The story is
set on the Kansas / Missouri border towards the end of the Civil War. I have
long been fascinated by this period of America's history and especially by the bloody,
brutal and often short lives of the Missouri Guerrillas under the command of William
Quantrill and Bill Anderson. These men rode hard, fought hard and ultimately
died hard. Some of those who survived the war went on to become notorious outlaws such as Frank and Jesse James and Cole Younger. There is no doubt that the Guerrillas put a lot of the blood into 'Bloody Kansas', although to many living across the state line in Missouri they were seen as heroes, rather than murderers. I think the truth probably lays somewhere in the middle.
HELL AND GONE introduces the character of Mitchel McCann; a preacher with Southern
sympathies who worships his own particular kind of religion. You’ll be seeing a lot more of him and his
adopted daughter, Justice in my novella GOSPEL OF THE BULLET, which will be
out sometime early next year. But for now go and get yourself to HELL AND GONE.
I hope you dig it.
History that continues to fascinate me too, Chris. When folks ask what more is there to write about the Old West, I laugh. We've only just started! The African American, Chinese American, Native American, etc hasn't even been scratched yet. When the name Bass Reeves rolls off American tongues like Wyatt Earp then maybe we can say were halfway there.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your story at The Big Adios. A favorite webzine of mine.
Thanks David. You’re absolutely right, there is so much more to tell. The western genre isn’t played out as some might like to suggest; we are only just getting started.
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