JOHN D. NESBITT FOUR - TIME WINNER OF THE SPUR AWARD Devon Frost is an artist who goes to a remote place called Tinaja, in New Mexico Territory, to draw old fallen-in buildings and to try to find his artistic vision. In Tinaja, where everyone speaks Spanish, he hears of a picturesque old church on a large hacienda. The owner, Don Felipe, gives him permission to spend time at the site and sketch the church. The owner’s stepdaughter, Petra, comes to visit with him, and the stepfather trails her. Before long, Ricardo, the son of the landholder of another large rancho, and a suitor of Petra's, is found dead on the plains of his family’s ranch. Don Felipe is a suspect, as is Carlos, Petra’s cousin and weepy would-be suitor. The stepfather’s jealousy and the girl's resentment smolder beneath the surface as Ricardo’s father and two brothers look for vengeance. Devon is drawn into the conflict. Although he, too, finds Petra attractive, he can tell that her mind is not free. Nor is his search for his artistic vision perfect. However, he sees some things here at Rancho Agua Prieta, Dark Water Ranch, that have made a difference in how he sees life. John D. Nesbitt is the author of more than forty books, including traditional westerns, crossover western mysteries, contemporary western fiction, retro/noir fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He has won the Western Writers of America Spur Award four times-twice for paperback novel, once for short story, and once for poem. He has won the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award twice-once for novel and once for short story. He has been a finalist for the Spur Award twice, the Peacemaker seven times, and the Will Rogers Medallion Award eight times. He has also received two creative writing fellowships with the Wyoming Arts Council-once for fiction, once for nonfiction-and he has won the fiction award four times with the Wyoming State Historical Society. Visit his website at www.johndnesbitt.com