Outskirts Press, INC.

Richard Hollenback authored Gunnar’s Odyssey, the first in a series about a young man in search of adventure in 1840. He signed on with a wagon train headed for the nearly 800 mile trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Having worked in his father’s freighting business and his own personal adventures, Gunnar was well prepared. There were many miles of boredom crossing the seemingly endless prairie, but he had his share of challenges as well. Marauding Indians protecting their homelands were always a threat. Difficult river crossings, lack of water, wagon breakdowns and adverse weather presented even more demanding conditions. The author raised Quarter Horses for 30 years for competition, hunting and racing taking him to Texas and New Mexico. It was during these travels he developed a passion for the captivating history of the southwest. His research time was interspersed with horseback hunting forays into the Colorado Rockies and into British Columbia, Canada, (including a 30-day hunt for a cattle killing grizzly!). The author’s father, a mining engineer, wrote several books on Colorado history. He took young Richard on numerous trips throughout Colorado to gather material for his books. The author’s wife, after he read many books and made numerous visits to historical sites, suggested to him, “you’ve acquired a great deal of knowledge of the early southwest, you have a vivid imagination and you like to write. Why not a book?” She was right on all counts but sadly, she did not live to see the work completed.