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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

New Release -- A Ranger Grown (Lone Star Ranger Vol 8) by James J. Griffin

This is my Lone Star Ranger novel, continuing the saga  of Nate Stewart as he grows from an insecure boy of fourteen to a confident, capable, valued member of  the Texas Rangers.

From my own perspective, this is my favorite story of Nate's adventures yet. For the first time, not only is he separated from the company of Rangers commanded by Captain Dave Quincy, he also has to take command of a Range patrol when he and his partners are pinned down by renegade Mescalero Apaches. Will Nate be able to take charge, and if so, how will he think through the situation, and save himself and his comrades?. What happens makes compelling reading for young and old, as the still a boy Nate fights inner struggles with the Nate on the cusp of full-grown manhood.

BLURB

With renegade Apaches and deadly gangs of outlaws running rampant in the Texas badlands, Texas Ranger Captain Quincy has no choice but to divide his band of Rangers and take on some new recruits. This mission is the most dangerous yet for Nate Stewart, who, at fifteen, is the youngest Ranger in the company. Now serving under Lieutenant Jeb Rollins, Nate and his best friend, Hoot Harrison, must face the fact that this may very well be their last mission—ever. The odds are stacked against them from the outset, with prairie fires, roaming bands of dangerous desperadoes, and the harsh conditions of the land they’re traveling. Pinned down by a party of Mescalero Apaches, it falls to Nate to lead—will he be up to the task? Getting himself and his fellow Rangers out alive is a job for A RANGER GROWN…

EXCERPT

     It was about four o’clock the next afternoon when Jeb ordered his Rangers to stop for a moment, on one of the low hills to the northwest of the capital city.
     “There she is down below, for you boys who haven’t seen her before… Austin,” he said. “The heart of Texas.”
     “Well, what d’ya think, pard?” Hoot asked Nate. “Ain’t Austin just about the biggest town you’ve ever seen in your whole life?”
     “Well, I hate to disappoint you, Hoot, but everythin’ ain’t bigger in Texas, despite what you might think,” Nate answered. “I’ll grant you Austin’s the biggest town I’ve seen since I got to Texas, but it’s nowhere near as big as Wilmington. And Wilmington ain’t nowhere near as big as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’ve never been to New York City, but I understand that’s bigger’n any of ’em. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Austin’s probably not even in the top twenty or thirty. Mebbe not even in the top hundred.”
     “You’re tellin’ whoppers again, Nate, ya idjit,” Hoot objected, using his favorite nickname for his friend. “There can’t be any towns hardly much bigger than Austin.”

Be sure and leave a comment for a chance of winning a Kindle ebook, A RANGER GROWN.

        

9 comments:

  1. Jim, I really did enjoy this volume of Nate's exploits. Excellent story, and yep--he's growing up! Keep these stories coming--I always look forward to the next Nate Stewart tale!

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    1. Two for next year... In the first one, Nate and Hoot end up in the last place they'd expect.... and that's all I'm sayin'!

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  2. I wish I still had a grandson in the age bracket to read this series. I was a children's librarian, but that is several years in the past. I will be talking to them to see if they will consider adding this series to their collection. I do know there are restrictions on who they can order from. I still enjoy checking out children's books and find them enjoyable, usually quick reads. I am going to have to check out the earlier books. Keep enjoying your New England location. The colors should be getting nice. We will be heading that way soon and I look forward to it. Need to get my New England fix for the year.

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    1. We're hoping the foliage isn't too dull this year, because of the extreme drought. Up north in the White Mountains, they haven't had a drought at all, but in the southern half of the state, we've been dry as the Arizona desert. I can tell you quite a few libraries have ordered the series. Thanks so much for the kind words.

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    2. PS: Your blogger name is a wonderful coincidence. One of my best friends since college is named Pat, and she just retired after a career as a librarian.

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  3. COMMENT!!

    Seriously ... looking forward to reading this one and I'm not ashamed to read "kid's books"

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  4. Oh, how I love series of this type. I may write Western Historical Romance for PRP and now the short story Memories series for Sundown Press but I so enjoy so many of the Painted Pony stories, then pass them on to my granddaughters or whoever. Haven't read Nate's stories as yet, but plan on it now--I'm getting this one for sure. Great excerpt. By the way, I live in the NYS Finger Lakes area but we do the foliage thing and whale watch in ME every other yr. and we too are hoping the draught won't keep those trees from coloring to perfection. Wishing you much success with this one and others coming up. Nice to see your work and get to say hi.

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  5. I enjoy this series. Best wishes, Jim. This looks like another great story.

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  6. To tell the story and watch the character grow has to be a wondeful experience. I honor you and the story.Doris

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