Click title to read story.
Magic of Christmas (The) – by BettyHT
Summary: When Hoss needs a romantic poem, he and Joe search Adam’s room where they find something wondrous that truly brings magic to Christmas.
Rating: G Words: 4,806
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Magic of Christmas (The) – by storm
Summary: Here is my Christmas story I hope you like it.
Rated: K+ 1800
Magician and the Pirate (The) – A REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: Strangers arrive in Virginia City who turn out to be, who else, old-time friends of Ben.
Rating: T 2,980 words
Summary: A badly wounded Little Joe Cartwright is propelled into an adventure where he meets a beautiful Indian girl who seeks his love…and maybe his life!
Rated: PG Word count: 34,669
Maiden with the Chestnut Hair (The) – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: The captain’s daughter as seen through the eyes of a young, handsome sailor. Ben/Elizabeth.
Rating: K Word Count: 172
Mail Order Bride (The) – by Rachel Ann
Story Summary: Upon his return to the Ponderosa on business, Adam encounters a mail order bride in distress and comes to her defense, not realizing the danger he places himself in. Could each be the answer to the other’s hopes and dreams as they face peril and difficulty together?
Rating and Reader Alerts: PG (contains discreet romantic scenes)
Words: 31,730
Maims and Mayhem – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: Yet again, Joe has suffered a potentially life-threatening maim. Can the Giggly Sisters pull him through?
Rated: K+ WC 2600
Mais où est mon cheval – by ViveAdam
Summary: Daisy Lovecraft, une adolescente mal élevée, en fait voir de toutes les couleurs aux Cartwrights
Rated: K WC 2100
Summary: A Joe story for Valentine’s Day
Rated: K+ Word Count: 1797
Making Hay – by DJK
Summary: Little Joe does not understand why Roy Coffee is keeping him in jail. This story was written for the Micheal Landon Birthday Challenge 2025.
Rating: T/PG13 word count: 2306
Making New Memories while Remembering Christmases Past – by FanofOldTVShows
Summary The Cartwright s and Hop Sing make new memories while talking their favorite past Christmases.
Rating: G (1,030 words)
Making of a Man (The) – by KateP
Summary: Joe realizes he has to grow up.
Rating: G (1,250 words)
Making of a Man (The) – by Hart4Ben
Summary: This is an adaption of the Big Valley episode Boy Into Man, S2, E18 written by A. I. Bezzerides
Rating: G, Word Count: 6976
Summary: Two characters from Adam’s past return to the city and they have only one thing on their mind. Paying the Cartwright’s back for what happened years ago.
8,890 words Rated: T
Mama Died Today – by southplains
Summary: A Cartwright son’s short life story.
Rated: K WC 774
Summary: Five-year-old Hoss makes a dangerous decision that affects his parents, and especially his older brother. Adam isn’t adjusted to Marie yet, and the danger Hoss is in makes his problems worse. A prequel set around 1842 shortly before Joe’s birth
Rated: K+ WC 10,000
Mama Inger Deutsche Fassung – by Sibylle
Summary: Was kann den fünfjährigen Hoss dazu getrieben haben, von zu Hause wegzulaufen? Seine Familie macht sich große Sorgen und sucht ihn verzweifelt, doch er bleibt spurlos verschwunden ….
Rückmeldungen würden mich sehr, sehr freuen!
Rated: K+ WC 10,000
Summary: A Cartwright Christmas Past. A tradition begun.
Rating K 1,407 words
Mama’s Angel – by Adamfan16
Summary: See the Cartwrights through the eyes of a Christmas angel Ben carved.
Raging: G
Words: 1,325
Summary: Joe and his wife are having their first Christmas together. He would like to find her a special gift. Pa has an idea.
Rating: G 435 words
Note: This story was written for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.
Summary: As we come upon the 17th anniversary of Michael Landon’s passing July 1st, 1991, I’ve been trying to think of a way to celebrate what he has left for us all. This is a different sort of story because it is written in rhyme. I find I can express myself easier that way. These ditties, as I so call them, happen to be a hobby of mine. I hope you will enjoy my tribute to Michael, for I feel he has left his mark on the world in many ways.
Rating: K 1,060 words
Summary: Pernell Robert’s 2013 birthday writing challenge: Explaining why Adam became the Man in Black.
Rated: K 715 words
Man in Black (The) – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: Response to the 2013 Pernell Roberts writing challenge. Why does Adam dress in black almost all of the time? Here’s a possible reason for that…..
Rated: K 880 words
Man in Black (The) #1 – by deansgirl
Summary: A girl traveling alone to Virginia City meets a piece of her past and The Man In Black.
Rated: K+ 1,385 words
Man in Black (The) #2 – The Man in Black Rides Again – by deansgirl
Summary: Thomas Stevens was more than grateful when a black clad rider helped him bring his sister’s attacker to justice.
Rated: K+ 1,130 words
Man in Green (The) – by Tavia42
Summary: On a trip to San Francisco with Hoss, Joe buys himself a new jacket – and, inexplicably, a giant bolt of green fabric. This purchase launches the boys into an evening of chaos and hijinks involving mistaken identities, Confederate spies, and old friend Mark Twain.
