Western but Not in the West

My husband reads very little fiction that isn't Western. When I first started publishing in 2015, he didn't want to read my first novels because they weren't set in the Old West. After some deliberation, he agreed to try one set in the Appalachian Mountains. To his amazement and delight, he said that it read much like a Western. He's read every one of my books since.

Coming from an Appalachian heritage, I understood exactly what he meant. The two cultures share a surprising number of similarities. Both are shaped by an indomitable spirit and a rugged determination. Both have long histories of making do with limited resources and improvising when needed. Family, whether by blood or choice, has always been a priority. Living close to the land and nature, many times in places with unique beauty, often deepens an appreciation for and reliance on God. Many smaller traits fall under these larger themes, creating a sense of kinship between regions. Even scenes can echo one another. Take this circa 1910 photograph of Spruce Pines, North Carolina, in the Appalachian Mountains. Doesn't it look strikingly similar to an Old Western town?

Perhaps growing up in the Appalachians is one of the reasons I've written so many Westerns. Of the ninety books I currently have listed on Amazon, nine are predominantly set in the Appalachian Mountains, and forty-six take place in the Old West. I love both regions and plan to continue writing in both. If you'd like to explore my books, you can find them here:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00SIFWZLG/allbooks

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