Follow the Lonesome Trail: A Wild West Anthology

by Allison Tebo, Rachel Kovaciny, Hannah Kaye

A trapper discovers he’s been left a poke of gold—but there’s a safe and a greedy bartender between him and his inheritance. The residents of a mining camp join forces to protect children who may or may not be royalty in disguise. And a pair of bandits get more trouble than they bargained for when the cargo they were hired to steal turns out to be somebody’s mail-order bride!

Find all this and more in this anthology, and prepare yourself for a wild West you only thought you knew as six authors go off-trail and blaze a new path.

Compiled by Allison Tebo and featuring the talents of Rachel Kovaciny, Emily Hayse, Elisabeth Grace Foley, Hannah Kaye, and A. Hartley, this collection of short stories and flash fiction explores the western frontier of bygone days and the unexpected adventures that occur when we follow the lonesome path.

Genres: Westerns, Short Stories, Anthologies, Historical Fiction

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2025

About the author

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Allison Tebo is a Christian writer committed to creating magical stories full of larger-than-life characters, a dash of grit, and plenty of laughs. She is the author of Break the Beast, an epic fantasy retelling of Beowulf, and the Tales of Ambia, a series of romantic comedy retellings of popular fairy tales. Her flash fiction has been published in magazines such as SplicketySpark and Saddlebag Dispatches and her short stories have been featured in anthologies by Inklings Press, Rogue Blades Entertainment, Pole to Pole Publishing, Editing Mee, Dragon Soul Press, and Ye Olde Dragons Publishing.

Allison also writes under the pseudonym Al Thibeaux and co-runs the speculative fiction e-zine Worlds of Adventure.

Allison graduated with merit from London Art College after studying cartooning and children’s illustration and, when not creating new worlds with words or paint, she enjoys reading, baking, and making lists.

You can find out more about her work at https://allisonteboauthor.com/ or follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/allisonteboauthor/

Reviews

[Allison Tebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another update: I read my own anthology again, because, why not?


UPDATE: THE COVER IS HEREEEEEEEEEE! ISN'T IT GORGEOUS?


ORIGINAL REVIEW:


I just finished editing the final story in this collection and, wow, this is going to be one special anthology, I must say.

[Elisabeth]

It's here! I'm delighted to have a short story, "The Princess of Flat Rock," in this anthology along with some of the coolest authors in the business.

Seriously, this book is so much fun, folks.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

Safekeeping by Rachel Kovaciny
4.5 stars. I've come to really appreciate Rachel Kovaciny's mix of humour and depth, and I I enjoyed starting off this collection with her story. it wasn't as funny as I expected, but it was strong. The MCs were both really lovely and interesting, and I loved the hint at the future. The message was solid, too, and I really wasn't at all sure what to expect from the plot—it certainly never went as I thought it would! Another great western, and a solid start to this collection.

Two for the Trail by Allison Tebo
3.7 stars. I've been anticipating reading Allison Tebo's writing for years because I've always heard SO much good about it, but I don't read magic, so I was thrilled that she wrote a western I could read! Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of this story though. It was funny, but it felt like a cheesy, unrealistic Hollywood movie... which may be exactly what it was going for—I don't read westerns much, so I honestly have nothing to compare this to. I liked Vaquero, but I struggled with Molly's character, which is probably why this story didn't appeal very much to me... However, I may appreciate more upon reread!

A Peculiar Kidnapping by A. Hartley
4.7 stars. This was the first story that was pure comedy, and I loved it! It was, again, my first read by this author, and I need to check out her other writings now. The plot was very twisty and enjoyable, but my favourite part was the brothers! They were quite humorous and their interactions were awesome—just the perfect amount of sarcastic love. :D

Gold is Where You Find it by Allison Tebo
5 stars. Now this one I really enjoyed, which proves maybe the first Tebo story just wasn't my thing. This was quite short, more of a flash fiction, but it was so FUNNY! Pure ridiculousness, which I always love. XD And pretty cute. ;)

The Princess of Flat Rock by Elisabeth Grace Foley
5+ stars (8/10 hearts). This. This is my new favourite story of the year. I need a whole book of this. I need to read this aloud to my family and watch them alternatively laugh to death and melt into puddles. This is pure gold. Oh my word, where do I start?! I adored the feels. It was like if Susan Coolidge, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Edith Nesbit joined forces. The children were so real and delightful; the story was so whimsical and wistful; and the comedic dialogue + ridiculous situations had me in stitches! I can't recommend this story enough. <3 <3

The Man with the Long-Barreled Gun by Emily Hayse
4.7 stars. This story actually gave me strong Lucky Luke vibes at first. Not that I recommend Lucky Luke, but I've always been obsessed with him since seeing a handful of episodes at family members' houses once, and I adore the "strong lonely cowboy who stands for justice alone" trope. The widow was a great woman, and her kids were sweet. My li'l' heart would have adored a longer story with a different, less bittersweet ending, but it closes naturally while leaving room for my imagination to run, and I love that...

