East Jesus, Nevada (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780615771410)

I lived in Nevada for ten years, from 1983 until 1994 and, living there, enjoyed exploring the American west. Growing up in Philadelphia and watching Westerns, as a lot of folks my age did, it was awesome seeing the actual movie locations for films like The Shootist (one of my favorite John Wayne films, shot, in part, in Carson City) and the popular TV series Bonanza (filmed at Lake Tahoe and elsewhere, and basing a lot of its storyline in Virginia City). I was the Senior Pastor and Head of Staff of the First Presbyterian Church in Carson City during those years, "the oldest church in Nevada." Though not a churchgoer, Mark Twain attended there on at least one location, though the evidence argues he didn't enjoy the experience. My leadership in the church encouraged an interest in the state's historical discussions and, at times, gave me access to a wonderful set of characters state-wide: a county sheriff, for instance, who ended a high school graduation party by shooting holes in the kids' beer kegs, as well as the daily drama offered by a couple of the state's governors, a variety of state senators and assemblymen and women. I like to think my background as a former pastor--I hold a M. Div, a D. Min, and a second but unfinished doctorate in counseling and educational psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno--as well as my experience as a martial arts teacher and cowboy quick draw enthusiast situates me well for writing historical fiction. I get the flow between the details of an event and an event's significance, and am most fascinated by the effect real events have on the interior life of my characters. But the fact is, writing these books in the W. W. Ronin serious is a simple joy. I sit in a chair until ideas come to me and, listening to them, try to be an honest and accurate scribe.