December '22 

Howdy pard,

It’s a right treat to see you – welcome! Season’s greetings and a Merry Christmas!

This month I’ve found a pile of free books which are just perfect for those cold nights curled up by a warm fire. I’ve got something to share about Lakota Chief Blue Horse, as well as an update on that new Bozeman Trail they’ve been talking about up Montana way. Oh, and I’ve found a perfect recipe for venison chili – warm up your taste buds!

Now listen up - have a fantastic festive season, and I hope you and your loved ones make many wonderful memories. Where’s that bartender? Yes thanks, make it a double.

As my grandpa used to say, “never let your yearnin’s get ahead of your earnin’s”.

Historical fiction freebies

Christmas is all about enjoying the company of family and friends, but I know one of my guilty pleasures is closing the front door as the last of my guests leave and curling up in a chair by the fire with a big pile of books. On that note, I've found a free collection of nearly 70 novels (covering pretty much any era of history you can think of) is perfect for enjoying a glass of your favorite tipple while your imagination visits Victorian England, Frontier America or even the high seas as a Viking! 

These books all have something in common – they are waiting for you right now and they won’t cost you a cent. Pick one, pick ten, pick them all – it’s up to you. But don’t wait – they are only available for a limited time!

Here’s a couple of titles to whet your interest:

• A Vikings Curse, by Avani Clare
• A Bride for Frank, by Cynthia Woolf
• Trouble in Cadiz, by Joni Swift
• Black Waters, by A E Spencer

Don’t miss out, folks! Click here to get your free books:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/historicalfictionfreebiedecember2022/54dvy0vpzf

Legendary warrior chief

Lakota Chief Blue Horse and his brother Chief Red Cloud fought for over 50 years to help their tribe survive the worst effects of the arrival of settlers, to feed, clothe and educate their people, and preserve sacred Oglala Lakota land and heritage.

As a young warrior, Blue Horse led war parties against the Ute, Shoshone, Bannock, Arikara, Crow, Omaha, Pawnee and Piegan. However, the U.S Army was a different story…

Find out why in this article I wrote about legendary Chief Blue Horse on my revamped website:

https://nickbrumbywesterns.com/chief-blue-horse-of-the-wagluhe-band-of-the-oglala-lakota/

Opening up the West

The Bozeman Trail was a shortcut to the newly discovered gold fields of Montana Territory. Cutting through the heart of Indian country, it provoked a clash of cultures that exploded into warfare, destruction and tragedy. 

It was a singular road that changed this part of the American west forever. Find out more in this fantastic historical documentary – so much detail and great storytelling!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wg0NYn2rI

Did you know?

In 1870, the Bender family settled in Kansas and opened an inn. The family seemed to prosper, despite rustling a few feathers with rumors that they practiced magic. Then the trouble started. Settlers started to disappear right across the county, with search parties only ever able to find body parts. At wits end, locals formed a search party to raid every house in the area but were slowed up by bad weather. When they reached the Bender house at last, the family had fled. The search party found a trap door to a secret basement stained with blood, along with eleven bodies buried in the family’s garden. The ‘bloody’ Benders vanished without any trace.

Cowboy deer chili

When out on the range, cowboys found food options limited. When on a cattle drive, cookie and his chuckwagon were responsible for keeping a cowboy's belly full. However, when he was on his own a cowboy had to look after himself – and fresh meat was always welcomed. Few meals were better than a deer brought down during a hunt.

Cowboy cook Ken Rollins shows us how to make the best pot of deer chili you’ll ever have the priviledge of tasting. Deer meat can taste gamey, but ol’ cowboy Ken knows all the tricks of the trade. Ken goes through every step in this great video – enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0xjyyFmO_8

Sixgun Drifter Sol Redding

Get your exclusive subscriber-only copy of my first western Redding’s Maverick here: https://BookHip.com/NGKAHW

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Happy trails (and Merry Christmas!),

Nick