Graham J. Flowers puts the once-legendary Western genre back under literature’s spotlight. However, unlike many novels of its kind, ‘Shadow Trails’ acknowledges that the beauty and allure of the west is a leading character in itself. Readers are invited to saddle up and join one young cowboy as he recovers from being shot and losing his memory. However, as the grey matter returns, he enters a tumultuous race to rediscover his own past and stop the straight-shooters looking to kill his family.
Yorktown, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/03/2014 -- When author Graham J. Flowers grew up, Western television shows dominated each family’s nightly viewing. As the ‘CSI’s and ‘Twilight’s of their time, the genre eventually became over-worked and its day passed. Over half a century later and with a steady growth in popularity, the Western is back – and Flowers has stormed the literary scene with gusto to put his spin on the chamber.
‘Shadow Trails’ harks back to the day when Westerns were great, when the landscapes and mountains formed central themes and when characters developed with true depth and adventure. Flowers is on a mission to make the genre great again and, judging by the novel’s rave reviews, his horse is pointed firmly in the right direction.
Synopsis
Nightmares haunted the mind of the injured man, hour after hour. The smoke, the sound of guns, and the sights of battle were everywhere. He imagined men charging at one another with exploding rifles. He passed bloody soldiers groaning and lying on trampled cotton fields, and others gasping and wailing for water. The maddening noise and confusion continued when he saw a raven-haired woman running with a young child in her arms and a stranger lying dead in the rain.
Shadow trails is a story about a young man who has been shot three times and left for dead on the hot Nebraska prairie. He is rescued by a hermit only to find that he has amnesia. Searching for his former life, he takes a job on a cattle ranch where he falls in love with the owners daughter, but realizes that they have no future until he recovers his past. As his memory slowly returns he discovers that he is in a race against time to stop the men who shot him before they kill his family.
“When I was a kid, our Westerns had gun fights, cattle drives and plenty of fist-throwing; I’ve retained these classic elements while putting my own spin on things in terms of making the setting something of a ‘main character’,” explains Flowers. “Any good Western captivates the reader not only with intricate characters, but with beautiful landscapes that they can almost feel themselves being a part of. My over-riding goal is to bring this romance back.”
Continuing, “Honor and innocent love also featured heavily during the golden age of Westerns; young girls could take the train thousands of miles and never once fear for their safety. This culture crosses over into my novel as well as the bold character depth that readers demand. Travis transposes from a weak and insecure individual to a confident cowboy, Jed makes the miraculous transformation from drunk to Doctor and Julie the once-spoiled teenager ends up becoming a razor-sharp business woman who will someday take over her parents’ ranch. These are just a few of the characters you’ll meet.”
Since its release, the book has garnered a string of rave reviews. Bob E. comments, “I enjoyed this vintage style Western for both the story it tells and the memories of the Westerns I read and the Western movies and TV shows I saw as a youth. The book has a wide variety of characters, some likable and some not, and the author deftly uses flashbacks to allow the reader to better understand the key players and what made them tick. Sub-plots revolve around the central theme, leading to an ending I did not expect. It is a good read.”
Lynne Blackmon adds, “If you have never read a western or if it has been years try SHADOW TRAILS. It will not let you down. This superior thriller unfolds beautifully for readers interested in plot and motivation. The male protagonist, suffering from amnesia, goes on a one man crusade across the Wild West to find his lost family following the Civil War. It is a touching story filled with mysterious flashbacks, action packed adventure, romance, and a group of great characters.”
‘Shadow Trails’ is available now: http://amzn.to/VPG199. For more information, visit the book’s official website: http://www.shadowtrailsgrahamflowers.com.
About Graham J. Flowers
Until his recent retirement, he taught U.S Government, American History, World History, Geography, World Cultures, and Civics at the high school level. He also taught a chess class at The College of William and Mary where he received his bachelor’s degree. Graham was the first quadriplegic to graduate from William and Mary. He holds a master’s of Arts from George Washington University and an Educational Specialist Degree in Curriculum Development from Old Dominion. He lives in Yorktown, Virginia.