[This book may only be purchased as a Kindle book or paperback through Amazon.]
Ralph's 35 previous books of fiction were all novella's (i.e. 100-399 pages). In 2013 he decided that he wanted to write a novel (i.e. over 400 pages) about a mountain man. However, at that time he was not able to come up with enough subplot ideas to make over 400 pages. Over the next seven years, he kept adding ideas and finally in 2020 wrote the book in six months during the coronavirus self-isolation. Ralph incorporated many parts of his previous books into his first novel. Just like all of the other books, this book continuously moves from one subplot to another so there is continuous action and adventure. There is even a mystery, like in some of the Johnny Ringo and Slade books. There is also revenge as in the Revenge books. For the name of the main character, Ralph wanted the name to be something that was slightly unusual, but could have actually existed in the early 1800s. He went to his own family tree and used the name of his great-great grandfather, Sands Joseph Bowman, who was born in the early 1800s. Sands Joseph had a brother, Otis Thomas Bowman. Sand's wife's maiden name was Green and that is how Ralph came up with the main character's name - Sands Joseph Green.
The name of Pastor Haggard was used because Ralph's former minister by the name of Haggard, died during the writing of this book.
Total Words = 107,944
Storylines/Subplots:
Chapter 1 - Family background
Chapters 2-4 - Mexican-American War
Chapters 5-7 - Traveling to Mountains
Chapters 8-9 - Ute Village
Chapters 10-13 - Forced to kill Indians
Chapter 14 - Black Beaver
Chapters 15-17 - Paiute village
Chapter 18 - New Valley
Chapters 19-20 - Muskrat Jones
Chapters 21-23 - Traveling
Chapters 24-41 - Little Bird
Chapters 42-45 - Night Sparrow
Chapters 46-49 - Flood
Chapter 50 - Buffalo Man
Chapters 51-58 - Wintering with Shoshone (Attacked by wolves, healing, saving five braves)
Chapters 59-65 - White wolf and Grey Mouse
Chapter 66 - Avalanche
Chapters 67-69 Reverse Ambush
Chapters 70-73 Medicine Man Curse
Chapters 74-75 Heading North
Chapter 76 - Deserted Old Man
Chapters 77 - Buffalo Hunt
Chapters 78-79 Gulley's and Valleys
Chapters 80-86 Pierre Babineaux
Chapters 87-91 Traveling east
Chapters 92-95 Missouri Riverboat<
Chapters 96-99 Reunion