I liked this news story which I've just read in the December issue of Wild West Magazine:
In a speech in Springfield, Mo . in July Barack Obama claimed that he was the sixth cousin, six times removed of Wild Bill Hickock.
Obama said -'Family legend states that Wild Bill Hickock and I share common ancestry with Dutch immigrant Thomas Blossom."
The New England Historic Genealogical Society have confirmed that Obama and Hickock are sixth cousins. However it must be pointed out that Hickock was a staunch Republican. And the research into Obama's family tree also revealed that the politician and Brad Pitt are ninth cousins.
Over here in the UK we've had no much coverage of the US elections that I wish I could vote myself.
Weider Group are to publish 100 Greatest Westerns this coming winter which is a massive, picture filled review of what they consider the top 100 horse operas ever.
The Black Horse western website, Black Horse Extra will post the latest edition of its online magzine, Hoofprints sometime in November. There's a wealth of interesting features and also the first mention of Jack Martin (yours truly) on a Black Horse Western website.
Current Black Horse titles
Published by Robert Hale Ltd, London 978
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 | Black Horse Westerns can be requested at public libraries, ordered at bookstores, and bought online through the publisher's website, www.halebooks.com, or retailers including Amazon, Blackwells, WH Smith and VinersUK Books. |
SAD NEWS:
Tony Hillerman author of a string of modern day western/crime novels often featuring the Navajo policeman Jim Chee has passed away. Award-winning Western author Tony Hillerman died Sunday, October 26, 2008, of pulmonary failure in Albuquerque, N.M. He was 83. Hillerman.
I'd only just discovered the author and raved about his novel, The Ghostway earlier this year.
There was a time when all kids played with Cowboys and Indians - well this Christmas UK supermarket Tesco's are carrying a line of cowboy and indian toys. Think I might put one of their saloon shoot out sets on my own Christmas list.
6 comments:
Misfit Lil Cleans Up is a great title.
Do you know who Chad Hammer is? I think he's also a Black Horse writer. Great pen name. (Assuming it is a pen name.)
Interesting note about Obama. Very exciting election.
Chad Hammer - I'll email Chap Okeefe. He'll know
I must say...Obama looks great in that hat!
As far as I know Chad Hammer is Australian author Paul Wheelahan. He also writes BHW as Matt James. Possibly under other names too. I think he wrote many westerns that were published in Australia under a variety of names such as the Bravo storys for Cleveland as E. Jefferson Clay.
I'm sure Keith will be able to reveal more.
It must be so strange to be inundated with American politics. We get coverage in the States, in a peripheral way, of changes in leadership in the rest of the world. But not to the extent that our elections are covered. I'm always surprised anyone else is interested.
Actually they way the UK and US are linked I think the elections do have relevance to the British people. I've got to say I'm enjoying all the coverage. And of course as a western writer with a love for the American west I'm always interested in how Uncle Sam's doing.
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