R. Lawson Gamble's Blog: R Lawson Gamble Books, page 2

A Massacre

On a recent trip to Utah, I stayed in St. George for a night. While there, I decided to drive north into the Bull Valley Mountains to visit the site of the Mountain Meadow Massacre, an event that has long fascinated me.

1857 was a tumultuous time in the Mormon ruled enclave with mounting pressure from the United States government to end polygamy, and rampant fear among the Saints of attack by Federal forces at any time. Westward bound wagon trains headed for California traveled the road through Mormon lands with increasing frequency. The Baker-Fancher wagon train was larger than most, and wealthier.

Mormons near St. George were consumed with war hysteria and imagined the stream of emigrants to be spies or worse. When rumors reached them that members of the Baker-Fancher wagon train had treated residents along the road badly, the local Mormon militia designed a plan to discourage travel through the territory. When the train arrived at the foothills and inquired about a place to camp in the mountains, the local Mormons sent them to a large mountain meadow area with plentiful grass for their stock and a spring and stream for fresh water.

The travelers found the mountain meadow as described and happily settled in to rest and prepare for a more arduous part of their journey ahead. They circled their wagons defensively, as always, as a caution. Nevertheless, the ensuing attack was a great surprise.

The local Indians, the Shivwits, were a branch of Southern Paiute existing peacefully under the thumb of the Mormons. The Mormon militia convinced the reluctant Indians to join them in the attack, claiming that the large well-armed wagon train planned to do harm to them. But the Mormons would dress like the Shivwits to cause the travelers to believe the attack was purely by Indians. The plan failed.

The Baker-Fancher party put up a stout defense and the battle went on for days. At several points, the faux Indians’ white skin was exposed, and the Mormons realized the besieged were not fooled. They also realized if word got out, the U.S. forces would have the very excuse they needed to invade Mormon territory. Hoisted on their own petard, the Mormon leaders decided no member of the wagon train could be allowed to survive. The Shivwits, meanwhile, left in disgust.

Eventually, the Baker-Fancher party ran low on supplies and, in a desperate situation, acceded to a conditional surrender with assurances they would be protected. They gave over their guns, as requested, and were marched a distance away from their defensive positions. There, they were divided into two groups: men and boys, women and girls. The two groups were led off. After a short distance, the men and boys were held up while the women marched on. The women were able to hear the sounds of the guns that slaughtered the men. Shortly after, they too were shot down. The very youngest children were kept back in the wagons, most to be dispatched, a few to be brought up by Mormon families.

The bodies lay where they were, becoming bleached bones until finally discovered. The Mormons kept their secret for more than a decade and investigations were slowed by the Civil War, but eventually the truth became known. One man, a scapegoat for all Mormon conscience, was hanged.

I found the site understated but poignant in its design. It was organized into four locations––a hill overlooking the whole valley meadow, the location of the Baker-Fancher campsite, the execution site of the men, and that of the women. From the hilltop observation memorial, spotter scopes permanently set to view each execution site bring the horror vividly into focus.

Kill Site Spotter Scopes

I toured each of the four locations and came away with impressions from each. The hilltop memorial allows a global perspective of a valley, gained by a gently ascending slope from the east toward a long, narrow but lush meadowland, and beyond it (where the wagon train was never destined to travel) a maze of steep hills and deep ravines, causing me to wonder if a route beyond even existed. The campsite itself struck me as a lovely place, from the dell-like stream bed to the gentle sunny meadow, unchanging despite human perfidy.

Mountain Meadows Stream Dell

The site of the men’s execution was in a small stand of trees, stark and lonely. The women’s execution site was in an open meadow, marked by a memorial. Here the sun’s warmth reached resurgent grasses. Behind the pyramid, one may still see the ruts of wagons. A quarter mile away stands a house, one occupied at the time of the killings, where the widow who lived there later confessed to hearing the gunfire.

