Westerns and Science Fiction, particularly space opera, mix surprisingly well. Both have that sense of exploration concerning new frontiers where people try to create lives for themselves in sometimes hostile environments.
When I dreamt up my novel Trouble, I knew it had to take place on another planet, but all I could envision were the wild and dusty environs of the American west. It seemed a perfect setting for the brothers Trouble and Bear since they're not that much different than the fabled outlaws and gunslingers told of in old western legends.
In fact it's Bear's weariness of his outlaw past that leads him to settle down in Jeffers City on the Planet Exiise. After a life of planet hopping and lawless scrounging, Bear finds himself settling nicely into the relatively cushy job of Sheriff for the Jeffers City mining town. Most of the miners in this sun-dried and dusty town are too worn out by the end of the day to give him much of a problem. Besides, few would be willing to go up against a man every bit as big and snarly as his name suggests.
His peace is disturbed when his brother Trouble blows into town looking for Bear to join him in one of his plots. Aptly named, whatever trouble the younger man doesn't unearth, he causes, as he does when he suggests stealing back from Alby Jeffers a piece of equipment the town boss himself stole. As owner of pretty much everything in town, Jeffers is not a man to be trifled with: A fact that Trouble learns when his scheming uncovers Jeffers' designs for a power grab that reaches beyond the planet to the entire galaxy. Much to Bear's irritation, Trouble decides that it's up to the brothers to stop him, and Bear's own conscience makes it impossible for him to argue that point.
Trouble is a fun adventure with plenty of humor as the slightly shady Trouble tries his best to start a fire under his brother Bear's conscience and a semi-retired Bear tries his best to keep his brother from getting them both killed.
Trouble is available on Kindle at Amazon.
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