Tag Archives: Texas Jack

News from Lizard Key Books

October 27, 2023 Mark Leave a comment

October 2023

My newest book has just been released. ‘Showdown at Cedar Gulch’ is the newest and number eight in the ‘Texas Jack’ series. Also, the second edition of ‘Lizard Key’ has also recently been released.

I’ve been gathering research material for a new western book which will not be a ‘Texas Jack’ western. It will follow the life of a young man captured by Indians, his life with them, his escape and his adventures as he moves through the wild west. No title yet, but I’ll be working on it over the winter and hope it’s ready by spring.

The third book following Nick Roberts and his modern-day pirates on Lizard Key is in the final processes of re-write… again, no final title on it yet. This story will definitely be done by Spring. So, over the winter I’ll be working on a western and a pirate book when I’m not playing golf, diving or fishing.

My good friend, Bart Buchanan, just released his first book, ‘Black Coffee Pork Sausage and a Homicide’. It’s available on Amazon. I know he’s put a great deal of effort into it, and we’ve talked several times as he navigated the process. Check it out.

Books

Texas Jack: Showdown at Cedar Gulch

October 25, 2023 Mark 1 Comment

A Western Adventure: Texas Jack Book 8

When Jack McKenna, also known as ‘Texas Jack’, and Tommy Vee were given the assignment by the people of Filo, Texas to go to Cedar Gulch and escort the town’s new schoolteacher back, it seemed to be a simple task. Since there was no stagecoach or train service between Cedar Gulch and Filo, it would be a one week trip each way. All they needed to do was ride to Cedar Gulch and return with the new schoolteacher.

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News from Lizard Key Books

July 30, 2023 Mark Leave a comment

Recently my newest book, ‘Allah’s Scorpion’ was released in both Kindle and paperback versions. It’s available through Amazon books. This is a modern cowboy story and something a bit out of the normal for me. My publisher asked me to take a stab at it, so I did. I’ve included the text from the back of the book to give you a bit of the story line.

Also, the very first novel I wrote back in 2012 is going to be released as a second edition. I released that book as a ‘self-published’ novel and didn’t have the support I have now. So many mistakes! So, like many authors before me, I went back and made changes and edits so it will now be released as a ‘second edition’ with a new cover that’s currently being worked on.

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Books

Texas Jack: Preacher Jones Frontier Avenger

September 11, 2022 Mark Leave a comment

A Western Adventure: Texas Jack Book 7

Grady Jones life was hard as a child, and it didn’t get better with age. His father died when he was young and a few years later his mother was killed in a senseless shooting. He was on his own until the Reverend Barnaby took him in. Tensions were high in that period just before the Civil War and they lived in Ohio at that time, a border state. The Reverend was anti-slavery and a staunch abolitionist who worked with the underground railroad helping slaves flee to freedom.

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Books

Texas Jack: Morgan Hawk’s Last Ride

July 24, 2021 Mark Leave a comment

A Western Adventure: Texas Jack Book 6

The Kansas/Missouri border was a dangerous place during the Civil War and in the years that followed. Kansas entered the Union as an anti-slavery State only months before the war started and was bordered by the Pro-slavery State of Missouri. ‘Border Ruffians’ like William Quantrill fought for the Confederacy while ‘Free Staters’ and ‘Jayhawkers’ fought for the Union. They were all guerrilla fighters led by men of often questionable morality. There was only some measure of legitimacy given to them by the Confederate and Union governments respectively because they claimed they were fighting for the same cause. The results on both sides was the same… people killed while towns were sacked and burned.

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Books

Texas Jack: The Ranger

February 23, 2021 Mark Leave a comment

The Ranger is the prequel to the novel Texas Jack!

This brand new adventure follows the story of a young man named Britt Logan who is a member of a wagon train on the way to Oregon in 1852. He and his parents are among just a few non-Mormons in a Mormon wagon train heading to the Salt Lake Valley. Their plan was to leave the train at the South Pass and head to Oregon with another train, but when Britt’s parents are killed by an influential member of the church, Britt finds himself on the run.

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Books

Texas Jack: The Bank Robbers

December 28, 2020 Mark 1 Comment

The fast-paced, action-packed third Western adventure in the new “Texas Jack Western” series from Mark Marchetti!

Phineas Todd was a strange little man. He arrived in Filo, Texas many years before the Civil War and was a familiar fixture in Filo since he was the president of the only bank in town. Even when he was young, for some reason he just seemed to be older than his years. He was known in town simply as ‘Old Finny’ and was loved by the townspeople, in spite of his quirky ways.

