Hello Posse!
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and are not getting hit with any of the extreme weather moving onto parts of the US. We had some pretty severe rains last week and ended up with some more minor flooding in our area. Luckily, the landlord was home this time around and was able to take care of things right away. You wouldn't even know the basement flooded again.
With the cold rainy weather, it was a good excuse to spend all my time inside writing and boy did I make some great headway on part 6, Into the West: Last Showdown. I am so close to finishing this instalment I can practically taste it. I think I can wrap this book up in one, maybe two more chapters. I'm hoping to do that today!
I really want to have this book at least on presale this weekend to celebrate my birthday. I have published books around my mom and dad's birthdays to celebrate theirs and the very first book was published on what would have been my granny's 100th birthday. I published one around P.R.'s birthday too. I guess I'll have to shoot to publish part 7 at the end of November for my sister's birthday and I will have hit all the immediate family.
I really want to get back to writing so let's get on with today's movie, No Name on the Bullet starring none other than movie legend, Audie Murphy. No Name on the Bullet was release in 1959 by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Jack Arnold. Joining Murphy on the cast was Charles Drake, Joan Evans, Virginia Grey, Warren Stevens, R.G. Armstrong, Willis Bouchey, Edgar Stehli, Simon Scott, Karl Swenson, Whit Bissell, Charles Watts, John Alderson, Jerry Paris, Russ Bender, and James Hyland.
This movie was a departure from the norm for both the director and the main star, Murphy. Arnold was not new to directing, but the western genre was not something Arnold was typically known for directing. He had made his mark mostly with science fiction movies such as It Came from Outer Space (1953), Tarantula (1955), and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). He also directed Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), which if you have been following my blogs for a while, you know my family actually has a personal connection to one of the creature's stunt divers from that movie. I even named a character, Marshal Blackjack James, after the stuntman. For Murphy this movie gave him a chance to step away from his stereotypical roles. He was known for always being the hero or at the very least playing decent, honorable characters. In No Name on the Bullet, Murphy plays a cold-blooded killer and does it quite convincingly.
This story follows notorious gunfighter, John Gant (Murphy), as he travels to a small town in Arizona. His reputation is well known and having him in town puts the townspeople on edge. Everyone knows Gant is a gun for hire and assumes if he is in town then one of them must be marked for death. No knowing who his target is begins to get to everyone in town. The townspeople get together and ask Gant to leave, but he refuses. Dr. Luke Canfield (Drake) defends Gant, but the townsfolk are not convinced and decide to take matters into their own hands to take out Gant before he takes out one of them.
This role was definitely not something you expect from Murphy, but his performance does not disappoint. If you just watch one western this month, you should make it No Name on the Bullet.
Movie Snack Recipe
Today's movie snack recipe is another great offering from Sally's Baking Addiction, I'm talking about their Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapeños. (^^^click to go to recipe) These tasty snacks have a surprisingly delicious blend of flavors that is as unexpected as it is good. What better treat to have with today's surprisingly unconventional movie?
I have never been a huge fan of Jalapeños until recently. I am finding I rather enjoy them in a lot of dishes I never thought about before. I have been eating them on my burgers, in sauces to give them a nice flavor kick, and even like this where they are the main carrier for a dish. If you like them at all, you really should give Sally's recipe a try. Then be sure to check out her site and see all the other great recipes she has to offer. (No, she is not paying for this endorsement, I just really like her stuff and love sharing it with others)
Great Westerns
Remember, many great western movies started out as great western books. If you haven't already, why not read my Into the West Saga Serial Collection (<---click to view books). Parts one through five are available now on Amazon.com and BN.com. Into the West: Last Showdown is coming soon! Part seven, the final book in this serial, is slated for a Christmas release (cross your fingers).
Don't forget, you can join my mailing list and never miss out on news or upcoming release dates. Just go to our subscribers page (<--- click here) and give us your name and email address. When you join up, you get to read the first chapter of Into the West: The Orphan Train for free. If you haven't read my books this is a great way to try them out with no risk to you. The mailing list is free to join, quit anytime, no strings attached . . . ever! What have you got to lose? Join us today and start reading!
It's time for me to get back to writing and finish part 5 Into the West: Last Showdown. So now you know what time it is, posse! It's time to grab your snacks and settle in for another great western movie!
Enjoy,
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