Journal Notes

According to Kate brings to life a powerful, intimate chapter from the later years of Kate Elder—better known as Big Nose Kate—as she reflects on the choices, loves, and losses that shaped her extraordinary life. Set in 1899 in the town of Cochise, Arizona, the film unfolds as Kate recounts her turbulent yet deeply devoted relationship with Doc Holliday, revisiting their time in Tombstone and the dangerous world they once inhabited.

Through her eyes, the legends of the West take on new meaning—less myth, more memory. Gunfights, loyalty, betrayal, and survival are all reframed through the voice of the woman who lived through it all.

The cast delivers exceptional performances across the board, led by Craig Hensley as Doc Holliday, Curt Lambert as Johnny Ringo, and Manuela Schneider as the incomparable Kate. Together, they bring depth, tension, and authenticity to every moment on screen.

History remembered the gunfighters. She survived them.

Coming this summer.

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Thunder Over the Prairie:

A Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time

Dora Hand was in a deep sleep. Her bare legs were draped across the thick blankets covering her delicate form and a mass of long, auburn hair stretched over the pillow under her head and dangled off the top of a flimsy mattress. Her breathing was slow and effortless. A framed, graphite charcoal portrait of an elderly couple hung above the bed on faded, satin-ribbon wallpaper and kept company with her slumber.

The air outside the window was still and cold. The distant sound of voices, backslapping laughter, profanity, and a piano’s tinny, repetitious melody wafted down Dodge City’s main thoroughfare and snuck into the small room where Dora was sleeping.

Dodge was an all-night town. Walkers and loungers kept the streets and saloons busy. Residents learned to sleep through the giggling, growling, and gunplay of the cowboy consumers and their paramours for hire. Dora was accustomed to the nightly frivolity and clatter. Her dreams were seldom disturbed by the commotion.

All at once the hard thud of a pair of bullets charging through the door and wall of the tiny room cut through the routine noises of the cattle town with uneven, gusty violence. The first bullet was halted by the dense plaster partition leading into the bed chambers. The second struck Dora on the right side under her arm. There was no time for her to object to the injury, no moment for her to cry out or recoil in pain. The slug killed her instantly.

In the near distance a horse squealed and its galloping hooves echoed off the dusty street and faded away.

A pool of blood poured out of Dora’s fatal wound, turning the white sheets she rested on to crimson. A clock sitting on a nightstand next to the lifeless body ticked on steadily and mercilessly. It was 4:30 in the morning on October 4, 1878, and for the moment nothing but the persistent moonlight filtering into the scene through a closed window marked the thirty-four-year-old woman’s passing.

Twenty-four hours prior to Dora’s being gunned down in her sleep, she had been on stage at the Alhambra saloon and Gambling House. She was a stunning woman whose whole some voice and exquisite features had charmed audiences from Abilene to Austin. She regaled love-starved wranglers and rough riders at stage and railroad stops with her heart felt rendition of the popular ballads “Blessed Be the Ties That Bind” and “Because I Love You So.”

Adoring fans referred to her as the “nightingale of the frontier” and admirers continually competed for her. More times than not pistols were used to settle arguments about who would be escorting Dora back to her place at the end of the evening. Local newspapers claimed her talent and beauty “caused more gunfights than any other woman in all the west.”

To learn more about Dora Hand and the posse who tracked her killer read Thunder Over the Prairie: The True Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time.

Enter now to win a copy of the book.

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Thunder Over the Prairie:

The True Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time

This month I’m spotlighting Thunder Over the Prairie, the book I wrote with Howard Kazanjian—a true tale of murder, manhunt, and four future legends: Charlie Bassett, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Bill Tilghman. In 1878 Dodge City, they chase down a cattle baron’s son after he kills beloved singer Dora Hand.

It’s a gripping slice of Western history, but I’ll admit, I’m just as captivated by Dora’s wardrobe. Elegant Victorian style meets frontier practicality: high collars, long sleeves, and plenty of layers.

Honestly, I respect an era that understood the power of fabric. Some of us were simply meant to be swaddled in wool – comfortable for us, slightly alarming for everyone else.