Women’s Memorial

Today, surrounded as we are by a cacophony of brutality and murder, I recognize an insulation I’ve constructed within myself to protect against the overwhelming emotion that would otherwise prevent living a normal life. It is possible to do so only by distancing and obscuring the horrific detail of such events. It was jarring to visit this site of meaningless mass murder, but the exposure centered anew in me the recognition of the long, slippery slope of denial into an acceptance of evil.

Faint traces left by wagon wheels where the Baker-Fancher Wagon Train passed

NEW AUDIO BOOK WITH CASE MATTHEWS

“The Curse Of Matilija” is now an exciting new audio book narrated by Case Matthews. Case’s’ deep, resonant voice enshrouds the listener in a swirling cloud of mystery and intrigue from the opening moments. The reader drifts helplessly into the vortex of Matilija’s curse within a somnambulant, hypnotic tide produced by this narrator’s vibrant expression.

As a film actor, Case knows full well the power of a well delivered line. He presents perceptive voicing of each character while remaining within the natural flow and range of his narration. But when excitement grows, shots are fired, and the characters shout, Mr. Matthews delivers the punch.

In full disclosure, the creation of an audio book can be a tedious task for an author. Consider that the book, once written, must be edited and re-edited, then formatted for eBook and print book, each process involving yet more readings and edits along the way. When producing an audio book, this author listens to each chapter in turn as it is produced, noting edits to the narrator by minutes and seconds, then relistening once the tape has been reposted to assure the correction has been accurately and smoothly made.

Yet, that said, this author found the experience of producing audio with Case Matthews anything but tedious. His expression and interpretation of the characters kept the project stimulating from beginning to end. I believe the listener will agree.

An author’s characters, particularly in a series of books, become special to him. At creation, the writer imagines them in a particular way. It can be as wrenching releasing them into the realm of the diverse perceptions and opinions of readers as it can be to release a child into adulthood. Once that Rubicon has been crossed, the characters belong to the world. Case parented my characters in The Curse of Matilija with discerning sensitivity.

Case Matthews

Case Matthews is an American film and television actor and audiobook narrator known for his work on Better Call Saul, Roswell, MacGruber the series on Peacock, and Robots. When not working on a film project, Mr. Matthews enjoys walking his Weimaraner named William Elvis and riding his long board.

Going Back to Canaan

Those of you who have read CANAAN’S SECRET will remember the splendor of the landscape where jagged red walls rise abruptly above arid plains to proclaim the coming of Zion just beyond their summits. Here nestles a community of the Fundamentalist branch of the Mormon Church split by the border of Utah and Arizona, a tale of two cities in one named Hildale and Colorado City.

It had been five years since I visited the area, then passing through on my return from a trail half marathon in Page, Utah; there inspired to write the novel CANAAN’S SECRET. After secluding myself since the Fall of 2019 in defense against COVID, I enrolled in the Zion Ultras for a half marathon trail run taking place in Apple Valley, Utah, just a few miles from that fundamentalist community, during the weekend of April 8, 2022.

With time to spend before my race, I revisited the area and sought out featured sites from the novel to view with the perspective of a completed story. The landscape was every bit as dramatic as remembered and most fitting to the raw emotions and fringe violence of the story, yet the populace seemed far less restrictive and secretive than before. Indeed, a new feature on the highway at Hildale, a large Sinclair Service center with a Subway and store, seemed to welcome tourists to stop and refresh, rather than presenting a hot, dusty shoulder to the traveler.

Here at the store teens of the town gathered on dirt bikes and in UTVs to chatter before their next venture onto the wilderness tracks that abound nearby. As I gassed the Jeep, a shiny Sahara pulled in and a large man resplendent in tie and shiny vested suit climbed out and smiled expansively around him, a contradiction to the heat and blowing dust, every bit a character from the novel.

