**I interrupt this history fest with a book update!**

As a child of the west, I heard adults occasionally say, “That kid got an extra helping of ‘Try.’” I understood it as a compliment, even in failure. Later, as an adult, I was introduced to the writings of James P. Owen who is the bestselling author of the books, “Cowboy Ethics” and “Cowboy Values.” He wrote a little book titled, “The Try: Reclaiming the American Dream” and in it he defines “Try.”

“In standard English usage, ‘try’ is a verb that means ‘to make an attempt.’ But in cowboy culture, the word is a noun invested with profound meaning. When cowboys say, ‘That cowhand, he’s got Try,’ they’re talking about the quality of giving something every ounce of effort you can muster. And if a cowboy really, really admires someone, he'll say that person has got The Try – which means he or she is someone who always gives 110 percent and never, ever quits.” page viii, The Try by James P. Owen.

After ten years, eighteen rewrites, three editors, miles and miles of driving to sites and museums for research, I’m determined to see this project through to its fullest potential. I’ll not step away until I know I’ve done everything I can to share these stories.

Last Friday, August 15^th, I received ten boxes of paperback books from KDP (Amazon’s printer). Some went to the James Ranch Market, signed and ready for those who have been patiently waiting for them to arrive. Thank you to all who hurried to the market to get their copies!

Some went to the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) book contest. This is a national contest for books published in 2025. I entered both books in the Historical Fiction category, The Gantlet in the category for first time authors and Kismet in the category for first time publishers.

Entering a contest like this one is so beyond anything I’ve ever done. For context, in 2024, 2.1 million books were published. Of those, 450,000, or so, were published by the traditional publishers. That should tell you a couple of things. First, there are a lot of independently published books in our world today. And… that is a whole lot of competition!

Honestly, it would be amazing to have my titles mentioned in a contest this size. But this is not about the winning or losing. It’s about having more people see the titles and read the reviews who then might be intrigued enough to pick them up and enjoy an entirely new western story.

Book reviews are an integral part of the book business. So much so, I have learned, that when an author signs with a big publisher, they agree to review (favorably) other authors’ work within that publisher. This quid pro quo has cast a bit of shade on the whole review credibility. I have learned that readers are starting to doubt the truthfulness of some of these reviews and are preferring the opinion of third party, independent reviews.

I chose to be reviewed by two independent book review companies and pay them for their service. This will take 4-6 weeks but when they are done, I will have an unbiased review of my work. Again, another avenue for my titles to reach into the world and get the stories shared.

Amazon has interjected a whole new area of competitive stress for authors based on algorithms. Keywords, stars, categories, bestseller lists, “verified purchase” reader reviews and so much more, all play with an author’s sense of worth. Free Ebook giveaways, ad buys, social media and email lists, international reader groups, and listings in industry catalogs have exploded into my writer’s sphere. I now understand that this is what makes self-publishing terrifying for so many.

But in the past few weeks since the books’ release, I have had a few folks reach out to me personally, not posted for anyone else to read, and their words have given me reason to weep with humility. So kind and supportive. And so appreciative of my research and efforts toward telling a compelling story about a time in American history that isn’t understood well in the 21^st century. These are the words that will keep me writing my stories.

Finally, thank you to everyone for sharing their thoughts as they finish the books. It means so much to know you were entertained and that you felt you got your money’s worth. Honestly, that’s all I really care about. This perpetually unfolding project is my Try.