Bonanza Brand Library — Many of our new readers may not be familiar with some early Bonanza FanFic writers and their wonderful stories. We offer a listing of 20 of our earliest writers in no particular order and encourage you to seek out their stories in the Library:

Summoned back to Savannah to settle Clay’s estate, and accompanied by his father, Little Joe runs afoul of the law.  Dogged by a zealous inspector, Ben and Joe learn the true circumstances behind Clay’s death, putting their lives in peril. Sequel to “In This Life”. Rating T, WC 50,000 In…

It’s all Cartwright hands on deck when Adam’s oldest daughter decides to join the fight for woman suffrage. Can they keep her safe or will her innate Cartwright conviction to stand up for what is right cost them, and her, everything?  Rating: T; WC: 33,701

Summary: Little Joe relives what he believes was one moment in time when he was in between life and death and explains what made him come back. Inspired by the episode, “Bushwhacked!”. Rating T, WC 10,002

We have a winner!!!!  Congratulations to all of our players and to the 2026 winner:   TAVIA42 The stories this year were:   A Horse Called Howdy by JaneYvanne   Crosses to Bear by MelissaR   Custard-Filled Doughnuts by DJK   The Ones Who Left by Tavia 42   The…

Summary: Jennifer Burns was one of Little Joe’s best friends until the lie she told her husband almost got him killed.  Beaten almost unrecognizable, Joe must now defend his honor in court. Rating T, WC 39,420

Summary:  Choosing to act on one’s dream was the easy part.  Handling the aftermath with his family was easier than he expected.  What more is there other than an epoch of a dream?
Rating:  G  (890 words)
Part of the Dreams series, links to stories included within.

Summary: In the Season 12 episode “El Jefe,” Joe is unaccountably wearing a red shirt.  This is so strange and unprecedented that it required a What Happened Before to explain it.
Rating: G | Word Count: 2,293

Joe’s plans for a romantic rendezvous go awry when Mother Nature intervenes, but that’s not the worst of it…

Rating: T    Word Count: 745

Summary:  Inspired by a Pinecone Challenge. A conversation between two brothers.  One we were never privy to hear.
Rating:  G  (955 words)
Part of the Dreams series, links included within.

Summary: Ever notice the frequent repetition of certain names among the women the Cartwrights romance?  The boys have noticed, and are having some fun with it.
Rating: G | Word Count: 812 words

Summary: 1863 has arrived, and the Cartwrights face a hard winter. Their faith in God and each other is tested as both Ben and Josie face life-threatening situations and Adam must trust his instincts – and the local Paiute tribe – to save them. And in the end, they will all have to trust one another to endure a visit from some surprise visitors.

Rating:   T  (39,200 words)

Summary: “He’s just one kid against the whole town….” Sheriff Gains’ words echoed in my mind and my guts twisted as I scrambled up onto the roof of the livery stable. A missing scene from the episode The Gamble.

Rating: K+

Word Count: 891

Summary:  Lotta Crabtree’s arrival in Virginia City seemed to spell trouble for the Cartwrights, or was it the beginning of a beautiful friendship? (WHN after “A Rose for Lotta”)

Rating: PG  Word Count: 630

Summary:  Jamie barely knows his eldest brother, so he writes a letter to Adam to tell him about himself.  Based on “A Matter of Faith”, with a bit of pre-canon background.

Rating: PG Word Count: 1901