Glamping in Water Canyon

Next I drove to Water Canyon, down Utah Avenue, onto the dirt road descending to the trailhead. Here, too, were signs of a new tourist welcoming culture, including a glamping resort perched on a steep slope. At the end of the road, the trailhead parking area was packed with cars and trucks. In a nearby park, I glimpsed a covey of children on an outing with an adult, a mother or perhaps a teacher. While most of the children were dressed for the outdoors and the dirt and blowing dust in their shorts or slacks, two little girls wore chin to toe ivory white dresses. Traditional among the modern.

I stayed in a tiny house in Apple Valley, a fun and quite unique experience, close to the race site and featuring facilities most needed during an endurance run weekend – comfortable bed, large refrigerator, and hot tub. Oh, and a fabulous view.

Zion’s Tiny Getaway

It was pleasant to see the changes in this conservative community in the past five years; an acceptance of strangers to this beautiful land, an accommodation of the curious, while quietly preserving traditions and privacy, and the freedom for the young people to just be themselves.

Tulare Lake

When driving north from Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley today, you will experience a variety of sights from oil rigs to vineyards, dairy barns to orchards, and ultimately croplands stretching to the horizon. The primary impression here is flat, dry and hot. It is surprising to learn that this waterless landscape was once the largest body of water west of the Great Lakes. And not that long ago.

I traveled to Lemoore, California, recently, researching background for my next novel. My interest lay with the Yokut people who inhabit the region and indeed have done so for the past 10,000 years. To that end, I planned to stay at the Tachi palace, the casino owned and operated by the Tachi band of Yokuts. First, however, I set out to see if I could find any remnants of Tulare Lake, that huge body of fresh water that once sustained the Yokuts.

My map showed a large grey area south of the Santa Rosa Rancheria named “Buena Vista Lakebed (dry)”, which seemed to occupy an area inside the boundaries historically ascribed to Tulare Lake. I would go there. Seeing that the Kern National Wildlife Refuge was along the way, I whimsically decided to stop there as well.

The road to the refuge off the main highway lay north straight as an arrow and dry as a bone, with sage brush and semi-arid plant growth where the land was not irrigated. On my left, I became aware of a raised roadbed paralleling my route. But I saw no sign of trees or more verdant growth one expects to find in a wildlife refuge.

The entrance sign appeared out of nowhere, and I turned in. A group of small buildings huddled together a short distance from the entrance. An official looking building closest to the parking spaces was cordoned off with yellow tape. I would find no information there today. I read several informative signs, describing species of wild fowl that were not apparent. But a map outlined several driving tours and I set out to follow one of them.

Beyond the buildings, to my amazement, was a great body of water surrounded by lush marsh growth and speckled with hundreds of waterfowl, the nearest of which rose in a body with a great flapping of wings at my approach. I was awestruck. Here was the exact remnant of the historical lake of my imaginings. It is protected today by dikes which segment the water into multiple bodies that can be raised or lowered by pumps as the season demands. Here, hundreds of species of migratory birds can find refuge on their seasonal flights, just as they have always done.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge (The Last remnant of Tulare Lake)

An official for the Refuge found me when I made a wrong turn onto a restricted road. I asked him about the dry lakebed described on my map. “That’s all privately owned,” he said, “and all plowed over for crops.” I would see nothing there. But here, before me, was a vista of the great lake just as the Yokuts must have known it, fringed with tulare (reeds), full of wildlife, cooled by breezes across the water. Happy with my accidental find, I drove on to the Santa Rosa Rancheria and the Tachi Palace to find the Yokut people themselves.

More Anon.

MATILIJA RECIEVES TOP REVIEW

THE READERS’ FAVORITE review of The Curse Of Matilija came in recently, revealing a rating summary of 5 with 24 out of 25 points, an excellent result. With the book currently in production with ACX for audio, these results should spur purchases of all formats.

What did reviewer Edith Wairimu have to say about the novel? Read on.

