1681: Western Fiction and Justice at El Paso with Dr. Larry Beauchamp

Larry Beauchamp’s life has taken him from Air Force service to 27 years of pastoral ministry and, today, to serving nursing home residents through music. After pastoring seven churches, primarily small, rural congregations he continued his ministry at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi. His background also includes Air Force recruiting and computer operations, graduate study in Christian counseling, and two doctorates. That varied path shaped a storyteller grounded in service, faith, and care for others. In this episode, Larry discusses Justice at El Paso, Texas, the fourth book in his Western fiction Justice series. The series follows Jimmy Snyder and his family as they pursue a new life in Texas and face challenges involving justice, family, and the law.

Larry traces his move from writing about Christian living to Western fiction to his admiration for author William Johnstone. Reading Johnstone’s Western novels inspired him to use chapter-opening teasers and suspenseful endings that encourage readers to keep turning pages. Those techniques support a planned six-book story arc, with each installment designed to stand on its own while continuing Jimmy Snyder’s journey. The novels begin with the Snyder family leaving Alabama for Texas, where the promise of land brings new beginnings as well as danger. Across the series, Jimmy grows from a lawman in Humble, Texas, into a family man confronting increasingly complex challenges. Larry also previews the planned sixth and final book, Justice Returns to Texas, in which Jimmy is called back into service as a U.S. Marshal.

https://youtu.be/kfEmdQ7MmoQ?si=jTokkRrBUugo1xVy

Alongside writing, Larry is reaching readers through book events and an AI-generated cinematic trailer on his website. He plans to sell his books at Humble’s Good Oil Days festival on October 17 and Atmore’s Williams Station Day on October 24. The conversation also explores the values that guide his life, including his belief that a person’s character is revealed when no one else is watching. He shares a lesson he has carried since 1986: a lie can ultimately steal a person’s character by drawing them into living a lie. For readers who enjoy classic Western fiction, family sagas, and stories about justice, Beauchamp offers a look at the inspiration and ideas behind his series. Discover Justice at El Paso, Texas, and the rest of the Justice series at LarryBeauchamp.com.

Quotes:

“If a man lies to you, he’ll steal your charac