It’s amazing how summer turns perfectly nice people into the Fashion Police. Suddenly everyone I meet is issuing citations: “Ma’am, step away from the sleeves.”

Now, I’ll admit, I don’t dress like most people in July. I am not wearing a sleeveless top. Not now, not ever. At sixty-five, the situation with my upper arms is such that I can wave at someone, stop waving, and the encore continues. No one needs that kind of extended performance.

And while we’re on the subject, I’m not doing short shorts, miniskirts, tank tops, yoga pants, or anything that suggests I’m “pulling it off.” I’m not pulling it off – I’m pulling it down and praying. Same goes for a thong bathing suit. First, I resemble a sumo wrestler who made a series of bad decisions. Second, if fabric goes where fabric naturally should not go, my instinct is to retrieve it immediately. I’m not built for denial.

Last year at a business meeting, I wore perfectly lovely ice-blue slacks and a short-sleeved blouse. Five different people asked, “Aren’t you hot?” Let’s review: air-conditioned house to air-conditioned car to air-conditioned office. I’m outside for maybe six minutes total. I’m not crossing the Serengeti. This is not 1865. I’m not loading a Conestoga wagon and heading west with a bonnet and a dream. I can survive the parking lot.

People have been obsessed with fashion since the Garden of Eden. You just know Eve looked at Adam and said, “That fig leaf is so last season.” Clothing is what we use to compensate for what nature didn’t provide—our version of feathers, fur, and scales.

My early fashion education came from cartoons. Wilma Flintstone wore the same outfit every day and looked fabulous – great gams, confident stride. Fred? Built like the Michelin Man and still committed to a necktie. In Bedrock. You know that man was sweating through granite.

These days, I choose outfits based on one simple rule: does it itch? Beyond that, I have no working knowledge of modern fashion. For years I thought prêt-à-porter was where French construction workers went to the bathroom. But it seems the fashion industry thrives on our need to stand out while also fitting in. If you dress like I do, you accomplish neither and that makes people far more uncomfortable than a little summer heat.

So, in the spirit of public service, here are a few fashion rules I wish more people would consider:

1. Before piercing your tongue, belly button, or eyebrow, factor in lightning.
2. Never wear a Budweiser cap with a Coors T-shirt. Pick a team.
3. If you’re coloring your ankle with a Magic Marker to hide a sock hole, at least match the shade.

All right, enough wisdom for one day. I’ve got to get out of this Victorian gown and matching bloomers.

Now I’m hot.

I

Enter now to win a copy of Thunder Over the Prairie:

The True Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time

Dora Hand

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Thunder Over the Prairie

The initial dream was to be a stand-up comic. I’d grown up watching Totie Fields, Joan Rivers, and Phyllis Diller and couldn’t imagine anything better than making people laugh. I worked my way through college at the University of Arizona doing stand-up, and it was there I learned how easy the aforementioned women made it look. Different from prizefights that pit people against one another in the presence of paying spectators, comedy pits the fighter against the paying customers, with silence as the killer and the detonation of laughter as the victory.

You tried hard to forget the sets when no one even chuckled and relived the sets where the audience was happy and doubled over laughing. I’d had a couple of those kinds of sets and was feeling pretty good about my chosen vocation when it happened.

I settled into my seat on a bus I was taking from one part of Tucson to another and started working on a few new jokes when the guy sitting in front of me turned and pointed at me and said in a loud voice, “Oooo, you are so funny.” I smiled, thinking he’d obviously seen one of my routines. I got up and said, “Thank you, thank you so much.”

A few moments later, that same guy turned to the woman sitting next to him and said, “Oooo, you are so funny.” The man said the same thing to everyone on the bus. I was the only idiot who got up and said, “Thank you, thank you so much.”

Life is a long lesson in humility.

Somewhere along the way, I decided to give up the life of a stand-up comic and accept an opportunity to write about the history of the American West. Which is not as much a departure as one would think.