Blaze of Memories by Allison Tebo
3.7 stars. This story reminded me of Rachel Kovaciny's writing, somehow. It's quite a load of fun! Some of the backstory puzzled me at first, but the plot line is really cool, and as always I enjoy the humour.

The Trouble With Rubies by Hannah Kaye
5+ stars (7/10 hearts). Y'all. Hannah Kaye NAILED this. It. is. EPIC. The plot twists PERFECTLY (I guessed a wee bit but not to that extent!!!). The humour is ON POINT. The characters are PERFECT. I don't even know how to talk about it because it's just pure genius—so, so comedic and yet ending with a delightful little note of serious sweetness. I cannot recommend it enough!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Olivia Gratehouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED this Wild West anthology! I’m not even a western fan, but this book had me hooked right from the start! This anthology is full of so many fun and adventurous stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, with awesome characters, fun twists, and sooo much heart.

Safekeeping : 4 stars : Such a fun story about standing up in solidarity! Really enjoyed the ending! 🥰

Two for the Trail : 5 stars : Loved the dynamic duo! 🤝🏻

A Peculiar Kidnapping : 5 stars and probably my favorite! LOVED the sibling dynamic! 😍

Gold is Where You Find It : 4 stars : HILARIOUS 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

The Princess of Flatrock : 4 stars : so endearing and sweet and ADORABLE with all the miscommunication 😂

The Man with the Long Barreled Gun : 5 stars : PHENOMENAL!!! Peak gunslinging cowboy story. 👌🏻

Blaze of Memories: 4 stars : very sweet story—the last line REALLY got me. ♥️

The Trouble with Rubies : 5 stars and my other favorite! I LOVE FRANK SO MUCH

[Hannah Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embarrassingly late to the party on this, but I FINALLY read the one story in this anthology that I didn’t get to during pre-production. Definitely worth the wait; however, now I want to go back and read them all over again.

Ladies of the lonesome trail, it has been an immeasurable honor to ride in your posse.

[Naomi McCullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three cheers for the Lonesome Trail! A highly satisfying collection for every western lover! There's heart and humor, men and women of the strong, pioneering spirit, and dire danger... everything I love about western fiction. I've alternately grown misty-eyed, and chortled quietly while reading this. How splendid to have so many of my favorite authors in one volume! (and some new ones that I enjoyed immensely.)
I'm looking forward to reading more from each of these writers in future works, and am glad to have this collection to add to my library soon. This is a volume you won't want to miss out on either. :)

[Lavay Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I received an advanced reader's copy from the hosting author. The following review is entirely my own opinion.

This collection was fantastic!

Each author shone through their stories that were full of adventure and heart. Some made me laugh and grin. Others were solemn yet achingly beautiful.

Since it's rather early to give a full review, I'll wait until the book is fully released (in print) in September, so I can enjoy it all over again!

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all stories in this collection are equal and some I liked more than others which is true of every collection I've ever read. Overall, I enjoyed this read.

Safekeeping - 4.5 stars
I really liked this story! The fact that there were no really real bad guys, and how everything was resolved just made me smile. And the ending! I did want the story to continue because I liked Saul and Julia.

Two for the Trail - 2 stars
Well, this wasn’t a favorite. I don’t know if I just didn’t care for Molly, or if it was the fact that it was a very short scene and just wasn’t my type of story.

A Peculiar Kidnapping - 3 stars
I’ll admit I had to chuckle several times over this story. The brothers were fun even if they didn’t always think right. While not my favorite of the collection, it was a fun read, light-hearted without being dumb.

Gold is Where You Find it - 2.5 stars
Humorous but too short to really feel like I knew much about anyone or why they all acted the way they did.

The Princess of Flat Rock - 5 stars
I loved this story! The characters, the setting, the misunderstanding about something overheard was pure fun! Loved how it all turned out and wanted more.

