Date Published: 12-03-2025
Publisher: Devil’s Claw Press
always been known to have a generous nature, readily giving to those in need.
Time has finally mellowed Hewey and given him some wisdom that was lacking in
his youth, but deep down, he’s still the same old Hewey. In this sequel
to The Smiling Country, a beneficiary to one of Hewey’s past
generosities pays him back, and with interest. Knowing Hewey would decline a
monetary repayment, he is gifted land back in Upton County.
Trouble is, it was bought from his old adversary, Fat Gervin, who is still as
crooked as ever. Gervin finds a seeming loophole in the contract and tries to
pull another fast one on Hewey, who is fed up with Gervin’s endless
treachery. Tensions rise, and when Gervin is shot, it’s Hewey
who’s on the hook for the crime. But things are never as they seem, and
it’s up to an eclectic cast of characters to sort it out, and for Hewey
to learn what’s really important in life.
Written by longtime journalist turned novelist John Bradshaw, who was selected
by The Elmer Kelton Estate to continue the Hewey Calloway tradition.
an award-winning journalist with well over a thousand published stories. Elmer
Kelton’s The Familiar Stranger, co-authored with Steve Kelton, is his
first book.
Bradshaw attended South Plains College followed by Texas Tech University. He
spent several years shoeing horses for a living as his writing career
progressed.
While the desire to write books was always there, Bradshaw first pursued a
career in journalism. He wrote numerous stories for ranching, horse and
horseshoeing magazines.
Growing up, Livestock Weekly came in the mail once a week, as it does for most
in the livestock industry. Writing for Livestock Weekly was always a goal, and
in 2005 Bradshaw’s first story was published. It was a profile of
Brownie Metzgar, a humorous cowboy still working in a feedlot while in his
late 80s.
In 2007 Bradshaw accepted a fulltime position with Livestock Weekly. While
with the paper he had over a thousand stories published, as well as enough
market reports to give him permanent nightmares.
Horses have always played an important role in his life. The son of a
horseshoer, he has spent a significant amount of time either on or under a
horse. He still shows in both ranch horse and reined cow horse competitions.
He and his wife, Sara, live outside Abernathy. Sara owns an architecture firm,
SK Architecture Group, and they raise Spanish goats, hair sheep and cattle.
In 2013 the couple had a stillborn son, Fox Joaquin Bradshaw. After several
years of heartbreak they adopted an infant boy, whom they named Julian Boone
Bradshaw. Boone died in his dad’s arms following an accident at the barn
five days before his sixth birthday.
