Susan Abramski

Gypsum Sound Trails Susan Abramski

West Moreton, Arizona, USA, 1874. A tumbleweed twists and turns on Main Street as Boone Markwell and the rest of the Markwell Gang head for the saloon and the liquor that waited within. The day is long and there is much to be done before the sun sets behind the mountains. On the other side of the road, the shopkeeper bows his head, opting to stare at the dusty ground than make eye contact with the gunslinger. A dog barks in the distance, followed closely by a woman's yell, and Boone feels his finger slip to the butt of his revolver; the movement smooth and instinctive. For Gypsum Sound Trails, we invited some of our favourite collaborators to write their own western centred in and around the fictional Arizonan town of West Moreton and its inhabitants, including the infamous Markwell Gang. Each story reflects the style of its author while helping create a realistic western community.