Showing results by author "John Deacon" in All Categories

Seventeen-year-old Jem Hardy pleaded with the wagon master. He had to join the wagon train, had to cross the Oregon Trail, had to keep a sacred promise—but he couldn’t reveal the truth. Grudgingly, the man took him on as a scout. Jem had never scouted a mile in his life. But he had another set of skills. Skills no one could imagine. As the courageous men and women of the wagon train face bandits, bloodshed, and betrayal, Jem’s secret could save their lives—or doom them all.

Orphaned at fourteen, Hector “Heck” Martin heads west, determined to see the far country and make a man of himself. Along the way, he falls in love with bold and beautiful Hope Mullen. But Heck is too young and poor to marry, so he heads west again. During a three-year journey, Heck crosses thousands of miles, becomes a bareknuckle boxer, a mountain man, and an Indian fighter, and meets the likes of Kit Carson and Jim Bridger as he explores the gorgeous and deadly frontier.

Most of his life, Kip rode for the brand. Then tragedy struck. He rode alone into Dry Gulch, where he uncovered a criminal organization bent on ruling the West. Now, riding for a mysterious new brand, Kip strikes out to destroy evil, reveal truth, and impart justice. Kip is ready to die for these things. But suddenly, he also has a reason to live. Unfortunately, he left his heart in the one place to which he can't return.

In wicked times, heroes are treated like villains. "You're not wanted in Dry Gulch," they tell Kip Callahan when he rides into town. This valley is on the brink of a range war, and Kip knows he'll probably catch lead if he sticks around, but someone framed and lynched an innocent man, and Kip is determined to uncover the truth.

Justice heads to a wild Colorado boomtown to uncover his forgotten life and track down the powerful crime boss Ruble Cochran. But in Leadville, nothing is simple. Every answer leads to new questions, and Justice faces Cochran’s gang, including the mysterious killer known only as The Dragon. Can Justice take down a crime syndicate, uncover his past, and find a way to marry Nora Eckert?

Newly married, Justice and Nora honeymoon in New York City, where they rescue an orphan girl, track down Don Antonio Garza’s lawyer, and dole out some good, old fashioned, Western justice. Then it’s on to Mexico. Justice and an old friend ride into the wild borderlands, where they face bandidos, Apaches, rurales, and the formidable assassin, Mr. Rose.

When Will Bentley was nine years old, he promised his dying father that he would take care of the family. Growing up quickly, Will provided whatever his mother and sister needed, whether that meant putting food on the table, fixing a leaky roof, or driving off troublemakers. This became more than Will's duty. It became his identity. Then war took him away. Now, Will's coming home to Texas. Caring for his family and the intriguing young woman next door will be a tall order. The economy is dead, corrupt bluebellies are on the prowl, and old enemies want Will's land, his women, and his life.

Justice and Nora are building a nice life on the ranch, but he must hit the trail again. Reinstated as a silent justice, he vows to balance his two lives. That vow is tested mightily when his sixteen-year-old daughter, Katie, falls for a young cowboy with a mysterious past. Meanwhile, the formidable Undergrove Gang is cutting a bloody swath across the Southwest. Then, as Justice hunts the gang, big trouble rides into Dos Pesos.

Heck Martin battled Indians, bandits, and grizzly bears to make his valley the gem of the frontier. He overcame big obstacles to buy the land, build a town, and bring in a herd of longhorns. Now, ruthless San Francisco gold baron Percival Dumay threatens everything Heck worked so hard to accomplish. With the help of crooked politicians and an army of tough prospectors, he aims to take Heck's gold, his land, and his life. This time, Dumay is fighting dirty against the wrong man.

Justice is a drifter with no fear and no memory, trailed by a violent past. Nora is a beautiful widow bravely raising her young son on an isolated New Mexican ranch. When a ruthless cattle baron pushes longhorns into the valley, Justice vows to protect Nora and her boy. But how can he succeed against thirty hired guns… including the four outlaws who left him for dead?

Will and Maggie have big dreams. Not just for themselves and their baby. For their friends, family, and Texas, too. Can Will secure his old homestead before a carpetbagger snatches it up? What dangers await the Walking Gallows when they return to the Thicket? Meanwhile, despite Captain Culp's best efforts, big trouble is brewing with the bluebellies. Why? Through it all, Will and Maggie work hard for a better future. But if Will's enemies succeed, he won't have any future at all.

Promising to return, Lobo leaves Hannah and Tilly to hunt the man who killed his pack and caused the Padre's murder. Not knowing the man's name or location, Lobo travels the West, searching for clues. Along the way, he helps strangers and works as a bounty hunter.

As a mountain man and cavalry scout, Heck Martin handled every challenge on the Western frontier. Now, however, he must care not only for himself but also for his beloved Hope, her family, and his adopted brother, Seeker, in a remote wilderness populated by hostile Indians, bandits, and predators. Most men would crumble under these circumstances, but Heck has enough love and courage to forge a new destiny in this mighty land. Filled with tough optimism and a pioneering spirit, he vows to master the wilderness. There is much to do.

Will and Maggie face an uncertain future. Can Will get the cattle to market? Will Captain Culp clear Will's name? What revenge is Sully Weatherspoon's father plotting? Will and Maggie have no idea what lies ahead, but as long as they have each other, they will face these challenges bravely, ready to fight for a better life.

After seeking vengeance in Slagville, Lobo visits a beautiful valley and reunites with his long-lost family. Lobo's relatives welcome him with open arms, and he vows to help them with a big problem. But things turn deadly when Lobo discovers not everyone is happy that he survived.

In this fast-paced Western, a gunslinger with a savage past reluctantly teams up with a young orphan girl to avenge the murder of the padre who saved them both. As Lobo hunts the seven killers, he will uncover long-buried secrets, help a good woman in a bad situation, and maybe even do something a surly loner like Lobo wouldn't have thought possible… fall in love.

After completing their fort, the residents of Heck's Valley brace for winter. Many speak of spring—and the possibility of staying here and working together to build a town in this breathtaking wilderness. Heck and Hope don't know what the future holds, but so long as they are together, they face it with confidence. But life on the frontier is never easy. They have to guard their stock, keep the peace, and prepare defenses for spring when the Sioux warriors who killed Seeker's parents will again come raiding. Meanwhile, Heck must decide what to do about his amazing discovery.

Elijah Rable rides into Destitution looking for some fun but ends up with a badge on his chest, a price on his head, and two women vying for his heart. Destitution is just a miserable little frontier town in the middle of nowhere. So why is the air thick with fear and greed? And why are its most powerful citizens hiring gunslingers? Joined by a female sharpshooter with more grit than a sandstorm, Rable gets busy trying to solve the mystery. But he’d better be quick if he wants to stop the war, save the folks counting on him, and get out of Destitution alive.

The "Dynamic Deacon", Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, and the "Man on Fire", John Sablan, combine forces to bring you "Sons of Thunder"! This podcast will help take the truths and richness of the Catholic faith and tradition and distill it in a way that's understandable, relatable and practical for every day life.