I hate [most] Westerns, Part 2 (guest post)

 

*NOTE: All the posts this month will be written my by husband, Jamin Hillwig, as I do my darnedest to make headway on the published version of my Hex history project.  Enjoy!

Last week, I mentioned that the Young Guns movies are among the few Westerns I like, and I think I know why that is. It’s an ensemble piece and very action packed. But sadly, even these movies aren’t perfect.  Nowhere in them do they state that this is “Based in true events” because it’s not. It’s way the fuck off! For example:

- John Tunstall was not old and didn’t look like General Zod. He was only 24 years old when he was murdered, just 5-6 years older than Billy.

- There was no Dirty Steve Stephens. There WAS a Dirty Dave Rutabaugh who was called “Arkansas” Dave Rutabaugh in Young Guns 2.

- Dick Brewer was shot in the face, not the gut… that was probably more MPAA than anything.

- Charlie Bowdre survived the attack on Alex McSween’s house and died at the shoot out at Stinking Springs. Billy and company escaped the burning house during the night.

- Billy the Kid did not shoot L.G. Murphy in the head or anywhere for that matter. Murphy was living in Florida at the time.

- The were a lot more Lincoln County Regulators than the 6 guys in the movie. It was more like 10-20 men.

- Doc Scurlock was never a teacher in New York City and was not killed at the gun fight at Stinking Springs. He lived to be an old man married to a Mexican (not an Asian) and refused to talk to anybody about Billy the Kid or the Lincoln County War.

- Jose Chavez y Chavez died peacefully in his bed at the age of 72-73.

- Billy the Kid was “likely” killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. They probably knew or knew of each other but they were not friends.

- “Brushy” Bill Roberts has been proven by modern science to absolutely not be Billy the Kid. But as a matter of historic fact, many people claimed to be Billy the Kid.

I’m really sorry if you’re all pissed at me now. But this is one of the beautiful things about this movie. When I say I love this movie I mean I REALLY love this movie! It made me want to learn more! So after seeing it, me and my brother went to the library and read anything and everything we could on Billy the Kid. These movies are like the comparison between Gone With the Wind the movie and Gone With the Wind the book. The true history is a hell of a story with a lot more players. I suggest you look in to it.

Anyways, I’ve talked your ears off or read your eyes out (if you prefer). That’s it for me. "Assistant Editors' Month" is over. I hope you all have enjoyed these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

I hate [most] Westerns, Part 1 (guest post)

*NOTE: All the posts this month will be written my by husband, Jamin Hillwig, as I do my darnedest to make headway on the published version of my Hex history project.  Enjoy!

I hate Westerns. I do. With a few exceptions. I like the Young Guns movies. I like The Quick & The Dead. I like Two Mules for Sister Sarah and High Plains Drifter. I like The Cowboys and The Shootist with John Wayne. And that’s it. Anything else puts me to sleep. I remember way, way, way back when, when me and Susan were dating we rented The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. We took it back to my mom and stepdad’s place and popped it in the VCR and sat down to watch: me, Susan, and my stepdad. 15 minutes in and I’m out cold. The next thing I remember is opening my eyes to the credits and Susan and my stepdad talking about what a great movie that was. I don’t know about great movie but the experience ranks in the "Top 10 BEST Naps I’ve Had in My Life".

The Cowboys is a whole different story. Lots of stuff goes on in that movie. There are no great expanses of one man riding his horse across the open plains with no dialog. And it’s got John Wayne. For my money, John Wayne and Optimus Prime are the same guy. Sure, the man advocated war when he himself never served, but that’s not the point. Watch the movie. There is a part near the end where all the cowboys (just kids, literal cow BOYS) are gathered around John Wayne and he starts talking about “how proud he is of them” and “how every father wants their children to be better than them. And you are.” If you are a guy…. If you are human, this scene will get at you. The Shootist is kinda the “long form” version of that scene.

Two Mules and The Quick & The Dead are just good action movies. You could change the era and location and it would make little difference. That’s not a slight to the movie or the writers. They’re both movies anybody would like because they are easily relatable.

High Plains Drifter is a ghost story. That’s my wheelhouse. It’s a slow burn, but when it gets good, it gets REAL GOOD. Not gory but creepy as Hell!

Young Guns has a sequel… Just like this post. I’m devoting a whole post to both movies. I’m a huge fan and it’s a lot to unpack.

What's it like having your name in a book? (guest post)

 *NOTE: All the posts this month will be written my by husband, Jamin Hillwig, as I do my darnedest to make headway on the published version of my Hex history project.  Enjoy!

You’re going to laugh but, before Swords & Sixguns came out, my name was already in a book. A famous book. It’s called the Holy Bible. The name "Jamin" is only in there a few times, 6 to be exact throughout the Old Testament, mostly in reference to the Sons of Simeon. My mom thought it was pretty. The fact of the matter is that me and Susan were broken up at the time she decided to name a major character in her book after me… So, I don’t want to hear any nepotism crap, okay?

Here’s a funny story: My older brother got a copy of Susan's book. He was really digging it because he likes the Old West. Anyways, he’s reading and enjoying the story then “Jamin” shows up. He said, (and this is a direct quote) ”I could mentally hear the needle skip across the record.”… Yeah, I know. He’s just jealous.

Actually, seeing my last name "Hillwig" in a comic was pretty cool. It about scared the shit out of me, too. So, there we were years and years ago, sitting on the couch reading our new comics and Susan starts screaming, screaming like she’s dying! “WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT, DAMMIT?!? ARE YOU OKAY?!? WHAT?!?” , I scream at her. She points at the page in her comic. Then I start screaming like I’m dying. Susan and the authors of the comic book had been corresponding for awhile and I guess they decided to give her a little surprise.

I looked around the internet. There are a few noteworthy Hillwigs. One is a doctor, one is an astronomer, and at least one was a Union soldier in the American Civil War. But how many of them can say they have their name in the Bible, a novel, AND a comic book?

The #1 Fan's Opinion (guest post)

*NOTE: All the posts this month will be written my by husband, Jamin Hillwig, as I do my darnedest to make headway on the published version of my Hex history project.  Enjoy!

It’s “Assistant Editors' Month". That means I get the center chair while Susan concentrates more on writing books than posting silly memes and giving us all her two cents. And since I now control the horizontal and the vertical, I’m going to try to post stuff that’s a little different than what you get here. And since I am Susan’s #1 Fan, were going to start by answering this question:

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE MARRIED TO AN AUTHOR?

Well, since I’ve only been married to one person, I can’t really compare unless I use examples I’ve seen in real life. It’s not all too different from what any of you know. The main difference I can think of is: along with the regular stuff people do, writers write. Yeah, no shit. But really, I mean it. Some days she’s on a streak and she’ll just be plugging away. Other times, she’ll get just a few sentences out. And if you’re a helpful guy like me, this is when you’ll want to help.

Don’t.

Not unless they ask. Because you really don’t know what’s going on in the story. Even if you think you know what’s going on, you don’t. So, I hate to break it to you kids. Don’t expect me to drop in juicy tidbits of what’s coming up in the next book. I only have the vaguest notion…. Though, one time about 10 years ago, I did pin Susan down and make her tell me at least the broad strokes of the story. And I'd  love to tell you all what I know. But I’m certain that’s all changed. Trust me, the original ideas she had from over 25 years ago are wildly different…. I don’t know if that is a writer’s thing or woman’s prerogative.

And that is really the long and short of it. Everything a normal husband or wife does, but they also type, and on rare occasion ask for an opinion on something they totally made up.