What first drew you to writing gritty Western adventures, and how did your love for the genre begin?
My love for the genre started on lazy Sunday afternoons, watching John Wayne, James Garner, and Clint Eastwood films with my dad. Those stories of frontier justice made a permanent mark on me. I was drawn to writing gritty adventures because I wanted to capture the raw spirit of the American frontier full of those action-packed moments that don't shy away from the harsh realities of territorial life.
You mention being inspired by Longmire and Yellowstone. What elements from those shows influence your storytelling the most?
I’m inspired by the way those modern classics blend deep character development with high stakes. From Longmire, I take the methodical approach to justice and the internal moral compass of a lawman. From Yellowstone, I’m influenced by the themes of family legacy, and the lengths men will go to protect what they’ve built in an unforgiving land.
How did watching classic Westerns with your dad shape your vision of the frontier and the kinds of stories you tell?
Those films instilled a deep appreciation for authentic frontier storytelling and the unwavering moral courage required to survive it. They shaped my vision of the Southwest as a place of transition where the chaos of the frontier was slowly giving way to civilized order. I want my stories to reflect that same sense of honor and the frontier spirit I saw on the screen as a kid.
Many modern Westerns blend traditional themes with contemporary issues. How do you balance authenticity with modern relevance in your books?
I focus on timeless themes like justice, honor, and the struggle between law and lawlessness. While the setting is historical, the moral dilemmas—like deciding what’s right when it might not be legal—are very relevant to readers today. By grounding the story in real research, the difficult choices my characters face feel authentic to any era.
What fascinates you most about the lawmen and outlaws of the old Southwest?
The complex moral landscape they operated in is fascinating. These weren’t sanitized heroes; they were complex men dealing with impossible choices. I’m captivated by how territorial lawmen often had to work around the system to ensure justice was served, guided by a personal code that was sometimes more rigid than the law itself.
You spend time researching legendary lawmen and early frontier towns. What’s one surprising historical detail you’ve uncovered that made its way into your writing?
One of the most striking things I've discovered is how few legendary lawmen actually started out seeking a badge. Many were accidental lawmen who had lived entire lives as cattle ranch foremen or businessmen first. Take Burt Mossman, the man who organized the Arizona Rangers. He was a meat-packer and a ranch manager who rubbed shoulders with politicians. He didn't aspire to become a lawman, he just loved taking on a challenge and winning. That larger-than-life personality and the idea that a lawman's authority often came from his previous life experiences is a detail I lean into heavily when building my characters.
How do you ensure your settings and historical details stay authentic without bogging down the story?
For me, research isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about breathing life into the era, the environment, and the culture of the day. I use my research to understand how a lawman would have truly felt standing on a wind-whipped street in a place like Holbrook or navigating the treacherous terrain of Canyon Diablo. Those unique historical figures I find in primary sources inspire me to create fascinating characters with gritty backstories that feel earned. While I love finding ways to weave in specific historical events or facts, I make sure they are a natural part of the story's heartbeat rather than a distraction. The goal is to make the reader feel like they are emersed in history, not just reading about it.
Is there a real historical figure or event you’re especially eager to write about in a future book?
My research into Burt Mossman has heavily influenced the series from the start. In The Rustler Hunter, I chose to feature the Aztec Land & Cattle Company because of the real-life events Mossman faced when he took over that million-acre ranch to root out corruption. It’s a fascinating transition—how a man runs a massive cattle operation and then, a few years later, goes on to start the Arizona Rangers. I’m actually working on the first draft of Book 3, The Traitor’s Badge, where I get to explore this further. My plan is to have some of those real-life rangers that Mossman trained make a cameo appearance as Shane Harper’s story unfolds.
How does your research process differ when you’re writing about real places versus imagined towns?
While I’m inspired by the history of real settings like Holbrook or Phoenix, there is always a blend of fact and fiction. When I’m looking at real locations, I read to understand the specific landscape, the size of the town, and even the climate of that era. I like pulling in historically accurate buildings or local landmarks to ground the story. All that research helps me ensure that even my fictional settings feel completely authentic to the time and place. Whether a town is on a map or in my head, the goal is for the reader to trust that the environment, and the frontier spirit within it, is the real deal.
What does a typical writing day look like for you when you’re deep in a Western manuscript?
Like many folks, I balance my writing life with a full-time career. On some days, that means I’m up before the sun because an action scene is rattling around in my head, and I have to get it down before heading off to work. Other nights, I’m back at the desk after having supper with the love of my life. My weekends are usually my focus days, where I can settle in for a dedicated three-hour block and knock out a few chapters at a time. It takes discipline, but when I’m passionate about these stories, so I find the time to make them happen.
Do you plot your stories like a carefully planned showdown, or let them unfold more like a dusty trail ride full of surprises?
I ride with a high-level outline of major plot points, but as I get further into the series, I’m learning that the characters love to throw curveballs at me. Like J.J. Westin’s backstory about his younger brother. It wasn't exactly planned, but it made his character come alive on the page. I ended up reworking several chapters to make that a core part of his motivation during an epic shootout scene. I don't want to spoil it for y'all, but sometimes those unplanned turns in the trail lead to the most authentic moments.
How do you develop your protagonists—especially your lawmen—to feel tough yet human?
I build them as complex men dealing with impossible choices in an unforgiving land. To keep them human, I focus on the frontier spirit—that mix of unwavering moral courage and the personal code they live by. In the Harper Justice series, these lawmen aren't sanitized heroes; they are men who care deeply about family and justice, even when doing what’s right means defying what’s legal. I love to brand it as "Grit and Honor" for the men, while for the women, "Grit and Grace" becomes their guiding principle.
What are some of the biggest challenges in writing action-packed Westerns that still feel emotionally grounded?
The challenge is ensuring the grit doesn't overshadow the heart. I aim for action-driven with emotional depth, making sure every showdown or chase has high stakes for the characters' personal lives and their faith. It’s about showing the cost of justice, not just the action of it. Though it sure is fun to write those action-packed moments.
What do you hope readers feel or take away after finishing one of your books, The Rustler Hunter?
I hope readers walk away with a sense of the unwavering honor and moral courage it took to survive the territorial Southwest. I want them to feel the weight of the impossible choices the Harper family faces and come away with a deeper appreciation for those who stood for what was right in an unforgiving land.
What has your AllAuthor experience been like so far? What are some highlights?
It’s been a great ride so far. The highlight has definitely been connecting with readers who share a genuine love for Arizona history and gritty, action-packed storytelling. Seeing the Harper family’s story resonate with folks who grew up on the same classic Westerns as I did is exactly why I started writing these adventures. I also have to mention that the AllAuthor Magic Tool is a true godsend. It helps me create e-book or paperback versions of my covers that I reuse over and over in graphics for my newsletter and social media. It makes the marketing side of being an author a whole lot smoother.