Rating: G Word Count: 19,382
Man in the Middle (The) – by Krystyna
Summary: Hoss Cartwright finds himself in a situation which proves that he really is . . the man in the middle.
Rated: K+ 14,005 words
Man of Many Spirits (The) #1 – by Sierra Girl
Summary: Adam’s life is turned upside down after an attack on a wagon train leaves him alone and injured in the desert. He is helped by an unlikely saviour. But what has become of his family? And why is his rescuer so keen to keep the truth from him.
Rating: T 83,320 words
Man of Many Spirits (The) #2 – The Man Who Lost His Heart – by Sierra Girl
Summary: The sequel to ‘The Man of Many Spirits’. For two years Adam had been living in a village of Ute Indians believing his family had died in a wagon train attack. He was settled in his new life until the day he was abducted and left to die in the desert. Now, with help from some old faces, he embarks on a desperate search for his wife, before a heart-breaking decision has to be made.
Rating: T 54,802 words
Summary: Adam picks another dubious friend, and the Cartwrights find themselves held in thrall by a being that brings out the dark sides of their natures. A Halloween story.
Rating: T 18,650 words
Man’s Best Friend #1 – by Starbuck
Synopsis: How much trouble can one puppy make? As he grows he certainly becomes “Man’s Best Friend” – Adam’s defender and companion.
Rating: G
Word Count: 23,005
Man’s Best Friend #2 – If Tomorrow Never Comes – by Starbuck
Synopsis: Ben and Adam seek shelter from the relentless rain in an abandoned mine. When the floor collapses it is up to Adam’s German Shepherd – Zeus to find help.
Rating: G
Word Count: 4,600
Many Heads Make Light Work – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: Spotting regular guest stars can tax even the most ardent Bonanza fan. The Giggly Sisters set things straight.
Rated: T WC 1600
Many Shades of Guilt – by Sibylle
Summary: Guilt and mistakes – nobody is free of them. It’s not only the big guilt following bad deeds that can affect your life, but also mistakes and misinterpretations. There are many shades of guilt, as even the Cartwrights had to learn.
Rated: K+ Word count: 10354
Summary: You’ve probably read what the producers want you to know about the map that hung on the wall behind Ben’s desk, but here is the real story.
Rating: K 2,790 words
Summary: Excerpts from Adam’s diary on the same day for fifteen years.
Rated: K 17,825 words
Summary: A ‘what if’ I got off the episode “Three Brides for Hoss”.
Rated: T 8,950 words
Summary: Ever wonder about the unresolved feelings Adam may have had for Margarita? This is what happened next, years later, because of those feelings and any she may have had.
Rating: T Word count: 9304
Mariah – by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: Adam has been in a wheelchair for two years when a woman dressed in ‘men’s clothing’ approaches Ben for a job. Upon Adam’s recommendation, he agrees. Now’s ranchers are having a problem with rustlers; is their new hand a friend or foe?
Rating: T 7,375 words
Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for. A What Happened Later for Marie, My Love.
Rating: PG-13 (mild sexual content)
Word count: 5,275
Summary: A WHN for The Storm Joe finds that to heal a broken heart he needs help from his family.
Rated: K+ Word Count: 9460
Mark of a Man (The) – by Gillian
Summary: As the weeks turn to months, Ben’s indifference weighs heavy on Adam’s shoulders. Will it take a tragedy to bring him home? And once home, will he see his son in a new light?
Rating: T 14, 025 words
Mark of Despondency (The) – by ChristyG
Summary: Is Adam suicidal? And can his brothers step in to save his life?
Rating K+ 4,290 words
Mark of the Beast – by Inca / Tye
Summary: A lonely young woman in need of a husband; two brothers caught in a trap. One finds love, and the other that the tree of self knowledge bears costly fruit.
NB: Contains scenes of a sexually explicit nature.
Rated: MA
Mark of the Devil – by A_Starry_Night
Summary: The struggle to be left-handed is a very real one, but Little Joe Cartwright is going to meet his greatest adversity against it when an old mountain man crosses his path.
Rating: T Word Count: 18,617
Summary: Joe has to get married…….or does he??
Rated: K+ WC 1300
Marrying Off Laura – by JennyG
Summary: It’s just like the title says.
Rating: T 3,515 words
Summary: Adam is home for a short visit and goes with Joe, Jamie, and Candy on what is supposed to be a short hunting trip. Things get complicated when Joe goes to a nearby town to replenish their supplies. The four men learn important things about each other as a result. Originally a Man In Black challenge but completed for the Better Late Than Never Challenge.
Rating: T Word count: 4,183
Summary: Joe’s never met a gal quite like Martha. Question is, will he survive the experience.
Rating K+ WC 2800
Martha Stewart on Bonanza – A REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: A look at a visit by Martha Stewart.
Rating: T 1,185 words
Mary Knox’s Christmas – by JennyG
Summary: Christmas finds Adam far from home. He takes shelter with a family who needs his help, and learns that the spirit of Christmas can manifest in different and sometimes mysterious ways.
Rating: T 10,000 words
Matter of the Heart – by MonicaSJ
Summary: A Trapper John MD story – Modernizing the way Trapper does things turns out to be a real chore for the woman who’s installing the new computer system at the hospital. Trapper finds she has a turbulent past, emotionally and physically, and digs in to find what makes her tick.
