“Trail Angel” tells the story of Southern war widow Annabelle and Union sharpshooter Josey Angel and their two-thousand-mile journey west along a Bozeman Trail beset by vicious bandits, warring Indians—and personal demons that leave both believing they are wounded beyond redemption. The bonds they form in caring for the wagon train’s fellow travelers provide a first gesture toward forgiveness and a hopeful sign of reconciliation in a country torn asunder.

“This is a story of two lost people who find each other and a way to keep on living,” wrote Booklist. Kirkus Reviews called it “A timeless tale of love and adventure on the American frontier.” I especially liked that: “love and adventure.” I think it applies, in varying degrees, to all my books. For when you think about it, love is an adventure, arguably the greatest of all.

You can find “Trail Angel” and my other books on Amazon.

What inspired you to write “Trail Angel”?

The idea for the book started with the characters.

Josey goes to war with the noble intentions only a naïve young man can hold. He’s appalled at what he witnesses and horrified to discover his cool head and sharp aim make him good at killing people. We are accustomed to making heroes of men with a skill for killing when it’s justified. I wanted to explore what happens to a character when that book or movie ends.

“Josey never much questioned the morality of the killing because he never expected to outlive the war. The way he saw things, a number needed to die before both sides lost their taste for it.”

Surviving the war has turned Josey into something of a legend, but he’s not equipped psychologically to cope with his renown.

Annabelle, meanwhile, is the readers’ surrogate. We see the world through her eyes, from the challenges of discreetly relieving oneself on a treeless plain to the wonder of the beauty she encounters at places like Scotts Bluff and the Yellowstone River.

If you read the journals of women who went west, the experience of feeling liberated from the expectations of the east’s mannered society is rather common. Annabelle, like many of those brave women before her, is someone who felt she always had to appear strong; in the West she can be strong.

Who is your target audience for this book?

As a child, I remember seeing my aunt and uncle reading almost every night. They read together in the shared space of their living room, yet they were divided by their choice of material. He read books of great adventure; she chose books about interesting characters.

When I set out to write “Trail Angel,” I wanted a book both would enjoy not only reading—but talking about afterwards. You don’t have to like history to enjoy “Trail Angel.” You don’t have to like westerns. But if you like books filled characters who seem real as they confront dangers and wonders in wild and beautiful places, if you like some mystery that keeps you thinking even after you’ve closed the book, or some romance that brings to mind your own first kiss (and more), then I think you’ll like “Trail Angel”—and the books that follow, “Angel Falls” and “Avenging Angel.”

About the author

I’ve been writing almost all my life, first as a career journalist at newspapers in Florida and at USA Today. I won a bunch of awards for investigative reporting and feature writing but never found the time—or was it the nerve?—to take the leap into fiction. Until my wife told me I should.

“I can’t,” I told her.

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“If I write a book, you’ll leave me.” I delivered this like a punchline, but with a day job as a newspaper editor, I could see how the early morning and weekend writing hours might leave Lori feeling like a book widow. Conjuring scenes of roiling conflict is one of the things that won her faith in me.

“At least you’ll have a book.” A smile reassured me she was joking, so long as I did what she’d asked. Smart husbands know to identify these smiles.

More than a decade later, I’m still writing—and she’s still my biggest fan. We live in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

My thanks to Authors’ Lounge for the opportunity to share more about “Trail Angel” with you. You can read about the books, the love, and the adventures at https://derekcatron.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/derek.catron.author.