Stephen Bly was born August 17, 1944, Ivanhoe, California, to Arthur "Art" Worthington and Alice Wilson Bly. He has one sibling, a sister, Judith "Judy" Bly Walston. He grew up on a farm in central California’s San Joaquin Valley. He ranched with his uncle M. J. Allen near Coalinga, California, and his father Arthur Bly in Ivanhoe, California, until age 30. He also served a brief stint in politics by helping Assemblyman Gordon W. Duffy of California State Legislature win his first term and stayed on as his administrative assistant. After serving as pastor of several Presbyterian churches in California, he is now the pastor of Winchester Community Church and was elected to several terms as city councilman and as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000—2007). He is an Active Member of the Western Writers of America. He’s also a collector and restorer of antique Winchesters and roving editor for Big Show Journal.

Stephen graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from California State University, Fresno (1971) and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary (1974). From 1982 to 1996, he was part of a team of speakers who represented Family Living Conferences for Moody Bible Institute. He traveled with Kevin Leman, Gary Chapman , Dr. Harold J. Sala, Gary Ezzo (Babywise), and Greg Speck. He and his wife, Janet, mentor writing students for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

He met his wife, Janet Chester, at Redwood High School , California. He and Janet (also a writer) have three sons: Russell (married to Lois) and father of Zachary and Miranda (married to Chris Ross); Michael (married to Michelle); and Aaron (married to Rina Joye) and father of Keaton.

He once told an interviewer that he doesn’t like writing about a place he’s never been. That means loading his truck to cruise up and down most every road, paved and unpaved, in the 11 western states of the U.S. He’s spent much more time on unpaved roads than highways.In fact, asphalt and blacktop bore him. Interstates drone like a prison line because he sees nothing but the rig in front of him.(3)

Nonfiction:Radical Discipleship Moody Publishers,1981)God's Angry Side (Moody,1982)Quality Living in a Complicated Age (Here’s Life,1984)How To Be a Good Dad (Moody,1986)Just Because They've Left Doesn't Mean They're Gone (FOF,1993)Once a Parent, Always a Parent Tyndale House,1993)Help! My Adult Child Won’t Leave Home (Tyndale,2006)The Surprising Side of Grace (Discovery House,1994)

Fiction Series:Rivers of Arizona SeriesRivers in Arizona (Back to Bible,1991)Rock of Ages (Back to Bible,1991)

Stuart Brannon Western SeriesHard Winter at Broken Arrow Crossing (Crossway,1991)False Claims at the Little Stephen Mine (Crossway,1992)Last Hanging at Paradise Meadow (Crossway,1992)Standoff at Sunrise Creek (Crossway,1993)Final Justice at Adobe Wells (Crossway,1993)Son of an Arizona Legend (Crossway,1993)Nathan T. Riggins Western Adventure SeriesThe Dog Who Would Not Smile (Crossway,1992)Coyote True (Crossway,1992)You Can Always Trust a Spotted Horse (Crossway,1993)The Last Stubborn Buffalo in Nevada (Crossway,1993)Never Dance With a Bobcat (Crossway,1993)Hawks Don't Say Goodbye (Crossway,1994)The Adventures of Nathan T. Riggins, Vol. 1 (Crossway,2001)The Adventures of Nathan T. Riggins, Vol. 2 (Crossway,2001)Code of the West Western SeriesIt's Your Misfortune & None of My Own (Crossway,1994)One Went To Denver & The Other Went Wrong (Crossway,1995)Where The Deer & The Antelope Play (Crossway,1995)Stay Away From That City They Call It Cheyenne (Crossway,1996)My Foot's In The Stirrup & My Pony Won't Stand (Crossway,1996)I'm Off To Montana For To Throw The Hoolihan (Crossway,1997)The Austin-Stoner Files SeriesThe Lost Manuscript of Martin Taylor Harrison (Crossway,1995)<span class="wikiEditor-tab"></span>The Final Chapter of Chance McCall (Crossway,1996)The Kill Fee of Cindy LaCoste (Crossway,1997)The Lewis and Clark Squad SeriesIntrigue at the Rafter B Ranch (Crossway,1997)The Secret of the Old Rifle (Crossway,1997)Treachery at the River Canyon (Crossway,1997)Revenge on Eagle Island (Crossway,1998)Danger at Deception Pass (Crossway,1998)Hazards of the Half-Court Press (Crossway,1998)The Heroines of the Golden West SeriesSweet Carolina (Crossway,1998)The Marquessa (Crossway,1998)Miss Fontenot (Crossway,1999)Old California SeriesRed Dove of Monterey (Crossway,1998)Last Swan In Sacramento (Crossway,1999)Proud Quail of the San Joaquin (Crossway,2000)Fortunes of the Black Hills SeriesBeneath a Dakota Cross (B&H,1999)Shadow of Legends (B&H,2000)Long Trail Home (B&H,2001)Friends and Enemies (B&H,2002)Last of the Texas Camp (B&H,2002)The Next Roundup (B&H,2003)The Skinners of Goldfield SeriesFool's Gold (Crossway,2000)Hidden Treasure (Crossway,2000)Picture Rock (Crossway,2001)The Belles of Lordsburg SeriesThe Senator's Other Daughters (Crossway,2001)The General's Notorious Widow (Crossway,2001)The Outlaw's Twin Sister (Crossway,2002)The Retta Barre Oregon Trail SeriesThe Lost Wagon Train (Crossway,2002)The Buffalo's Last Stand (Crossway,2002)The Plain Prairie Princess (Crossway,2002)The Homestead SeriesStrangers & Pilgrims (Crossway,2002)Courage & Compromise (Crossway,2003)Reason & Riots (Crossway,2003)Adventures on the Western Frontier SeriesDaring Rescue at Sonora Pass (Crossway,2003)Dangerous Ride Across Humboldt Flats (Crossway,2003)Mysterious Robbery on the Utah Plains (Crossway,2003)The Horse Dreams SeriesMemories of a Dirt Road Town (B&H,2005)The Mustang Breaker (B&H,2006)Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago (B&H,2006)

