2018 Winners

Best Western Historical Novel

Winner:The Coming, by David Osborneand published by Bloomsbury USA

Finalists:Moon Hunt: People of Cahokia, by W. Michael and Kathleen O’Neal Gearand published by Forge

Finalists:Copper Sky, by Milana Marsenichand published by Open Books

Best Western Contemporary Novel

Winner:Double Wide, by Leo W. Banksand published by Brash Books

Finalists:Murder on the Red River, by Marcie R. Rendonand published by Cinco Puntos Press

Winner:The Stone Place, by Randy Lee Eickhoffand published by Cane Hollow Press

Best Western Mass Market Paperback Novel

Winner:Hell Hath No Fury: A John Hawk Western, by Charles G. Westand published by Pinnacle/Kensington

Finalists:Valley of Bones: A Byrnes Family Ranch Western, by Dusty Richardsand published by Pinnacle/Kensington

Finalists:Buzzard Bait: A Widowmaker Jones Western, by Brett Cogburnand published by Pinnacle/Kensington

Best Western Romance Novel

Winner:The Promise Bride, by Gina Welborn and Becca Whithamand published by Zebra Books

Finalists:Courting Carrie in Wonderland, by Carla Kellyand published by Sweetwater Books/Cedar Fort Publishing

Finalists:Willene: Jewel Of The West, by Sally Harper Batesand published by Self-Published

Best Western Traditional Novel

Winner:Silver City: A Novel of the American West, by Jeff Guinnand published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

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

Finalists:Huck Out West: A Novel, by Robert Cooverand published by W. W. Norton

Best Western Biography

Winner:Frank Little and the IWW: The Blood That Stained an American Family, by Jane Little Botkinand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:Tom Jeffords, Friend of Cochise, by Doug Hockingand published by TwoDot

Finalists:Tejano Tiger: José de los Santos Benavides and the Texas-Mexico Borderlands, 1823-1891, by Jerry Thompsonand published by TCU Press

Best Western Contemporary Nonfiction

Winner:A Land Apart: The Southwest and the Nation in the Twentieth Century, by Flannery Burkeand published by University of Arizona Press

Finalists:Behind the Carbon Curtain: The Energy Industry, Political Censorship, and Free Speech, by Jeffrey A. Lockwoodand published by University of New Mexico Press

Finalists:Lakota Performers in Europe: Their Culture and the Artifacts They Left Behind, by Steve Friesen with Francois Chladiukand published by University of Oklahoma Press

Best Western Historical Nonfiction

Winner:Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, by David Grannand published by Doubleday

Finalists:Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West, by Christopher Knowltonand published by An Eamon Dolan Book/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Finalists:Provisions of the Fur Trade: The Encyclopedia of Trade Goods, Vol. 6, by James A. Hansonand published by Museum of the Fur Trade

Best Western Juvenile Fiction

Winner:Stranded: A Story of Frontier Survival, by Matthew P. Mayoand published by Five Star Publishing

Finalists:Viva, Rose!, by Susan Krawitzand published by Holiday House

Finalists:Katrine: High Valley Home, by Joseph Dorrisand published by iUniverse

Best Western Juvenile Nonfiction

Winner:Glorious Fourth of July and Other Stories from the Plains, by Mary Gibson Spragueand published by South Dakota Historical Society Press

Finalists:The True Story of Jim the Wonder Dog, by Marty Rhodes Figleyand published by The RoadRunner Press

Finalists:Lotta Crabtree: Gold Rush Fairy Star, by Lois V. Harrisand published by Pelican Publishing Co.

Finalists:Bold Women in Montana History, by Beth Judyand published by Mountain Press Publishing Co.

Best Western Storyteller

Winner:Fergus and the Greener Grass, by Jean Abernethyand published by Trafalgar Square Books

Finalists:Lexie the Word Wrangler, by author Rebecca Van Slyke and illustrator Jessie Hartlandand published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Young Readers

Finalists:Abraham, by author Frank Keating and illustrator Mike Wimmerand published by A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Best Western Short Fiction

Winner:“Lost and Found: A Short Story”, by Rod Millerand published by Saddlebag Dispatches

Finalists:“Point Blank, Texas”, by Larry D. Sweazyand published by Wildside Press

Finalists:“The San Angela Stump Match of 1876”, by Johnny D. Boggsand published by Permian Basin Bookies

Best Western Short Nonfiction

Winner:“States of Decay: A Journey Through America’s Nuclear Heartland”, by Ben Maukand published by Harper’s Magazine

Finalists:“The Great Western”, by Paul Andrew Huttonand published by True West

Finalists:“All-American Indian Days and the Miss Indian America Pageant”, by Gregory Nickersonand published by Montana: The Magazine of Western History

Best Western Poem

Winner:“She Saddles Her Own Horse”, by Marleen Bussmaand published by Self-Published

Finalists:“Lookin’ Back”, by Jim Loganand published by Oklahoma Today

Finalists:“The Knowing”, by Rod Millerand published by Saddlebag Dispatches

Best Western Song

Winner:“The Pitchfork Grays”, by Jean Prescott and Darrell Arnoldand published by Line Camp Music

Finalists:“Alchesay”, by Doug Figgsand published by Slash D C Music

Finalists:“The Ridge”, by Jean Prescottand published by Line Camp Music

Best Western Drama Script

Winner:Wind River, by Taylor Sheridanand published by Acacia Filmed Entertainment/Film 44/Savvy Media/Media Holding

Finalists:Godless (Episode 1), by Scott Frankand published by Netflix

Best Western Documentary Script

Winner:Down the Fence, by MJ Isakson and Eric Frithand published by Down the Fence Films

Best First Western Novel