Finding the Romance in Novel Research by western author Stephen Bly When a cowboy writer does novel research, the sight of a landmark can spark an idea for a full-fledged novel … or just a poem. Southeast of Four Corners, New Mexico is Shiprock, an impressive example of a volcanic neck or a […]
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Brand Names Power: That Stetson-Justin-Kelley Quality
There’s Something About Brand Names … by western author Stephen Bly Long before radio and TV, even among the cowboys and ranchers of the Old West, brand names meant something to them. John B. Stetson made beaver hats with high crowns and wide brims like no one else. A man only had to buy one […]
Character Interview Questions for Western Hero, Stuart Brannon
Stuart Brannon Character Interview I thought Stuart Brannon fans would enjoy some character interview questions. Devised these while my three sons and I finished Stephen Bly’s last novel, Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot. Stuart Brannon is the main protagonist and western hero of the The Stuart Brannon Western Series. In addition, he also appears in or has […]
Gift Certificates at Bly Books Online Store
Now you can purchase Gift Certificates for Bly Books … for the men, the women, or kids on your list. For birthdays, holidays, and other special events. Three different amounts offered. Gift Certificates will be attached to an email for a one-time printout to send to the recipient of your choice. They can be redeemed […]
Old-Fashioned Mincemeat Pie
This mincemeat pie recipe was western author Stephen Bly’s favorite Christmas dessert. OLD-FASHIONED MINCEMEAT PIE You’ll need to start four weeks ahead to prepare the very special ingredients for this mincemeat pie with meat filling. Makes fifteen quarts that you can keep all year long in the root cellar or any pantry. Here’s what it […]
Cowboy Poetry: December is a Good Month to Cowboy
DECEMBER IS A GOOD MONTH TO COWBOY Here’s some Christmas cowboy poetry by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. December is a good month to cowboy, if you’re fond of the wind, snow and cold. It ain’t that I don’t like winter, boys, it’s just tougher when a man grows old. Snow whipped down off […]
5 Nuggets to Research Fiction
Here’s five ways to research fiction by western author Stephen Bly To research fiction, writers have to be gold miners at heart. Any story worth its gems has the sweat of pickax hard work behind it. In the historical novel, Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon, I discovered these jewels of info that played out in […]
Rodeo Rules are Life Principles
Most Everything I Know I Learned From Rodeo Rules by western author Stephen Bly Robert Jack lived right down the road. He called me Butch and I called him Junior. We discovered we agreed on almost everything … Dwight David Eisenhower and the New York Yankees, Dodge pickup trucks and quetta nectarines, Coca Cola and […]
Bury Me With My Boots On
Bury Me With My Boots On by western author Stephen Bly Whenever I hear the phrase, “Bury me with my boots on,” I’m reminded of a scene … The lady seemed restless, like she wanted to ask me something important. The pastor and his well-dressed wife had met me at the airport and she hadn’t […]
Western Heroes: Stuart Brannon, Western Philosopher
Western Heroes – Stuart Brannon Factoids & Quotes Stuart Brannon, one of the fiction western heroes in the Stephen Bly western book series, was a western philosopher of sorts. Before he adopted 12-year-old Littlefoot Brannon in 1888, he lost his wife on Christmas Day 1875 in childbirth. The baby boy died too. A year later […]
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