Hat Creek is an imprint of Roan & Weatherford and publishes outstanding Western and Historical Fiction and their subgenres.
We seek original outstanding stories in the Traditional Western genre, as well as cross genres such as Western Mystery, Western/Detective, Modern Western, Western/SciFi, Western/Fantasy or any such combination a writer might devise. We are also looking for outstanding historical fiction from other places and eras. We’d particularly like to see some great stories about past wars and civilizations from ancient times to as recent as the war in Afghanistan. Immerse us in a time past. We welcome stories that challenge the bounds and borders of the genre and especially “Own Voices” stories.
Publisher
Casey Cowan
Casey has worked in the journalism and literary fields for nearly thirty years as a graphic designer, reporter, and publisher. In 2013, he co-founded Oghma Communications, which, through its subsidiary, Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates, has become an award-winning mid-sized independent publisher of genre fiction and nonfiction. The following year, in partnership with late Western writing legend Dusty Richards, he also co-founded Saddlebag Dispatches, an award-winning magazine featuring original fiction, poetry, history, interviews, and articles dedicated to the American West. When he’s not working, Casey enjoys reading, writing, travel, music, catching up with his six adult children, indulging his five young grandchildren, and sharing his crazy life with his always-supportive wife, Amy.
Wishlist
From my childhood as an Air Force brat to my education in military history, I’ve always resonated with stories of war and espionage, be it fact or fiction, past, present, or future. But simple conflict is not enough for me. History is, at it’s essence, a story about ordinary—and even sometimes not-so-ordinary—people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. I’m looking for stories with deep and fully-realized characters drowning in the flood of their own emotions, fears, flaws, and petty jealousies as they face such intense moments. More than that, I want real stakes and uncertainty in my stories, as well. Nobody wins all the time, and no plan survives first contact with the enemy. The prospect of failure, defeat, loss, and death must be included. Examples of the kinds of novels I would like to acquire include Michael Shaar’s The Killer Angels, Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, Anton Myrer’s Once and Eagle, and early works by the likes of such authors as Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts, and P.T. Deutermann. For nonfiction, historical works by such luminaries as James D. Hornfischer, Ian W. Toll, Stephen Ambrose, and Dan Jones top my list.
Publisher
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood is the Senior Vice President and Deputy Publisher of Roan & Weatherford and Senior Vice President and Assistant Publisher of their Hat Creek and Otterford imprints. He joined the company in 2021 and has enjoyed the relationships established and his growing responsibilities with the company.
A native Mississippian, Anthony has lived and worked from Florida to Alaska, and has traveled extensively. He served as an inner city ministry at street level and administratively for three decades before retiring to devote his time to becoming an author.
Anthony craves Historical Fiction and Western stories that allow him to enter the head and heart of characters that are genuine and flawed, but also testy and just. Anthony and his wife, Lisa, live in Central Arkansas, where he enjoys the outdoors, research and writing, and being with family.
Wishlist
I want characters who entice me to live their stories with them. I want to be drawn into their heart, minds, and souls so deeply that I become them. I want authentic, believable characters that drive the story. I like to see a character grow in whatever direction the story takes them in historically accurate settings. Sanitized characters do not portray the real world. I want characters to change so that by the end of the book, in some way, I’m changed as well. I don’t want to just read a book. I want to have a conversation with the author. I want to travel to new worlds and make new friends and enemies. I want to learn something new, experience an emotion I’ve yet to feel, and be driven to become better. I want to read a book that leaves me satisfied, but wanting more, that makes me ponder the possibilities but also leaves me with a conclusion. I want to finish a book and say, like Louis L’Amour, ‘Some part of it is always with you.’ Authors I enjoy are James L. Haley, Mark Twain, Velda Brotherton, David Gibbins, Winston Groom, David McCullough, Brian Kilmeade, and Alexandre Dumas.
Executive Editor
Rachel Santino
Rachel Santino was born and raised in Virginia. She took a liking to reading at a young age and began writing and editing after college. After a varied career in education, travel industry, event planning, photography, and the restaurant industry, she returned to the field of editing. She runs Armadillo Editing and edits for top publishers in the Western genre. She loves building lasting connections with authors and works diligently to help perfect books readers will love. She’s traveled five of the seven continents and loves a good road trip. When she’s not working, she’s holding down the fort as a wife, big sister, and proud aunt. Rachel is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.
Wishlist
Rachel is looking for western and historical fiction stories set after the Civil War with a strong sense of place and vivid natural settings of the Old West. These stories should highlight the struggle between civilization and wilderness and explore elements of adventure, clean romance, drama, faith, family, humor, mystery, and survival. Protagonists and antiheros of the frontier are often interchangeable and define a strong feeling of personal justice and individualism and are dangerous, unpredictable, and charismatic. Keep me hooked with plenty of suspense or pull at my heartstrings with stories of reluctant heroes and unattainable love.
Editorial Consultant
Dennis Doty
Dennis Doty is Publisher of Saddlebag Dispatches Magazine and an Executive Editor for Roan & Weatherford. He joined the company in 2017 as a junior editor and has been blessed/cursed with frequent promotions.
Born and raised in Southern California, Dennis has been a carny, U.S., Marine, rodeo cowboy, Personnel Manager, and Retail General Manager before retiring and finding his true calling as an author, editor, and publisher. Since 2002, he has made his home on the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Southeastern Kentucky. He is looking for truly outstanding stories in the Western and Historical genres.
Wishlist
I love a character-driven story set in a vivid background. I need to see a definable character arc as well as a logical, but often surprising, story progression. I want a story that pulls me in and makes me care about the characters. Love them or hate them doesn’t matter as much as the need to feel something about them. Whether western or historical, I insist on historical accuracy within the bounds of the genre. That being said, I enjoy a believable cross genre story as well. If you want to set your western in the future or on an alien world, make me believe it. I read multiple genres and can get lost in a well-crafted fantasy world just as easily as a traditional western. Some of my favorite authors include, Elmer Kelton, Dusty Richards, Louis L’Amour, Bernard Cornwell, Jack London, John Steinbeck, Jeff Shaara, Jean Auel and W.E.B. Griffin.
