Gold Rush

I love Westerns but can’t ever remember reading one written for kids. From Clint Eastwood to Rango, John Ford to neo-westerns, there’s a particular magic to the genre. Westerns transport us to a rugged, untamed world where survival often depends on courage, resourcefulness, and wits. At their core, these stories often present stark moral dilemmas too: good vs. evil, justice vs. lawlessness, or individualism vs. community. Why else did I write it? Because it was fun! I know you’re meant to write books for the readers’ enjoyment, obviously, but I very much enjoyed playing with the conventions of the genre, while placing a strong, courageous young woman, Lily, at the heart of the action.