Steber introduces new book in Sisters

Local Western wordsmith Rick Steber stood tall behind the podium at Paulina Springs Books on Friday evening, reading excerpts from three of his recent novels, "Forty Candles," "Buy the Chief a Cadillac," and his latest book, "Secrets of the Bull."

Steber is a colorful fixture in the Central Oregon literary community and has won multiple awards and national attention for his gritty, two-fisted Western yarns. With over 30 titles under his belt and more than a million books in print, writer's block is not something he's familiar with.

His silver hair and sun-bleached squint lent an air of realism to the evocative prose, filled with sourdough pancakes, saddle leather, and stars "so close a fellow could almost smell them burning up there."

Steber's appetite for words and wry humor shine through each lovingly crafted work.

"I'm always working on five or six books at a time," said Steber. "I'm working on one now about a cowboy who got killed in Mitchell. Got about 3,000 hours of research into it so far and not a word written."

"Buy the Chief a Cadillac" was winner of the 2005 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western novel. The new novel, "Secrets of the Bull," traces the struggles of Big Frank Battle, legendary Eastern Oregon stockman, pitted against the government and his family in today's changing West on the sprawling Double X Ranch.

Steber's work ethic and routine include exhaustive research and fine attention to authenticity.

"I like to say I have a 'photogenic' memory," he laughs. "I've always enjoyed the little stuff, noticing the detail and how things are put together."

He's a combination historian, biographer and storyteller. Most of all, Steber likes to tell a good story that gives the reader a sense of time and place.

In addition to his novels, Steber also created a series of historical vignettes called "Oregon Country," that were carried in The Nugget as well as 57 other newspapers in Oregon.

"To promote myself, I once rode horseback to every newspaper office in the Willamette Valley," he said.

These short pieces became the basis for the "Rick Steber's Tales of the Wild West" series of books and audio tapes, which have found a loyal following among classroom teachers and homeschool families. "People generally want to know how long it takes to write a book, and that all depends. The first draft is like assembling bones into a skeleton. In rewrites you add the tendons and the muscles, then you get down to every little freckle," Steber explained.

"One time I gave an early copy of a novel to a rancher friend to check over. He said, 'Rick, I only picked up on one thing wrong and I feel kinda funny telling you, most ranchers all know this. But Hell, Rick... cows don't sweat!'"

Steber writes in a cabin tucked away in the timbered foothills of the Ochoco Mountains of Central Oregon. He is married to Kristi and they have two sons, Seneca and Dusty. His collection of books are available at Paulina Springs Books, by calling 800-399-3115 and online at http://www.ricksteber.com.