I first read "Jaime McPheeters" in high school, in thought it was so hilarious that I started looking for other historical fiction that was half as entertaining.

I eventually learned that Lewis derived a lot of his cheekiness from Mark Twain, so I am a big Twain fan also.

""Two Roads to Guadalupe" was written in much the same, sassy style. I admired the very thorough documentation he provided for both of the aforementioned books and am currently working on a children's historical novel about the American Gold Rush (which gets side-tracked down the Santa Fe Trail).

I am finding gold mines of information in his references, and a character of mine is emerging who, though female, would probably get along pretty well with Jaime. She is just as cheeky and independent.

I will probably continued to enjoy RLT's work right up until - ad including - my final wheeze.