The western in fiction - the state of play

Western fans have a lot to look forward to over the festive period - not only will the new True Grit be lighting up cinema screens but Jan 1st 2011 will see the debut of the Black Horse Western eBooks. Four books in one bundle, that usually retail for around £12 each in hardcover, all for a measly £10. The Black Horse books are popular the world over but given that the hardcovers are largely aimed at British libraries, it is often difficult for readers outside the UK to get their hands on the books. And those that do often find the cost prohibitive.

For many years Robert Hale's Black Horse imprint has led the way in western fiction - indeed the British publishing house produces more westerns than anyone else, including the bigger American publishers. The Archive will be looking at the eBooks in more detail leading up to the publication and I do hope readers will support the books and buy one of the eBook bundles for by doing so they will not only be getting superb value for money but help to ensure that further Black Horse titles make it into the digital world.

"Anyone wanting to find out more about the Black Horse range and westerns in general I direct over to the archives of the excellent online magazine Black Horse Extra."

Just a few of the many titles in the Black Horse Library

Hale have said that they are moving fast here and that this bundle is the first of many, but they are open to feedback from the readers. What is the best way to sell western eBooks? Would readers prefer these bundled packages or individual titles? Would themed bundles be enticing? Would single author collections persuade readers to give the eBooks a go? Tell Hale who you're favourite Black Horse writers are by looking up their books on Amazon and clicking the box that states, I would like to read this book on the Kindle. And please leave a comment on this post and make your voice heard, shout out for the genre that is too tough to die.


"The fact that few bookshops stock westerns these days no longer really matters when there is such a wealth of material available electronically." The Western Reader Online.


The Archive is hosting another Wild West Monday on the first Monday in January with the emphasis on buying a western eBook and showing publishers what we want, proving how popular the western genre is in these troubled times. And it's not only the Black Horse eBooks we are pushing but westerns from all publishers which is something the Archive has always been proactive in - don't forget the classic Edge by George G Gilman is out there and available now (now that's a title that any western fan will love) and all of the online retailers have  extensive western eBook collections on offer - this last month I myself have bought over a dozen western eBooks and the memory of my Sony eReader is bursting with western titles.

Yep, there's never been a better time to be a western fan.

ROBERT HALE LTD

PUBLISHERS SINCE 1936

The respected British publisher is entering new territory and I believe all western fans will want to go with them. Indeed should go with them for only by showing our interest will we ensure that eWesterns don't suffer the same lack of availability as conventional western books.

Now before the more cynical of you ignore this post as just another self serving advert, I do after all write Black Horse Westerns as Jack Martin, then please consider that it is not only my own titles that I strive to promote but the genre as a whole, the genre that I love and grew up reading. And I have always promoted the entire genre as well as those spiffing little books by that Jack Martin chappie.

Let's ride together into this brave new digital world.

Thanksgiving in the Old West

In December 1900, The Denver Times ran an account of the celebrations in what would later become Colorado. The army, civilians and several Indians were at the open air feast, which culminated in a night of dancing and merrymaking. Apparently a good time was had by all ...well, with the possible exception of the half dozen turkeys that were consumed.

According to the WIKI the first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians. The traditional Thanksgiving menu often features turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. Americans may eat these foods on modern day Thanksgiving, but the first feast did not consist of these items. On the first feast turkey was any type of fowl that the pilgrims hunted. Pumpkin pie wasn't on the menu because there were no ovens for baking, but they did have boiled pumpkin. Cranberries weren't introduced at this time. Due to the diminishing supply of flour there was no bread of any kind. The foods included in the first feast included duck, geese, venison, fish, lobster, clams, swan, berries, dried fruit, pumpkin, squash, and many more vegetables.

In the more remote corners of the Old West people wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving would have to improvise and hams, beef and chicken were often used in place of the traditional turkey. Some of these celebrations have been lost to history but thanks to diaries and letters we have written records of a few of these celebrations. In 1860 a Kansas housewife wrote to her sister in New York, informing her that they had a grand feast some unnamed critters instead of turkey but never was a tastier meal served.

Below is President Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation:


A Proclamation.
The Year that is drawing to a close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke the aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversion of wealth and strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.
Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascription's justly due to Him for such singular deliverance's and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln