The storytellers

Larry L. Maxwell

The Master Story Teller · 1932–2019

Larry L. Maxwell was born in Silver City, New Mexico, and was raised by his grandparents in the Gila Valley. He always loved the outdoors and spent most of his hours studying the wildlife. He loved hunting and fishing.

At 19 years old, and newly married, he and his wife went on a lifetime adventure to the Territory of Alaska; it became a state some eight years later. This truly was the last frontier: they marveled at its beauty and its exciting people. Most of their nine children were born there, six daughters and three sons. Perhaps it was this exciting adventure that gave him the desire to write.

Many years later they moved to Mesa, Arizona. There he was shown a pamphlet about Jacob Waltz and his gold mining. It caught Larry’s attention and brought an excitement like the amazing Alaska, and he challenged himself to write about this “Jacob’s Gold.” He reasoned: many of the best stories are yet to be written, the best songs are yet to be sung.

Friends, family, readers and admirers gave him the nickname the Master Story Teller. He loved to entertain by telling stories and jokes, and was as comfortable in front of a large crowd at a pulpit as at the dinner table, or with a group gathered around a campfire.

In his later years Larry became truly prolific: he wrote over a hundred and twenty rhyming stories, many of which became large-print illustrated books. His sweetheart, Frankie Maxwell, spearheaded turning them into real books, and is the artist and illustrator of these fun, family-oriented tales.

The last few years of Larry’s life were consumed with these novels and stories. Every time the family got together, which was often, the talk turned to the characters, the predicaments they found themselves in, and how they would overcome them. Larry put a lot of himself into his main characters, and much of the advice and the sayings he liked to share are spread across their pages. A few days before he passed away he was able to hold Jacob’s Gold part 3, Texas Ranger, in paperback, which brought a smile of contentment to his face.

Although he wasn’t able to complete the adventure of his two favorite fictional men, Dutch and Jacob, Dad and I had discussed what he eventually wanted to have happen to them many times. So, I hope that Against the Western Sky, Jacob’s Gold Part 4, meets his expectations, and lives up to his standard of storytelling!

F. Matt Hogle. To the Master Story Teller…

F. Matt Hogle

Author and editor

F. Matt Hogle was born in Mesa, Arizona, and raised by his mother, Frankie. When he was thirteen, his mother married Larry Maxwell, and they moved to Larry’s home in Anchorage, Alaska, where Matt developed a love for fishing and exploring the outdoors. After graduating from chiropractic school he returned to Mesa, where he lives with his wife and four children and continues his chiropractic practice.

Living near the Superstition Mountains for years, Matt has always been fascinated by the history, legends and folklore of the Old West. His stepfather worked for years on a novel titled Jacob’s Gold; with Matt’s help, Larry finally published it. As Larry kept writing, Matt helped edit and publish the second and third books. Just after the third, Texas Ranger, went to print, Larry passed away.

Matt was encouraged to finish the saga. Using Larry’s notes and adding his own ideas, he wrote the fourth book, Against the Western Sky. Readers called for more, which led to an all-new story, The Shadow Treasure, followed by Warriors of the White Mountain.

Writing a novel is time-consuming and challenging, but Matt finds it rewarding and enjoyable, especially when readers appreciate the final product.

Frankie A. Maxwell

Artist and illustrator

Frankie A. Maxwell was born in Silver City, New Mexico, and was raised between there and Mesa, Arizona. She has always enjoyed painting and producing many different forms of art.

Frankie spearheaded turning the illustrated large-print stories into real books, and is the artist and illustrator of these fun, family-oriented tales. For years she made a Christmas book every year, all by herself: she would take Larry’s story, paint the plates by hand, then copy them, paint them and bind them with comb binding. She spent countless hours sharing the Christmas spirit with her children and grandchildren this way.

Then, in 2018, the family started publishing them on Kindle Direct Publishing so they could be shared and loved by all. Frankie has painted the covers of all the novels and illustrated all of the large-print stories, bringing to life the tales told by the Master Story Teller.