The Time-Traveling Texan

The training to become a Ranger in the U.S. Army is challenging. But navigating the wild west of Texas in the 1830s is even harder.

Jake Duncan is a Ranger in the U.S. Army and a grad student struggling with his history class. He's a regular guy-a former football player who loves beer, takeout, and is on the brink of proposing to his girlfriend, Jenny. One day, he stumbles on a gravestone with his name and correct birth date on it, and his life is changed forever.

Before long, he leaves a suburban neighborhood of Austin in his pickup and finds himself stuck-alone-in the year 1836, when Texas was a deserted war zone and the future was uncertain. Jake bonds with an escaped slave, Nate, and together they make their way across the wild terrain, encountering Mexican pilgrims, American pioneers, and Native Americans along the way-some of them hostile. His modern weapons help a bit, as does his 21st-century medical training. He helps deliver a baby, saves malaria patients, and treats battle wounds. He meets a tough-as-nails widow named Kate, and they begin to fall for each other. After weeks in the past, Jake isn't sure he wants to return to 2020. Kate has captured his heart.

Will he make it back to 2020 without Kate? Or will Jake decide to stay in the 1800s?

A thrilling story that mixes compelling characters with historical fiction, The Time Traveling Texan is an exciting yet intimate portrait of early Texas history. If you like a good cowboy story, passionate romance, and a strange sci-fi twist, you will love The Time Traveling Texan.

Explore Texas history with fresh eyes in Richard C. Pillsbury's debut novel, available in Kindle and paperback.