Category Archives: western

My April Reading Log

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Victoria Janssen

Fiction: River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey posits an extremely clever alternate American history in which hippo ranching took over the Mississippi Delta and other areas before the Civil War. Set in the 1890s, the plot follows an eccentric group … Continue reading →

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August 2014 Reading Log

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Victoria Janssen

Fiction: A Case of Possession by K.J. Charles is second in the A Charm of Magpies series, a historical paranormal with an ongoing male/male romance. I love the way the magic is done in this series, and as usual, I … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on Cowboys and Aliens

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Victoria Janssen

This post contains spoilers. Also ranting about stuff that irritated me, and getting far too intellectual, and probably getting incoherent along the way. I saw Cowboys and Aliens earlier this week, and though on some levels I enjoyed it (beautifully … Continue reading →

Posted in movies, sf/f, western | Tagged | 2 Comments

Ella Drake – A Space Western World

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

Please welcome my guest, Ella Drake! # A Space Western world When I started to write Silver Bound, a space western releasing Nov 22nd from Carina Press, the elements of world-building excited me. What’s not to love about creating a … Continue reading →

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Steampunk Research Books

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

I’ve begun basic research on the history of the American West for a western steampunk novel. My book isn’t going to be a historical, but I want it to be informed by history and in dialogue with history.I chose Frontiers: … Continue reading →

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Steampunk Worldbuilding Questions

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

I’m in the early stages of creating a world in which a steampunk Western can take place. Here are some of the questions I’m asking myself. Some of them I answered promptly; some of them I’m still pondering.1. Alternate history … Continue reading →

Posted in sf/f, steampunk, western, writing process | 5 Comments

Pondering the Mail-Order Bride

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

I had another thought about Western romances. Does the reason the “mail-order bride” plot is so popular in Western romances have anything to do with the idea that marriage is linked to civilization? In that case, marriage could be civilization, … Continue reading →

Posted in genre, romance novels, western | 4 Comments

Basics of the Western

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

So, Westerns. What are the basic elements of a Western? There are the two plots: 1) a stranger comes to town and 2) someone leaves town, heading for a new place. A subsidiary plot involves surviving in the wilderness, whether … Continue reading →

Posted in genre, reading, romance novels, western | 7 Comments

My Favorite Westerns – Books, Movies, Television

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Wendy the Super Librarian and Kristie of Ramblings on Romance are posting about Westerns this week, so I thought I’d list a few of my favorites. Song: Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other, covered here by Willie Nelson. … Continue reading →

Posted in genre, reading, recommendations, western | 15 Comments