One of the books I had the privilege of writing with my friend Howard Kazanjian (Executive Producer of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi) was Thunder Over the Prairie: The True Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time. The murder took place in Dodge City, Kansas, in 1875, where future legends of the Old West, Charlie Bassett, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Bill Tilghman were the lawmen and set off to track down the killer.

Not long after the book was released, I received a call from Emmy Award-winning director and screenwriter Walter Hill. He was the talent behind one of my favorite Westerns entitled The Long Riders. Hill wanted to let me know how much he liked the book and that he wanted to option it and adapt a screenplay based on the work. I was thrilled, but my mind raced back to the guy on the bus who told me, “Oooo, you are so funny.”

The problem, of course, is that once you’ve been publicly humbled by a man complimenting an entire bus like he’s handing out mints at a restaurant, you develop a very specific kind of emotional callus. So, when Walter Hill says, “I love your work,” a small voice in your head immediately whispers, “Yes, but does he say that to everyone?”

I resisted the urge to ask him if there were other authors in the room he’d like to compliment before I got too excited. Instead, I did what any seasoned, battle-scarred former stand-up comic would do – I stayed seated.

Because whether it’s a comedy club, a crosstown bus, or a phone call from Hollywood, I’ve learned one very important rule: never stand up and say “thank you” until you’re absolutely sure you’re the only one they’re talking to.

I’d like to think I’ve learned a little something from all of this. This month, you have a chance to win a copy of Thunder Over the Prairie. If you’re interested, you can visit www.chrisenss.com and enter. And if you happen to win… well, feel free to say, “Oooo, you are so funny.” I promise to stay seated.

Coming Soon!

I’m excited to share that a new young adult nonfiction book, Heroines of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution, is on the way!

Working alongside Bill Groneman on this project has been an absolute pleasure. His depth of knowledge is unmatched. Truly, no one knows the Alamo like he does. Every conversation, every detail, and every chapter benefited from his expertise and passion for getting the history right.

This book shines a long-overdue light on the women of the Alamo – those who endured, supported, survived, and shaped the story in ways too often overlooked. Bringing their voices to a younger audience has been both an honor and a responsibility.

I can’t wait to share these remarkable stories with readers.

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Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

Don’t miss your chance to win a copy of Daughters of Daring: Hollywood’s Cowgirl Stuntwomen! The giveaway wraps up on March 31, and it’s your opportunity to dive into the untold stories of the fearless women who helped shape early Hollywood with grit, skill, and courage.

This book has been earning praise from readers and reviewers alike:

“A thrilling and long-overdue tribute to the women who risked everything behind the scenes.”
“Meticulously researched and impossible to put down—these stories deserve to be known.”
“Chris Enss brings these overlooked heroines to life with heart and authenticity.”
“An essential read for Western fans and film history buffs.”
“A fascinating look at Hollywood’s wild early days through the eyes of its boldest women.”

Whether you love Western history, classic film, or stories of trailblazing women, this is a giveaway you won’t want to miss.

Enter now before time runs out and explore more books, events, and stories at www.chrisenss.com

Step into the saddle and discover the daring women who rode straight into Hollywood history!

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Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

Early talkies (roughly 1927–mid-1930s) didn’t just introduce sound—they also preserved some of the most daring physical performances by women, many of whom did their own stunts without doubles, safety rigs, or even recognition. Here are ten standout stunts and the women behind them:

1. Helen Gibson

Film: The Hazards of Helen (carried into early sound era)
Stunt: Jumping from horseback onto moving trains
Gibson famously leapt from a galloping horse onto a moving freight car—often repeatedly in a single shoot.

2. Yakima Canutt’s female counterpart: Ruth Roland

Film: The Red Rider (1934)
Stunt: High-speed horse chases and stagecoach leaps
Roland performed her own riding stunts, including precision jumps between moving vehicles.

3. Dorothy Davenport

Film: The Red Kimona (1925, but influential into early talkie period)
Stunt: Physical confrontations and chase scenes without doubles
Davenport handled emotionally and physically intense sequences, including street chases and altercations.

