Books in The Wildes of the West series

Great-grandfather has witnessed so much change in his life. When he was a boy the horse and buggy was the mode of transportation. He has lived to see aviation progress from a few barnstorming pilots hop-scotching across the country to jet aircraft thundering across the sky. And he was sitting there that day, in front of the television, when men walked on the moon. All the years and hard work have taken their toll but when he is seated in his favorite rocking chair, great-grandchildren scattered at his feet, his eyes sparkle as lively as they must have in his youth. He exuberantly recounts the past, painting vivid pictures of his life on the western frontier as a pioneer, miner, freighter, stage driver, Indian fighter, trapper, homesteader, logger, buckaroo .... The story over, he waits, and then a small voice implores, 'Grandpa, tell us another story, please.' Grandpa grins, 'Well, all right. Once a long, looong, looooong time ago....'

Notorious for his widely publicized bank and train robberies, Jesse James will forever be known as the American outlaw and gang leader. James began his infamous career during the Civil War, as part of a group of Confederate guerrilla fighters in his native state of Missouri. But as the war ended, James turned his life toward crime and soon became a man on the run from the law. Joined by his older brother, Frank, and another set of brothers, James became one of the leaders of the famous James-Younger gang. As a group, these bandits ruled the West, terrorizing banks, stagecoaches, and railroads. Although James was feverishly hunted, he was never taken prisoner by US law enforcement. Instead, his career as an American outlaw was cut short when he was betrayed and murdered by a member of his own gang: Robert Ford. Already a celebrity when he was alive, Jesse James became a legend after his unforeseen death. With exciting text, vivid photos, and historical relics, Jesse James, part of the Wild West for Kids series, teaches kids why this one outlaw still fascinates people more than a century later!

Rick Steber began writing the Tales of the Wild West stories in 1973 for his syndicated newspaper column. He gathers information from personal interviews and research journals, diaries, logs, letters, newspapers and books. To gain a pioneer's perspective he has hiked the Oregon Trail and paddled a canoe from the wilderness to the mouth of the Columbia River. As he travels the country gleaning material, Rick has gained an understanding of and deep personal feeling for the people and the landscape of the West.

A hunter, woodsman, and frontiersman who was an excellent shot with a rifle, Davy Crockett's adventures became well-known legend after his death at the siege of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Although he is remembered as an American pioneer, he also forged a career as a politician, serving as a Tennessee state legislator and later as a U.S. Congressman. Crockett had a remarkable life, from running away from home when he was 13 to holding political office with virtually no formal education. The desire for more land led Crockett to journey to Texas, where he joined the volunteer army to offer allegiance to the formation of a free Texas. At the Battle of the Alamo, Mexican general Santa Anna wanted to make an example of those involved in the rebellion; his take no prisoners order resulted in Crockett's execution. In Davy Crockett, read about a man whose life became a symbol of America's pioneering spirit.

Four Races, One Father, Enemy to Outlaws, Desired by All... Amidst the desolate ruins of a once mighty Arizona ranch, Allie Mastluehr stumbles upon one of the most extraordinary tales of the old west when she meets the aging Cattie Wilde, who reveals she was one of four formidable multiracial sisters who lived, fought and delivered justice in the southwest. To Allie’s astonishment, Cattie recounts a western story of adventure, romance and female family drama that put the quartet on the road to becoming an adventure team when their father fell victim to a heinous scheme to plunder riches from the family's beloved Cedar Ledge Ranch. As Allie falls under the spell of the wild west adventures of this most heroic of mixed race families she learns how these four strong women heroines came together for the first time to protect all they held dear, in the face of tremendous adversity and danger while sharing an unbreakable bond of love. With sharp wits and guns blazing, the fair-skinned Cassandra, Asian Lijuan, mulatto Honor Elizabeth, and Mexican Catalina-The Daughters of Half Breed Haven, were a force to be reckoned with as they fought and loved their way from the deserts and streets to the bedrooms of 1870’s Arizona. The Daughters of Half Breed Haven is the first installment of a female lead novel series, The Wildes of the West, where action, sibling suspense and bawdy romance combine in this female adventure novel forming a tale worthy of the wicked Wild West.