The Man with the Long-Barreled Gun - 3 stars
I liked this story. Someone standing up for what is right just because it is right. I did feel like there should be more. It sounded like things might turn out right, but I’m not sure.

Blaze of Memories - 2.5 stars
I feel like there were things left out that I wanted to know in this story. And it was so short you really couldn’t be sure of the outcome.

Trouble with Rubies - 3 stars
This story was more humor than serious. It was light and fun, but not a favorite.

I received an ARC copy from the authors but was not required or requested to give a positive review. All thoughts and views are my own.

[S.H. Dontell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved Western movies, but haven't read nearly enough Western books. No matter how many I may read in the future, however, this is definitely gonna remain a favorite!! My thoughts on the stories, one by one, are as follows:

"Safekeeping", by Rachel Kovaciny. You really can't go wrong with the Western trope of a stranger coming into town, and this one is delivered on perfectly! It felt like a combination of Open Range and Jeremiah Johnson
"Two For The Trail", by Allison Tebo. The fact that justice was emphasized, not revenge? Beautiful. And I'm a sucker for a dynamic that starts out as enemies but they end up trusting each other
"A Peculiar Kidnapping" by A. Hartley. I feel like this was the overly polite kidnapping story I've always longed for. The brothers were such a fun dynamic, and that letter at the end had me PERISHING
"Gold Is Where You Find It" by Allison Tebo. This was such a distinct vibe—specifically the main duo—and was so humorously unexpected!
"The Princess of Flat Rock" by Elisabeth Grace Foley. This was possibly my favorite in the anthology, I was laughing so hard! But I also loved the three kids and what a good sister Margot was.
"The Man With The Long-Barrelled Gun" by Emily Hayse. This one was absolute VIBES. It also felt like if Tenet was a Western, the way they avoided using names and leaned into the mystery of it all, and there was a man helping a woman from a distance, not looking for anything in exchange. But! It was thanks to her kindness that he did it! Beautiful
"Blaze of Memories" by Allison Tebo. Yeahhh uh this one made me tear up. Loved it a lot
"The Trouble With Rubies" by Hannah Kaye was brilliant and clever and so so funny. I love to see the villains outsmarted, but the heroes still being kind to them? Incredible.
All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this anthology!!

[D.T. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of short stories set in the old west. This anthology was a fun read from start to finish. If you like short stories with heart and voice, or if you're a fan of Westerns, this is a collection for you.

[J. Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Western anthology was so good!! The stories were all so unique and perfectly Western-y. I especially liked the one by Emily Hayse, and the one about the mail order bride!!

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can highly recommend this book of eight Western short stories (all by women). I bought it because I was already a fan of the fiction of Elisabeth Grace Foley, but it has introduced me to several other excellent authors. That is one of the great things about anthologies! The stories are:

★★★★ Safekeeping by Rachel Kovaciny (27 pages) — Rachel Kovaciny has previously written a series of Western fairy tale retellings. Here she gives us a good solid story that really held my interest, and also an intelligent exploration of the relationship between men and women.

★★ Two for the Trail by Allison Tebo (8 pages) — Allison Tebo, the editor of the book, has a background in fantasy. She has now turned her hands to Westerns, and has contributed three short pieces of flash fiction here. This one left me wanting more: it seemed like there was a somewhat longer story trying to get out.

★★★★★ A Peculiar Kidnapping by A. Hartley (29 pages) — this superb and slightly offbeat story by A. Hartley about a plucky heroine being kidnapped makes me want to read her upcoming first novel.

★★★ Gold is Where You Find It by Allison Tebo (6 pages) — another piece of flash fiction, with some good comedy.

★★★★★ The Princess of Flat Rock by Elisabeth Grace Foley (35 pages) — Elisabeth Grace Foley is an established writer of Western stories, and winner of the 2025 Peacemaker Award for Western short fiction. This heart-warming and gently funny story — starring a group of children who may or may not be royalty in disguise and on the run — is definitely the best in the book. I’ll be re-reading this one. More than once, probably. Other reviewers really loved this story too.

★★★★ The Man with the Long-Barrelled Gun by Emily Hayse (25 pages) — I was never quite sure how this excellent story would turn out.

★★★★ Blaze of Memories by Allison Tebo (7 pages) — a story of grandmothers and memory. I really enjoyed this one.