Rated: T 161,6570 words
Maureen #1 – Freckles & Rouge – by JRosemary
Summary: Adam substitutes again but a sharp, sassy student with a shocking background keeps his hands full.
Rating: PG-13 (13,690 words)
Maureen #2 – A Real Father– by JRosemary
Summary: Maureen puts Adam–and his guardianship–to the test. This story is part of a series that includes Freckles & Rouge, but it will stand alone.
Rating and Reader Alerts: G / Words: 2,600 words
Maureen #3 – Stained – by JRosemary
Summary: Maureen challenges Adam again as he tries to teach her that she isn’t ‘stained’ by her past–and as he tries to keep up with her forward thinking. This story is part of the series that includes ‘Freckles and Rouge’ and ‘A Real Father.’
May the Thunder Roll… – by BluewindFarm
Summary: A story in three parts.
Part One – A Brother: One pleads for rescue.
Part Two – The Other Brother: Is in the same predicatment.
Part Three – The Final Brother: It all began.
Rating: K+ 4,840 words
Mayhem, It’s All a Part of the Ponderosa – by BluewindFarm
Summary: From the outside looking in, it’s a little much to take in, especially for what could have been.
Rating: G Words (1440)
Written for the 2022 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
Summary: A character takes a look within one’s own self and why he behaves as he does. Will he find forgiveness?
Rating: K 1,860 words
Summary: A missing scene for the episode ‘A Matter of Circumstance’, which is one of my favorites. Left alone in the house with what may be a dying Joe, Hoss has a conversation with himself and makes a promise.
Rated G Word count: 2912
Summary: Evil comes in many different guises, and Adam discovers that some things are not quite as they seem. When the evil stretches out and harms Joe, Adam realises he has a lot to do to protect himself and his family from even greater harm.
Rating ‘G’ 26,485 words
Summary: A Secret from the past comes back to haunt the Cartwrights, especially Joe.
Rated: K+ Word Count: 21288
Meaning of Christmas (The) – by PatD in PA
Summary: An explanation of Christmas, between brothers.
Rating: G (120 words)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch – by JC
The Cartwright brothers – you know them, you love them, but let’s face it – after all these years things have gotten pretty predictable around the Ponderosa. It’s the same old story in a nutshell…
Rating: G WC: 563
Measure of a Man – by Inca / Tye
Summary: When fifteen-year-old Joe tries to impress a new friend on the Ponderosa, it leads to dangerous repercussions for both Joe and Adam.
Rating T 22,275
Measure of a Man – by Kimberley
Summary: Adam’s principles are put to the test.
Rating: PG
Words: 5,390
Summary: How do you measure a man?
8,870 words Rated: T
Measure of a Man (The) – by Hart4Ben
Summary: Six year-old Little Joe gets into trouble and has a lesson to learn.
Rating: K 1,698 words
Summary: Joe is tired of being ‘Little Joe’.
Rated: K 11,365 words
Summary: With Little Joe feeling as if he doesn’t measure up to his two older brothers or his father’s expectations, Joe’s attitude turns nasty, until he hears what Pa has to say on the matter.
Rated: PG 6,960 words
Meat in the Middle – by HelenA
Summary: To the victor go the spoils.
Rating: K 500 word
Summary: Jamie meets another adopted member of the Cartwright clan. Originally written for the March 2017 Pinecone challenge, and expanded for inclusion here. Prompt: Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. Kris Kristofferson
Rating: G Word Count: 1232
Summary: Rainy day reflections from Hoss Cartwright in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Rating: T Word Count: 643
Summary: When Joe tries to break a black stallion he learns that he should’ve listened to his Pa as the cost proves to be too high..
Rating T WC 11,120
Summary: Expanding on four pinecones, I put together a story that takes place after Hoss has died although much of the story features Hoss in memories Ben has before the story switches to the time immediately after his death. Although that sounds quite sad, the end result is to try to take something of great sorrow and find the silver lining in that dark cloud.
Rating = T Word count = 3597
Summary: A teen-aged Adam’s prank causes not only him alone to think things over.
Rated: K+ WC 3800
Summary: Here is the second story I mentioned for the October Chaps and Spurs challenge. Again I hope you like it.
Rated: K+ 1700
Memories and Miracles – a Christmas Story – by Larkspur
A young Cartwright family finds that Christmas can be a time of comforting memories, new beginnings and miracles, when you least expect them.
Rating: PG
Words: 106,150
Memories for Christmas – by Juanita
Summary: Written for the 2016 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
Rating: K 1,850 w0rds
Memories of Love #1 – by DianaG
Summary: Adam meets the love of his life.
Rating: T 14, 095 words
Memories of Love #2 – The Future of Love – by DianaG
Summary: A continuation of Adam and Becky.
Rating T 9,150 words
Memories of Love #3 – Love’s Reward – by DianaG
Summary: A continuation of Adam and Becky.
Rating: T 14,400 words
Memories of Love #4 – A Time to Heal – by DianaG
Summary: Adam takes Becky away to help her recover from her illness. As Becky regains her health, they both find renewal. But then Adam is forced to accept that some wounds are so deep that they can never be truly healed.
