2016 Winners

Best Western Historical Novel

Winner:Paradise Sky, by Joe R. Lansdaleand published by Mulholland Books

Finalists:The Memory Weaver: A Novel, by Jane Kirkpatrickand published by Revell

Finalists:Custer, by Gerald Duffand published by TCU Press

Best Western Contemporary Novel

Winner:Crazy Mountain Kiss: A Sean Stranahan Mystery, by Keith McCaffertyand published by Viking

Finalists:The Canyon: A Novel, by Stanley Crawfordand published by University of New Mexico Press

Finalists:The Darkness Rolling, by Win Blevins and Meredith Blevinsand published by Forge

Best Western Traditional Novel

Winner:The Last Midwife, by Sandra Dallasand published by St. Martin’s Press

Finalists:The Long High Noon, by Loren D. Estlemanand published by Forge

Finalists:Buell: Journey to the White Clouds, by Wallace J. Swensonand published by Five Star Publishing

Best Western Mass Market Paperback Novel

Winner:Lords of an Empty Land, by Randy Denmonand published by Pinnacle

Finalists:Frontier, by S.K. Salzerand published by Pinnacle

Finalists:Frontier: Thunder at Dawn, by S.K. Salzerand published by Pinnacle

Best Western Biography

Winner:Custer’s Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America, by T.J. Stilesand published by Alfred A. Knopf

Finalists:The Gray Fox: George Crook and the Indian Wars, by Paul Magidand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:Juan Bautista De Anza: The King’s Governor in New Mexico, by Carlos R. Herreraand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Best Western Historical Nonfiction

Winner:William Wells and the Struggle for the Old Northwest, by William Heathand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey, by Rinker Buckand published by Simon & Schuster

Finalists:Ladies of the Canyons: A League of Extraordinary Women and Their Adventures in the American Southwest, by Lesley Poling-Kempesand published by University of Arizona Press

Best Western Contemporary Nonfiction

Winner:The Size of the Risk: Histories of Multiple Use in the Great Basin, by Leisl Carr Childersand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:Unbranded, by Ben Mastersand published by Texas A&M University Press

Finalists:Unruly Waters: A Social and Environmental History of the Brazos River, by Kenna Lang Archerand published by University of New Mexico Press

Best Western Juvenile Nonfiction

Winner:This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon, by Nancy Plainand published by University of Nebraska Press

Finalists:Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to Save Them, by Terri Farleyand published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Finalists:Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People, by S.D. Nelsonand published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

Best Western Juvenile Fiction

Winner:Walk on Earth A Stranger, by Rae Carsonand published by Greenwillow Books

Finalists:Chili Queen: Mi Historia, by Marian L. Martinelloand published by TCU Press

Finalists:Rawhide Robinson Rides the Tabby Trail: The True Tale of a Wild West CATastrophe, by Rod Millerand published by Five Star Publishing

Best Western Storyteller

Winner:Buckaroo Bobbie Sue, by author JoJo Thoreau and illustrator Kristina Zack Youngand published by Little Hands Press

Finalists:Ol’ Jimmy Dollar, by author Slim Randles and illustrator Jerry Montoyaand published by Rio Grande Books

Finalists:The Hero Twins: A Navajo-English Story of the Monster Slayers, by author Jim Kristofic and illustrator Nolan Karras James and published by New Mexico Press

Best Western Short Nonfiction

Winner:“Cowboys and Capitalists: The XIT Ranch in Texas and Montana, 1885-1912”, by Michael M. Millerand published by Montana, The Magazine of Western History

Finalists:“Where the Pronghorns Play”, by Dan Floresand published by Wild West Magazine

Finalists:“Wage Work in the Sacred Circle: The Ghost Dance as Modern Religion”, by Louis S. Warrenand published by Western Historical Quarterly

Best Western Short Fiction

Winner:“The Scalper”, by Richard Proschand published by Western Trail Blazer

Finalists:“Tinsel Town”, by Deborah Morganand published by Crossroad Press Publishing

Finalists:“Tough”, by Miles Wilsonand published by The Georgia Review

Best Western Song

Winner:“The Hand”, by Trinity Seely and Waddie Mitchelland published by Bucket Bail Press

Finalists:“Dad’s Song”, by Caitlyn Taussigand published by Self-Published

Finalists:“Parker Eyes of Blue”, by Almeda Bradshawand published by Bendiksen Productions

Best Western Poem

Winner:“All-American Biography”, by Paige Buffingtonand published by Narrative Magazine

Finalists:“A Trailside Boulder Story”, by Joel Nelsonand published by C.J. Hadley and Range Magazine

Finalists:“Woe to the Land Shadowing”, by Red Shuttleworthand published by Blue Horse Press

Best Western Drama Script

Winner:“Slow West”, by John Macleanand published by See Saw Films/Film 4/New Zealand Film Commission; A24

Finalists:“The Revenant”, by Mark L. Smith and Alejandro G. Innarituand published by Anonymous Content/Appian Way/Regency Pictures/Rat Pac Entertainment; 20th Century-Fox

Finalists:“Bone Tomahawk”, by S. Craig Zahlerand published by Caliber Media; RLJ Entertainment

Best Western Documentary Script

Winner:“Power’s War”, by Dodge Billingsley and Cameron Trejoand published by Amistad Entertainment LLC

Finalists:“Murder on the Southern Pacific”, by Kami Hortonand published by Oregon Public Broadcasting

Finalists:"Unbranded”, by Ben Mastersand published by Fin & Fur Films/Implement Productions/Cedar Creek Productions; Gravitas Ventures

Best First Western Novel

Winner:American Copper, by Shann Rayand published by Unbridled Books

Best First Western Nonfiction Book