16TH Annual PEACEMAKER AWARDS Finalists Revealed

The Peacemaker Awards for Western novels and stories published in 2025 has released the list of finalists and it features some of the best of the best in the genre today.

Take a look below for the announcement from the Western Fictioneers and stay tuned for the winners to be revealed on June 15, 2026!

BEST WESTERN NOVEL

SNOWBOUND, Harlan Hague (Wolfpack Publishing)

CRY FLINT, Scott McCrea (Dusty Saddle Publishing)

RIVEN, Lincoln Valentine Mears (Lincoln Valentine Mears)

WHERE THE LONG TRAIL ENDS, Rod Miller (Speaking Volumes)

LOST CANYON, John D. Nesbitt (Wolfpack Publishing)

DISMAL TRAIL, Ron Schwab (Uplands Press)

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BEST WESTERN SHORT FICTION

“Goddess of War”, Kelli Fitzpatrick, SILVERADO PRESS PRESENTS (Silverado Press)

“Leaving Deadwood Behind”, Bruce Hartman, SADDLEBAG DISPATCHES ANTHOLOGY (Saddlebag Dispatches)

“Of Emerald Hue”, John D. Nesbitt, PLAYING A LONE HAND (Thorndike Press)

“River of Retribution”, Vicky J. Rose, SHE RODE WEST (Saddlebag Dispatches)

“Shadrach”, Vicky J. Rose, RIDIN’ WITH THE PACK, VOLUME 3 (Wolfpack Publishing)

Winners will be announced June 15, 2026 on the WF website (www.westernfictioneers.com) and on this blog.

Western Fictioneers (WF) was formed in 2010 by professional Western writers, to preserve, honor, and promote traditional Western writing in the 21st century. Entries were accepted in both print and electronic forms.

The Peacemaker Awards are given annually. Submissions for the Peacemaker Awards for books and stories published in 2026 will be open in August 2026. Submission guidelines will be posted on the WF website. For more information about Western Fictioneers (WF) please visit: http://www.westernfictioneers.com.

Western Fictioneers would like to thank the judges for their excellent work and James Reasoner for being the Awards Chair.