Yellow Cat Books

10/13/2024

Paperback version of the Blue Jay Cafe is now available on Amazon.

10/08/2024

Now available on Kindle! We hope you enjoy it!

Print coming soon!

The Blue Jay Cafe

10/04/2024

COMING SOON!! THE BLUE JAY CAFE

When Utah Sheriff Bud Shumway finds out that his friend Howie, who’s also the town’s mayor, has just sold his drive-in, he knows things are changing in his little town of Green River, and not necessarily for the best. And when he’s banned from the new cafe, he’s left with a hollow feeling in his stomach and not sure what to do next.

But when his wife, Wilma Jean, also sells her cafe, and to a supposed serial killer, Bud soon realizes that his quiet life may be coming to an end, both figuratively and even possibly literally. And to make things worse, Wilma Jean, who’s a pilot, has been seen dumping a body at a remote airstrip, with Howie’s wife Maureen helping. Could they be in cahoots with the man called the Cafe Killer? And are they responsible for a second body found at another remote airstrip?

As if all this wasn’t enough, Mayor Howie has accused Bud’s new photo book of attracting strange people to their little town, which makes Bud almost eager to leave Green River and move to Price, the town of his childhood, where his wife has acquired a fixer-upper.

Backcountry pilots, a watermelon drop, strange notes from the mysterious W.E.B., a photographer/pilot who can’t see, a Peeping Tom at Howie’s old drive-in, mysterious mule tracks, "Got Watermelon?" buttons, and a divorcee with a romantic interest in Bud, and who could ask for more intrigue and adventure in the untrammeled wilds of Utah’s San Rafael Swell?

And the real question is, will Bud let his childhood memories lead him astray?

This is book #20 in the Bud Shumway Mystery Series.

10/01/2024

The audio version of the Split Mountain Cafe is now available at Audible.com - narrated by the incomparable Richard Henzel!

06/22/2024

Now available!

Three books for less than the price of two! In this book bundle, join 11-year-old Rosie and her younger brother, Dylan, and young sister, Cricket, on adventures in three national parks: Arches, Glacier, and Yellowstone. They're accompanied by Dylan's anxiety-service animal, Magpie, a black-and-wh...

06/11/2024

PRINT VERSION OF THE SPLIT MOUNTAIN CAFE NOW AVAILABLE!

An excerpt:

Doc’s black Land Rover soon pulled up next to Bud and Howie, Shorty turning off the engine.

“Everything OK?” Bud asked.

“I don’t know,” Shorty replied. “You have to ask Doc. I don’t think he’s feeling too well.”

Doc got out of the vehicle, leaning on it as if he was about to pass out. Bud and Howie were soon by his side, and Bud noted he was white as a sheet.

“Do we need to get you to a doctor, Doc?” Bud asked.

“No, no, just get me a camp chair. I need to sit down for awhile.”

“What’s going on?” Howie asked with concern, unfolding a camp chair from the back of the FJ.

“He thinks he might be dead and hasn’t fully internalized it yet,” Shorty said.

Doc sat in the chair, now looking through the back viewfinder of his camera.

“I think I’m a goner,” he said. “That’s why I wanted Shorty to drive, in case it hit me while we were climbing this shelf road. I’m trying to reconcile this in my mind, and I almost had myself convinced everything was OK. But friends, pictures don’t lie.”

With that, he handed Bud his camera. Bud tried to make out what was on the viewfinder, but not having much luck, gave it to Howie.

After rotating it and examining it closely, Howie handed the camera back to Bud, saying, “It looks like a tombstone, Sheriff, but I can’t make out what it says.”

Bud took the camera under the shade of a juniper tree, then zooming in on the picture, said flatly, “It is a tombstone, Howie, and it has Doc Richardson’s name on it.”

Shorty said, “Doc, there’s probably a million Doc Richardson’s on the planet. And how could this possibly be your tombstone, way out here in the middle of nowhere? Besides, you’re not dead, though you may be close.”

