Author Listing & Writing Challenge Submissions
The following authors wrote and published their stories on the Bonanza Trail Riders website which shut down in late 2024. The Brandsters have offered their stories a home within the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library. If a BTR author was already an author in the Library, their stories will be uploaded to their Brand author page. All other authors will have pages created under this Preserving Their Legacy project.
~ T ~ R ~ A ~ I ~ L ~ R ~ I ~ D ~ E ~ R ~ S ~
The following is a compilation of submissions to various writing challenges by members of the Bonanza Trail Riders.
A Fragile Hope – by AC1830 and AH83
Summary: A WHN for The Hopefuls – a conversation between brothers after Adam said farewell to Regina Darien.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1403
A Woman Scorned – by GlenandMe
Summary: Little Joe is fifteen and in love. Miss Kitty is about as sweet and lovely as a girl can be. What her mother has to say about all this is, well, the rest of the story.
Rating: PG, Word Count: 8139
Beauty of the Heart (The) – by Mo1427 and AC1830
Summary: The Cartwright brothers notice something is different about their Pa, but can put a finger on it, at least not until the Orphanage Fundraiser picnic.
Rating: G, Word Count: 4713
Bonanza Trail Riders – 2018 Springtime Stories – by BZTraileriders
Summary: The first short stories written on Bonanza Trail Riders – April 2018
Rating: G, Word Count: 4142
Bride Train (The) – by Bonanza Trailer Rider
Summary – Little Joe, with Hoss as his partner, has come up with another scheme to make money, but this time it’s for a worthy cause. However, there are some who are not happy at all with his business plan. Will the Bride Train arrive on time or will it be derailed before it ever leaves the station?
Rating: G, Word Count: 7268
BTR Limericks and Poems – by BZ TrailRiders
Summary: These Limericks and Poems are sorted by Author from Bonanza Trail Riders.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2529
BTR Limericks – by BZTrailRiders
Summary: The following Limericks are offered a home at Bonanza Brand after the closing of Bonanza Trail Riders. The contributors are identified at the beginning of their limerick.
Rating: G, Word Count: 767
BTR Sourdough Starters – #01 – May 2018 Summary: In 2018, BTR started a writing challenge call Sourdough Starters. A Sourdough Starter is the Yeast that will activate the Dough that will be Baked into Bread. This was used in the 1800’s and is still used today. BTR’s take was to use it as a “Starter” for a bigger story. A Sourdough story is not usually fully complete. It should leave questions – what brought the characters to that point? What happens next to the characters? etc. We continued running the challenge through 2020.
Rating: G, Word Count 2079
BTR Sourdough Starters – #02 – June 2018
Summary: Use this quote in a story of 600 words or less. “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” -Willie Nelson
Rating: G, Word Count: 3571
BTR Sourdough Starters – #03 – July 2018
Summary: In Tim McGraw’s Live Like You Were Dying, there are the lines “Took a good, long, hard look/At what I’d do if I could do it all again”.
Rating: G, Word Count: 4013
BTR Sourdough Starters – #04 – August 2018
Summary: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – Winnie the Pooh. Use this quote in a story of no more than 600 words.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2658
BTR Sourdough Starters – #05 – September 2018
Summary: He/She looked beyond my faults and saw my needs. – Dottie Rambo. Write a story of 600 words or less using this line from a song.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2248
BTR Sourdough Starters – #06 – October 2018
Summary: At the end of the month we will have our Harvest Dance with a twist (a Sadie Hawkins Dance). The ladies ask the men to the dance. For this month’s Starter, in 600 words or less, have a lady ask a Cartwright to the October Harvest Dance OR write a story of how you would ask your date to the Dance.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2651
BTR Sourdough Starters – #07 – November 2018
Summary: A photo of Ben with his hands clasped while sitting at an empty table. What is Ben thinking? Is he troubled or thankful? What’s happened in his life that’s brought him to this point?
Rating: G, Word Count: 2576
BTR Sourdough Starters – #08 – December 2018
Summary: Describe a scene of Christmas activity at the Ponderosa. It could be a party, reading a story, getting a tree, baking treats, helping the poor, etc. Tell us what you think one or more of the Cartwrights will be doing to get ready for Christmas.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2498
BTR Sourdough Starters – #09 – January 2019
Summary: For 2019 Sourdoughs: Use the person’s name from one of three song titles as an Original Character who interacts with one or more Cartwrights. The song title or song itself can be used for inspiration. “Sweet Betsy From Pike” or “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” or “Big Bad John”
Rating: G, Word Count: 3114
BTR Sourdough Starters – #10 – February 2019
Summary: February is Romance Month. Use “Sweet Caroline” or “Annie’s song” for your OC inspiration in a letter.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2027
BTR Sourdough Starters – #11 – March 2019
Summary: March is the month of St. Patrick’s Day. Use the from the songs “Oh, DANNY Boy” and “ELEANOR RIGBY” for your Original Characters who will interact with one or more Cartwrights. Don’t forget to throw in a bit o’ Irish Luck or Shenanigans as well.
