Around The Campfire

Welcome to Saddlebag Dispatches, the Award-Winning Home of All Things Western.

If you like stories of the West, you’ve come to the right place. But we don’t just tell stories of the Old West. If a tale takes place west of the Mississippi and has the spirit of the Old West in it—even if it involves pickups and highways instead of horses and dusty trails—this is where it belongs. In addition to fiction, we publish the best nonfiction about the West as well as poetry, interviews, and…well, pretty much anything to do with the West. Are you getting the idea we like things western?

Saddle up for an extraordinary ride into the heart of the California Gold Rush with the latest issue of Saddlebag Dispatches! Journey back to the rugged days of gold seekers and dream chasers, where fortunes were made, lives were lost, and legends were born. Unearth captivating stories of Cherokee wagon trains braving the goldfields, the daring exploits of gambler Eleanor Dumont, and the inspiring legacy of Mary Ellen Pleasant, America’s first Black woman millionaire. Discover the real story behind Zorro with Anthony Woo, and explore Hollywood’s glittering take on the Gold Rush era with Terry Alexander. Don’t miss Sherry Monahan’s Lively Libations column, serving up the flavors of the frontier, and our 2024 Longhorn Prize-winning tale, Bob Armstrong’s “Clay Allison’s Girl,” a fantastic read you won’t soon forget.

For fiction fans, our short story selection this issue features works by five exceptional authors, including Thom Brucie, Will Ames, and Don Money. And don’t forget to dive into “Second Anniversary,“ Part 2 of New York Times Bestselling Author Reavis Z. Wortham’s thrilling three-part Western time-travel serial, sure to keep you turning pages.

So, pour yourself a steaming cup from the camp pot, settle in by the fire, and experience the very best in Western storytelling with this milestone issue!

Saddlebag Dispatches: Where the spirit of the Wild West comes alive!