"In The Royalscope Fe-As-Ko, Northwest cattle rancher Royal Leckner finds himself in the middle of another fe-as-ko, this time in 1915 Hollywood. Dreams of stardom for her daughter, Elsie, and for herself entice Royal's wife, E.M., to buy a silent film company. She quickly renames it Royalscope Productions in order to convince her fuming husband it's a gift. When Royal arrives in Hollywood with his two young sons, Chick'n'Tad, everyone gets into the act. There's a nefarious-looking director who might be a crook -- or just a failure. A handsome but shady leading man who might be after Royal's daughter -- or more of his money. A young English professor and scriptwriter who might have dreams -- or designs -- of his own. And then there's Western film star William S. Hart, who happens to look very much like Royal. Or is it the other way around? And whose side is he on? It's hard to tell with all the acting that's going on. Through the homespun storytelling of Royal Leckner, the silent film era of Hollywood takes on a whole new life. Vanity hasn't been this much fun since Thackeray wrote Vanity Fair . Randall Beth Platt has once again taken a fresh, warm, and funny approach to the Old West. And Hollywood to boot."
"When the owner of Oregon\'s largest cattle ranch - the Four Arrows - is shot by his horse in a freak accident, Royal Leckner suddenly finds himself charged with teaching the owner\'s retarded son to take over management of the ranch."
"Through Ackerman's tough love and the sharing of a strenuous task, Ian gains pride and a sense of honor. It is Ackerman's tragedy that forms the cornerstone of McKenzie's life and makes this novel something truly special and moving."
"While much of the world is at war, 14-year-old Teddy wages her own war against herself, her brother, and her perfect, and perfectly despised, mother. Forced to spend the summer at the beach with a grandmother she'd never met, Teddy faces her enemies with arrogance and anger."
"Cordelia Lu Hankins is the half Caucasian, half Chinese - and all albino. She has grown up in a remote lumber town with her distant father and a giant stepmother nicknamed Babe, convinced she is ugly. Then, in the summer of 1918, when she is fourteen, she falls in love with the dashing Squirl."