Doc, almost whimpering, said, “Fellas, look closer. Check out the dates, then you’ll know why I’m upset.”

Bud zoomed in again.

“April 1, 1961. Is that your date of birth? April Fool’s day?”

“I’ve been told that’s when I was born,” Doc said quietly. “Now check out the date of death,”

“Wow!” Bud exclaimed. “According to your tombstone, you have exactly two weeks to live, Doc. You died on your birthday—or are going to, anyway. April Fool’s day again.”

Doc looked at Bud. “Don’t you find that somewhat unsettling?”

“That you might die in two weeks? Sure,” Bud answered. “The fact that you found a strange tombstone with some dates that we can ascribe meaning to, not really.”

“It’s a coincidence,” Howie added, sounding unsure.

“Yeah,” Shorty said. “It’s a meaningless coincidence. Nobody knows when they’re going to die.”

Doc sat with his hand over his eyes, looking like he was already contemplating his end.

“Who gets your Land Rover?” Howie asked. “Just kidding, but I would like to get some of that delicious peach jalapeno salsa you make before you kick the bucket.”

“Doc,” Bud said. “Let’s get going. We want to be in Vernal before dark. Let Shorty drive. He’s a good driver, and you can contemplate which of your buddies gets your stuff as we go along.”

Doc quietly stood, folded up the chair, handed it to Howie, and got into the passenger seat of the Land Rover.

Bud leaned into Doc’s window and patted his shoulder, saying, “We’ll miss you.”

They started their rigs, heading down the back side of Baxter Pass and along the rough dirt road, eventually reaching the Best Western in Vernal, Utah, where they would spend the night.

They would then go stay in two brand-new yurts at Split Mountain Campground in Dinosaur National Monument, where adventure waited, as Doc pondered how he might soon die.

06/08/2024

Now available in e-book format, print coming soon!

When Utah Sheriff Bud Shumway and his friend Mayor Howie decide to get out of town and go camping, they have no idea what kind of mayhem and intrigue they’re getting themselves into, from the death of the camp-host’s wife to finding rare jewels in the desert. Having their friends Shorty and Doc along just adds to the chaos, especially since they have a strange prescience that Doc is about to die.

Throw in a geocacheing dog, stolen cactii and dinosaur tracks, a murderous hawk, a ghost mountain lion, weird hoodoos, a moveable feast, dangerous river rapids, blizzards, talk of plot twists, and an unusual type of cafe, and who could ask for more intrigue and adventure in the untrammeled wilds of northern Utah’s Dinosaur National Monument?

This is book #19 in the Bud Shumway Mystery Series.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6KYZ691

06/06/2024

An excerpt from the Split Mountain Cafe (they're camped on the Green River and a big storm's coming in with lots of wind and mayhem. Bud's in his little tent, dreaming):

Bud was a guide on a small raft, his clients numbering three, each with odd names: Lindie, Hoppie, and Pierre. They wore custom-fitting puffy life jackets—one red, one blue, one yellow—each decorated with their embroidered names and with dogtags attached, as well as a label reading "U.S. Coast Guard Approved."
Wilma Jean had sewn little pockets in the jackets for storing Barkie Biscuits, but only Lindie had any left, Pierre and Hoppie having eaten theirs, though Pierre had inadvertently dropped one into the river.

Bud had tried to retrieve it, but it was too soggy and had melted into bait for the school of endangered humpback chubs that eagerly swam alongside the raft, hoping for more. Bud hoped they weren’t in the same family as piranhas, though he knew humpbacks were called Gila cypha and piranhas were in the tetra family.

He’d now momentarily forgotten the coming rapids and was wondering why humpbacks swam in schools and how piranhas, which supposedly inhabited only South American waters, could possibly live in the Green. He desperately wanted to fiddle with the jade from Doc, but it no longer seemed to be in his pocket.

