RICHMOND, Texas (Covering Katy News)— Western author Chris Mullen of Richmond is heading to new pastures as he celebrates the release of his latest book.
The Reckoning of Men is the 13th book in a series created by Robert Vaughan, a retired Army officer turned popular author who wrote hundreds of books. Vaughan in 2021 began a western series about the brothers Will and Gil Crockett. In The Reckoning of Men, the story centers around a boy caught in the middle of a murder, and the Crockett brothers take matters into their own hands when law enforcement fails to help.
Mullen said he had the chance to meet Vaughan and his wife, Ruth, before Vaughan's death in March 2024.
Chris Mullen
Ruth Vaughan, Robert Vaughan and Chris Mullen
Moving a series forward
"After he passed away is when my publisher came to me and he had been talking with Robert Vaughan's widow about future stories," Mullen said. "And they thought it would be a good idea and an opportunity for me to gain more readers if I were to write the next story in this particular series."
Mullen's work continues a practice followed by other authors who have died but whose literary characters live on in books written by authors approved by the late author's estate and publisher. Another example of this is the late Robert B. Parker's character Spenser, a Boston private investigator, who appears in books written by Ace Atkins and, more recently, Mike Lupica.
Mullen said Vaughan was a prolific author, averaging several thousand words per day. For his own writing, Mullen described himself as a "pantser," someone who sits down and just writes without an outline. He tries to do this every day, and he admitted that some days are more productive than others. But he keeps at it and has built a successful fiction writing career.
Chris Mullen
The Reckoning of Men is Chris Mullen's latest book.
Rowdy beginnings
Mullen is perhaps best known for his young adult novels featuring Rowdy, a youngster who survives across adventures in the Old West. Mullen is preparing his seventh Rowdy novel, which he expects will appear later this year.
While Mullen writes westerns, he did not grow up reading them. He said Stephen King was the author whose work he read. After graduating from Texas A&M University and becoming a teacher, Rowdy came along one day.
"We got back to the classroom with time to spare before carpool, and it was kind of like herding cats at that moment," Mullen said. "I called them all over to the carpet and said, hey, kids, let's gather around the campfire. I've got a story to tell you about a cowboy that lives way out West past the triple cactus from a ranch called the Circle R."
Kids asked for more Rowdy stories, Mullen said, and things went from there. Nine years after he began telling these stories to students, he self-published his first Rowdy book, which won an award, and set the stage for his signing with his publisher, Wise Wolf Books, an imprint of Wolfpack Publishing, which is publishing The Reckoning of Men.
Other books
He has written four other contemporary Western mysteries in addition to his work on the Rowdy series. Mike Bray, Wolfpack Publishing CEO, said Mullen is a rising force in Western literature, one book at a time, through his grit, discipline and a clear respect for the craft.
Kayla Ireland, Wolfpack Publishing managing production editor, said Mullen's tenacity and dedication to his craft are unmatched.
"He never settles for what's easy—he's always looking for ways to adapt, grow, and deliver something even better for his readers," Ireland said. "From the Rowdy series and the Cass Callahan novels to his work on The Reckoning of Men with Robert Vaughan, Mullen consistently shows a willingness to stretch his range and keep his stories fresh. What stands out most is how much he cares about the reader experience; every decision he makes is about pulling readers in and giving them a story they can truly get lost in."
Chris Mullen
Chris Mullen