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Western Short Stories
John Duncklee
1929-2015
Western short stories Bio. of John Duncklee
John Duncklee is an award-winning author of sixteen books. His published work covers fiction, non-fiction, satire, short stories and poetry. Prior to his writing career, John was a university professor in both the United States and Mexico, a cattle rancher, Quarter Horse breeder, designer of mesquite wood furniture, and served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
He lives in New Mexico with his wife, Penny, an illustrator and artist.
Awards and Recognition:
$5,000 Unrestricted fellowship for excellence in poetry:
Arizona Commission on the Arts.
Author of the Year: Friends of Branigan Memorial Library.
Las Cruces, NM
Member of the Authors Guild and Western Writers of America Spur Award for best western poem 2008 Western Writers of America.
Western Short Stories by John Duncklee
Chicaro
Horse Trading with Ginger Ale
John Duncklee
During the early 1960's many cattle deals and horse trades became finalized on the bar stools or booths in the El Dorado Bar. "Chema" witnessed a good many transactions from his position behind the bar. "Chema" didn't say much, but his friendly smile made customers feel welcome...Read More of Chicaro, Horse Trading With Ginger Ale
The Dove and Mr. McCall
John Duncklee
As he did every morning for the past six years, Jack McCall sat in his old, tattered, wicker rocking chair on the front porch of his old adobe ranch house in the foothills of the craggy, desert mountains. And, like every morning, he was reminiscing to himself about his life as he waited for Kate to bring his mug full of steaming coffee, and set it on the old nail keg he used for a table. She would always say, “Mornin’ you old rascal. What are you dreamin’ about this mornin’?”...Read More of The Dove and Mr. McCall
The Blizzard
John Duncklee
The storm unexpectedly rolled in with a fury. I had listened to the weather report the evenin' before as usual. The weather reports are not always right. Last night and this morning proved to be one of the wrongs...Read More of The Blizzard
The Last Breakfast
John Duncklee
The blue and pink tour bus, with “Heavenly Tours” emblazoned on its sides, zoomed north toward Tombstone, Arizona. It slowed down as it entered the town. Every passenger looked out of the windows.
"Look at that sign in the window, boys," Ike Clanton said. "It says 'The Best Margarita This Side Of The Border'."
"If she's anything like the Margarita I knew in Juarez, we could be in for one helluva good time," Cole Younger remarked...Read More of The Last Breakfast
Fiddle Sticks
A Western Story Without Cuss Words or Family Values
John Duncklee
At one time Flying Lead was the smallest town in Arizona. In spite of its size, consisting of the Muleshoe Bar, the Jackass Hotel, and The Stall and Straw livery stable, there was more mescal consumed within the town limits than whiskey in any other place in the territory. That was because Jesse served only mescal that he personally distilled out in back of the Muleshoe...Read More of Fiddle Sticks
The Old House
John Duncklee
Nestled in the shade of tall eucalyptus
territorial roof and porch
the ranch house
old when I first saw it the year of Pearl Harbor
Headquarters for Canada del Oro ranch
George Pusch’s, there’s a ridge named for his father
branded Z bar K
I remember because I helped a time or two...Read More of The Old House
The Unknown Horseman
John Duncklee
The corral was circular, made from mesquite poles and posts Estacada style where the poles are laid between two posts on one end and two posts on the other. The poles are stacked as high as the builder wants them or as high as the builder has poles for. This corral was circular because the man who built it wanted it for training horses...Read More of The Unknown Horseman
Gone Four Years
John Duncklee
Ben Norris had been a cowboy ever since he had helped his father before the old man had retired. His father, also a cowboy, worked around southern Arizona, taking care of the cattle and saddle horses on various ranches...Read More of Gone Four Years
The Starving Ego
John Duncklee
Dane Biggers had a starving ego. He had had the condition all of his adult life. It didn’t plague him because he had no idea what it was that demanded attention almost constantly; but Biggers condition bothered many who came in contact with him for one reason or another...Read More of The Starving Ego
