There is not a single western fiction magazine on the print market, today, to my knowledge. No tales devoted exclusively to the Old West and its cast of characters, the outlaws, Indians, pioneers, and gunmen who lived in the wild, wild west, exits today. I’ve been asked about starting a western fiction magazine, but to be quite honest,  I’ve a lot on my plate these days and the thought of adding “Editor” to my titles isn’t that appealing.  However, my love for western fiction and the genre keeps the option open.

I’m going to seriously consider it, but only if I can find enough qualified writers to supplement the magazine with some good stories. While I’ll contribute, I simply cannot be the sole writer. It just would not work. Besides, I have to believe that the readers would want some variety.

The magazine will have to sustain itself financially. I will not go much out-of-pocket on the project, so it will have to be carried by subscriptions and advertisements.

There really isn’t anything out there, today. The last true western fiction magazine, Far West,  a California publication where I got my start writing western fiction, folded back in the 70’s, and since then, there hasn’t been anything around to take its place. Part of the problem is that there is a relatively small market for western fiction, and print media is so expensive. However, there are enough western fiction fans out there, that it is a viable operation as an electronic magazine.

I’ve put out some feelers, asking folks who visit the western fiction website what their feelings about a western fiction magazine are, and whether they’d be willing to subscribe, and whether they’d be willing to contribute. Time will tell. Keep looking in here to see the way the wind blows.

If you’ve any comments, give them here, but also consider taking the survey (see below). The more who take the survey, the more of a reality it will be.

The Old West generated more novels, stories and  adventure books than just about any period of time in American history. Cowboys, outlaws, marshals, Texas Rangers, pioneers and a host of other such folk have dotted our historical landscape, giving us colorful stories about the Old West. Some tales are real, while other stories are imaginary, and many are pretty accurate fictional adaptations of historical events. The ones that usually capture our imagination, though, are those that “might have been” or “could have happened.”

I love writing about the Old West. I’ve written several fiction books about characters who might have lived in the American West.  One I did recently, entitled Bloody Wes Teague, started out as a mild, romantic novel. The main character, a former marshal, now a rancher in Wyoming, falls in love with a beautiful New York socialite while on a cattle buying trip in Colorado. Her father owns a cattle ranch in Colorado. So, Wes Teague decides to call on her in New York City.

Characters sometimes have a way of taking over a story. This was one of those times. Indeed, the story was originally planned for a certain publishing house that is decidely Christian and conservative. It would have been great, if I could have stayed with the original idea. Instead, things took a dark turn, and ultimately, the book proved to be too violent for their tastes.

The book takes a hard look at the very fine line that separates vengeance from justice and survival. In this story, Wes Teague, long a supporter of law and order, if forced to take a hard look at the issues surrounding those subjects. He learns some things about himself, in the process. The reader will come away perhaps a bit troubled by the ending, troubled in spite of affirming the way Teague handles the issues. Most will probably agree with what he did. But, it still would be somewhat discomforting to some.

Later, I’ll explore some of the interesting historical information I found about New York City, while researching the book.