Stephen Bly (August 17, 1944 – June 9, 2011) was an American author and politician. He wrote more than 100 books and hundreds of articles, poems, and short stories. His book, The Long Trail Home (Broadman & Holman), won the 2002 Christy Award in the category Western novel. Three other books, Picture Rock (Crossway Books), The Outlaw's Twin Sister (Crossway Books), and Last of the Texas Camp (Broadman & Holman) were Christy Award finalists. Bly's books, primarily Western novel genre in the American West, historical and contemporary, are written from a Christian worldview. His Paperback Writer was noted in a Publishers Weekly review for its “amusing parody of the proverbial dime-store paperback novel."

Early life and education

Stephen Bly was born August 17, 1944, in Ivanhoe, California, to Arthur "Art" Worthington and Alice Wilson Bly. He had one sister, Judith "Judy" Bly Walston. He grew up on a farm in the San Joaquin Valley. Bly ranched with his uncle M.J. Allen near Coalinga, California, and his father Arthur Bly in Ivanhoe, California, until age 30. Bly graduated summa cum laude in philosophy from California State University, Fresno (1971) and received a M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary (1974).

Career

Bly worked on the campaign of Gordon W. Duffy, and later served as his administrative assistant in the California State Assembly. After serving as pastor of several Presbyterian churches in California, he was the pastor of Winchester Community Church and elected to several terms as city councilman and as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000–2007). He was an active member of the Western Writers of America. He also collected and restored antique Winchesters and was roving editor for Big Show Journal. From 1982 to 1996, he was part of a team of speakers who represented Family Living Conferences for Moody Bible Institute. He traveled with Kevin Leman, Gary Chapman (author), Dr. Harold J. Sala, Gary Ezzo, and Greg Speck. He and his wife, Janet, mentored writing students for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

Personal life

Bly met his wife, writer Janet Chester, at Redwood High School. They had three sons and made their home in Winchester, Idaho. On June 9, 2011, Bly died at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Idaho, after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. He was 66 years old. At the time of his death, he was working on his last fiction book, Stuart Brannon's Final Shot. His wife, Janet, and three adult sons finished the novel and published it posthumously in 2012.

Books

Nonfiction

Fiction series

Fiction stand-alone

Co-authored with Janet Bly

Fiction

Nonfiction