I started work on my first novel; actually, I should say my first and only novel, The Upside-Down Year, in the late 1980s. My wife, of eighteen years, and I got a divorce. I was unable to sleep; worried about the effect the divorce would have on our eleven year old daughter. It was 3:00a.m.; I got out of bed, set at my computer and began typing what turned out to be Chapter 25 in the novel.

The next day I read what I had wrote and was surprised to see that it was actually pretty good. So for the following months I was able to transfer my sorrows, frustrations, anger and all of my feelings into the characters of my book. I found that I had complete control over them and I was able to direct them to do my bidding. At least for awhile, before I knew it, my characters started taking more and more control over their own destinies. Then it happened, they started telling me where they wanted to go. I knew then that this was going to get interesting. But time and life's circumstances dictated that we should part if only for awhile. So I bid them all a found farewell and pushed the save button, to let them fend for themselves.

I thought about them from time to time, as one thinks about old friends he left behind, each of us going our own direction to live out our lives. I always hoped we'd reunite someday when we both might have the time to continue our adventure.

But time passes and life goes on. I raised my daughter and she turned out to be a beautiful, successful and well adjusted young woman. She is happily married to a fine young man and I have two fine grandsons. Oh, and my ex and I have remained friends.

Meanwhile, ten or twelve years had flown by since I'd been in touch with my adventurous friends of The Upside-Down Year. But life's circumstances had intervened again and introduced me to some fine folks. One of them happened to be a retired English teacher who was willing to read and edit my manuscript. So, with her encouraging words, I woke up my sleeping friends and we continued our adventure through The Upside-Down Year.

I let my characters travel their own path so long as they didn't wander too far from the main objective. Because of my knowledge of guns, horses, and my life long craving for the history and grandeur of the Old West, I was able to scout the trail and guide my characters through an exciting tail.

Together I believe my characters and I have brought you a Western Adventure you won't soon forget. In fact, it is our hope, that you will be thinking and talking about The Upside-Down Year long after you've read the final chapter.