His attention now back on the river, Bud could see that they were headed directly into the maw of a vicious rapid called Cat-in-the-Washing-Machine, which Bud had heard was a Class VI or maybe even a VII, and which few had survived. Its roar in the distance was one of the most intimidating sounds he’d ever heard, and as they got closer, it intensified.

He was now worried that Hoppie was going to try to bail from the raft, though Bud knew his Basset-hound legs were too short. Little dachshund Pierre had hidden under the seat, and his stylish lime-green sunglasses with an iridescent plastic orchid on one temple and a hot pink flamingo on the other were now forgotten, bouncing on the raft’s floor. Lindie looked like she was getting more agitated by the minute, trying to get onto Bud’s lap, even though he was rowing.

Before Bud could say sic ‘em, they’d entered the rapid, with foam and heavy water (whose hydrogen atoms are all deuterium) flying all around, soaking them and trying to fill the raft, though Bud knew it was an impossible task because the raft had just flipped.

How they managed it, he had no idea, but all three dogs had landed perfectly on top of him, pushing him down into the mysterious and terrifying depths of the river.

He tried to wake himself—it had to be a dream, though he was definitely being held down by something, and the roaring sound, if anything, was even louder. As he wondered if it was possible to hear rapids while underwater, he heard what sounded like nylon ripping, and he finally realized he was in his tent, Lindie on top of him, the wind roaring through the trees above. It had all been a dream.

06/04/2024

Coming soon!

05/02/2024

The Cliffrose Cafe is now available as an audio book on Amazon/Audible. We have a number of free copies available. If you'd like one, email [email protected].

04/18/2024

Our new Bigfoot book is now available as an ebook!

Rusty Wilson's Washington Bigfoot Campfire Stories

04/18/2024

FREE April 20 through the 24th! (ebook only)

Get your free copy and tell your friends. Not just for older kids, but fun for adults, too.

The Tuxedo Cat Kids in the Mystery of the Lost Arch

04/15/2024

NOW AVAILABlE ON AMAZON AS AN EbOOK - PRINT COMING SOON!
A new Rusty WIlson book. You haven't lived if you've never read a Rusty Wilson story - adventure with a twist! This will be a collection of Washington Bigfoot stories. Watch here for availability.

Ever thought about exploring the beautiful Evergreen State of Washington? Famous as a Bigfoot Mecca, you’ll find not just dramatic scenery, but possibly even more dramatic wildlife.

It’s best to know before you go, as they say, and to be prepared. These all new stories will help you avoid any surprises, well, theoretically at least, for Bigfoot is always a surprise.

Fly-fishing guide Rusty Wilson, known as the World's Greatest Bigfoot Story Teller, has spent years collecting these tales from his clients around the campfire over his tasty Dutch-oven dinners, stories guaranteed to make sure you won‘t want to go out after dark.

Come join a seasoned camper who finds a trail leading to places she doesn’t want to go in the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park. Ever wonder what happened to the resident Bigfoot when Mount Saint Helens blew its top? And does Bigfoot rustle cattle? Visit the unique Deadman’s Cove just in time to see an unusual sight, as well as finding a real dead man in a marsh all wrapped in ferns—or is it something else? And where did it go?

If these stories don’t satisfy your longing for adventure with a twist, keep reading! Watch as strange creatures glide through the remote waterways at Forlorn Lakes, then duck rockslides in one of Washington’s coulees.

And what about the pastoral farms near Puyallup? Are they fair game, too? And beautiful Ruby Beach? Is no place sacred? And watch out for totem poles with Bigfoot carved on them, they’ll bring nothing but trouble. Be careful when trying to outrun earthworms, and finally, come along on an adventure on a high mountain that nearly ends in tragedy.

You’ll want to be sure you’re not alone in the woods while reading these stories, and the audio book will keep you entertained as you drive those lonely backroads at night—just don’t panic and run off the road!

Another great book from Rusty Wilson, Bigfoot expert and storyteller—tales for both the Bigfoot believer and for those who just enjoy a good story.