“Rich with detail and captivating characters, The Curse of Matilija (Zack Tolliver, FBI Book 9) by R Lawson Gamble is a murder mystery based on an intriguing ancient legend. To FBI agent Zack Tolliver, the accidental death of a man in the Matilija Wilderness seems like a straightforward case of archaeological looting. But things take a turn when Zack comes into contact with a deadly bacteria and the pot containing the infectious disease mysteriously disappears. Worse still, a ruthless assassin is on Zack’s trail, determined to tie loose ends from the past. Together with his Native American friend, Eagle Feather, Zack goes after the pot to stop a catastrophic pandemic while looking for the assassin. At every turn in their investigation, more dead bodies show up leading back to the ancient curse of Chief Matilija.

The Curse of Matilija is a consistently fascinating novel packed with gripping discoveries at every stage of the plot. I liked the book’s fast tempo and how the tension in the plot was maintained until its riveting final scene. I also liked the friendship between Zack and Eagle Feather and how the Chumash culture and other Native American cultures are explored in the book. R Lawson Gamble’s The Curse of Matilija is a page-turner that any fan of murder mysteries will not want to miss. It extends ancient events and current incidents and blends reality with mysticism. It is appealing for its depth, unique characters, and plot which is continuously enthralling.”

Of course, we agree. The book is available in paperback and eBook format presently, with audio from ACX coming soon. Get yours here.

HOME NEWS

Work has begun on Zack Tolliver, FBI Book #10. Zack and his Navajo friend Eagle Feather become involved in a bewildering mystery in a different location, with another Native American tribe, and new adversaries, but it is the same fast-paced, action-filled adventure fans have come to expect. This as yet untitled novel will be available in late Spring 2022. As always, it will be a stand alone novel and while reading previous books in the series is unnecessary, they do help establish the relationships of the the characters and possibly hint at an antagonist or two.

“Johnny And The Comanche”, book #3 in the Johnny Alias series, has sold well in its debut as an ebook. Expect the paperback version soon. Readers have noticed the elements of Texas history within which the plot is woven, adding to the substance of the story and believability. As the reviewer for Readers’ Favorite wrote, “Each character has their own unique personality and Lawson does a fantastic job of bringing them all to life, from Buffalo Soldiers to Texas Rangers and Indian tribes…Johnny and the Comanche truly is a fantastic novel highly recommended to all adults.”

Nuff said. On a personal note, the author is engaged in several long term writing projects and is training for a half marathon technical trail run in April, and taking riding lessons at a local ranch to understand more about Rein horses and horsemanship. With the (hopeful) decline of Coronavirus he expects to become more active in book events this year. Jabbed and boosted, he’s already ventured out into the wide world a bit.

Let this be the breakout year for all of us. If we’ve learned nothing else, we realize now how enjoyable every normal day can be! May there be more.

R Lawson Gamble

“COMANCHE” EARNS A “FIVE”

The results of a review from READERS’ FAVORITE for Johnny And The Comanche came back today (actually last night a 4 am when my watch announced the email). I have great respect for the reviews from this organization and apply for them regularly. They are free (unless you want a speed-up, in which case they are inexpensive), but more important (to me), the reviewer breaks the review down into five categories (appearance, plot, development, formatting, marketability) with an individual grade (1-5) for each, and an overall grade. Johnny And The Comanche earned an overall 5.

Fours and fives are not easily earned. The reviewers are avid readers, skilled in analytical processing, and excited about their genres. We have submitted several books to Readers’ Favorite and have so far received a rating of five for each of them, but never with a perfect score, including this one, which received a composite 23 out of 25.

The review reads as follows: “Johnny and the Comanche is a thrilling novel, the tale of one man’s survival being dependent on another. Author R Lawson Gamble has a unique writing style, fast-paced, and filled with action. The scenes and locations are beautifully described, including the canyons, deserts, and oases. Each character has their own unique personality and Lawson does a fantastic job of bringing them all to life, from Buffalo Soldiers to Texas Rangers and Indian tribes. I especially enjoyed the way Lawson includes each character’s own traditions and rituals; he has clearly done his research. Johnny and the Comanche truly is a fantastic novel highly recommended to all adults.”

