RJ Series
The highlight of Ardie’s writing is the RJ Series. RJ’s Journey, RJ’s Valley, and RJ’s Legacy are historical fiction that ages 9 to 109 will enjoy. Research, travel, personal experiences, and faith in Jesus all played a vital role in the crafting of this powerful story of one young woman’s life and those around her she loved.
We pray you enjoy this series as much as we have.
*Ardie’s pen name is Ardith Nelson*
RJ’s Journey: The Journals of Rebecca Jemima Callaway is a fictional account of a young girl’s life as she travels with her family from Missouri to Oregon Territory by wagon in 1858. RJ’s story is told through her journals. She is 12 years old when we first meet her. The stories of the trail and the first year in Oregon introduce the reader to what it might have been like in that era of American history.
The continuing journals of Rebecca Jemima Callaway, who was first introduced in RJ’s Journey—the story of life on the Oregon Trail. In RJ’s Valley, the journals reveal the life, thoughts, and (family friendly) love story of an adventurous young woman in the mid-1800’s in her beautiful and beloved Willamette Valley, Oregon.
RJ’s Legacy completes the trilogy of Rebecca Jemima’s Story. In this book, her descendants share their touching memories of growing up on the frontier of Oregon.
Matthew Hartmann & The Pony Express
Experience the adventures of a pony express rider through his eyes.
A work of historical fiction for any age to enjoy set along the Platte River Road on the Nebraska Frontier. Enjoy learning American history while walking in the shoes of a boy turned family man in the pioneer days.
Year of the Hawk Rescue
Bena and her friend Kuruk live with their band near the Loup River. They are best friends who when the work is done enjoy fishing and exploring. Returning from a day of fishing, the pair hear the desperate cries of a hatchling red-tailed hawk. Upon finding the little creature buried in leaves, the children make it their mission to save her.
Year of the Hawk Rescue is a heartwarming, historical fiction for children that parents find interesting to read and older children enjoy reading for themselves.
Owen Hartmann and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show
Frontier life and adventure with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show as told in the style of a memoir. Owen Hartmann, our fictional story teller, is the son of another of Ardie’s fictional characters. Matthew Hartmann was featured in an earlier book, Matthew Hartmann and the Pony Express. In this book, Owen is hired by none other than William F. Cody to be a part of his Wild West Show. Owen describes the show as it was featured during The World Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and the role he played in the Show. He tells of his admiration for Annie Oakley and other historical characters. Written to entertain, the book contains history as well as an amusing story.
George Weaver, a Cowboy’s Recollections
The fictional story teller in George Weaver, A Cowboy’s Recollections is the son of Oregon pioneers. In his story, he gives background about his family and his decision to leave his Oregon home at the age of 16 for the adventure of working on a big Texas cattle ranch. His dream was to be a drover on a long cattle drive like he had read about in so many dime novels he enjoyed reading. George’s story is set in the late 1800’s while cattle were still being driven in large herds from Texas to the railways in the midwest. He meets interesting people and recounts many events along the way as he lives out his dreams. After being gone from home for well over a year and the 1,000 mile cattle drive, will he return to the Texas ranch he learned to love, or will he go back to the family he loves and the ranch in Oregon?
History, geography and interesting characters fill the pages of this book. An interesting read for all ages.
George Weaver is part of the fictional Callaway/Weaver clan of Oregon pioneers readers met in the RJ series of books by the author – RJ’s Journey, RJ’s Valley, and RJ’s Legacy.
ARDIE'S BOOKS 