If you like to read about early western history and at the same time read about the real people who were making it happen, this is the right book for you.

This fictional story is a combination of many stories that were told to me by residents of east central Oklahoma during the years I lived there. It covers law enforcement, selling whiskey, Indians, love and family, circus tent preachers, medicine men and the oil company's takeover of much of Oklahoma's natural assets. It is also about how society was reacting to the trials and problems of the common man.

You will need to put yourself back int history and forget modern day events to enjoy reading this book. As you read you will soon find that you are identifying the same kinds of events that happened then with similar events that happen everyday in our current world. It is a fact, history does repeat itself. The only differences are the people and the more modern way things are being done today.

My first two books were centered on Texas. This one was just waiting inside my head to jump out. I wanted to tell a tale of the early days in the wonderful state of Oklahoma. The "West" as we refer to our country today, was based on several states and the extreems found in all of the areas. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you like to read about early western history and at the same time read about the real people who were making it happen, this is the right book for you.

This fictional story is a combination of many stories that were told to me by residents of east central Oklahoma during the years I lived there. It covers law enforcement, selling whiskey, Indians, love and family, circus tent preachers, medicine men and the oil company's takeover of much of Oklahoma's natural assets. It is also about how society was reacting to the trials and problems of the common man.

You will need to put yourself back int history and forget modern day events to enjoy reading this book. As you read you will soon find that you are identifying the same kinds of events that happened then with similar events that happen everyday in our current world. It is a fact, history does repeat itself. The only differences are the people and the more modern way things are being done today.

My first two books were centered on Texas. This one was just waiting inside my head to jump out. I wanted to tell a tale of the early days in the wonderful state of Oklahoma. The "West" as we refer to our country today, was based on several states and the extreems found in all of the areas. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The Cowboy's Kids is a sequel to my first book "Chalk." The hero in the first book and his wife had two children, a girl and a boy. About 1910, ranching and raising horses and cattle in Texas took on a whole new perspective. The advent of the automobile, the invention of the airplane and the expansion of the national railroad system into the west, made ranching and the cowboy lifestyle take a hard look at itself. The children from that era were generally raised with a strong work ethic and most of them were very aware of other new options for their lives. Chalk Goodwin had made a lot of money in ranching. He was a kingpin in his community and he recognized that the horse business was going to slow down. He asked his children if they were interested in also being ranchers and the reply was not positive. Chalk and his wife Wanda were growing old and decided to take the family on a vacation, riding the train to California. Trains back then were a new adventure and it was fashionable to travel on a train. The trip set the stage for everyone's life. Chalk divided the Texas ranch and sold smaller ranches to loyal employees for very reasonable prices. The money that resulted was used to start an investment company. The Goodwin parents made sure that the "Kids" got good educations. Shortly after a few more trips to California, the Goodwin parents passed away. Barbara, the oldest child, became her brother's keeper. She helped him find his future while she found a future for herself in Army Nursing. Carl learned how to fly. He became a superior pilot and his skills led him to become an airplane designer. He worked on several early aircraft programs and became a respected and creative aviationpioneer. When the Second World War came along he was drawn back into the Army Air Corp and became a bombing instructor. This assignment led him into the war effort and he served with the Allied Forces in England. Before overseas deployment, he fell in love and was married. Barbara had married an Army Doctor. They worked as a team, both in an Army hospital and in a private practice they started. After a few years, her husband became ill and died. She retired back to the old ranch house in Bandera and tried to rebuild her life. The Army needed nurses to support war efforts and she was called up to serve in the care of wounded soldiers. She became a specialized burn treatment nurse. Carl had flown several combat missions into Germany and on his last mission his B-17 was shot down. He suffered a bad injury in the process. A French Resistance member rescued Carl and together, they planned and executed a unique escape plan. Carl stayed on in England to provide ground support services to the Allied bombers. While he was in England a baby boy was born to the couple. After the war everything went back to a new style of "normal living." Barbara remarried, Carl and his family built a new house and life went forward. Some recent authors have called people who live through this era "America's Greatest Generation." This description certainly fits. ----------------------------------------------0-------------------------------------------- The same cowboy spirit that helped the early settlers build the west took on a new profile and the young people of that generation gladly stepped up and served their country. The wars were won and for a while the world became a safer place. This book, like my firstbook was composed without the use of profanity. I take pride in this writing style. There are too many authors willing to use gutter language just to add drama and mimic some of life's poorer expressive styles. True, this may help sell books but it passes on a message that this type of language is acceptable. I hope you enjoy the story.

Chalk is a fictional story about a young man born in the coalmine country of rural Kentucky. He was born in 1863 to an English father and Cherokee Indian mother. Hard time and hard work filled his younger years. When his parents were both gone he followed a life of managing horses, doing blacksmith work and eventually found a good job on a Mississippi river boat. His experience led him to become a trail boss on a Texas bound wagon train. In Texas he found his life's calling, got married and became a local peace officer. At the same time he started ranching. His love and skills with horses and his honest life style he practiced found favor with the Military and he became a horse supplier for the Calvary. He was later drafted into military duty and rose rapidly in rank mustering out as a decorated Colonel. As an author I used information to write the story that was handed down by my father and my wife's family. My family had Cherokee roots and the stories my grandmother told me were very real. She was born in 1847, endured the Civil war aftermath and saw the First World War take the lives of many fine young men. My father and his brothers were in Pershing's Army and the stories they brought home were never forgotten. These times were difficult for everyone and need to be remembered. The lessons they contain are the real essence of how our country was able to grow to a major work power and leader in the cause for peace. As a first time author this work is an attempt to remind everyone that our nation has learned a lot but still has a lot more to learn. A great nation will always see another opportunity to improve. This is the American tradition.