Literary Historical Fiction / LGBT Friendly
Date Published: 07-16-2025
For Caleb McRae--devout Baptist, Texas Ranger, hero of the Wild
West--life's simple enough: lawmen bring bad guys to justice, and hellfire's a
sinner's fate. At least it seems that way, until he falls in love with the
notorious outlaw, Henry Midnight...
Thomas Anderson of Literary Titan calls The Ballad of Midnight and McRae "wildly entertaining" and recommends it "to lovers of literary fiction, fans of Cormac McCarthy or Marilynne Robinson, and anyone who believes that stories still have the power to save."
Poet Malcolm Guite writes, "In the story of Midnight and McRae we are enabled to hear the long conversation between Pagan and Christian, and within Christianity between protestant and catholic. and on a personal level between father and son, between lover and beloved, and deep within ourselves, the conversation between the person we are pretending to be and the person we really are. And all these vital conversations are enfolded in and arise from a compelling story set on the frontiers, the badlands, and the formative days of America itself, the place where so many of these conversations need to take place."
“Wildly entertaining… Jess Lederman writes with a fierce
tenderness, blending lyrical prose with grit and grace.”
—Thomas Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Literary Titan
Interview
What is the hardest part of writing your books?
I take a lot of time to do research, because I want my historical fiction to be as true to the settings and time periods as possible. Also, I write lyrical fiction, and craft sentences to sound just the way I want—I can get stuck on a sentence for the better part of an hour. Hearts Set Free, my debut novel, took about five years, and The Ballad of Midnight and McRae about the same.
What are your most played songs?
I was a music major as an undergraduate—I’m a pianist—and a lot of what I listen to (and play) is Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, and so on. I have a lifetime obsession with Beethoven’s otherworldly last works, especially the string quartets and piano sonatas. His Opus 109, 110, and 111 piano sonatas are my all-time favorites.
I’m also a big fan of Neil Young and Annie Lennox! Her Nostalgia album is amazing—I could listen to her sing “Summertime” all night long…
Do you have critique partners or beta readers?
For sure! Writing can be a long, lonely journey, and being able to share and get feedback from other writers is indispensable. I have the great good fortune to be part of Randy Ingermanson’s critique group. He’s a super-talented writer, and also the author of the Snowflake Method books for writers. Getting together with him and other writers in the group is a great pleasure and extremely useful.
What book are you reading now?
Just about done with Lauren Groff’s wonderful book of literary historical fiction, Matrix. I can’t recommend it highly enough! She creates a vivid, thought-provoking, fantastical, and somewhat erotic history for the 12th century poet, Marie de France. Next to nothing is known about Marie, leaving Groff room to weave a breathtaking tapestry about a pioneering proto-feminist who attempts to take the Christian faith in a very different direction…
How did you start your writing career?
I’ve been writing since about the age of 12, after my older sister inspired me by reading a passage from John Dos Passos. But I didn’t start writing full time until after my first wife passed away twelve years ago. She had always encouraged me to devote myself to writing, and that’s what I began to do. The terrific response I received to Hearts Set Free certainly encouraged me to believe I’d made the right decision.
Tell us about your next release.
Sure! I had started out writing a current-day sequel to The Ballad, featuring a troubled priest working for the Vatican, investigating the miracles worked by Black Elk as part of his candidacy for sainthood, but ended up going in another direction (this is very typical for me!). Miracle Man (my working title) takes place in 1904, and features two plot lines that will come together in the melting pot of lower Manhattan. 36-year-old Fr. Giancarlo Giordano, who grew up on some of Rome’s meanest streets, is a miracle investigator working for the Vatican, who’s been pressed into service by the Inquisition to travel to New York to destroy the credibility of a rogue priest who supposedly preaches heretical doctrines while working dubious miracles. He’s a man troubled by heretical dreams and struggles with sexual desires. The other plot line centers on 28-year-old Elijah (Eli) Armstrong, a hustler and womanizer who navigates between the Italian, Irish, Jewish, and Chinese gangs who dominate lower Manhattan. His life takes a fateful turn when he meets Ying Zhao, the 24-year-old daughter of his fierce martial-arts mentor, who’s even more talented at fighting than her father, and convinces Eli to help her defend the defenseless on the streets of New York…
About the Author
Jess Lederman lives with his wife and young son in Southern California,
where he writes historical fiction. His debut novel, Hearts Set Free, was an
award-winning Amazon best-seller. When he's not writing or playing with his
son, he's usually at the piano playing Chopin and Brahms for his wife.
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