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An unsolved hometown murder casts a foreboding shadow over the journey. Mounting responsibilities weigh heavy on Dorcas’ shoulders while navigating the trail along the Platte River. Family, friends, and neighbors can’t seem to get along without her help.

The gruesome trail exacts a heavy toll. A sweeping grass fire blazes across the prairie. A doomed wagon careens down a treacherous hill. A fellow traveler is gored to death while hunting buffalo. Each disaster pushes the pioneers to the brink. Amidst the chaos, Dorcas grapples with the realization that she must dump her precious cook stove and her husband’s massive safe. The oxen can no longer haul the heavy weight of unnecessary cargo.

When her daughter mysteriously disappears while the wagons are at Fort Laramie, Dorcas despairs. She is desperate to help her daughter when the troubled youth is found in the arms of a Brulé man in Spotted Tail’s village.

Secure your copy of Lighten the Load and delve into an unforgettable saga of empowerment, sacrifice, and the haunting echoes of the American frontier. Rejoin Dorcas Moon on the adventure of a lifetime as she confronts the challenges that shape her destiny.

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Meet the Hero from Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail

Dorcas Moon is a one-of-a-kind protagonist.

In April of 1850 she is 34 years old. Her husband, Larkin Moon, is an aspiring banker who recently left his job as the manager of an inn. They are the parents of four children and together they journey from Independence, Missouri toward a new future in Oregon.

She has many strengths but plenty of faults as well. Hopefully, that makes her relatable. In many ways, she belongs in 1850. In other ways, she’s ahead of her time. Perhaps that makes her interesting. She’s always loved to cook but hates to sew. As a young woman, her mother couldn’t keep her indoors. The westward journey reawakens the tomboy in Dorcas. Sometimes, she pokes her nose into other people’s business and now and then she can’t help listening in on private conversations.

After working with her as a young woman in my novel, WAKING UP LOST, part of the Adirondack Spirit Series, I couldn’t get her out of my head. She wasn’t the hero of that book, but she often stole the scenes in which she appeared. She was such a unique character, I just had to spend more time with her. Now that she’s been the center of attention for five books, and the series built around her is complete, I’m still not tired of this indomitable character. Maybe someday I’ll return to Dorcas Moon. We shall see.

Who doesn’t try to picture the character they’re reading about? As the author, I’ve described Dorcas as a tall woman, taller than most men. She’s self-conscious about that and has a history of arguing that she is not six feet tall. She’s a full eight of an inch shy of that. She has frizzy blond hair that is not easily contained. I have a collage featuring pictures of women that could be Dorcas Moon. It includes Lady Liberty from United States coins and the blond woman who looks like she’s wearing a toga floating like an angel above the prairie in artist John Gast’s 1872 painting titled American Progress.

What famous people, past or present do you picture when reading Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail? I welcome your email at dave@itsoag.com – and if you’d like to know what famous woman’s picture I have pasted on my collage, I’ll tell you in my reply.

Where did the name Dorcas come from? It’s very rare these days. When writing historical fiction, I love to find names that were used during a particular time period that are far less common today. I reached way back into my own family tree to find this memorable name and when business took me to Newark, New Jersey, I visited her grave.

I’ve been asked about writing in the first person from a woman’s perspective. I enjoy the challenge of inventing characters unlike myself and trying to bring them to life. It helps having the perspective of my editor, Lindsay, who has collaborated with me on all of my fiction. I love putting myself in the shoes of my characters and trying to imagine what they’d do or say. That could be the best part of being a novelist.

Now that I’m finished writing Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail, I wonder whether the protagonist is the real hero of the series. The case could be made that the true star is the trail itself. Maybe it is the iconic prairie schooner that captures readers’ imaginations. Just the sight of a wagon sets off something in me. It’s as if I’m connected to that symbol. Maybe it is a flicker from a past life. Who knows for certain?

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Stay With the Wagons

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Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Book 3

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Venture deep into the uncharted wilderness and crest the continental divide.

Stay with the Wagons is the enthralling third chapter in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Dorcas Moon has discarded her mourning dress and yearns for freedom and independence amidst the vast frontier. But a perilous world and a commanding wagon master keep her tethered. Ultimately, it’s a brutal bout of fever and ague that confine her to camp.

Relentless disasters and beguiling challenges unfold in this installment. A young man is crushed beneath a wagon wheel. Dorcas’ son breaks an arm, a grizzly bear attacks the wagon train, and the looming threat of attacking outlaws whips the emigrants into a worried frenzy. How many must perish before they reach the end of the trail?

As chaos reigns, her troubled daughter, Rose, disappears once again, leading Dorcas on a perilous quest. Tracking Rose to a sacred site, they encounter a blind seer and a legendary leader, Chief Washakie. Rose’s enchantment with Native American adornments sparks Dorcas’ concern about an unexpected suitor and raises worries about Rose’s age.

Stay with the Wagons is bursting with action, adventure, and survival. It is a story of resilience and empowerment on the Oregon Trail.

Claim your copy now and re-immerse yourself in a tale of high-stakes survival, unexpected alliances, and the indomitable spirit of Dorcas Moon.

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Snarling Wolf

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Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Book 4

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Dive back into the gripping, frontier chaos. Snarling Wolf is the fourth adventurous installment in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series.

The famed Snake River marks the point the wagon master claims that all the greenhorns turn loco. After twelve hundred grueling miles and four relentless months on the trail, the expedition teeters on the brink. Frayed nerves, exhausted patience, and the specter of doom cast a dark cloud over the travelers.

At every turn, new dangers emerge. A young man who is like a brother to Dorcas Moon is ravaged in a mountain lion attack. A heat wave grips the dusty, barren plains and spreads sickness. The wolves that lurk in the shadows edge closer. Even the rattlesnakes seem emboldened.

Dorcas’ daughter, Rose’s descent into madness can no longer be ignored. What began as an eerie preoccupation with death takes a shocking turn when Rose reveals her truths. Dorcas is thrust into a realm of disbelief, and her worst fears about Rose’s mysterious suitor become a stark reality.

As weary emigrants yearn for respite, tales of murderous outlaws spread like wildfire across the prairie. Passing strangers share the latest terrifying news. It’s only a matter of when, not if, the notorious highwaymen will strike. Which bend of the mighty snake shelters the feared outlaws?

Grab your copy of Snarling Wolf now and unveil the next chapter in Dorcas Moon’s relentless saga. Sink your teeth into this tale of survival, madness, and the unyielding spirit of those who brave the treacherous migration.

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Rolling Home

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Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Book 5

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Climb aboard! Don’t miss the heart-pounding climax of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Rolling Home is the final installment.

In the heart of the rolling village, dissent brews as the stubbornest naysayer refuses to continue the journey. With an ominous early snowfall and memories of the ill-fated Donner Party haunting the pioneers, Dorcas Moon faces a new wave of challenges. Just when she believes things can’t get worse, a disastrous river crossing claims their wagon and submerges their belongings.

As the rolling village approaches the final leg of the journey, the looming threat of outlaws intensifies. The notorious bandit known as The Viper and his ruthless brothers are determined to rob the greenhorns, sell their stock, and kill every last one of them. The pioneers had heard tales of their brutality, but now, with Dorcas’ daughter kidnapped and Dorcas captured, everyone is in danger.

What will become of Dorcas Moon, her family, and their friends? Will anyone survive the perilous journey?

Rejoin the expedition and witness the thrilling end to a gripping saga.

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David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

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