I recently finished the manuscript of My Friend Aggelo, and have started on a sequel entitled, The Kids Are Alive.

I also have a sequal to the McNally series in works entitled, Gone to Virginia.

Gone to Virginia

In this adventure Pete travels to Virginia in an attempt to bring to justice the man he met on the plains of Texas during the quest for the return of Waco's family. (Pete McNally: Texas Ranger) He was a very nasty man who stole a couple of children, and was discovered in the middle of nowhere. Pete and Pawnee administered a little west Texas justice, and then allowed the children to take the only wagon to safety. The man later found the children and treated them even harsher. His treatment of the children was revenge for the beating he received from Pawnee. When Pete hears of the problem he leaves the purview of the Texas Rangers, and heads to Virginia on a quest of his own type of justice.

My Friend Aggelo

My Friend Aggelo, introduces a new character. Lee Brannan is a Texas Ranger and contemporary of Pete McNally. Lee is assigned the task to go to the Frio river area near Goliad , and search out a notorious outlaw named Jack Short. Jack is a preacher's boy that has gone astray. He has chosen to live outside the law because of the hideous murder of his parents and immediate family. The preacher's kid finds himself struggling with his father's faith and burning disillusionment with the world. Lee is joined in the pursuit by an unusual character named Aggelo who adds a very significant difference in the quest. The final chapter is an unusual twist on the protagonist/antagonist confrontation. Jack Short must face the judgment of his creator and Texas.

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I hope you enjoy reading the stories and discover in the process a renewed interest in the old west. Help keep the oral tradition alive.

Keep the Peace,
Cliff

Life on the west Texas plains was fraught with danger and lawlessness. Renegades of all stripes took life and property with total disregard for the law. Justice was sparse and came in many forms but the one that could always be counted on was the Texas Ranger. This group of men, dedicated to the law and to Texas, ranged over the area bringing law and order with them. Energized by a commitment to the law, often meagerly armed, they searched out the lawless and brought them to justice.
In the dwindling glory days of the great Comanche nation a few hard pressed chiefs held onto the hope of a great battle that would capture a time gone by. When this was mixed with the greed of those who would steal from the weak for a quick dollar you had a sure fire receipt for disaster.
The Rangers were few and spread thin across the expansive state. When children were used for fodder and their lives were counted for very little everyone's need for justice rose, but with Pete McNally it was more than the need for justice. It was a driving force to be contended with and those on the outside of the law found little sentiment.

Into every life come difficulties and tragedies. The degree and depth of survival depends upon a haven of rest and support. In the old west, these places were few and far between. Many journeys led to destruction and disillusionment and some just disappeared down an unmarked trail. Families were divided and split asunder often with the young left to fend for themselves, inexperienced and ill prepared. Those who could not fend for themselves were left to the scavengers. The coyote was the most prominent one followed by the wolf and the bear. Coyotes would prey on the vulnerable and the least likely to offer a defense. They were sly, devious, and unpredictable but also deadly and cunning. The two-legged coyotes were the worst of the lot.

One oasis in the midst of dismal treatment was the Weathervane Ranch; a place of comfort, acceptance, challenge, and above all, the opportunity to thrive. It became a refuge for those who were either running away from something, running to something, or simply left without a place to run. Those who gathered bonded around two central themes. It was first survival and then the opportunity to thrive. It also offered protection from the coyote.

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