According to popular theory the first inhabitants of north America arrived during the last Ice Age. Between 15,000 and 40,000 years ago people are believed to have crossed from Asia to North America on a natural land bridge, where the Aleutian Island chain now exists. These people migrated south, hunting mastadons and mammoths, giant ground sloths, camels and long-horned bisons. They ate the meat and used the hide for clothing and shelter. Their weapons consisted of rocks and obsidian-tipped spears. In time the atlatl, a device used to throw spears or darts, was developed. It was not until about 3,000 years ago that the bow and arrow was introduced to North America. On the eve of the white man's arrival the population of North America, divided among 500 tribes, was estimated to exceed one million. But the Europeans brought with them diseases from which the native people had no natural immunity and plagues of smallpox, fever, tuberculosis, measles and venereal disease swept through the Indian nations with devastating results. Ninety percent of the people died: entire tribes were wiped off the face of the earth. Those who remained were rounded up and placed on reservations. The way of life they had known for countless centuries was doomed.

The life of Crazy Horse, the greatest warrior of the Lakota people, is filled with mystery. He did not leave any letters, diaries, or speeches, and it is still unclear whether his death was a murder or an accident. Yet Crazy Horse remains a compelling symbol of freedom and dignity. As whites invaded Lakota lands and the buffalo herds shrank, many Lakota settled on reservations. Crazy Horse, however, completely rejected the reservation system and negotiations with the invaders. He helped lead the Lakota in two of the greatest defeats ever suffered by the U.S. Army: the Fetterman Fight in 1866 and the Battle of Little Bighorn against General George Armstrong Custer in 1876. In Crazy Horse, read about this mysterious man who played a large role in the Native American battles in the West.

JUSTICE TAKES ON MANY SHAPES AND IN THE OLD WEST OF 1873 IT COMES IN THE SEXY AND SHAPLEY FORM OF THE WILDES OF THE WEST !Part two of the Danger Down Mexico Way trilogy continues as Honor Elizabeth’s encounter with a violent child abuser is only the beginning. Miles to the north her siblings may not even live to make it to Mexico!When the greed-fueled murder of a Mescalero traps them in a border town about to come under siege at the hands of Apaches out to avenge their blood brother, the pair find themselves the only hope to stop a massacre and save the citizens. Relying on Lijuan’s wits and Blue River’s seduction of the chief’s sister, the two Wildes fight to survive the town of no return!In 1913 The Wilde family’s desperate struggles continue to be laid bare to Allie Mastluehr as she immerses herself in their escapades. All the while her love Connor strives to repair their relationship that his vindictive mother has left in tatters.The deeper she plunges into the long-ago events in Mexico, more Wildes are revealed to be in dire straits…Dutch Wilde whose letter set Allie on the path to Cedar Ledge. Undercover in Mexico the cavalry captain and his lover Bright Feather play a perilous game with a wanted fugitive. As Allie becomes drawn into their dangerous subterfuge she has no idea that Annabelle Kincaid, who unbeknownst to all shares a murky past with Catalina, desperately seeks to separate Connor from anything Wilde by setting into motion a scheme hoping to drive a wedge between the young lovers…forever With sharp wits and guns blazing, the fair-skinned Cassandra, Asian Lijuan, mulatto Honor Elizabeth, and Mexican Catalina-The Daughters of Half Breed Haven, were a force to be reckoned with as they fought and loved their way from the deserts and streets to the bedrooms of 1870’s Arizona and beyond.The Town of No Return is the latest installment of a female lead novel series, The Wildes of the West, where action, sibling suspense and bawdy romance combine in this female adventure novel forming a tale worthy of the wicked Wild West. PLEASE BE ADVISEDThe sibling’s escapades, be it braving the sometimes-violent west or their romantic escapades are recommended for readers, who like the Wildes, are 18+ years of age and above.If you are ready to “Get Wilde” return to the top and join the sisters in WOTW #3!

Jesse James may be the most famous outlaw from the wild days of the Old West. He began his career during the Civil War, as part of a group of Southern-supporting guerrilla fighters in his native Missouri. After the war, James turned his hand to crime, becoming one of the leaders of the famous James-Younger Gang, along with his brother Frank and another set of brothers, the Youngers. These bandits became notorious for their bold robberies of banks, stagecoaches, and railroads around Missouri, but James was never taken prisoner, despite years of manhunts for him. James's legendary career ended when he was betrayed and murdered by Robert Ford, a member of his gang. As proved in Jesse James, his daring exploits are still fascinating more than a century after his death.

"A six shooter makes all men and women equal." Agnes Morley not only coined this phrase, but also backed it up by carrying a gun. While many women in the Wild West did not carry a gun, Morley's quote represented the brave spirit of all pioneering women. Early expeditions to the unexplored West included women, such as Sacagawea, who helped Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific. As Americans settled the West, women took on important roles as ranchers, teachers, homesteaders, miners, outlaws, and reformers. From Calamity Jane to Carry Nation, author Jeff Savage examines the amazing women pioneers of the Wild West.