Elmer Kelton - Western Author

Elmer Kelton Biography

Author of more than 30 novels, published over almost 40 years. Latest are SLAUGHTER, HONOR AT DAYBREAK, THE MAN WHO RODE MIDNIGHT, DARK THICKET, STAND PROUD, THE WOLF AND THE BUFFALO and EYES OF THE HAWK, all published by Doubleday-Bantam, and three initial novels in the SONS OF TEXAS series published under the pseudonym Tom Early by Berkley Books in paperback. Three of his novels have appeared in Reader's Digest Condensed Books. Three times winner of the Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, for THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED, THE GOOD OLD BOYS and THE MAN WHO RODE MIDNIGHT. Four times winner of the Spur Award from Western Writers of America for BUFFALO WAGONS, THE DAY THE COWBOYS QUIT, THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED and EYES OF THE HAWK. In 1987 received the Barbara McCombs / Lon Tinkle Award for "continuing excellence in Texas letters" from the Texas Institute of Letters. In 1990 received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Western Literature Association.

Native of Crane, Texas, graduated in 1942 from Crane High School. Father, the late R. W. "Buck" Kelton, was with the McElroy Ranch Co. there 36 years until the company was dissolved in 1965. Attended the University of Texas 1942-44 and 1946-48, earning a B.A. degree in journalism. Spent 15 years as farm and ranch writer-editor for the San Angelo Standard-Times, five years editor of Sheep & Goat Raiser Magazine and 22 years associate editor of Livestock Weekly, from which he retired in 1990. Served two years in the U.S. Army 1944-46, including service in infantry in Europe. Married an Austrian girl; they have two grown sons, a daughter and four grandchildren.

Elmer Kelton - Book List

HOT IRON, Ballantine Books, New York, 1955.

(Reprinted 1979 by Ace Books, now know as Charter Books, New York.)

BUFFALO WAGONS, Ballantine, 1956.

(Reprinted 1978 by Ace-Charter.) Winner WWA Spur Award as Best Western Novel of the Year.

BARBED WIRE, Ballantine, 1957.

(Reprinted 1979 by Ace-Charter.)

SHADOW OF A STAR, Ballantine, 1959.

(Reprinted 1979 by Ace-Charter.)

THE TEXAS RIFLES, Ballantine, 1960.

(Reprinted 1980 by Ace-Charter.)

DONOVAN, Ballantine, 1961.

(Reprinted 1981 by Ace-Charter.)

BITTER TRAIL, Ballantine, 1962.

(Reprinted 1981 by Ace-Charter.)

HORSEHEAD CROSSING, Ballantine, 1963.

(Reprinted 1982 by Bantam Books, New York.)

MASSACRE AT GOLIAD, Ballantine, 1965.

(Reprinted 1982 by Bantam.)

LLANO RIVER, Ballantine, 1966.

(Reprinted 1982 by Bantam.)

AFTER THE BUGLES, Ballantine, 1967.

(Reprinted 1982 by Bantam.)

CAPTAIN'S RANGERS, Ballantine, 1968.

(Reprinted 1983 by Bantam.)

HANGING JUDGE, Ballantine, 1969.

(Reprinted 1983 by Bantam.)

SHOTGUN SETTLEMENT, Paperback Library, New York, 1969,

written under "house name" Alex Hawk.

BOWIE'S MINE, Ballantine, 1971.

(Reprinted 1983 by Bantam.)

THE DAY THE COWBOYS QUIT, Doubleday, 1971.

(Reprinted 1976 by Ace-Charter and 1992 by Bantam Books. Reprinted 1986 by Texas Christian University Press.) Winner of WWA Spur Award as Best Western novel of the year. Also winner of best regional novel award from Border Regional Library Association of Texas, New Mexico and Mexico.

WAGONTONGUE, Ballantine, 1972.

(Reprinted 1983 by Bantam.)

LOOKING BACK WEST, The Talley Press, San Angelo, Texas, 1972. (Out of Print.)

(Collection of non-fiction historical articles.)

THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED, Doubleday, 1973.

(Reprinted 1975 and subsequently by Ace-Charter and Jove. Reprinted 1984 by Texas Christian University Press.) Winner of Western Heritage Award from National Cowboy Hall of Fame, winner of WWA Spur Award as best Western novel of the year.

MANHUNTERS, Ballantine, 1974.

(Reprinted 1983 by Bantam.)

JOE PEPPER, Doubleday, 1975,

written under pseudonym Lee McElroy. (Reprinted 1976 by Belmont Tower, New York City. Reprinted 1986 by Bantam.)

LONG WAY TO TEXAS, Doubleday, 1976,

written under pseudonym Lee McElroy. Reprinted 1979 by Dell Books, New York. Reprinted 1986 by Bantam.)

THE GOOD OLD BOYS, Doubleday, 1978.

(Reprinted 1982 by Ace-Charter, now Jove. Reprinted 1985 by Texas Christian University Press.) Winner of Western Heritage Award from National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Printed in condensed form in Reader's Digest Condensed Books.

THE WOLF AND THE BUFFALO, Doubleday 1980.

Printed in condensed form in Reader's Digest Condensed Books. (Reprinted 1982 by Bantam and 1986 by Texas Christian University Press.) Chosen by Texas Library Association as one of five Texas Sesquicentennial books for Texas Voices: 1836-1986.

FRANK C. McCARTHY: THE OLD WEST, Greenwich Press, Trumball, Connecticut, 1981.

(Non-fiction historical commentary centered around Western art by Frank C. McCarthy.)

