Meet The Author of Dark Prairie, Book Signing with Lonesome Augustine! — Jan 24 (10 AM–1 PM), Fredericksburg Branch

Meet The Author of Dark Prairie, Book Signing with Lonesome Augustine! — Jan 24 (10 AM–1 PM)

Fredericksburg Branch

On January 24, the Fredericksburg Branch invites readers, history lovers, and fans of powerful storytelling to a special in-person event: a book signing and conversation with the author of Dark Prairie. This is your chance to meet Lonesome Augustine, the voice behind a bold, cinematic novel that brings long-overlooked Black cowboy history back into the light.

From 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, guests are welcome to stop by, meet the author, get their copy of Dark Prairie signed, and engage in meaningful conversation about the people, places, and truths that shaped the novel. Whether you’ve already read the book or are discovering it for the first time, this event offers a rare opportunity to connect directly with the mind and life experience behind the story.

Dark Prairie is more than a Western it is a reclamation. Set against the rugged backdrop of the post–Civil War South and West, the novel reimagines the lives of real Black cowboys and outlaws whose stories were buried or erased by mainstream history. Through vivid characters, moral tension, and unflinching honesty, the book explores identity, survival, justice, and legacy in a land that demanded everything from those who dared to stand on it.

The author behind the work, Robert Crutchfield Sr., writes under the pen name Lonesome B. Augustine a name that carries grit, memory, and the lived reality of Black America across generations. At 67 years old, he brings a depth of perspective that can only come from experience. His storytelling is shaped by hard truths, quiet wisdom, and a lifelong commitment to honoring voices history tried to silence.

Born with a keen eye for injustice and a deep love for American storytelling, Crutchfield Sr. has dedicated his creative life to illuminating overlooked chapters of Black American legacy—both rural and urban, violent and tender. His work does not romanticize the past; instead, it confronts it head-on, revealing the humanity, courage, and complexity of those who lived it.

Before Dark Prairie, his debut novel ICE explored the collision of crime, love, and politics in a modern urban setting with a sharp, cinematic edge. With his second book, Augustine turns to the Western frontier, walking in the blood-soaked footprints of figures like John Ware, Nat Love, and Cherokee Bill men whose names deserve to be remembered, spoken, and understood. Dark Prairie refuses to let them fade into silence.

This book signing event is not just about autographs it’s about conversation. Guests can expect thoughtful dialogue about Black cowboys, Western grit, historical truth, and the responsibility of storytelling. Augustine is known for engaging openly with readers, sharing insights into his creative process, the research behind the novel, and the real-world histories that inspired its pages.

A late bloomer by publishing standards but a natural-born storyteller, Lonesome Augustine proves it is never too late to write history back into the light. He lives and writes with purpose, passion, and an unrelenting belief in truth told through fiction.

If you value powerful narratives, untold history, and stories that stay with you long after the last page, don’t miss this event. Join us at the Fredericksburg Branch on January 24 and experience Dark Prairie—and its author in person.