tantalizing tales.

Some of these stories first appeared in other publications.

Kindle

Paperback

Hardcover

Audio

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

The Broken Reality Series is Live


Hello everyone. I recently decided to republish my Broken Reality short story series. These nine stories aren't new but come from my various short story collections. A while back I decided to publish them as singles because I felt they were the "oddball" stories in the collections of which they were a part - not really fitting with the overall connectiveness of the collection - and needed their own spotlight. They may be available only for a limited time. I'm unsure yet. We'll see how it goes. I do hope you check them out. They are available in the Kindle Unlimited program. See link below.   

Here's the series description:

In the Broken Reality short story series, we look in on the strange, the offbeat, and the unexplainable events that happen to common people in everyday life. Come along and explore the realms of soft science fiction, weird fiction, horror, the paranormal, mystery, and the psychological. These are standalone stories that can be read in any order.

Diseased – Story #1
The Old Writer – Story #2
Boxcar to Paradise – Story #3
Kate’s Funeral – Story #4
Painted Smiles – Story #5
Where the Gravel Lane Ends – Story #6
The Tragedy of Harvey Sharpe - #7
The Man in the Meadow - #8
A Country Boy’s Delight - #9

Amazon link >>> BROKEN REALITY

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Update on "Down on the Farm"

Hey friends,

It seems Amazon has removed DOWN ON THE FARM from its permanently free status. I reached out to correct the matter but the technician on the other end was no help. Maybe I will follow-up at a later date. For now, the story will be in the Kindle Unlimited program. Also, I would like to mention that the stories in the Sheriff Randall King series can be read as standalone stories. If you enjoy small-town crime with a heavy dose of rural noir, then you might like this series. Click the link below.

SHERIFF RANDALL KING SERIES

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Down on the Farm is #1 in Free 30-Minute Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads

Yesterday, somewhere on the interwebs, DOWN ON THE FARM received a nice boost, which resulted in a few extra daily downloads than it normally receives. As of now, the story is #1 in free 30-Minute Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads, #1 in free 30-Minute Literature & Fiction Short Reads, and #3 in free Contemporary Western Fiction. If you haven't yet, click over and download a free copy. Reviews and ratings tell me that readers like it or hate it. You be the judge.

Download link HERE.

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Return of Grey Wolf is Now Live

The newest BROTHERS OF THE MOUNTAIN adventure, RETURN OF GREY WOLF is now live on Amazon. Click on the cover and head over and grab your copy today.

From the back cover: 

When vengeful Ute warrior Grey Wolf attacks a peaceful Shoshone village, mountain man Lucas McCarty must confront the past he thought he’d left behind. Amid fire, blood, and chaos, Lucas fights to protect his wife, a newborn child, and the fragile peace he’s built. In a story of survival, honor, and vengeance, every choice can mean life—or death.

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Coming Soon: Return of Grey Wolf


I'm happy to announce that a new BROTHERS OF THE MOUNTAIN adventure is on its way. RETURN OF GREY WOLF is number eleven in the series. I will post here as soon as it goes live on Amazon. 

Here's from the back cover:

When vengeful Ute warrior Grey Wolf attacks a peaceful Shoshone village, mountain man Lucas McCarty must confront the past he thought he’d left behind. Amid fire, blood, and chaos, Lucas fights to protect his wife, a newborn child, and the fragile peace he’s built. In a story of survival, honor, and vengeance, every choice can mean life—or death.