For many of the town’s people and ranchers in the area, it was ‘Old Finny’ who had helped them navigate the hard times during the war and after. He was the wealthiest man in town yet lived like a pauper, his only interest being the welfare of the town. Receiving the love and respect of the town’s people was the only thing he believed was of value. Unknown to the town’s people was the secret of his past in the days before he came to Filo.

When four bank robbers arrive in town, led by the notorious gunman Russell Blye, the world of ‘Old Finny’ and the town gets turned upside down. The former Sheriff, Tommy Vee, comes out of retirement and recruits ‘Texas Jack’ McKenna to track down the robbers and bring them to justice.

As a longtime friend of ‘Old Finny’, Jack knows his secret… and doesn’t want it revealed. As they set out to hunt down the outlaws, Jack and Sheriff Vee discover they each have a different vision of how justice should be served… the legal way and the ‘Texas Jack’ way.

Grab your copy today! Texas Jack – Bank Robbers

Books

Texas Jack: The Robber Baron

November 2, 2020 Mark 1 Comment

The fast-paced, action-packed fourth Western adventure in the new “Texas Jack Western” series from Mark Marchetti!

The old Gillman ranch had been vacant for several years and Michael McGiven wanted the property. He planned to buy it in auction when the taxes weren’t paid, but mysteriously, the taxes on the ranch were paid every year, preventing him from acquiring it. McGiven was a shrewd, self-absorbed little man who saw himself becoming a Texas cattle baron and making his ‘Bar X’ brand one of the biggest in Texas. The Gillman ranch was located between his and the ‘Circle J’ ranch, owned by Jack and Josie McKenna. McGiven had stolen several smaller ranches in the area by driving owners out… stealing their cattle or burning their crops. He was careful, always keeping his hands clean… hiring others to do his dirty work. McGiven firmly believed ‘Texas Jack’ McKenna was the person standing in his way of obtaining the Gillman ranch.

To complicate matters, one day the new owners, Claire and Robert LaClief, move into the old Gillman ranch. Claire LaClief… formerly, Claire Gillman, the daughter of Clayton Gillman, is well aware that ‘Texas Jack’ was responsible for the killing of her father and brothers. As the only living heir to Clayton Gillman, she and her husband arrive in Filo to take possession of the ranch.

If his quest to become a Texas cattle baron is to move forward, Michael McGiven will have to come up with a new plan to remove both the LaClief’s and ‘Texas Jack’ from his path. With his resident outlaw thugs and hired gunman, Luke Madsen, he just might succeed… but he’ll have to cross ‘Texas Jack’ in the process.

The residents of Filo, Texas know a showdown is coming between Michael McGiven, Luke Madsen and ‘Texas Jack’ McKenna. They’re all waiting to see what happens… because, ‘Texas Jack’ is coming to town!

Grab your copy today! Texas Jack – Robber Baron

Books

Texas Jack series

November 1, 2020 Mark Leave a comment

The fast-paced, action-packed, Western adventures of Texas Jack have recently expanded across four novels!

Books

Texas Jack Rides Again…

October 1, 2020 Mark Leave a comment

Texas Jack rides again… and again… and one more time! Texas Jack, was originally released under Lizard Key books but last year I signed a contract with Outlaws Publishing to do five books under the Texas Jack story line. I’m sad to report that Outlaws has unexpectedly closed their operation. The closure came quickly and left not just myself, but several other authors without a publisher. No explanation was given but as of that time I was released from my contract. At the time, Texas Jack and Scalp Hunters, had been released in both paperback and Kindle versions. The week they closed down, The Bank Robbers, kindle version had been released.

The good news is, within a week of my contract release, I was signed by a division of ONCO Corporation, DUSTY SADDLE PUBLISHING. They have taken all three of the books, done new covers, and released the first two immediately. The Bank Robbers, the third book of the series has now also been released. So, as of now, all my western books will be released through AMAZON and DUSTY SADDLE PUBLISHING.

In addition, a boxed set of the first three books has now been released AND… the fourth book in the Texas Jack story line… ‘The Robber Baron’ is to be released very soon. Buy your box set now: Texas Jack Thre e -Book Series

All my other books, Lizard Key, Black Bart’s Treasure, Face the Lion and The Story of Rocky the Rodeo Pony are still available through AMAZON under LIZARD KEY PUBLISHING. I am currently working the third book in the Lizard Key series.

COVID-19 has kept most of us indoors and close to home. It’s provided me with more time to read and write books… less time for fishing, hunting and golf, but things are slowly starting to open up and we’ve recently made a few fishing trips. We’re beginning to get outdoors a little more now although some restrictions and common sense apply… we hope things get better before hunting season!

We’re also updating the website to make it easier to access photos, prior newspaper stories, drink recipes, camping, fishing, diving and travels.

Stay safe.

Mark Marchetti