For western adventure the Misfit fits perfectly

Chap O’Keefe explores a different type of killing than one would normally expect to find in a western, proving that there are still new storylines to be found in the genre. Even though I did suspect the right person of this killing I was way out with the how and why and the answers definitely provide a memorable conclusion to this book. WESTERN FICTION REVIEW

Peace at Any Price by Chap O’Keefe is the quintessential action-packed Western and as such it seems to fit right in with the rest of the Black Horse Western (BHW) line. Sparsely written and at times frantically-paced, it introduces the characters with a few broad strokes and then wastes no time in pitting them against all sorts of challenges. Jim returns from the war but the Double H and Trinity Creek no longer feel like home, not in the least because his former darling Alice Cornhill has married someone else in the interim. Fate leads him right back to the Baptistes, their dubious business concerns and a face-to-face encounter with the ruthless Woodson Waldrop, the man he suspects burnt down the Double H. Saddlebums Reviews


Keith Chapman AKA western writer Chap O'keefe can always be relied upon to provide good no nonsense western adventures and his series featuring the intrepid heroine Misfit Lil is a huge fan favourite. The books regularly sell out of their admittedly short print run but then pop up on Ebay and other auction sites for silly prices. I recently saw a copy of Misfit Lil Gets Even go for £45 - DAMN, outbid again!

The Misfit Lil series currently numbers seven titles

Misfit Lil Rides In
Misfit Lil Gets Even
Misfit Lil Fights Back
Misfit Lil Hides Out
Misfit Lil Cleans Up
Misfit Lil Robs the Bank
Misfit Lil Cheats the Hangrope

Keith recently enjoyed the Archive piece on Old West Aliases and he wrote to tell us how he came up with the name Misfit Lil.

"Your post on Old West aliases reminded me how easy it is once a descriptive moniker has been acquired to forget how it came about. When I wrote for an early edition of the Black Horse Extra ezine an article about the creation of Misfit Lil, I neglected entirely to recount how she came about her neat nickname. Sure enough, we were obliged to clarify this in a Hoofprint brief in the next edition. It said:

"Among generous responses to the last Black Horse Extra, which had a record number of visitors, came a recommendation from Grumpy Old Bookman whose blog is listed by the Guardian newspaper in Britain as 'one of the top ten literary blogs'. GOB exhorted his followers to nip over to the Extra and said, 'I quite like the idea of a character called Misfit Lil.' Others said: 'Keep Lil's libido raging! Love that name by the way. Will look for a title in the local library'; 'The genesis of Misfit Lil was totally absorbing and I look forward to meeting Miss Lilian Goodnight as soon as possible'; and 'Thanks for the latest news. I found the excerpts from the Misfit Lil stories very entertaining.' But one reader pointed out, 'Your lead article doesn't explain Lil's unusual handle.' Author Chap O'Keefe replies, 'Miss Lilian is the scallywag daughter of a rich but vexed cattle-rancher who'd like her to be refined, educated. After her expulsion from a high-toned seminary for young ladies in Boston, talk of Miss Lilian's escapades further blackens her reputation and she's called Misfit Lilian. That gets abbreviated, as nicknames do, and so we come to Misfit Lil.'"

As in real life, so in fiction. The sobriquet becomes better known than the original. Thus Simon Templar is better known as the Saint . . . and Miss Lilian Goodnight as Misfit Lil."



The latest title Misfit Lil Cheats the Hangrope is the debut title from new paperback publisher, BHE Books and can be bought on Amazon, The Book Depository and from other online booksellers. It is also the subject of our £100 competition - buy the book, keep your reciept and enter the comp to win £100.

In case you missed the comp here it is again, followed by the four clues posted thus far. Note no one has yet claimed the prize so the odds of winning are far better than expected. Spend a tenner, get a great book for your money and maybe walk away with a hundred smackers.

WIN £100 IN OUR BIG WILD WEST MONDAY COMPETITION!

One savvy Tainted Archive reader is going to be £100 richer on Wild West Monday as the winner of our new competition, set by western writer Chap O'Keefe.

You have only one question to answer and although there are possibly other ways to find the answer, it can be done without leaving your keyboard! And we will be giving clues along the Archive's special, month-long western trail to November 2.

The competition question is: What is the link between Misfit Lil and Boris Karloff?

The rules are few and simple:

1. You can send as many entries as you like to feedback@blackhorsewesterns.com with the subject header "Competition".

2. Entry qualification: With each entry you send, you must also include a copy of your Order Receipt from Amazon or Lulu for your copy of the BHE paperback western Misfit Lil Cheats the Hangrope. This will include your name and address, receipt number, order date and the book's title.

3. The competition winner will be the sender of the correct answer first received.

4. The competition will be open for the entire month of October and the winner -- or the fact that a winning answer has been received -- will not be determined until after the closing date, Saturday, October 31, 2009.

5. The name of the person who sent us the first correct answer received will be announced at the Archive on Wild West Monday, November 2.

6. Entries must be emailed to feedback@blackhorsewesterns.com

7. No responsibility can be accepted by Gary or Keith for any entry lost or delayed in delivery.

Okay -- that's all there is to the official stuff. On with the fun! What is it between our handsome Lil and ugly ol' Boris?

AND THE FOUR CLUES ARE:
First clue: Education is a paramount trail to follow.

Second clue: When casting around for sign, google a name and a keyword, and explore the links you find at the search results.

Third clue: Online tracking is a breeze because everyone has access to the world's largest encyclopaedia.

Here is a fourth:

When considering ties, the "old school" option is a good one.