EYES OF THE HAWK, Doubleday, 1981,

written under pseudonym Lee McElroy. (Reprinted 1981 by Bantam.) Winner of WWA Spur Award.

STAND PROUD, Doubleday, 1984.

(Reprinted 1986 by Bantam and 1990 by Texas Christian University Press.)

DARK THICKET, Doubleday, 1985.

(Reprinted 1986 by Bantam.)

PERMIAN, A CONTINUING SAGA, Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Midland, Texas, 1986.

(Non-fiction historical narrative centered around Permian Basin historical paintings by Tom Lovell.)

THE BIG BRAND, Bantam Books, 1986.

(Collection of short stories.)

THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER CHANCE, Fort Concho Museum Press, San Angelo, Texas, 1986.

(Collection of short stories.)

THE MAN WHO RODE MIDNIGHT, Doubleday, 1987.

Published in condensed form in Reader's Digest Condensed Books. Winner of Western Heritage Award from National Cowboy Hall of Fame. (Reprinted 1989 by Bantam Books and 1990 by Texas Christian University Press.)

LIVING AND WRITING IN WEST TEXAS: Hardin-Simmons University Press, Abilene, Texas, 1988.

(Two speeches by Elmer Kelton.)

SONS OF TEXAS, Book One, Berkley Books, New York, 1989.

Under pseudonym Tom Early.

SONS OF TEXAS, Book Two, The Raiders, Berkley Books, New York, 1989.

Under pseudonym Tom Early.

SONS OF TEXAS, Book Three, The Rebels, Berkley Books, New York, 1990.

Under pseudonym Tom Early.

HONOR AT DAYBREAK, Doubleday, March, 1991.

(Reprinted 1992 by Bantam Books.)

SLAUGHTER, Doubleday, November, 1992.

(Reprinted 1994 by Bantam Books.)

THE ART OF HOWARD TERPNING, Bantam-Greenwich Workshop, New York and Trumball, Connecticut, 1992.

Non-fiction text by Kelton to accompany paintings by Howard Terpning.

THE ART OF FRANK McCARTHY, Morrow-Greenwich Workshop, New York and Trumbull, Connecticut, 1992.

Non-fiction text by Kelton.

THE ART OF JAMES BAMA, Bantam-Greenwich Workshop, 1993.

Non-fiction text by Kelton.

THE INDIAN IN FRONTIER NEWS, (This book may be purchased by following this link.)The Talley Press, San Angelo, Texas, 1993.

(Collection of non-fiction historical articles.)

ELMER KELTON COUNTRY, Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 1993.

THE FAR CANYON, Doubleday, August, 1994.

(Reprinted 1995 by Bantam Books.)

MY KIND OF HEROES, Statehouse Press, Austin, Texas, 1995.

(Collection of four Kelton speeches.)

THE PUMPKIN ROLLERS, Forge Books, 1996.

Novel.

CLOUDY IN THE WEST, Forge Books, 1997.

Novel, Audio edition available from Soundelux.

THE WOLF AND THE BUFFALO, 1997.

Novel.

SMILING COUNTRY, 1998.

Novel.

THE BUCKSKIN LINE, Aug. 1999.

Novel.

BADGER BOY, Jan. 2002

Novel.

THE WAY OF THE COYOTE, Nov. 2002

Novel.

RANGER'S TRAIL, Aug. 2003

Novel.

LONE STAR RISING: THE TEXAS RANGERS TRILOGY, Nov. 2003

Novel.

TEXAS VENDETTA, Jan. 2004

Novel.

Introductions or Afterwards by Elmer Kelton

THE TEXAS COWBOY, by the Texas Cowboy Artists Association, Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 1986.

VOICES AND VISIONS OF THE AMERICAN WEST, by Barney Nelson, Texas Monthly Press, Austin, Texas, 1986.

CASTLE GAP AND THE PECOS FRONTIER, by Pat Dearen, Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 1988.

OIL FIELD CHILD, by Estha Briscoe Stowe, Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 1989.

RENDERBROOK, One Hundred Years on the Spade Ranch, by Steve Kelton, Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 1989.

HEART-DIAMOND, by Kathy Greenwood, University of North Texas Press, Denton, Texas, 1989.

THE COWGIRLS, by Joyce Gibson Roach, University of North Texas Press, Denton, Texas 1990.

THE GOLDEN SPURS, edited by Dale L. Walker, published by Western Writers of America and Tor Books, New York, 1991.

BLADES IN THE SKY, Windmilling through the Eyes of B. H. "Tex" Burdick, by T. Lindsay Baker, published by Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, Texas, 1992.

JUDGE ROY BEAN COUNTRY, 1996. Novel.

A THOUSAND MILES OF MUSTANGIN', 1998. Novel.

 

 

Chapters by Elmer Kelton

TRAILS OF THE IRON HORSE, by Western Writers of America, Doubleday, 1975. Out of Print.

WATER TRAILS WEST, by Western Writers of America, Doubleday, 1978. Out of Print.

RANCHING TRADITIONS, by Kathleen Jo Ryan, Abbeville Press, New York City, 1989.

THIS PLACE OF MEMORY, A Texas Perspective, edited by Joyce Gibson Roach, University of North Texas Press, Denton, 1992.

COWBOYS WHO RODE PROUDLY, Carrying Cattle ... and the Methods of Handling Them, Nita Stewart Haley Memorial Library, Midland, Texas, 1992.

TEXAS, photographs by Laurence Parent, essay by Elmer Kelton. Graphic Arts Center, Portland, Oregon, 1995.

TRAILDUST, 1997. Novel. (One chapter)

LEGEND, 1999. Novel. (One chapter)