The McKannahs: A Western Novel

Sean McKannah leaves 17th century Ireland aboard a sailing vessel after losing his family to an apartment fire. After traveling several years with his surrogate father-figure, Capt. Mullholland, he bids the sea farewell to try his hand at trapping in the mountains of Northern California above San Francisco with his newfound friend, Francisco. Although successful, the two young men are lured away by Francisco’s Uncle to Southern California, to search for wild mustangs to use for breeding wild strength into his soon-to-arrive, high blooded Spanish mares. Following a few years of horse ranching, that pits the two young men and their Mexican ranch hands against Apache Indians and murderous outlaws, Sean marries Francisco’s sister Isabella and together they create a successful sheep ranch in Northern California. Their six children, Patrick, Broderick, Simon, Ian, Jesse, and Aleena are the characters that drive the second half of this story. Patrick and Broderick attend the newly formed Harvard Law School…Simon becomes a man hunter and eventually a Texas Ranger…Ian, a professional gambler…Jesse, the driving character, shuns modern society to live with the Flathead Indians…and Aleena becomes a schoolteacher. The McKannah family alone could create enough adventure, but they are joined by many interesting characters that will keep the reader turning pages, and anticipating the sequel that will be available mid 2011.