Joe Lopez: A Leon Payne Novel

by Leon R. Payne Jr.

Overview

Joe Lopez is the story of an old Mexicano named José Villalobo Alfredo Tomaso Vicente Lopez who loses his three sons to the civil war: Thomaso at the Battle of Bull Run, Alfredo in Vicksburg, and Vicente in Gettysburg. To honor them, Joe carries each of their names.

But Joe's sorrow doesn't end there. When he returns home, he finds that his home has been burned to the ground and his wife and grandson are missing. As the story continues, Joe avenges the misdeeds done to his wife and grandson and captures the deputy who, with the sheriff, has come to bring him to justice.

Author Leon Payne takes the song "Joe Lopez" written and performed by his late father, Leon Payne, Sr., and brings it to life by drawing on personalities from his past and setting the story in historic Texas locations and civil war battlegrounds. A Western that is sure to delight civil war buffs and cowboy aficionados alike.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940151001861
Publisher:	River Grove Books
Publication date:	07/28/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	154
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Leon Roger Payne, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on November 2, 1950. His father, Leon R. Payne, Sr., was an accomplished singer-songwriter who was inducted into The Nashville Songwriters Foundation and Hall of Fame in 1970. His mother, Myrtie, was the inspiration for Leon Payne, Sr.’s first hit, “I Love You Because.”

In the early 50s, the Payne family moved to San Antonio, Texas. Leon called San Antonio home throughout his childhood, although he has fond memories of the family farm outside of Unionville, Missouri.

Leon graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1968. He joined the US Air Force Reserve in 1969 and engaged in active duty in 1972. He worked as a medic at Wilford Hall US Air Force Medical Center until he was honorably discharged in 1974.

Leon moved to East Texas where he rough-necked in the oil field and attended community college. He finally settled in the San Antonio area and began a career in construction as an inspector.

In 1971, Leon met his soul mate, Pamela. She helped to fill a void he had felt since the death of his father in 1969. They married and have three children (Leon III, Tiffany, and Pamela) and six grandchildren (Leon IV, Cainan, Kemuel, Cowboy, Timothy, and Victoria).

Leon’s passion for writing began when he was around 10 years old. He recalls coming home from school one afternoon to have his father anxiously waiting to show him a song he had just written. The song was “Joe Lopez.” Leon visualized the whole story as he listened to his father and loved it from that moment on. Later, Leon translated his vision into words—a skill he developed from describing movie scenes to his parents who were both blind.