“Johnny And The Comanche” can be pre-purchased this next week at Amazon. Following publication on February 25, it will continue to be listed on the author page as an ebook. The paperback version is expected with a few weeks.

A NEW JOHNNY ALIAS

The third book in the Johnny Alias lineup, Johnny And The Comanche, is now available on pre-sale on Amazon.com. Johnny has left the town of Hebron leaving four men dead in the streets and now seeks refuge from the gunfighters wanting to challenge him. He heads to the loneliest place in Texas, the Llano Estacado in the Texas Panhandle, where a man can get lost from civilization – inhabited only by Indians, Comancheros, and buffalo hunters.

But the Staked Plains are even more dangerous now, with the Comanche and Kiowa raiding, and the Texas Rangers and the Buffalo Soldiers under Colonel Mackenzie hunting them. And it’s a dry year in a very hot place.

It’s a new Johnny with a new alias for this story, a narrative style with our young hero facing overwhelming odds to survive. The enveloping story line is true Texas history, with real historic characters and events, but within it, Johnny is Johnny. Oh, and a little romance…

We’ve livened up our cover with this colorful imagery from Kristalynn Designs but the overall look for the series remains pure Johnny. We know you’ll enjoy this story. The Author

FREE MESTACLOCAN & Other Business

Happy New Year! May Omicron, Flurona, Deltacron, and any and all manifestations of illness go away this year! In the meantime, we will help your leisure moments pass enjoyably with FREE BOOKS, gifted intermittently through the Spring. NEXT will be MESTACLOCAN, Zack Tolliver #2, free this Saturday, February 5, all day, at Amazon.com. Don’t miss out. This marks the first time the book is offered for free.

Be sure never to miss a free book event! Check our new BULLETIN BOARD page at RLawsonGamble.com. Here we list upcoming free book events, countdowns, book sale events, and anything else of interest to Zack Tolliver fans.

Watch for the third book in the JOHNNY ALIAS series, JOHNNY AND THE COMANCHE to become available next month. Johnny rides into Texas history on the lonely Staked Plains of the Texas Panhandle when he encounters Mackenzie’s Buffalo Soldiers on their way to battle the Comanche and Kiowa. Johnny, as always, gets caught in the middle.

Zack Tolliver, FBI #10 is underway, projected for publication in late Spring 2022. That’s all we can say for now, but WE are excited!

That’s the news for now. Drop in to RLawsonGamble.com just to check what’s happening or to leave a comment. We love hearing from you.

FREE LAS CRUCES & Other Business

Happy New Year! May Omicron, Flurona, Deltacron, and any and all manifestations of illness go away this year! In the meantime, we will help your leisure moments pass enjoyably with FREE BOOKS, gifted intermittently through the Spring. First will be LAS CRUCES, Zack Tolliver #7, free this Saturday, January 15, all day, at Amazon.com. Based upon a true event, a triple murder a century and a half ago, Zack faces reflections of the past when motorists report the apparition of a burning woman in the dark recesses of Gaviota Gorge. Don’t miss out. Our last free book was claimed by over 1500 readers!

Be sure never to miss a free book event! Check our new BULLETIN BOARD page at RLawsonGamble.com. Here we list upcoming free book events, countdowns, book sale events, and anything else of interest to Zack Tolliver fans.

Watch for the third book in the JOHNNY ALIAS series, JOHNNY AND THE COMANCHE to become available next month. Johnny rides into Texas history on the lonely Staked Plains of the Texas Panhandle when he encounters Mackenzie’s Buffalo Soldiers on their way to battle the Comanche and Kiowa. Johnny, as always, gets caught in the middle.

Zack Tolliver, FBI #10 is underway, projected for publication in late Spring 2022. That’s all we can say for now, but WE are excited!

That’s the news for now. Drop in to RLawsonGamble.com just to check what’s happening or to leave a comment. We love hearing from you.