To Swallow the Earth: A Western Thriller

What if you returned from a journey and your family had disappeared? What if someone had taken residence in your home, assumed control of your affairs—and was trying to kill you?

Wade Forester must stay in the shadows or be shot. His father has vanished and his sister won’t speak. Beautiful Patricia Laughlin runs things now. Few people gain her approval, though powerful landowner Bridger Calhoun has high hopes.

Each in his/her corner—Wade must decide whether to risk his life for Patricia, Bridger must win Patricia’s heart, and Patricia must choose which killer to trust with her life.

• 2016 International Book Award
• Literary Classics Seal of Approval
• 2016 Laramie Award Finalist

Non-stop action set in the historic Nevada silver rush, the writing comes from intimate knowledge of the territory; having lived off the land, Wilcox depended on his wit, grit, and strength (and on his animals), just as his characters do. Wilcox and Beckstrand weave authentic detail and care for the country and its creatures into a legend that will make your heart pound and fill your lungs with the rarefied air of the old Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Don’t miss this standalone YA survival/suspense tale with bonus short story (included) or listen to both on Audible.

Explore 54,000 family friendly words (for ages 14 & up) by award-winning author Ransom Wilcox (Horse & Dog Adventures in Early California) and best-selling author and college media instructor Karl Beckstrand (The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn a Living—get all 60 of Beckstrand’s multicultural titles today).

LOOK inside! 200 5.25”x8” pages, paperback with Hispanic protagonist and Native American Indian family; simultaneously published as A Sky So Big (New Adult mystery romance); Premio Publishing (worldwide rights © 2015), libraries, and classic western novel distributors. LCCN: 2015937400; FIC002000, FIC030000, FIC033000, FIC056000, FIC059000, FIC027270, FIC022070, FIC027230, FIC027110, JUV001010, JUV002000, JUV028000, JUV029000; FJW, YFB, YFP, WNC; Audio ASIN: B07VGP9DC6, ISBN: 978-0692407974 (Audio ISBN: 978-1667060699, ebook ISBN: 978-1311882387)

College media instructor Karl W. Beckstrand is the best-selling author/illustrator of twenty-seven multicultural/multilingual books (65 e-books—reviews by Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, The Horn Book, and School Library Journal). Raised in San Jose, California, he has lived abroad, earned a B.A. in journalism, an M.A. in conflict resolution, and a broadcast & film certificate. His western novel, To Swallow the Earth, won a 2016 International Book Award. Beckstrand loves volleyball and singing (in rock bands or choirs). His Y.A. stories, e-book mysteries, biographies, Spanish/bilingual books, wordless and STEM books feature diverse characters—and usually end with a twist. See: Amazon, Apple/iBooks, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Follett, Ingram, Target, Walmart, and PremioBooks.com

Ransom Wilcox was born in Taber, Alberta, Canada in 1907. The family moved to Vina, north of Chico, California. They farmed, tended livestock, and did a lot of hunting and fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Once, to escape a charging wild boar, Wilcox stuck a pole he was carrying into the ground and climbed up! Financial hardship forced them to move often. One season the family lived in a tent while the men cut hay. Another year, Wilcox joined his father and brothers in Arizona, building a school on an American Indian reservation. Many elements of Wilcox's stories come from his early experiences. In 1943 Wilcox enlisted in the army. After the war, the Great Depression, and a divorce, Wilcox finished his schooling and opened a chiropractic practice off Union Square in San Francisco. Wilcox's friends called him Ray or Doc. Besides writing, Wilcox loved to walk in the great outdoors. Near the end of his life, he joked about leaving his body to science; "I'm sure they can use my brain. It's in perfect condition—never been used." His short stories and poems are published under the title, Horse & Dog Adventures in Early California.