Fiction Stand-Alone:The President's Stuck in the Mud (Chariot/Cook,1982)Trouble in Quartz Mountain Tunnel (Chariot/Cook,1985)The Land Tamers (Tyndale,1987)(Center Point,2009)Time Warp Tunnel (Chariot/Cook,1985)Paperback Writer (B&H,2003)One Step Over The Border Center Street,2007)Creede of Old Montana (Center Point,2009)Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon (Center Point,2010)

===STEPHEN & JANET BLY (co-authored)===

Fiction Series:The Crystal Blake SeriesCrystal's Perilous Ride (Chariot/Cook,1986)Crystal's Solid Gold Discovery (Chariot/Cook,1986)Crystal's Rodeo Debut (Chariot/Cook,1986)Crystal's Mill Town Mystery (Chariot/Cook,1986)Crystal's Blizzard Trek (Chariot/Cook,1986)Crystal's Grand Entry (Chariot/Cook,1986)The Hidden West SeriesFox Island (Servant,1996)Copper Hill (Servant,1997)Columbia Falls (Servant,1998)The Carson City Chronicles SeriesJudith and the Judge (Servant,2000)Marthellen and the Major (Servant,2000)Roberta and the Renegade (Servant,2000)

Nonfiction:Questions I'd Like to Ask (Moody,1982)Devotions With a Difference (Moody,1982)How To Be a Good Mom (Moody,1988)Be Your Mate's Best Friend (Moody,1989)How To Be a Good Grandparent (Moody,1990)Winners & Losers (Moody,1982,1993)The Power of a Godly Grandparent (Beacon Hill,2003)

Family Tree - Stephen Bly Novels

Stuart Brannonb. March 4, 1847, Coryell County, Texasm. Lisa Nash, April 4, 1874d. August 17, 1914

Lisa Nashd. December 25, 1875, in childbirth

L. F. BrannonAdopted by Stuart Brannon, 1888m. Jannettechildren: Everett, Elizabeth, Edwin, Jenner,Janie, and Teddy

Aimee "Pepper" Paigeb. 1852, Atlanta, Georgiam. December 24, 1882d. 1933, Yellowstone County, Montana

Tapadera Andrewsb. 1855 Tuolumne County, Californiad. 1921, Yellowstone County, Montana

Tapadera & Pepper Andrews children:(all born in Yellowstone County, Montana)Zachariah Hatcher Andrewsb. 1883m. Martha Naomi Clark, December 24, 1903d. 1959They had 7 children21 grandchildren47 great-grandchildrenone of whom is named Hap Bowman (of One Step Over The Border

Suzanne Cedar Andrewsb. 1883m. Paul James Stoner, 1903d. 1976They had 5 children, 10 grandchildrenone of whom is Brady Stoner of The Austin-Stoner Files32 great-grandchildren

Patricia "Punkin" Paige Andrewsb. 1885d. Easter Sunday, 1892

Eugene Stuart Andrewsb. 1887m. Elizabeth May Brannon, 1919d. in auto accident, 1921They had no children.Eugene never remarried.

Tapadera Andrews, Jr.b. 1895m. French actress, Lea Devrais, 1925d. 1974They had 3 children, 7 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildrenone of their granddaughters married Paul James Watson of Paperback WriterThe Slash-Bar-4 is now run by Tapadera Andrews, IV, and his wife Mary Beth Riggins Andrews

Two years after the death of her husband, Lucinda Miller married Henry "Stack" Lowrey.

In 1893, Peter Miller Lowrey married Angelita Rachel Gomez.They inherited the Sphinx gold mine in 1899.Still in limited production, the mine is totally owned today by the Lowrey family.Angelita died in 1975 at the age 103.

Stuart Brannon and Brazos Fortune (of The Fortunes of the Black Hills) are related.That information was recently uncovered by Little Frank and Essie Fortune's granddaughter,Price Shadowbrook (from The Hidden West Series).

The Skinners of Goldfield are related to Stuart Brannon's first partner,Everett Davis.