Rating: T 21,265 word
Memories of Love #5 – The Unlooked for Saviour – by DianaG
Summary: Hoss and Joe are full of good intentions when they try to help Adam out of his desolate mood, but it is wisely said that ‘the road to Hell is paved with good intentions’.
Rating: T 1;9,870 words
Memories of Love #6- To Rage in Heaven – by DianaG
Summary: Adam has to return to his wife with a secret that may destroy their marriage. How will Becky react when he tells her?
Rating T 36,900 words
Summary: Joe decides to play a trick on Adam out on a cattle drive; Little does he realize his actions will trigger a horrendous memory for Adam from his youth.
Rating: K+ WC 4200
Memory aka We Remember – by Cheaux
Summary: A holiday without memories brings several ideas of how to make it through the season.
Rating: G 3,675 words
Summary: Injured in a fall, Joe finds himself in a most unexpected place.
1,725 words Rated: T
Men are Still Boys – by BettyHT
Summary: This is a set of five stories that are not related except in showing that men are still boys in many ways whether it is what they do, say, aspire to be, or the mistakes they can make. A short summary precedes each story.
Rating: T Word count: 6,995
Men in Black / The Men in Jail (The) — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: Adam finds himself in jail after running into trouble; if only he’d not left the Ponderosa.
Rating: T 1,680 words
Summary: Joe and Hoss answer an advertisement in the Territorial Enterprise that leads to the job of their dreams – or so they hope!MA rated for sexual content 2780 words
My response to the 2017 Bonanza Brand Anniversary “R” rated challenge
Mending Fences – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: Adam, Little Joe, a strained relationship, and one stupid school essay. A prequel story.
Rating: K Word Count: 1,190
Summary: There’s a shooting, someone loses their temper, and the judge’s ruling all seem right. But are they?
Rated: T Word Count: 38300
Mercy or Murder – by HelenB & JennyD
Summary: WHN for the episode The Quality of Mercy
Rating: T 21, 110 words
Mercy or Murder – by JennyD & HelenB
Summary: WHN for the episode The Quality of Mercy
Rating: T 21, 110 words
Summary: How can one get through the self-loathing and grief at a time like this?
Written for the 2019 Advent Calendar
Rating: G Word Count: 2,070
Merry Christmas, Clementine! – by DJK
Summary: A blizzard leaves the Cartwrights with an unexpected guest for Christmas- the formidable Widow Hawkins.
rating: k+ (2,225 words)
Summary: In London, Adam receives a message from Hoss that will change his view of many things. This story was written in answer to the Michael Landon Birthday Challenge.
Rated: T Word count: 1444
Summary: Prequel stories set in the time shortly after the family has lost Marie and in the pre-Christmas season. Little Joe is sad and there are a couple of ways that Adam finds to bring him out of that sorrow. One his father isn’t entirely pleased to see but the other is amazing.
Rating: K+ 1,620 words
Summary: In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and change.
Rating: K / Word Count: 6,496
MIB’s Story as Told by Hoss (The) – by BettyHT
Summary: People wonder why Adam wears all-black clothing and there’s a story or two to explain why at least according to Hoss who has found a way to make that curiosity work to his benefit.
Rating: T Word count: 1,238
Michael Landon AKA Joe Cartwright – by DebbieB
Summary: Caught between two worlds, Michael Landon AKA Joe Cartwright must choose. Which will it be…a life of extreme wealth, glamor and notoriety, or a life of warm understanding, peaceful living and contentment within himself?
Rated: PG 13 Contains several cuss words. This story is meant only in fun, not to offend! 12, 360 words
Mid-Winter (or Maude) – by ElayneA
Summary: The wonders of a five-year-old Adam during the Mid-winter.
Rating: G (2,500 words)
Middle Child Syndrome – by patina
Summary: At six years old, Hoss finds himself to be the middle child instead of the baby. Not quite old enough to be responsible but not quite young enough to be thought of as a baby anymore.
Rating: K Word Count=2666
Midnight – by McFair_58
Summary: What happens between the eleventh and the twelfth stroke of the clock on All Hallows Eve? Beware! Twelve-year-old Little Joe and his big brother Adam are about to find out. Written for the 2021 Bonanza Brand Boo-nanza challenge.
Rated: PG for spookiness Word count: 6,574
Summary: Life never quite takes us where we think.
4,455 words Rated: T
Milk of Human Kindness (The) – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Man and Nature conspire against the Cartwright brothers making it home for Christmas.
Rating: G Words: 8,220
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Summary: Ben witnessed a robbery and murder. Threats to his life have caused him to go into hiding until the trial, but it is Adam who suffers the consequences as accomplices of the accused set out to find Ben’s location by questioning Adam who finds that his mind is his only weapon against their relentless brutal inquisition.
Rating T Word count 4,354
Summary: On the way home from Placerville, Joe and Ben are held up. Ben is kidnapped. When Adam and Hoss get the ransom demand, they assume Joe is with their father. But is he?
10,770 words Rated: T
Summary: Respecting the wishes of a hero who wished his actions to remain unknown except to his community, a newspaperman writes the story of those actions to be included in the man’s eulogy when it should become necessary.
Rating: PG Word count: 2,360
Summary: A Christmas story. Joe and Hoss are heading out to control the herd.
