Good day to everyone reading this

Firstly, let me introduce myself and explain who I am. My name is Leonard Rawlins, and I'm the author of seven self-published novels. The genre I specialize in is Westerns, although there are some of my books that are in different genres as well. I edit and proofread all my own novels, and also do the cover designing as well.

I hope you will find the books and excerpts that I'm about to place, interesting and captivating. Here is an excerpt from my very first novel, entitled "Guns of Justice". Hope you enjoy the sneak peek ...

Dawn had not yet broken the dark veil of night, when Jake was already up, had himself a shave and was dressed in his most casual, yet neat attire. He was staring out of his Hotel room’s window, enjoying the crisp, fresh morning air that held the promise of a fine day. As he looked down the dirt road leading into town, his thoughts involuntarily returned to that fateful day in October nearly five months ago.

He was happily married then, his wife pregnant with their first child. Her healthy radiance glowed like a burning ember. Blackfoot County had elected him Sheriff, He’d been so proud every morning when pinning his badge on, and his wife, Connie, not one bit less so.

Jake Hudson had been a man to be reckoned with if it came to enforcing the law, and was respected for doing so in a mild-mannered, yet strict way.

For Jake, enforcing the law didn’t mean using his six-gun as the only way out to solve a problem. Jake would rather try to avoid bloodshed than shooting someone. He’d been raised believing that taking someone else’s life was a sin. Everything, including his good Christian upbringing and believes, had changed that night in August. It had made him cold as stone, and hard as rock, left with nothing but raw hatred and seeking vengeance for what had happened.

It had been quite some time now that problems had been arising whenever the crew of the Square-T Ranch came into town. The cowpuncher’s and their boisterous foreman were becoming more violent by the day. They weren’t giving heed to any of the laws laid down by the Town Council and Jake. It was well known throughout the territory that no guns were allowed inside town limits.

All arms had to be handed in at the Sheriff’s office until leaving town. This bunch, however, refused to lay down their guns, challenging Jake and his Deputy to disarm them. Jake was not lured into their trap this easily. To teach them a lesson, he had one evening, while they were busy shooting up the saloon, got the drop on them.

He’d locked them up for the entire weekend, charging them with drunk and disorderly conduct in a public place. The judge had not been lenient towards them, and had given them each a stiff fine, which cost them two week’s wages each.

They were livid with rage, and Tex Burrows, their Ramrod, vowed to get even with Jake for their humiliation. His sidekicks gave their wholehearted support to this threat. It had been weeks since Tex and his crew from the Square-T had come to town. People were enjoying the more peaceful atmosphere now. Jake took no heed to the threat towards him, and had already forgotten about it.

Then, one evening, he was called by his Deputy, Lance Lopez, to come and assist with an incident in the saloon. Jake looked at the wall clock as he got out of bed, seeing that it was ten thirty already. He gave Connie a kiss, promising to be back as soon as he could. Glancing back as he left the bedroom, she blew him a last kiss.