James Van Laan publishes poetry and contemporary fiction under his own name. He publishes historical fiction, post-Civil War novels and Westerns under the pseudonym Burt Tyson.
Meet Jim
James R. Van Laan lives in a remote area at the foot of the Blue Ridge Moutains in the western Carolinas. Known as Dark Corner with a long history of moonshining, the area has cast its shade on Jim, giving rise to his poems of loss, survival, hope, redemption, and love. After the loss of his wife, Nan, to vicious cancers, Jim is emerging from the darkest corner of his life and pursuing his recurrent dream of fifty years: writing. His collection of poetry (The Whole Shebang) and his novel Rosa’s Cantina (to be released in 2026), the first book in his Chisum and McDaniel series, are the first manifestations of his dream.
While continuing to lurk in the corners of his mind, Jim’s dream of writing was unrealized as he pursued a career in advertising and public relations and then as a consulting computer programmer and systems analyst. He nurtured his dream of writing as he taught creative writing in public schools as a visiting writer and poet and gave poetry readings at several colleges in North Carolina. Now retired, Jim is an old man, not only dreaming dreams, but finally fulfilling his dream of writing.
Share Jim’s Vision
Follow Jim by signing up for his email newsletter, https://jamesvanlaan.com/contact/. When you do, you can share in his musings about failure and redemption, existence and survival, love and loss, Stay up-to-date on forthcoming books and promotions. And wander with him through darkness and light and down some lonesome roads.
Say Howdy To Burt
Burt Tyson almost never takes off his cowboy hat, but he does tip it to the ladies. As a child, he loved historical adventure stories like Davy Crockett and TV Westerns including Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, and Have Gun Will Travel. As a teenager, his love of history and adventure continued as he read novels of the American Frontier.
Burt continues the tradition of good men and women confronting evil in the 19th century American West as he writes The Devil Appears, the first novel in his The Devil’s Shadow series. Readers won’t have difficulty identifying the good guys and gals: they’ll be the ones who stand tall, saddle up despite the risk and, if they’re men, always respect the ladies.
In the remote small South Carolina town where Burt writes, there are lots of good men and women, but not too much adventure. He has to provide the adventure in his novels.
Share Burt’s Adventures
Follow Burt by signing up for his email newsletter, https://burttyson.com/contact/. When you do, you can share in his musings from the Dark Corner, stay up-to-date on forthcoming books and promotions and ride with him into the Western horizons.
