Sheldon Russell is a highly acclaimed American author, best known for his works in the historical mystery and western genres. He is the author of the popular Hook Runyon series, which features a security agent named Hook Runyon who works for the Santa Fe Railroad. The series is set in the 1940s and has won numerous awards, including the Langum Prize for Excellence in American Historical Fiction and the Oklahoma Book Award for Fiction.\n \nBefore becoming a novelist, Russell worked as an English teacher at a public school and later retired as a professor emeritus at the University of Central Oklahoma. He has also taught at Louisville University as a professor of English. Russell's debut novel, "Empire," was published in 1993 by Evans Publications, and he has since published several historical fiction and mystery novels.
Russell's writing career has been marked by numerous accolades and awards. His novel "Dreams of Lust" won the Oklahoma Book Award in Fiction in 2006 and was chosen as the official Centennial Project of America. The first book in his Hook Runyon series, "The Insane Train," was selected as one of the six best mysteries of 2010 by Publishers Weekly. In 2020, "A Forgotten Evil" won the Spur Award for Best Western Historical Novel, Western Writers of America. "A Particular Madness" was a Finalist for WWA's Best Contemporary Novel in 2022. Russell was also awarded the Arrell Gibson Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Oklahoma Center for the Book in 2023.
Russell's upbringing on a cattle ranch in the Gloss Mountains of Oklahoma has greatly influenced his writing, giving him a deep understanding of the power of place and the complexities of human nature. He and his wife, Nancy, a sculptor, currently reside on the home ranch in Waynoka, Oklahoma, where they both work on their respective crafts. In his spare time, Russell enjoys reading, collecting books, and gardening.