Category: Family
Stories that focus on the entire family
The Infinite Curse of a Lonely Heart (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: Unrequited affection, if not actually love, permeates this prequel tale of the Cartwrights as a church social becomes an unexpected source of disappointment and frustration for some, and wonder for others. Written for the 2025 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.
Rating: K+/T Word Count: 13,275
Not Til We Find Him (by Patina)
Summary:. A missing son, a father’s search. A WHIB and WHI for The Crucible.
Rating: T Word Count: 5,353
If at First You Don’t Succeed; or, A Lesson in the Cartwright Way (by JC)
Summary: There are a few simple rules for growing up Cartwright: 1. Never underestimate your father. 2. Don’t forget the first rule.
Rating: K Word Count: 1195
First Drive (by Puchi Ann)
Summary: There’s a first time for everything and everyone.
Rating:K+/T Word Count: 12,449
In This Life (by Wrangler)
Summary: When Joe arrived in Savannah to be Clay’s best man he never knew he’d be running for his life after contracting yellow fever. Now home, he recounts the terrifying details to his family.
Rating T, WC 47,230
The Fragrance of Violets (by McFair)
Summary: A shadowed room, thick with the scent of incense, reverberates with the whispers of the Ancestors. What do they seek, and can anyone defy their mystic call? For He Xing—known to the white man as Hop Sing—questions crowd the silence, yet only one answer emerges, undeniable and unyielding. Xuè hǎi xuè chóu. Blood revenge.
Rating: T+ Word Count: 55,685
Payback (by Wrangler)
Summary: It’s time for payback when Little Joe is unwittingly duped by Pete Timmons, setting the stage for one final battle between them. The conclusion of “The Third Son” Trilogy. Rating T WC 22,067 The Third Son Series: The Third Son The Devil’s Hold Payback
The Devil’s Hold (by Wrangler)
Summary: The lives of the Cartwrights are turned upside down when Joe falls into an old well setting the stage for more mystery and danger.
Rating T WC 38,900
The Third Son (by Wrangler)
Summary: The Cartwrights find mystery and danger when Little Joe is gifted a strange present by Ben’s late uncle; which proves to be a curse when Joe is attacked. Rating T, WC 41,000 The Third Son Series: The Third Son The Devil’s Hold Payback
Fourth of July Fun (by AH83)
Summary: Adam gets a Fourth of July surprise.
Rating: K, Word Count: 720
Morpheus (by Wrangler)
Summary: Joe wreaks havoc during his many attempts to save Pa from being killed after having a recurring nightmare.
Rating: T Word count: 13,600
Harm’s Way (by Wrangler)
Summary: Two opposites collide, a serial killer targeting young men and 17 year old Little Joe whose cavalier attitude puts him in harm’s way.
Rating: T Word Count: 31,000
Beth Cartwright, Detective (by CareBear)
While visiting the Ponderosa, Adam’s oldest daughter unearths a treasure trove of detective books in the attic. When the family learns Adam has put a ban on them, the story of what inspired such an un-Adam-like rule is told.
Rating: PG WC: 4933
When You Remember Me (by Wrangler)
Summary: After a serious head injury wipes out part of Pa’s memory, Doctor Martin is unsure if Ben will ever remember one of his sons.
Rating T WC 24,300
Adam’s Journal – A Rose for Lotta (by Pat D in PA)
SUMMARY: Adam’s journal entry for the day involving Lotta Crabtree’s role in snaring a Cartwright in Virginia City at the behest of Alpheus Troy. Written for the 2025 “Pernell Roberts’ Birthday Week” activities.
RATING: K/G
WORD COUNT: 1,901 words