Rating: G Word Count: 3900
Miracle of Christmas (The) – by indiana
Summary: Written for the 2016 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
Rating: K 900 words
Miracle of Midnight (The) – by Inca
Summary: The trouble with grownups was that they were always busy. Too busy, to Little Joe’s mind.
Rating: G Words: 3,520
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Mirror Image – by Jules / J7339
Summary: Joe’s cousin Philippe, from Louisana, turns up unexpectedly and together they cause some mischief. But someone from the past soon turns up to take out some revenge on Philippe. Can he be sure that he has the right cousin?
Rated: K+ 43,895 words
Mirror Mirror – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: Miscellaneous musings as the Cartwrights prepare for an evening out, keenly observed by the Giggly Sisters.
Rated: T WC 2000
Misadventures of Little Joe Cartwright (The) –Book I – by bahj
Summary: After going into town to buy a present for Hoss, Little Joe runs into a mysterious stranger with a bag of golden coins. Come follow along as Little Joe tells us the story of one of his greatest adventures.
Rated: Family Friendly / Word count: 29,698
Misadventures of Little Joe Cartwright (The) – Book II – by bahj
Summary: Little Joe’s misadventures continue when he once again finds himself face to face with an old nemesis. This story is a continuation of “The Misadventures of Little Joe Cartwright ~ Book I” and includes many references to that story but can be read as a stand alone :0)
Rated: PG Word Count : 34,602
Mis-Everything #1 – by BettyHT
Summary: Adam has trouble finding success on his terms and returns home. His family worries about him because of his strange responses to situations. There’s a lot they don’t know and there are surprises for them and Adam.
PG 12,968
Mis-Everything #2 – Brandy – By BettyHT
Summary: What appears to be a juicy scandal has the gossips joyful, but it’s not what they think. The real story is far more interesting. That romance works out far better than Joe’s tragic one that brings Adam full circle in facing a demon from his past.
PG 16,643
Miss Liberty Valance – byBettyHT
Summary: On a trip to Cheyenne, Adam expects to meet a gunfighter but instead is surprised to meet someone who eventually becomes a part of the Cartwright clan.
Rating: PG Word count: 1,491
Summary: Millicent Browne leaves her family in order to travel and discover more about herself and the world, but then she meets Hoss Cartwright and realises HE is her world.
Rated: K 30,585 words
Miss Tyndale’s Diary – by Krystyna
Summary: A young librarian in Virginia City shares her story through her diary, including being smitten with one of the Cartwright brothers. This story has been incorporated into the Captain Cartwright/Home is the Sailor series. However, this is the original story.
Rating: G, Word Count: 4824
Summary: A quiet night on the trail and a flask of whiskey lead to contemplation of chances and choices. A WHN for “False Witness.”
Rated: K+ WC 1800
Missing – by Cheaux
Summary: An unhappy brother, an old house, and a celebration gone wrong . . . this Prequel is set in 1855 when Adam is 24, Hoss is 18, and Joe is 13.
Rated: K+ Word Count: 5787
Summary: Adam reads a letter from Hoss that makes him realise how much he misses his brothers. Hoss and Joe are missing their bossy older brother, he had his uses! Ben is simply worried about his youngest sons who are MISSING!
Rating: G (8,510 words)
Missing Adam — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: Ponderosa is the place to be. Ranch living is the life for me. Land spreadin’ out so far and wide. Keep Ole Boston, just give me that countryside.
Rating: T 3,070 words
Summary: WHN for Desert Justice. Adam and Hoss accompanied Dave Walker to Los Angeles to make sure their friend arrived alive for trial. When Walker escapes from jail, Marshal Emmett Dowd enlists the Cartwrights’ help to track Walker down.
Word Count: 5437 Rating: T
Summary: Ben and Joe are robbed and left afoot in the desert with the nearest outpost about twenty miles away. Their journey is complicated when Joe is bitten by a scorpion.
Word Count: 10,000 Rated: T
Summary: At a time of great sadness, one lost soul helps another.
Rating-K, WC-4150
Synopsis: Bob Cole is awaiting trial for murder in Virginia City. His family decides to kidnap the son of the only witness but get Joe by mistake. The Cartwright’s race against the clock to find Joe before the kidnappers realize they got the wrong man.
Rating: G Words: 6,650
Mistaken Identity – by ljlover2001
Summary: A Valentine’s Day Story.
Rated: K+ 5,115 words
Summary: Helping a friend of Joe’s almost costs the Cartwrights more than they are willing to pay.
11,400 words Rated: T
Mistakes & Misconceptions – by AMG
Summary: Adam had been innocently sent to prison years ago and his family had never seen him since. Now, Ben gets a chance to know what had happened in the Nevada state prison from a new ranch hand, who’d been to the same prison
Rating: PG Words: 9,685
Mistakes & Misconceptions #2 – Building – by AMG
Summary: As much as I can master in the art of building a romance. Ben in love – and a couple of other things thrown in for good measure. The events of this story take place after “Mistakes and Misconceptions”. While the Cartwright boys are building the new schoolhouse, Ben is building his future with Emily…
Rating: G Words: 8;905
Mitten Angels (The) – by AC1830
Summary: When a young doctor arrives at the Mormon settlement near the Sierras, he finds his roots and discovers the community has not one, not two, but three Mitten Angels.
