Abbie Joules, 32, is writing the memoirs of her deceased brother, Ben. The last chapter is to be an account of canoeing the South Nahanni, a river that flows 370 miles through the wilds of northern Canada. As adolescents she and Ben planned to paddle it together until an accident cut his life short. Abbie, blaming herself for his death, is determined to fulfill that dream at all cost. The costs, however, prove higher than she--or her companions--bargained for.Svea and Elliot watche...

Since its publication in 1980, The Guadalupe Mountains of Texas has received many honors, including the Friends of the Dallas Public Library Award from the Texas Institute of Letters and recognition for its superb design from the Rounce and Coffin Club.

Bendigo Joules, raised on a small farm in east Texas in the 40's and 50's, scratched out a life filled with the joys, surprises, trials and love that only an adventurous and giving spirit could produce. His life ended tragically in his sister's company at the age of eighteen, and Abbie Joules is determined that his memory not vanish forever. Fortunately 'words work' is her specialty, and she has sculpted an image of a bygone era in which her brother stars in riveting tales filled with humo...

The 2nd in a series of 14 short stories by Abbie Joules as she recounts the exploits of her brother, Bendigo, and herself, growing up on a farm in east Texas in the late 40's and early 50's. Hard financial times prompt Ben to encourage Abbie to augment the families meager income by helping their prize sow, Matilda, to produce a litter of piglets, with the use of sourdough starter. It's really just a prank, but Abbie takes it to heart and the results are not what either of them expect. Lear...

The ninth in a series of fourteen books by Abbie Joules about her brother, Bendigo, as they grew up on their hard-scrabble farm in east Texas. Ben, and his friend Lydel, are faced with a dilemma on Ben's family farm. After an ill-advised plan to feed Lydel's two pet ferrets with dump ground rats, the family chicken coop becomes overrun with the ravenous, scaly-tailed beasts. An ultimatum comes from Ben's irate dad to rid the coup of the menace at all cost. Ben and Lydel's plan to use the r...

The eighth in a series of fourteen books by Abbie Joules about her brother, Bendigo, as they grew up on their hard-scrabble farm in east Texas. In this episode, Ben's girlfriend, Corrinth, recounts to Abbie her experience on a double date with Ben, his best friend Billy and his date. Abbie listens wide-eyed with growing apprehension and humor as Corrinth paints a vivid tale of unlikely adventure, suspense and near disaster at the town dump involving a new pink Imperial, mounds of smokey ga...

The fourth in a series of fourteen short stories by Abbie Joules, chronicling the young lives of her and her brother, Ben Joules, as they grow up on a dairy farm in east Texas during the 1940's and 1950's. In this story, a barnyard calico cat befriends Ben, and together they embark on a journey of discovery about unlikely friendships and deep, unrealized emotions. The cat, which becomes known as Fish-Cat, chooses a farm pond catfish as a companion, and the relationship changes the way Ben ...

The fifth in a series of fourteen short stories by Abbie Joules, as she chronicles the lives of herself and her deceased brother, Bendigo, growing up on their family farm in east Texas during the 1940's and 1950's. Abbie and Ben set off on a short canoe trip down their local creek, seeing adventure. What they find is a new appreciation for their neighbors, Price and Pleasure Walker, an old black couple who open their eyes to a hidden world on their doorstep. Price's gift of sculptural art ...

In this sixth of fourteen short stories that Abbie Joules has written about her deceased brother, Ben, the small farming community of Peach Creek comes together in a contest of marksmanship to help raise money for a meeting hall--and a pool table. The contest, conceived by Ben (who is a crack shot) raises the funds needed for the hall, but the event doesn't end the way he envisions it. Ben thinks he's holding all the cards, but he doesn't reckon on Mr. Moore who has donated the land for th...

Revenge is not always sweet, but it can certainly be entertaining. This is the 11th in a series of 14 short stories by Abbie Joules as she recounts the exploits of her and her brother, Bendigo, growing up on a farm in east Texas in the early 50's. In this story Abbie recounts the relationship of Bendigo with a local female "hustler" named Cat, who is determined to add Ben as a notch on her garter belt. A resulting fiasco at the country club embarrasses Ben's girlfriend, Sarah, and Ben's re...

The 3d in a series of 14 short stories by Abbie Joules as she recounts the exploits of her and her brother, Bendigo, growing up on a farm in east Texas in the late 40's. A cow called Two-Banger goes missing, again, and this time it is young Abbie who is sent to retrieve her. Along the way Abbie discovers a nest of baby raccoons in a hollow tree, and unable to resist, she climbs into the tree only to find herself ensnared as the night comes on. Finally discovered by her brother, he and his ...

Abbie Joules, younger sister of Benjamin Joules (Bendigo), recalls a difficult 'coming of age' for both herself and her brother as they live their lives on a hard-scrabble farm in east Texas during the 40's and 50's. Their aunt Sherry, to whom Bendigo is especially fond, succumbs to a deadly disease, and Bendigo is forced to face this mystery of the end of life. Dealing with his own sorrow, he decides to volunteer at the hospital, and from this perspective he learns additional valuable--an...