Local author Bill Gallaher of Deka Lake will be launching his novel, The Horseman’s Last Call, at Nuthatch Books on April 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Horseman’s Last Call is the third and final volume in the Wild Jack Strong trilogy, which began with The Frog Lake Massacre, followed by The Luck of the Horseman.
The latest book presents the closing chapters in the life of Wild Jack Strong. The story opens at the start of the 20th century with Jack content on the ranch he had always dreamed of, with a loving wife and an adopted son. Things take an unwanted turn when war breaks out in Europe and Jack once more feels the need to heed his country’s call.
“My books are based in historical facts and involve real characters, but I inserted the fictional character of Jack Strong,” says Gallaher.
“This is the first time I’ve done a trilogy, originally this was submitted as a 750-word novel.”
The book was too big for TouchWood Editions, Gallaher says, adding they specialize in smaller publications.
Writing the trilogy presented it owns challenges, he says, since each section has to be complete in itself and yet lead into the next book.
Gallaher is also an accomplished singer and songwriter and has travelled across Canada and into the United States. Writing songs led him to writing books, he says, adding that a ballad he wrote would make a good book.
“I thought some one could make a good story out of the ballad. That someone became me.”