Rating: G 6,370 words
Note: This story was written for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.
Mixed up, Jumbled up Work on the Ponderosa – by Michele B
Summary: What would happen if every Cartwright had to do a job they hated? Or at least disliked? This is a story of jumbling up the wor and distributing it in a whole new way. Let’s see if the Cartwright sons can really pitch in and fill in for another brother.
Rating: G, Word Count: 17,310
Summary: Hoss’s plans end up backfiring when he plots revenge against a “fowl” adversary.
Rated: Family Friendly / Word count: 4900
Summary: Between brothers, one moment can change everything.
Rated: K+ 1,320 words
Moments – A Brother’s Decision – by MissJudy
Summary: Moments is my new series of stories taking a look at situations that affected the Cartwrights deeply and personally. In this one, we see how something learned in the midst of a decision Adam had to make when he and Hoss were younger, sheds light on a a question posed in a canon episode. Part 1 is a prequel called October Snow, describing the events as youngsters, and Part 2 has Hoss recalling that memory to help his father and brother understand Adam’s decision in a “what happens during” scene from a familiar episode. Each of the Moments stories are separate with no need to read others in the same series to understand.
Rating: G Word Count: 9858
Momma Liked The Roses – by BluewindFarm
Summary: When the pain and the hurt are still fresh, can a memory shine bright?
Rating: K 1,125 words
Summary: A famous painting, a beautiful girl, and a lost memory reunite a man with his family.
Rated: K+ 5,810 words
Summary: A short vignette about a morning on the ranch
Rated: K+ WC: 570
Summary: When Joe makes an unwise gambling wager he faces the prospect of forfeiting something neither he nor the family can afford to lose. Can his brother Adam, with a little inspiration from Shakespeare, save the day?
Rated: K+ WC 13,000
Monsters and Maps – by Alley May
Summary: A young little Joe struggles to sleep as he fears there may be monsters around. Will Ben and the family be able to help him get past his fears?
Rated: K 1,930 words
Summary: A short What Happened in Between for The Dowry. Joe, a beautiful woman, and moonlight should have been the perfect recipe for romance.
Rating: K Word Count=1696
Summary: A Tale for Halloween. Joe has an eerie experience while alone on the mountain that has far reaching implications for Ben.
Rated: T Word Count: 9153
Summary: Adam re-assesses his life in the aftermath of his broken engagement to Laura Dayton. WHN for “Triangle”
Rating: T Word Count: 4,184
More Than a Memory #2 – Convergence – by JC
Summary: Three years ago Adam left the Ponderosa for parts unknown, and now Ben finally gets the news he has been praying for – his firstborn is coming home. However, an unexpected reunion in Stockton isn’t the only surprise fate has in store for the Cartwrights. A Bonanza/Big Valley crossover story.
Rating: T 35,257 words
More than a Mountain Lion – by A-P
Summary: Elizabeth Steward has known the Cartwrights for a long time. When she is going to their ranch one day she finds something that isn’t all that pleasant, especially for Little Joe. What she doesn’t realize is that that will set off a chain of events that might lead to the death of a Cartwright or maybe even herself. Will they all survive? This is in a non-cannon character’s POV
Rated- K+ Word Count- 3,072
Summary: Adam is determined to protect the payroll, but loses something more precious.
Rating: T 33,500 words
Summary: Hmm… What’s it about? I have no idea to put here. Like the title I’m just loss. You’ll have to read it to find out.
Word Count: 3,634 Rated: K+
Morning After (The) – by the Tahoe Ladies
Summary: Ben suffers from a birthday hangover…
Rated: K – Word Count: 1100
Morning Post (The) – by slaine89
Summary: A letter written from one sister to another regarding two of Nevada’s most eligible bachelors.
Rated: K+ 1,180 words
Morning Star aka Stealing Christmas – by Belle
Summary: Not everyone enjoys the Christmas season, but maybe, just maybe…
Rating: G 2,280 words
Summary: Joe wreaks havoc during his many attempts to save Pa from being killed after having a recurring nightmare. This comedy/drama was written to celebrate Michael Landon’s life and his request to remember him with laughter. Rating T, WC 13,600
Most Beautiful Poem (The) – by HazelMom
Summary: The family is in tatters; one brother promising to kill another, while another drinks his way to oblivion. What happened and can anything be done to redeem family?
Rating: T 30,620 words
Most Eligible Bachelor in Nevada (The) #1 – by DJK
Summary: “Adam is going to kill me.” A school-age Little Joe tells you why in this modern era Cartwright story. Warning: references to literal corporal punishment and figurative fratricide
Rating: teen for mature references, word count: 4584
Most Eligible Bachelor in Nevada (The) #2 – There’s Gold Diggers in Them There Hills – by DJK
Summary: In this sequel to “The Most Eligible Bachelor in Nevada”, a modern day Little Joe and Hoss try to save Adam from a woman they are sure is a “gold digger”.
Rating: Teen for mature references. Warning: reference to corporal punishment. word count: 11050
Mother Nature’s Blessing – by wx4rmk
Summary: Prequel. Written for March 2019 Chaps & Spurs.
