5 July 2004 Mesquite, Nevada Last month, Charlotte and I flew to Las Vegas to attend the annual Western Writers of America convention in Mesquite, some 85 miles to the north and east. My oldest son Frank, who lives in Las Vegas, met us at the airport, along with my sister, Kay Bell, who had flown in from Oakland, Calif. a few minutes before our arrival. My son Forrest and his wife, Iva, had driven up from Colton, Calif. and were already waiting for us at the Casa Blanca hotel in Mesquite. I had rented a car, which Frank drove, and it was a most enjoyable trip across the colorful desert. He first took us to a restaurant where we ate a delayed lunch in Las Vegas. When I checked in, my friend Dale Walker came up and we embraced. Then, we were joined by Gary McCarthy, another dear friend. On the way up to our room, I ran into Matt and Betiane Braun. He was there to receive the Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement. Forrest and Iva joined us for a happy reunion. My son Vic was due to fly in Thursday night and Frank would drive him to Mesquite the next day. We arrived on Wednesday. After I registered, we all went to the autograph party in the ballroom. It was jammed with the other writers. I had trouble finding my table, which allowed me to walk almost the entire floor where I ran into Deborah Morgan, Loren Estleman’s wife, then Loren himself at his table, Elmer Kelton, Dusty Richards. When I finally sat down, I found myself talking to Leon Metz sitting nearby. Then, Gary Challender, CEO of Books-in-Motion, stopped by with a warm greeting. He bought THE BALLAD OF PINEWOOD LAKE and TEXAS DUST to take back to Spokane with him and record for his audio firm. And, he said he wanted more of my books, since he was back in production with a new editor. After I returned home I sent him THE DARK LAND and SUNSET RIDER and will send him the hardcover version of THE BARON WAR tomorrow when the Post Office reopens after the 4th of July holiday. Immediately following the book signing, a number of us gathered on the patio for a supper hosted by the new Berkley editor, Samantha Mandor for all of her authors. Joining us was former editor Kim Lionetti, now a literary agent with Bookends-Inc. I took my sister Kay with me since I wanted her to meet some of my friends there, while Charlotte took Frank, Forrest, and Iva to supper. Kay and I saw with Robert J. Conley, a dear friend, and a full-blooded Cherokee, and his friend, a Choctaw, who later won $6000 in the hotel casino. Dusty was there, of course, and Cherry Wiener, one of my agents, and several others. The food was delicious and it was cool there, with fountains spraying a fine mist through blue light. Matt Braun asked me to sit with him and Betiane at the auction on Thursday night, conducted by Dusty Richards. Dusty put on a wonderfully entertaining show. Later, I met with some new friends I hadn’t met before, among them Ellen Recknor, Peter Brandvold and Jimmy Lee Butts. But the noise drove us from the bar when a rock band opened up in mid-conversation. Later, I ran into Pat and Max Evans. I hadn’t seen them in a while. My son Vic came in on Friday with Frank and the Sherman family mini-reunion grew to full size. I didn’t see half the people I had hoped to see, but did have a long talk with outgoing president, Paul Hutton, to whom I gave my proxy vote for the 2007 convention. We both wanted it to be Springfield, Missouri, and I told both Dusty and Steven Law that Paul would vote for me. I’m happy to report that Springfield won the membership vote and so the convention will be held in that city three years hence. I also ran into W.C. Jameson, Mike Blakely, and Max McCoy, separately and, of course, Don and Edna Coldsmith. Don and I had a long talk about his experiences with Bantam and his Spanish Bit series, which is still running. The venue was not the best. Too noisy, not enough places to meet and sit quietly and talk. But, it was great to see old friends again, which was my main purpose in going this year. It was great to be back home and I’m still glowing from the memories, of having some of my family there and talking to great friends I’ve made over the years, good writers all. I’m speaking before the Pittsburg, Texas Kiwanis Club this coming Thursday and I go to St. Charles to speak before a local branch of the Missouri Writers Guild on July 31st. The first novel in my new series, The Owlhoot Trail, ABILENE GUN DOWN hit the stands a few days ago. I’ve completed the 2nd one, JOURNEY OF DEATH and am now writing another Ralph Compton Trail Drive novel for NAL/Signet, THE ELLSWORTH TRAIL The anthology, THE FUNERAL OF TANNER MOODY is just out from Leisure Books, containing short stories by John Jakes, Elmer Kelton, editor Robert J. Randisi, Kerry Newcomb, James Reasoner, Marthayn Pelegrimas and L.J. Washburn. It is a unique book covering the life of this fictitious character, and bound together by newspaper articles written by Bat Masterson (Randisi). It reads like a novel. My story is entitled TANNER’S DIAMOND. I still haven’t seen a copy of the new Ozarks mystery anthology from Skyward Press, but I have a short story in there, as well. And, now, back to work. Thanks for stopping by. Jory Sherman