| Interview with Dan Rottenberg |
Dan Rottenberg's Book Best of 2008
Were you surprised to learn that your book Death of a Gunfighter, was chosen the WWHA Best Book of the year for 2008?
I couldn't imagine that anyone else could have put 50-plus years into a book, as I did. But after arriving at the WWHA Roundup and seeing the breadth of books and publications put out by the members, I was much less confident. So it was indeed a surprise when my name was announced.
What prompted you to write this excellent, definitive book on Jack Slade?
Essentially I bonded with this character from the first time I read about him at age nine. See the introduction to Death of a Gunfighter for more details.
How long was this project from start to publishing?
First started investigating Slade at age nine (1951), after reading about him in a children's book about the Pony Express. The book finally appeared 57 years later, in the fall of 2008.
Will you be researching any other western character for a book? If so, could you tell us a little about the project?
Not at the moment, but you never know what will pique my interest.
As an accomplished author, what suggestion can you offer the novice writer?
Don't be intimidated by other writers' reputations. In any given situation, ask yourself: What do I have to offer that no other writer does? That something may be thorough research, or personal experience, or brilliant insight, or a charming style. Whatever it is, stick with it.
Since the San Antonio meeting was your first WWHA Roundup, what did you think of the event?
For an author like me, it was a pleasure to address such a knowledgeable and interested audience. It was also a very nice and unpretentious group of people, motivated as they were not by fame, fortune or power but by an authentic love for the lore of the West.