Rating: G, Word Count: 3588
BTR Sourdough Starters – #12 – April 2019
Summary: Ah, Springtime, where everything is new and fresh again, and a man’s fancy turns to…well, what do you think a man’s fancy might turn to? OC options – “Georgia on My Mind”, “Me and Bobby McGee”.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2291
BTR Sourdough Starters – #13 – May 2019
Summary: Springtime Escapades – “Sylvia’s Mother”, “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog”.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2300
BTR Sourdough Starters – #14 – June 2019
Summary: Rodeo Roundup – The theme this month revolves around a roundup, cattle drive, or rodeo. Use “Mustang Sally”, “Cotton-eyed Joe” for your OC inspiration.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2159
BTR Sourdough Starters – #15 – July 2019
Summary: It’s the heat of summer. Use “Liberty Valance”, “Sgt. Pepper” as your OC Inspiration.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1852
BTR Sourdough Starters – #16 – August 2019
Summary: Playing off the theme for the month – heat and water – “Proud Mary” (Water theme), “Ringo” (Desert theme).
Rating: G, Word Count: 2687
BTR Sourdough Starters – #17 – September 2019
Summary: It’s the end of Summer. Use “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”, “San Antonio Rose” as your OC Inspiration.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2380
BTR Sourdough Starters – #18 – October 2019
Summary: It’s October and time for some chilling tales. Use “The Ghost of Smokey Joe”, “Devil with the Blue Dress On” as your OC inspiration.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1642
BTR Sourdough Starters – #19 – November 2019
Summary: Use “Brandy (you’re a fine girl)”, “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” for inspiration.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2981
BTR Sourdough Starters – #20 – December 2019
Summary: Winter Wanderings – Use a setting of winter or Christmas for your sourdough. “Quinn the Eskimo”, “Hello Dolly”
Rating: G, Word Count: 2276
BTR Sourdough Starters – #21 – January 2020
Summary: Use the photo from Gabrielle where the four Cartwrights are riding to the mountain as a prompt for the Sourdough story.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2647
BTR Sourdough Starters – #22 – February 2020
Summary: Kisses for Fun. February is the month of love. Write a fun romantic scene or add a fun romantic scene to a previous Sourdough.
Rating: G, Word Count: 4529
BTR Sourdough Starters – #23 – March 2020
Summary: If Horses Could Talk…Spring is coming and we know what the Cartwrights will be doing – chores, round ups, girls, picnics. But what do the horses think of all this activity? Pick a scene from an episode or create one of your own and give us the horse’s perspective.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2288
BTR Sourdough Starters – #24 – April 2020
Summary: Photos of two Cartwrights discussing papers, drawings, or maps. Write a new Sourdough or expand a previous one.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2436
BTR Sourdough Starters – #25 – May 2020
Summary: Picture of Inspiration: Choose one of the three pictures below. (Adam and Joe from The Quality of Mercy, Adam and Ben when Hop Sing reports men all over Ponderosa from Enter Mark Twain, Hoss and Joe in jail (unknown episode). Write a short scene for one, two or all three, OR use it to add to another Sourdough starter
Rating: G, Word Count: 2613
BTR Sourdough Starters – #26 – June 2020
Summary: Ride Like the Wind – Use this photo (Adam and Joe racing in The Hayburner) for inspiration for your scene or story.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1676
BTR Sourdough Starters – #27 – July 2020
Summary: Beer Time Conversations- When the C’s have a little time to enjoy a beer together, who knows what can transpire. Photo inspirations from The Ape, The Magnificent Adah, The Ride.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2392
BTR Sourdough Starters – #28 – August 2020
Summary: The Cartwrights are out and about on the Ponderosa. Use these pictures (all C’s by water) for inspiration as to what they might be doing during the hot month of August. It can include any combination of Cartwrights.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1571
BTR Sourdough Starters – #29 – September 2020
Summary: Education was important to the Cartwrights. In fact both Adam and Joe became substitute teachers. Use one of these pictures (the brothers teaching researching) as inspiration for a vignette or addition to a past Sourdough.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2306
BTR Sourdough Starters – #30 – October 2020
Summary: Write a short spooky campfire or bedtime tale, or expand a previous Sourdough and give it a haunted twist.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2560
BTR Sourdough Starters – #31 – November 2020
Summary: “May I…?” – This one is a little different. After 2-½ years of Sourdoughs, has someone written one that gave you an idea to expand it? Well, go ahead and ask to use that person’s sourdough and add to it in some way. Include a copy of the original Sourdough, and who wrote it, with your expansion of 600 words or less.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2937
BTR Sourdough Starters – #32 – December 2020
Summary: Reflections – What do you think a Cartwright would reflect on this year? You can pull from an episode or a previous Sourdough story.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2638
Campfire Confessions – by Bonanza Trial Riders
Summary: The Cartwrights are sitting around a big campfire … and one by one they decide to say a confession. What secrets will each Cartwright reveal? Funny, sad, shameless, silly … your choice. Write a few lines (no more than 200 words) in the voice of the Cartwright telling what the confession is.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2425
In a Prescott Pickle – by BettyHT and wx4rmk Summary: Adam and Joe are delivering horses to a ranch in Prescott, Arizona. Knowing the two brothers are like oil and water, can they get there and back in one piece?
Rating: G, Word Count: 6336
Jug of Punch (The) – by GlenandMe
Summary: The Cartwright harvest party doesn’t quite go as planned for Ben, or his guests.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2682
Just When I Needed You Most – by GlenandMe
Summary: This story takes another look at the Laura episodes, but with a twist. What if Adam had married Laura?
Rating: G, Word Count: 3341
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