Category: Prequel
Any time before the episode, A Rose for Lotta
Adam’s Lady: A Romance in Ten Glimpses (by DJK)
Summary: During his last year at college, Adam falls in love with the sister of a classmate and friend. Can he convince her that she would make him a “good wife”?
rating: T/PG13 word count: 5049
A Lesson in Art Appreciation (by DJK)
Summary: Little Joe and his friends just wanted to see the new painting in The Red Dog saloon before the ladies of the town could have it destroyed, and all they needed was a watertight plan.
Rating: T/PG 13 Word count: 4,414
Bake Shop Girl (by JC)
Summary: The seeds of a memorable friendship are sown during a chance encounter at a Boston bakery.
Rating: G Word Count: 646
The Hero of the Charles (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: When Adam finds himself short of cash, fate and his college buddy come up with an ingenious way to fatten his wallet. Written for the Second Quarter 2025 Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Wordcount: 3,533
In a Spirit of Enterprise (by Tavia42)
Summary: Little Joe should have known he couldn’t get anything past Hop Sing. This story was written for the 2025 2nd Quarter Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Rating: G | Word Count: 889
The Loft – #3 (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: In the final entry of three short stories, can the Cartwright hayloft provide poor Hoss with the comfort and understanding he needs to deal with the humiliation and shame he feels after being teased by unkind classmates?
Rating: K/G (3,401 words)
Just a Prank (by DJK)
It was just a boy’s prank, so why did it cause such a rift between brothers. This story was written for the Chaps and Spurs 2025 First Quater challenge.
Rating: K+ word count: 5279
Soldier Boy (by Puchi Ann)
Summary: When Adam Cartwright left college to join the Union Army, he had no idea he would be involved in three of the most significant battles of the Civil War. Nor did he know that the experience would mark his life forever and influence the man he would become.
Rating: MA for battlefield violence
Word Count: 94,855
Links to stories of A Separate Dream Series are included within.
The Loft – #2 (by Pat D in PA)
SUMMARY: In the second of three short stories, a frustrated father, an ornery, half-grown son, and a small(ish) sentinel guarding his elder brother’s privacy as he licks his wounds all need the Cartwright barn’s hayloft to work its magic.
RATING: T – for mature language (5,777 words)
The Christmas Secret (by Harpistforhim)
Summary: A young Little Joe wants to know which of his brothers will be getting him a special gift for Christmas, but Adam isn’t in the mood for spilling secrets. A short holiday story set during the early years of the Ponderosa.
Rating: G Word Count: 739
The Loft #1 (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: In this first of three short stories, we are able to see the healing properties that can be present in a simple hayloft. In this first story, a deeply disappointed youngest Cartwright brother learns that even a bossy boots big brother can somehow know just the right things to say… and not to say.
Rating: K/G (1,711 words)
The Stamp Effect (by Cheaux)
Summary: Lesson plans have real-life implications during Miss Jones’ absence.
Rating: G 3,410 words
Written for the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
Peace on Earth (by AC1830)
Summary: Christmas candles, a cranky baby, and a neglected Cartwright all add up to one special Christmas.
Rating: G 2,420 words
Written for the 2024 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
What He Wanted for Christmas (by DJK)
Summary: Ben wants to indulge Adam by giving him the one present he requested, but wherever does one buy a battery for a thirteen-year-old?
Rating: G 2,325 words
Written for the 2024 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
A New Friend (by AC1830)
Summary: One of the Cartwrights gets a big surprise for his birthday. Written for Dan Blocker’s Birthday. Rating: G, Word Count: 2294 A New Friend A horse is a thing of beauty – head raised proudly, mane and tail flying in the wind as it parades around. It’s enough…
