Summary: Adam is back in Boston after a 12 year absence. His career has taken off in a prestigious engineering firm; he’s happily married to his college sweetheart, and he’ll be a featured performer at an upcoming choral production. But the life he’s made is destroyed in three weeks after a beautiful stranger hires him to build a wine cellar. He loses his job; his wife thinks he’s having an affair with the stranger, and he’s forced to participate in a federal crime, knowing that he won’t live through it, but hopes to stay alive long enough to protect the people he loves.

Rated: T  WC  28,000

One Step Closer Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  Adam’s getting married! He’s moved to Boston to help his grandfather, and has begun to build a good life there, including an engagement to the girl he fell in love with during college. Their wedding is set to coincide with a unexpected visit from Ben Cartwright. All is well until Adam’s fiancee disappears and Ben and his son set out to find her. Adam battles a worsening illness along with the lies of those involved. He must rely on help from those more familiar with the city and at one point despairs as he asks his father why the women who love him…die. Will there be a wedding or will Adam sink further into loneliness and pain as another opportunity for love is torn away.

Rated: T  WC  82,700

One Step Closer Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  Adam has never worried about his father’s faith and trust in him. That changes dramamtically after a woman drops an 11 year-old at the Ponderosa, telling Ben that the boy is Adam’s son, conceived before he left for college. After repeated attempts to defend himself against th accusation, Adam leaves home, angry and hurt by his father’s seeming refusal to accept that the woman is lying. Once Adam confronts his accuser, he is forced to look further to find out how he and his family became targets for her ploy, and pays a high price for trying to find the truth in her life of lies.

Rated: T  WC  60,000

Summary:  This was a poem I wrote shortly after Pernell Roberts death, remembering his accomplishments and wonderful character. It’s not sad! Those who love Adam or Pernell or any of his other characters will understand exactly what I’m writing about. Sweet dreams!  

Rated: K+  WC  200

Summary:   A stage crash has killed everyone on board…including Adam Cartwright. While Paul Martin has made a “best guess ID” of the “remains,” and even though Adam’s most personal possessions were found in the wreckage, Ben refuses to believe it is Adam. Hoss and Joe begin a journey of discovery with their father as a mystery develops that includes another man in black, attempts at blackmail and the eventual acceptance of what seems ovious – that Adam is gone. It becomes the story of two families facing the loss of a child and a woman whose care of a deathly ill stranger may restore one of these families to completeness.  

Rated: T  WC  45,000

Summary:   I’ve always wondered how Adam’s life would turn out after he left the Ponderosa. This story takes a look at the later years of his life. He’s had a distinguished career as an educator, philanthropist and businessman, and is “comfortable” with where he is and not looking for more. That changes when he sees a woman fall on the sidewalk in front of him and finds out that 40 years ago, she was his student in Virginia City. While getting to know her again, he comes to realize many things about himself – in particular – that being in love again is wonderful…but never easy.

Rated: K  47,000 words

Summary:  This is the last story in the Circle of Family saga, but enjoying this one is not dependent on having read the others. Adam has been in Boston for a year and all his careful planning has done him well…until an accident while staying with Abel puts him flat on his back for a few days. It is during this time of infirmity that Marie’s Bible arrives along with letters from home. After reading them, Adam makes a heart-rending decision that leaves his grandfather reeling. This story has its comedic moments along with some sweet takes on Adam’s relationship with Abel and the family he left behind.  

Rated: K+  WC  11,400

A Circle of Family Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  17 year old Adam has proven himself to the Ponderosa ranch hands after a summer of hazing, and is finally enjoying his his last year home before leaving for school. But his life takes a dramatic turn when he is menaced by a new addition to the crew, and must decide whether the man is serious in his sinister intent, or it’s just another attempt to test his mettle. Once Adam decides which it is, he makes choices that  bring him into conflict with his father and lead to the worst of consequences.

Rated: K+  WC  16,000

It’s Only a Year Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  17-year-old Adam is learning some hard life lessons. He returns home from a cattle drive where he’s been forced to subsist on beans and endure hazing by the hired hands intent on making him prove his worth, to find his father away, Hoss ill and Little Joe in a state of panic. The results involves some very bad decisions, a dose of castor oil given in an all-out battle of wills, and hurt feelings. This story takes a serious turn when Hoss’ attempt to give his brother a “taste of his own medicine” goes horribly wrong.  

Rated: K+  WC  11,300

It’s Only a Year Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  This WHN for the Honor of Cochise actually begins when Marie tells a very young Joe that he owes his oldest brother a debt of gratitude for looking after him so well. Joe’s early attempt to repay Adam go comically awry, but finally has the chance as he sees his brother wounded in the battle with Cochise. Adam recovers from the gunshot, but struggles deeply with choices he made that put his family in jeopardy that day.

Rated: K+  WC  7200

Summary:  Ben stands vigil as thirteen-year-old Adam lies near death with a raging fever. The father blames himself and questions his ability as a parent while offering a prayer to give his own life to spare his son’s. A stranger helps Ben face his fears and understand that parenthood takes courage and help from unexpected places.  

Rated: K+ WC  4600

Summary:  Adam promised Laura that he’d be back for their engagement party. But he’s delayed and during that time, he unexpectedly meets his first love – a young woman he knew in Boston. After an evening spent talking, they realize that they still love each other, yet they know that it can’t make a difference. Life and time have sent them in opposite directions and they part again, while wondering what might have happened if they had taken one step closer.  This is a what happens during, and after the episode, Triangle.

Rated: K+ WC 10,000

One Step Closer Series, links to all the stories within the series included.

Summary:  Adam writes a letter to his mother during his last year of college.

Rated: K (585 words)

Summary:  After returning to The Ponderosa, Adam with his family had to face his first Christmas with all their members, his wife, their twins, Peggy and Olaf. Olaf go away and returned late to christmas eve dinner, because he wants to share Christmas spirit, but Adam only understand he disobeyed him The twins received amazing Christmas presents and a mysterious visit.  

Rated: K+ (6,440 words)