Jerry Orange was recently accepted into Western Writers of America and his latest book, Texas Yankee: Honeymoon has been submitted to that organization for consideration in the annual Spur Awards. To receive a Spur Award would be a dream come true. We’ll see how it all works out. Jerry Orange has been a preacher, a soldier, a rodeo cowboy, and a Civil War cavalry re-enactor among other things. His lifelong interest in guns led him to become an NRA certified pistol and rifle instructor. Jerry has also had lifelong fascination with horses. He has broke horses and been broken by them which is reflected in the realism of some scenes in his books. Jerry grew up in Central Kentucky the eldest son of a Baptist preacher. He jokes about being raised on Jesus, John Wayne and Louis L’Amour. He wrote his first complete story in high school then branched into poetry in college. Jerry joined the Army on Senior Skip day in 1982. While everyone else went to the lake, Jerry went to Louisville and enlisted in the Artillery on the delayed entry program. He spent his 18th birthday in the gas chamber at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It’s one of the few birthdays he still remembers. It was also his first trip west of the Mississippi. It would not be his last. Jerry was infected with wander lust at an early age and was always drawn to the American west. The longest he’s ever stayed in one spot was 5 and ½ years during his childhood. That wander lust seems to have infected his books too. To date Jerry has been to 28 states and 9 foreign countries while his books have readers in 15 countries on 5 continents. Jerry’s rodeo days began in Germany, of all places, with the European Rodeo Cowboy Association. American service men and women were putting on rodeos around Europe and asked Jerry to join them. Jerry had never been to a rodeo before but agreed to join anyway. He helped build the arena and was entered in the first rodeo he ever saw. He lasted six seconds on that first bareback horse. After returning from his time on active duty Jerry joined a group putting on rodeos around Central Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana. He went from riding bareback broncs to bulls when he let his mouth overload his behind, it was put up or shut up. Not willing to back down he got on the bull and it was one of the greatest experiences of his life. Jerry went to college after active duty where he joined Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and ROTC. If it hadn’t been for these two influences he probably wouldn’t have finished college. He majored in getting acquainted with the ladies but graduated with a degree in Political Science which he says certified him as a liar and thief. While in ROTC, Jerry graduated the hard way from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia with a broken foot and a concussion. Not being a good enough liar to go into politics and unwilling to steal, Jerry has held several jobs over the years including bill collector and route salesman for Schwan's Home Food Service. He currently works in Afghanistan where the slow drip of daily adrenaline satisfies his need for excitement while enabling him to support his beautiful wife, five wonderful kids, three dogs, and two mortgages. Jerry met Tracye (a native Texan, his best friend, and biggest fan) online and after a long distance courtship they married in Texas (of course). Jerry likes Texas and now refers to Texas as home. The native Texans think he fits in pretty well. He enjoys his family, working with horses when he gets the chance, shooting his guns with his friends, and researching the history of the American Frontier. Jerry takes pride in crafting his experience, research, and imagination into stories people enjoy reading.