11/17/2023

Print and ebook versions both are out!

Lost gold, rodeo clowns, cattle rustlers, and high adventure set in Utah's Henry Mountains! Howie gets a drone, and Old Man Green and Junkyard Goldie get in the wedding business, with the Golden Lab, Butters, as the wedding photographer.

LIVE ON AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQV2K6Y?fbclid=IwAR2_ZWZhZVk1gQijh4YPaSdUwfg2Hbvyzt_fv9RZuX89LFKlZBT046DI6Lc

09/30/2023

Print version now available in paperback for $16.99, full color illustrations.

An excerpt:

Dylan stuffed Magpie down into his pack, and Rosie could tell he was getting anxious. She grabbed him by the arm and led him away from the crowd, saying, “Let’s go back to the cabin. Too many people around.”

Dylan looked relieved, but as they turned to call Cricket along, she was nowhere to be seen.

“How can she disappear so fast?” Dylan asked with concern.

“You go on back to the cabin, and I’ll find her,” Rosie said, trying not to sound worried. “She can’t be very far.”

“OK,” Dylan said, heading for the cabin. “But watch out for that bison over there.”

He pointed toward a large bison that had made its way to the edge of the grassy lawn of the Albright Center, where it stood eyeing everyone, looking irritated.

Rosie turned and backtracked to where she’d last seen Cricket. She soon spotted her standing on a small rock wall, untying Grizzy from her pack and hugging him, then swinging the stuffy around in a circle above her head, her back to the huge bison, unaware of it.

“Cricket!” Rosie yelled. “Get into the Visitor Center!”

The bison was now switching its tail, looking straight at Cricket, who had turned, and having seen it, was now slowly backing away.

The huge animal put its head down and let out a snort, and the last thing Rosie recalled thinking as she watched it charge was how fast something that big could move, for it was near Cricket in mere seconds, before Rosie could barely blink, its horns pointed at Cricket as if she were a bullseye.

09/28/2023

Now available as an ebook, print coming soon!

While visiting Yellowstone National Park, eleven-year-old Rosie and her little brother, Dylan, and sister, Cricket, pay a visit to Old Faithful, only to find that the famous geyser is losing its steam and becoming dormant, possibly from a change in the underground system that feeds the geyser.

But what would cause such a drastic change? When Rosie finds an old knife with strange symbols on its handle, she knows it may be related to the mystery, but she doesn’t want to admit to taking it. And when she meets a boy her age who claims to be a descendant of a Native American who studied the geysers, she knows the knife belongs to him, but she still won’t give it back. And can they make sense of the clues in an old letter from an early explorer mentioning a strange place with white cones?

At least they have Magpie, Dylan's tuxedo comfort cat, to help show them the way, even though sometimes her way turns out to be the more hair-raising one! Through it all, Rosie eventually finds that she can admit to her mistakes and is much braver than she thought, as are her brother and sister, and they soon learn there’s much more to the park than meets the eye.

Come join the Tuxedo Cat Kids on an adventure through Yellowstone that also teaches about the natural world of a most-beloved national park. A book for kids age eight and up and adventurous adults.

This is the third in the Tuxedo Cat Kids Series, each book being a stand-alone read with the same central characters. The first two are set in Arches and Glacier national parks.

Bonus: Beautiful original artwork by Cary Cox!

The Tuxedo Cat Kids in the Mystery of the Lost Geyser

08/15/2023

In progress, another Tuxedo Cat Kids book, "The Mystery of the Lost Geyser," set of course in Yellowstone—coming soon with more of Cary Cox's beautiful drawings.

And after that, Bud Shumway will return from his long vacation with "The Cliffrose Cafe," set in the Henry Mountains of Utah.

Hope everyone's having a great summer!

05/19/2023

Ebook is now up, print coming soon!

The Tuxedo Cat Kids in the Mystery of the Lost Glacier