Rated: K+ WC 1700
Summary: In honor of all mothers who are still with us in person or in spirit, Bonanza Brand presents this Mother Day’s compilation containing the work Inca, MonicaSJ, faust, Southplains, Krystyna, Patina, DJK, and Sibylle–authors who responded to the 2012 Pinecone Challenge prompt: “Mama died today…” from The Stranger by Albert Camus. These wonderfully creative writers had to limit their entries to under 500 words. The stories are presented in the order of posting.
Rating: T Word Count: 3,880
Summary: Hoss and Joe work to figure out what’s troubling Adam.
Rating: G 2,000 words
Summary: A What Happened In Between for the episode A Time To Step Down. This is what I think happened between Joe and Dan leaving the cave and the final scene.
8,055 words Rated: T
Mr. Adam and Them Boys – by DJK
Summary: Adam loses a bet and must take Little Joe and four friends hunting in the high country. His fears of catastrophe come true in an unexpected way. This prequel was written for the Chaps and Spurs Quarter Four Challenge. The five mandated words were: percolate, earthquake, pipeline, surgeon, amendment. Rating: teen Word count: 7423
Mrs. Hardwick’s Parlor – by Inca / Tye
Summary: While studying in Boston, a young Adam Cartwright finds himself a part-time job – with unexpected benefits. My response to Brand’s 13th anniversary R-rated challenge (to include the words “lacy lingerie”)
WC: 7150 Rating: MA (for sexual content)
Much Too Soon… – by BluewindFarm
Summary: News of his father’s death brings a son home.
Rating: K 6,710 words
Summary: On a trip via muddy roads, Adam gets to know a feisty young woman, and their verbal jousting begins but doesn’t stop there. However there are numerous twists and turns in this story with the rest of the family getting involved too, some in a good way, and some not so good.
Rating: T Word Count: 20,439
Muffins and Mustaches in the Morning – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: Over breakfast, Joe rues his inability to cultivate convincing facial hair.
Rated: T WC 1800
Murder in Brosnan Flats – by debpet
Summary: When Adam is falsely accused of murder, a formidable team unites to discover the truth.
Rated: K+ WC 20,700
Murder of Callie Shaw (The) – by HelenB
Summary: Adam and Joe arrange to meet. When Adam fails to arrive, Joe sets out in search of him.
Rating: T 8,350 words
Murder of Joe Cartwright (The) – by Karen & Randy
Summary: With special contributions by Helen Adams & Tahoe Ladies
Rating T 59,355 words
Murder of Joe Cartwright (The) – by RandyS & KarenF
Summary: Co-Author’s note: This final season story has a cameo appearance by a character created by Karen for her original-cast story, The Luck of the Draw.
Rating T 59,355 words
Murder of Little Joe Cartwright (The) – by ChristyG
Summary: Did Adam finally succumb to his baser instincts and murder his little brother?
Rating: K+ 4,745 words
Summary: Deputy Clem Foster is trying to solve a crime. Little Joe is eager to help until his father becomes the main suspect.
WC 3100
Summary: It’s not the merriest of Christmases for Little Joe and his family.
Rating: G (4,175 words)
Musical Chairs – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: A visit from Doc Martin causes Joe to question life on the Ponderosa.
Rated: K+ WC 2000
Summary: Joe sets his heart on capturing a skewbald stallion, and breaking him. Will giving his heart so recklessly to the horse cause it to break instead?
8,746 words Rated: T
Mustang (The) #2 – For the Love of a Horse – by Rona
Summary: The sequel to The Mustang. Joe encounters Satan again, and then finds his life depends on the unpredictable stallion.
10,195 words Rated: T
Mustang (The) #3 – Medicine Hat Horse – by Rona
Summary: Despite the reservations of some members of the family, Joe breeds his bad-tempered mare to his famous wild stallion, Satan. The result is something none of them could have foreseen.
11,405 words Rated: T
SUMMARY: On a trip to catch mustangs, Adam learns about breaking horses from an unlikely source.
Rating: PG Word count = 1142
Summary: An afternoon swim takes an unexpected turn, and Joe is forced to test his survival instincts.
Rated K+ 9,995 words
My Angel Went to Heaven Today – by BettyHT
Summary: a poem about Ben’s life from Boston to the Ponderosa and his family there.
Rating: PG Word Count: 540
My Bonanza Poems – by ViveAdam
Summary: I gathered here a few poems that Bonanza inspired to me
Rated: K WC 1300
Summary: My boy was late. He was never late. A different POV for the episode “Elizabeth, My Love”.
Rating: K Word Count: 1,057
My Brother, My Enemy – by JoanS
Summary: The Civil War causes a rift in the Cartwright family.
Rated: T 29,535 words
My Brother’s Keeper – by the Tahoe Ladies
Summary: The brothers’ perspective of the Season 4 episode.
Rated: K – Word Count: 7340
My Brother’s Keeper – WHI – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Ever wished that the Reardons had not been part of “My Brother’s Keeper”? This story is a rewrite of the episode, with some added scenes, that provides an alternative to them with greater focus on the Cartwrights and the addition of one, hopefully more likeable, character, a young ranch hand.
Rated: K+ WC 31,500
My Brother’s Shadow – by pbeaking
Summary: Adam is leaving and Hoss finds an interesting way to express his feelings and fears about his departure
Rating: K+ WC 1150
My Dearest Husband – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: The year is 1848, and Marie Cartwright writes a letter to her husband for Valentine’s Day.