4. Marion Davies

Film: Peg o’ My Heart (1933)
Stunt: Horseback riding and falls in dramatic sequences
Davies insisted on performing her own riding scenes, including controlled falls.

5. Pearl White (influencing early talkies)

Film: Terreur (1934, French talkie appearance)
Stunt: Hanging from cliffs and escaping moving vehicles
Though better known for silents, White carried her daredevil reputation into early sound work.

6. Annette Kellerman

Film: Venus of the South Seas (re-released with sound elements)
Stunt: Underwater sequences and high dives
Kellerman performed extended underwater scenes and high-platform dives without modern breathing equipment.

7. Fay Wray

Film: King Kong (1933)
Stunt: Suspended high above sets in Kong’s grip
While partly mechanical, Wray endured physically demanding rigging and prolonged suspension sequences.

8. Jean Arthur

Film: The Plainsman (1936)
Stunt: Riding and battlefield chaos scenes
Arthur rode through chaotic staged battle scenes with explosions and stampeding horses.

9. Lila Lee

Film: The Scarlet Car (early sound reissue)
Stunt: Automobile chases and crashes
Lee took part in dangerous car sequences at a time when safety engineering was minimal.

10. Barbara Stanwyck

Film: Annie Oakley (1935)
Stunt: Trick shooting and horseback riding
Stanwyck trained intensively to perform many of her own riding and shooting scenes, minimizing stunt doubles.

To learn more about these talented ladies read Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women.

Daughters of Daring

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Enter now to win a copy of Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

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Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

The women of early Hollywood didn’t just act brave—they lived it. In Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women, you’ll meet legends like Vera McGinnis, a champion rider whose fearless talent made even seasoned cowboys take notice. As one 1928 newspaper declared, she could send her horse flying over obstacles “few of the roughriders of Hollywood would attempt.”

On the massive set of Cimarron, with thousands of extras charging across dangerous terrain, Vera stood alone as the only woman trusted to make the land run on horseback. Prairie dog holes, runaway wagons, and inexperienced riders turned the scene into real peril—but Vera guided her horse through it all, proving why directors relied on her when the stakes were highest.

Her journey to that moment was anything but easy. From a determined young rider in Missouri to a world-class rodeo champion, Vera battled injuries, hardship, and heartbreak—all while perfecting the daring skills that would define her career. Whether racing across arenas, performing Roman riding, or doubling for Hollywood stars, she built a reputation as one of the toughest and most versatile stuntwomen of her time.

Daughters of Daring brings Vera’s incredible story—and those of many other overlooked pioneers—back into the spotlight. These were the women who risked everything for the shot, often without recognition.

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the fearless cowgirls who helped shape Hollywood history.

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The Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

Before Hollywood had safety rigs and stunt doubles, there was Anita Bush – a fearless pioneer who helped redefine what women, and especially Black women, could do on screen.

Born on September 1, 1883, Bush began her career as a dancer before stepping into vaudeville at just sixteen with the act William and Walker. Her life changed when director Richard Norman saw her perform and cast her opposite rodeo legend Bill Pickett in the groundbreaking Western The Bull-Dogger.

Bush had no formal riding experience, but she had grit. As she famously wrote, she had “lots of nerve” and could learn anything quickly. And she proved it. For the film, she learned to ride horses and rope steers, performing her own stunts under Pickett’s guidance. No doubles. No shortcuts. Just raw courage.

She followed that performance with a starring role in The Crimson Skull, one of the first Westerns to feature an all-Black cast. At a time when Hollywood limited Black actors to stereotypes, Bush broke barriers by taking on dramatic, action-driven roles—earning praise for her versatility and screen presence.

Determined to create more opportunities, Bush founded her own theatrical company, the Anita Bush Players of Harlem (later known as the Lafayette Players), championing serious roles for Black performers. Off-screen, she was just as formidable—negotiating contracts and even securing higher pay than some of her leading men.

Anita Bush wasn’t just a performer, she was a trailblazer who rode straight into Hollywood history and changed the script for those who followed.

Her incredible story and those of other fearless women of the West are featured in Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women.

To learn more and enter for your chance to win a copy of the book!