Charlie
The Family Edition
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Suddenly, they burst from the wash into the river bottom. The Indians had moved their camp, because of the drive of the wind and were almost beside the wash’s mouth. Their bonfire light up the night where they were eating and talking. They were only about a hundred yards from the wash’s mouth and Charlie and Ray could be seen by the firelight, if the Indians looked their way. “Shit!” Mumbled Charlie, “Sorry Lord, I meant shoot! We might need a little help here.” His tension transferred itself to Nails and he bunched, ready to jump ahead and run. Fighting his nerves, Charlie grabbed the reins and pulled Nails back; making him walk slowly forward. He leaned over Nails neck, trying to make himself smaller looking in the saddle. He hoped anyone looking their way would mistake them for a horse going for water. Joe, walking a short distance behind them, did not change his pace and Molly, walking just behind Joe, almost hid the travois. The noise from the Indian village wavered; then increased in intensity. Charlie risked a look over Nails neck. He knew that his face would be a sharp white, reflecting the fire light, compared to the surrounding dark. The Indians were stirred up about something but they were not all looking their way. As Charlie studied them, he decided that they were in a heated discussion about something else besides them. The men were all around the fire and the excitement was electrifying. The horses, however, did not seem to be drawing their attention. The rain became heavier and, here by the river, ground fog was hanging in the air. Charlie hoped that it would help hide their movement. Each step the horses took seemed to drag into minutes, and the urge to hurry was almost overpowering. Charlie leaned out on the far side of Nails and looked back at Ray. All he could see was Joe and a dark lump behind him on the travois. Ray was not moving and Charlie wondered if she was alright or if she knew what was happening. Who would have guessed that the Indians would move their camp or that they would still be up and outside at this time of night and in this weather. All these thoughts raced through Charlie’s mind and he was distracted from what was in front of him.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
[1] Charlie, a devout Christian, survives a deadly ambush only to be saddled with a hurt Indian maiden. Knowing that he must help her, he takes her with him through hostile Indian Territory and seeks safety at an Army fort. There he encounters a lustful commanding officer and his son who set out to eliminate Charlie and possess the maiden for their pleasure. The plot gets complicated when Charlie’s new friends are under the commanders orders and control. He finds that the only avenue that God has left him is to surrender to the commanding officer and be tried for murder; with a death sentence waiting at the end. Charlie’s life is totally out of his control as he waits to see what God will decide to do. [2] Excerpts from the author write-up found in the 'Riverside Neighbours' section of 'The Daily Gleaner' distributed in Fredericton, N.B. Canada on September 19th, 2009. Charter Settlement resident new author by Brenda MacMinn For This Week Growing up, Porter loved the old westerns by authors like Zane Gray, Louis L'Amour, Max Brand and E. B. Mann. "The moral aspect of their characters, to me was cowboy." "In the 60's a new breed of western came along where they used Jesus as a swear word and other modern swear words and I didn't like that," he explained. "We were losing the moral character of the western novels especially when Louis L'Amour died." His first attempt, Charlie: The Family Edition, has launched him into the field of authorship. In this book he adapted the names of people in his family and special friends to the characters that unfolded on the pages and he honoured his father by giving the hero his father's name, Charlie. Throughout the book, the names of Betty, Stephanie and Scott, Lisa and Jody are character names he uses that belong to his family members. Jim and Bob are special friends for whom he has named characters as well. Porter's son, Scott, posed for the front cover of the novel. "The Family Edition will be the only edition using these names," said Porter. It fits in the category of Christian western and is a readable book that demands it be completed soon after starting it. Porter's knowledge of old firearms is true to the models he names in the book. His character of Charlie is portrayed as a man with exceptional gifts with his hands, his Christianity and his strength which he wasn't afraid to use when needed. He motivated the people to step up to provide the solution to his problems at hand. "It made heros of the people," said Porter.
About the Author
Charters Settlement resident new author [from 'The Daily Gleaner' of Fredericton, N.B., Canada] by Brenda MacMinn When Stephen Porter of Charters Settlement was a young lad growing up in the Stanley area, little did he know that he would one day become an author. On Saturday, September 26, Porter will be at The Olive Branch in New Maryland most of the day for a book signing to help them celebrate their anniversary. Growing up, Porter loved the old westerns by authors like Zane Gray, Louis L’Amour, Max Brand and E. B. Mann. He loved hunting and fishing and his father, the late Charles Porter, was his teacher. “I loved the characters in the old westerns,” said Porter who has been a Christian for about 30 years, “and the moral aspect of their characters. To me that was cowboy. When I became a truck driver, I did the same thing – stepped up to help people.” “In the 60’s a new breed of western came along where they used Jesus as swear words and other modern swear words and I didn’t like that,” he explained. “We were losing the moral character of the western novels especially when Louis L’Amour died.” Porter said at the time that he thought I could give writing western novels a try. His first attempt, Charlie: The Family Edition has launched him into the field of authorship. In this book he adapted the names of people in his family and special friends to the characters that unfolded on the pages and he honored his father by giving the hero his father’s name, Charlie. Throughout the book, the names of Betty, Stephanie and Scott, Lisa and Jody are character names he uses that belong to his family members. Jim and Bob are special friends for whom he named characters as well. Porter’s son, Scott, posed for the front cover of the novel. “The Family Edition will be the only edition using these names,” said Porter who is presently revising the book injecting more scenery, facial features and physical characteristics to the characters on the pages. “By doing that I am adding personalities.” “When I started writing this book, I never really expected to finish it,” laughs Porter. “I have a pile of unfinished projects. But I pursued it and got it finished.” “When I submitted the manuscript to the Writers Edge for evaluation, they wrote back saying it ‘read like a good story.’ We need to feel a little more sun and see the clouds and see the grass waving in the wind.” It fits in the category of Christian western and is a readable book that demands it be completed soon after starting it. Porter’s knowledge of old firearms is true to the models he names in the book. His character of Charlie is portrayed as a man with exceptional gifts with his hands, his Christianity and his strength which he wasn’t afraid to use when needed. He motivated the people of the community to step up to provide the solution to his problems at hand. “It made heroes of the people,” said Porter. He lived for a few years in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta, and chose Fort Benton, Montana, on the bank of the Missouri River for the setting which seemed to be somewhat similar. The setting of the book is in the year 1872.