John R. Erickson's Blog, page 8
July 30, 2014
Featured Friend of Hank: "Book People" in Austin, TX
Hey Hank-Readers!
This post is the first in a series of stories covering independent book stores, gift shops, etc., around the country that carry Hank the Cowdog books. Not only are these owners great people and Hank-fans themselves (and, therefore, fun to read about), BUT you also just might hear of some in your area that you hadn't known about before! And, if that happens, be sure to stop by!
First on the List: Book People in Austin, TX
Not only is Hank a S...
July 6, 2014
Hank the Cowdog-Themed Party Ideas! (Back by Popular Demand)
Hey Hank-Fans!
Back by popular demand: Hank the Cowdog-Themed Party Ideas! (i.e. because we get lots of great feedback on this one, we've updated and reposted it) Seriously, what could be more fun than a birthday party, or ANY party, with the Head of Ranch Security?
After you've seen some of our ideas, be sure to check out our Pinterest board "Cowdog Party Ideas" for more! (AND, if you want to get fancy, get additional Hank products and gifts at our CafePress store!)
And, so that we can...
June 10, 2014
A Wildlife Biologist’s Interview of Ochiltree County’s Hank the Cowdog
Hank’s Take on Texas Panhandle Wildlife
A Wildlife Biologist’s Interview of Ochiltree County’s Hank the Cowdog
By James D. Ray and John R. Erickson
Preface--- Hank the Cowdog hails from a ranch near Perryton, right here in the Texas Panhandle. His creator, John R. Erickson, has been producing Hank stories for decades. But, if you are not familiar with Hank the Cowdog, just understand that in the words of Mr. Erickson, himself, Hank has a few quir...
May 26, 2014
Hank the Cowdog, THE MOVIE - Official Teaser Trailer!!!
Hey Everyone!
VERY EXCITING news!! We've been getting a lot of questions about the progress of the upcoming Hank the Cowdog movie, and today we're pleased to announce the Official Teaser Trailer!
“We always had a feeling that it would make a wonderful series of animated movies. " -John R. Erickson
We hope you enjoy the trailer!
May 7, 2014
"Cow Sense: Mother Cows," by John R. Erickson
It was a Sunday afternoon in February. Our family had gone into town for church that morning. Kris and the kids stayed in town for church functions in the evening, and I went back to the ranch to feed cattle.
It was along about five in the afternoon when I fed the East Pasture. I found the cows in one bunch, at the windmill near the mouth of Point Creek Canyon. I poured out their feed on the ground and walked down the line, counting the cows.
This was...
April 29, 2014
"Love and Land," Article by John Erickson in American Cowboy magazine
To read the article in its entirety, please visit American Cowboy's website here.
From the article: "Inspired by John Wayne's words of wisdom, John Erickson—perhaps best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series—writes what it means to be a man of the West."
“The West—the very words go straight to that place of the heart where Americans feel the spirit of pride in their Western heritage—the triumph of personal courage over any obstacle, whether nature or...
April 15, 2014
A Sneak Peek at Chapters 3 and 4 of "The Return of the Charlie Monsters"
Hey Everyone!
We hope you enjoy this excerpt from Hank #63! Hank and Drover have just found Pete stalking the turkeys that Sally May enjoys watching from her kitchen window. Pete isn't having an luck, so he suggests that the dogs give turkey-chasing a try, unless, of course, they've gotten "old, fat, and out of shape"....
Chapter 4: "I Fool the Cat, Hee Hee" (by John R. Erickson)
I marched over to him. “Okay, Pete, the Ranch Council wants an explanation o...
April 14, 2014
Hank #63 EBOOK - Now Available!
Dear Readers,
We hope you've had a chance to enjoy "The Return of the Charlie Monsters"! But, just in case you haven't, did you know that it's also available in all major ebook formats?
That means you can read it today! We hope you enjoy it!!
~The Ranch
(Links below)
Hank #63 available as an ebook from these retailers:
Book 63 for the Kindle (Amazon)
Book 63 for the iPad (iTunes) - Coming Soon
March 27, 2014
Contest Winners!!
The results are in! We have our winners for the "Calling All 'Hanks'" contest!
Congratulations to everyone who won, and a HUGE thank you to everyone who entered! We really loved seeing all of the "Hank the Cowdogs" out there!
Lise Ostenberg: First Prize Winner (2 Hardcover Hanks (#1 and #62) signed by author, 1 Hank audiobook (# 62, “The Ghost of Rabbits Past”), and a pack of Hank the Cowdog playing cards.)
"Our Hank the Cowdog is a 6 year old Aussie mix...
March 24, 2014
"Coyotes and Dogs" - by John R. Erickson
Years ago, I was riding a pasture up in Beaver County, Oklahoma. Our ranch mutts, Foxie and Pooch, went along with me, as they usually did, following along behind my horse and doing the usual dog-things.
All at once I noticed something odd. We were passing through some tall sagebrush. The dogs were jumping up into the air and looking back towards the country we had just crossed. I had never seen them do that before.
The next thing I knew, the dogs wer...