Rating: K Word Count: 649
My Dearest Mother – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: Adam writes a letter to his mother during his last year of college.
Rated: K 585 words
My Father’s Heartbeat #1 – by Cheaux
Summary: After a cattle drive Joe receives a heartbreaking telegram from the Ponderosa…
WC 6800 Rated: T
My Father’s Heartbeat #2 – Deception – by Cheaux
Summary: In 1873, the deaths of Hoss and Alice so close together left Ben and Joe physically and emotionally, bankrupt. Father and son masked their grief, each hiding serious health issues from the other. By a miracle, both men survived and in the aftermath, Dr. Paul Martin prescribed the whole truth and nothing but the truth as a remedy. In 1875, their pact is still intact…or is it? A sequel to “My Father’s Heartbeat.” It is helpful but not necessary to have read the first story.
Rated: T Word Count: 18,437
Summary: In a rare moment of solitude, Ben reflects on the characters of his sons.
Rated K+ 1,180 words
My Journal by Mary Coffee, Seventh Book – by JoeC
Summary: A look in Mary Coffee’s Journal. A brief look at why the Cartwrights are such staunch allies for Sheriff Roy Coffee, especially when it came to the episode, No Less a Man.
Rating K+, WC 14,100
Summary: A woman in Ben’s life comes between Joe and his father.
Rated: K 13,015 words
My Little Boy Who Never Was – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Ben reflects on the son he should have had.
WC 768 Rating: K
Summary: Joe has some explaining to do . . .
WC 600 Rated: K
My Name is Dorcas – by Krystyna
Summary: Young love can be so real that it hurts, and it can grow stronger as years go by. When Dorcas returned to Virginia City her love for Joe Cartwright was as strong as the day she rode away from him at aged 6. But can he love her in return?
Rated: K+ 29,890 words
My Name Is Moses Lincoln – by BettyHT
Summary: This is my March 2019 Chaps and Spurs entry. The words to be used are massacre, reconstruction, sewing, citizen, and oversight. A new hand at the Ponderosa stirs Joe’s suspicions but what he learns is not what he expected and is far more profound and life-changing too.
Rating: PG Word Count: 1669
My Only Guiding Light – HarpistforHim
Summary: Joe let himself smile for half a second before sobering and shaking his head. “I’ve known you a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. Maybe you got this way when I was too young to notice or wasn’t around to remember, but… I don’t know, seeing you down here tonight all alone, I sort of got worried.” Or, after Laura Dayton’s departure, Joe finds his oldest brother in need of some consolation. A WHN for the “Triangle.”
Word Count: 2,316 Rating: PG
Summary: A tribute from Adam, Hoss and Joe for Father’s Day (transcribed by Puchi Ann)
Rating: K Word Count: 88
Summary: A submission of poetry.
Rating: K 285 words
Synopsis: Regina Darien was never able to forget her love for Adam and returns to see him again.
Rating: PG-13 (15,095 words)
Summary: Late at night, Ben reflects on what is really important in life.
Rated: K 3,345 words
My Son, My Son, My Canceled Wedding — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: Even my own stories aren’t safe from a REALLY Lost Episode story. Inspired by A Modern Cartwrights Story 4 – Remnants of the Past.
Rating: T 2,625 words
My Sons, My Sons, My Sons — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: And a Partridge on the Ponderosa.
Rating: T 2,900 words
My Sweet Stranger – by iceangelmkx
Summary: While visiting a saloon in Arizona, Joe meets a saloon girl. *Warning!: Contains explicit scenes of a sexual nature. Please be advised before reading!
Rated: MA WC 1800
My Work is Not Yet Finished – by Pat D in PA
Summary: Long after death, love maintains a bond between those who shared it, and can help ease a troubled young man’s soul.
Rating: K/G 4,175 words
Mysterious Crystal Cup (The) – by wx4rmk
Summary: Strange and spooky events begin to happen to the Cartwrights after Ben receives an unexpected gift. Written for October 2019 Chaps & Spurs and Spooktacular Challenge.
Rating: K+ / Word Count: 3911
Mysterious Death of Amos Snead (The) – by BakerJ
Summary: Hoss’ suspicions over a death leads him and Joe to an unexpected encounter. This is my entry for the October Chaps & Spurs and the Bonanza Spooktacular challenge for October 2019.
Word Count: 1735 Rating: K
Mysterious Drover (The) – by ACSPeej
Summary: Adam’s the Trail Boss, like so many times before. But just who is this mysterious drover?
Rating: T Words: 39,300
Summary: 12 year old Little Joe Cartwright loves black horses, especially the new black mare his brothers found and brought home. Though their father disapproves, Little Joe knows she’s the one for him and sets out to prove it. What do an apparition, a burned out ranch, a stolen fortune, a group of desperate outlaws, and Little Joe Cartwright have in common besides trouble? Mystery.
Rated PG for frightening images and western violence 25,100 words
Mystery of the Room behind the Stairs (The) – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: Deep behind the stairs of the Ponderosa lurked a deadly secret – the Giggly Sisters go where other writers fear to tread.
Rated: K+ WC 2100