Dusty Richards

Dusty Richards is a renowned American author, particularly known for his western novels. He is the creator of the Byrnes Family Ranch series and The Brandiron series, among others. Richards is deeply connected to the west, having grown up in Arizona where he currently resides. This landscape of cacti, harsh heat, sidewinders, and canyons features prominently in his stories, serving as the backdrop for a different time that he explores in his writing.

Richards' love for the west was kindled at a young age. As a child, he was an avid fan of western movies, often attending matinee showings featuring Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry. His passion for the western way of life was further solidified when he experienced ranch life firsthand. At the age of seven, he went to a roundup and watched cowboys brand calves on the Peterson Ranch in Othello, Washington. When his family moved to Arizona from the Midwest when he was thirteen, Richards knew he had found his paradise. He worked on ranches, rode horses, and participated in rodeos, much to his mother's worry that he would become an "old cowboy bum."

Richards is a prolific writer, having authored over 85 novels. He is the only author to win two Spur awards in one year, in 2007, for his novel The Horse Creek Incident and his short story "Comanche Moon." He is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the International Professional Rodeo Association, and serves on the local PRCA rodeo board. Richards is also an inductee in the Arkansas Writers Hall of Fame. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the 2010 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Western Fiction for his novel Texas Blood Feud and was honored by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009.

Richards' journey to becoming a successful author was not without its challenges. After graduating from Arizona State University in 1960, he struggled to get his own book published. However, his perseverance paid off, and his first novel, Noble's Way, was published in 1992. Since then, he has won numerous awards for his work, including the Oklahoma Writer's Federation Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2003 for The Natural and in 2004 for The Abilene Trail. Richards is a dedicated writer who invests a lot of his time helping others who want to learn how to write. He serves on the board of several writing organizations and conferences, and he and his wife, Pat, reside in northwest Arkansas.

Richards' love for the west is evident in his writing, which is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and passion for the western way of life. His work has been widely recognized and honored, earning him a place in the Arkansas Writers Hall of Fame and numerous awards for his novels and short stories. Richards' dedication to his craft and his passion for the west have made him a beloved figure in the world of western literature.