★★★★★ The Trouble with Rubies by Hannah Kaye (25 pages) — a comic gem. Literally, because the story is about robbing a stagecoach for a ruby. A robbery that most definitely does not go to plan. This story kind of ... swerved.

[Liberty Bluebelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this in exchange for review, but all the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

This delightful collection of eight stories by six different authors has a variety of styles, but they all fit well in the book. Let's dive right in.

--Safekeeping, by Rachel Kovaciny 4 Stars
This story pulls you right in, hinting at trouble. Saul is an excellent main character of few words as he presses to find the cause of the town's depression. I can't say much about such a short story without giving anything away, but I definitely enjoyed it!

--Two for the Trail, by Allison Tebo 3 Stars
Short and to the point, the main character is after justice and knows she's able to get it alone. Or is she? A light-hearted tone keeps the story rolling.

--A Peculiar Kidnapping, by A. Hartley 4 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. What starts as an alarming situation quickly becomes perplexing. Constance must come up with a solution for her own kidnapping. My favorite parts of this were the interactions between the brothers, and Constance's steady mind and quick thinking.

--Gold Is Where You Find It, by Allison Tebo 3 Stars
Another light-hearted, almost goofy tale. A nice quick read to break up the longer stories.

--The Princess of Flat Rock, by Elizabeth Grace Foley 5 Stars
This was the only author I was already familiar with (go read "A Sidekick's Tale" for a rollicking good adventure!) and she did not disappoint with this story. The comic misunderstandings and attempts to clarify, the safe haven--it was one of those stories that didn't have an "on the nose" ending but left me well satisfied with the feeling that the story goes on.

--The Man with the Long-Barreled Gun, by Emily Hayse 5 Stars.
This one had the most Western feel to it. Hardy, sparse, determined. A good touch of the melancholy. The underpinnings of integrity and hope. This was a masterpiece I was sorry to see end.

--Blaze of Memories, by Allison Tebo 3 Stars
Another comical quick read, with some heartwarming lines.

--The Trouble with Rubies, by Hannah Kaye 5 Stars
This tale was amusing, and the characters well -developed, pulling me along. I suspected I knew some things, but was happily surprised by the ending. A very satisfying story to end the collection with.

Overall, I highly enjoyed these stories. They didn't take an excess of time or focus, and were able to briefly transport me from the reality of everyday life to the West.

[The Bookworm Girl Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

🕯️Review🕯️

Thank you to all of the authors for allowing me to be on the ARC team for this book! This book was SO fun. I loved that it was such a change of pace and the setup of each short story was refreshing. I enjoyed that all the stories had grit, hope,
adventure, and heart. All the authors handled their stories well and I equally enjoyed the unique characters and fast-paced plots. For me, the most meaningful part of this collection of Westerns was the distinctive natures of the tales. The characters were dynamic. I found this quite interesting and stimulating. Also, I LOVED the humor in this collection. Some of these stories were absolutely hilarious and witty. Other stories had more serious tones, but still held their own with important themes!

Finally, I love that these stories give light to the American dream and the working class people. It’s a reminder that, with God, we can achieve our dreams and overcome hardship with grit and faith.

Happy reading.

Bethany the Bookworm Girl

[Katie Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful collection of Western short stories, many of which have female POVs or important female characters. This Wild West is not a boys' club, no siree! My favorite stories were "The Princess of Flat Rock" by Elisabeth Foley, "The Trouble With Rubies" by Hannah Kaye, and "Gold Is Where You Find It" by Allison Tebo. "Princess of Flat Rock," in particular, really stands out as a wonderful mixture of old-fashioned British children's fiction + swashbuckling Victorian adventure novels + authentic Western tropes. A little bit Scarlet Pimpernel and a little bit Louis L'Amour. Truly nothing could be better. I wanted to live in that story forever.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every one of these short clean western style stories is pure gold! I had my favorites, but I also enjoyed all of them. Each one either made me laugh, pulled at my heartstrings, or did both! I loved reading all of them. Definitely a keeper!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of western stories. They remind me a lot of Louis L'Amour. Very well done anthology.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun! Two of these authors are autobuy authors for me, so there was no question that I had to read this anthology! I now have a few more authors I look forward to reading more of!

[Selah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read and rated “Safekeeping” by Rachel Kovaciny. Good story but I miss the fairytale tie-in that her other stories have.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection! My favorite stories were "A Peculiar Kidnapping" and "The Princess of Flat Rock."