Stephen Bly: 1944-2011

Author Stephen Bly                rode home to glory today, at the age of 67. He had been battling cancer.

Stephen Bly authored 100 books and hundreds of articles.  THE LONG TRAIL HOME, (Broadman & Holman), won the prestigious 2002 CHRISTY AWARD for excellence in Christian fiction in the category western novel. Three other books  were Christy Award finalists.

Stephen Bly was born August 17, 1944, in Ivanhoe, CA,  and grew up on a farm in central California’s San Joaquin Valley.  He met his wife, Janet at Redwood High School in Visalia, CA.  He ranched with his uncle and his father  until age 30. 

Stephen pastored several churches, and was currently the pastor of Winchester Community Church.  He was rarely seen without cowboy boots, hat, and jeans–even in the pulpit. He served as mayor of Winchester, Idaho from 2000-2007, and spoke on numerous television and radio programs, including Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family.  He was an Active Member of  Western Writers of America.

Steve graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from Fresno State University and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary.

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 Leaman, Gary Chapman, Dr. Harold J. Sala, Gary Ezzo, and Greg Speck.  He also mentored writing students for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

Stephen lived with his wife, Janet  in the mountains of north-central Idaho, in the pine trees, next to a lake on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.  A third generation westerner, Steve spent his early years working on ranches and farms. In his spare time, he pursued collecting antique Winchesters and construction of Broken Arrow Crossing, a false front western village near his home.

In his final Facebook post, only 6 days before his death this is what he had to say:    Despite being poked, prodded, tossed and turned every hour by numerous nurses while I bide my time in a quarantined hospital bed, have managed to complete 5,700 words rough draft on Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot. Only 69,300 more words to go.

Stephen once told an interviewer that he doesn’t like writing about a place he’s never been.  Oh, the stories he could tell us now.

Stephen Bly was interviewed for a April 29, 2011 post  http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/2011/04/throw-devil-off-train-stephen-bly-free.html  The interview contains his salvation experience and other personal questions.

Books Written By Stephen Bly

Nonfiction:
Radical Discipleship Moody, 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 in Arizona Series

Rivers in Arizona (Back to the Bible, 1991)

Rock of Ages (Back to Bible,1991)

Stuart Brannon Western Series
Hard 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 Series
The 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 Series
It’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 Series
The Lost Manuscript of Martin Taylor Harrison (Crossway,1995)
The Final Chapter of Chance McCall (Crossway,1996)
The Kill Fee of Cindy LaCoste (Crossway,1997)
The Lewis and Clark Squad Series

Intrigue 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 Series

Sweet Carolina (Crossway,1998)
The Marquessa (Crossway,1998)
Miss Fontenot (Crossway,1999)
Old California Series
Red Dove of Monterey (Crossway,1998)
Last Swan In Sacramento (Crossway,1999)
Proud Quail of the San Joaquin (Crossway,2000)
Fortunes of the Black Hills Series

Beneath 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 Series
Fool’s Gold (Crossway,2000)
Hidden Treasure (Crossway,2000)
Picture Rock (Crossway,2001)
The Belles of Lordsburg Series
The 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 Series

The Lost Wagon Train (Crossway,2002)
The Buffalo’s Last Stand (Crossway,2002)
The Plain Prairie Princess (Crossway,2002)
The Homestead Series
Strangers & Pilgrims (Crossway,2002)
Courage & Compromise (Crossway,2003)
Reason & Riots (Crossway,2003)
Adventures on the Western Frontier Series

Daring Rescue at Sonora Pass (Crossway,2003)
Dangerous Ride Across Humboldt Flats (Crossway,2003)
Mysterious Robbery on the Utah
Plains (Crossway,2003)
The Horse Dreams Series

Memories 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 Series
Crystal’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 Series
Fox Island (Servant,1996)
Copper Hill (Servant,1997)
Columbia Falls (Servant,1998)
The Carson City Chronicles Series
Judith 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)