In El Sombre, Shadow of the Saguaro, the author has attempted to blend together actual historical figures, events, and facts, of the early 1800's with fictional heroes and villains. In as much as possible, these true life figures and forerunners of the West were picked by the author, because they were contemporaries of the era. The author has left it entirely up to the reader to sift the truth from the fiction, in order to pique your interest in historical study. The Author would classify this book as a fictional, historical, western fantasy.
The author would be gratified if one day this book was chosen as required reading material at the high school-college level, and has deliberately chosen descriptive words and linguistics on a higher educational plane than the average pulp paper Western. The author has also endeavored to combine adventure, romance, and humor in order to attract a wider range of readers, but at the same time, to create heroes that might be suitable role models for the young men and women of this generation. If you are a descendent of the heroes portrayed, it is hoped that you will take family pride in reading the epic. If you are a descendent of those portrayed as the villains, take pride in the fact that you as a responsible American Citizen have restored the family name. Bear in mind, also, that many of our forefathers were painted as villains when they were heroes. - Because they were not "politically correct", or took a stand that was not popular with the world. Both hero and villain will some day stand before the Highest Command and be judged by the One Righteous Judge of all time, in the light of His Holy Word - Then, and only then, will it become apparent who the real heroes were. Except for the Biblical truths contained herein, the opinions expressed in this book are not those of the author, but the opinions of a shadowy and mysterious figure known as
El Sombre, code name:
Shadow-man, who worked in that era under the auspices of a private enterprise known as High Command Liason, which in turn, either accepted or rejected assignments, at it's own discretion, from a world-wide organization known as High Command, which would later become known as the League of Nations, and would evolve into what we know today as The United Nations.
Dave Moody is married to his wife of 47 years, Effie Crump-Moody, who has over 40 years experience in children's Bible teaching and training. Effie is self-employed doing child care. Dave and Effie have three daughters: Connie Moody-Rogers (instructor in arts, musician, soloist, minister's wife); Carol Moody-MacComb (ordained minister); and Carla Moody-McDaniel (church pianist, college professor, and licensed realtor). Dave and Effie have four grandsons: James Rogers, Daniel Rogers, Philip McDaniel, and Jared McDaniel, as well as three Sons-in-Law: Cody Rogers (ordained minister, book store mgr.), Doug MacComb (airlines pilot, officer in Nat'l Guard), and Anthony McDaniel (salesman.), and one Granddaughter-in-law, Rebekah McMullen-Rogers.
Dave is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR., with a BA Degree in English and Business Administration. As an R.O.T.C. graduate, he was assigned as a replacement to the 25
th Infantry "Tropical Lightning" Division, 35th. Infantry (The "Cacti" Regiment) as an infantry line officer, during the last year of the Korean era. After the signing of the treaty at the 38
th parallel, and after his honorable discharge he served as bi-vocational Music and Education Director for various churches in the Southern Baptist Convention, while also employed as a officer in the U. S. Treasury Dept. (IRS). He retired from the IRS and took a position with the Special Investigations Unit, DHS, State of Arkansas, where he has been employed since l984. Dave is an ordained Deacon and has served for over 55 years in The Arkansas Baptist Convention (both church and Assoc. level) as bi-vocational Music and Education Dir., SS Supt., Church Tng. Dir., Brother Hood and RA Dir. While participating in the pilot program for the "Tentmaker" Home Missions program of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dave spent a summer in Williams, Arizona, laboring on a highway construction job along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, while working with Spanish and Indian ethnic groups. Here, he helped organize and plant the Williams Baptist Church. Dave's fascination with the "big sky country" and its desert splendor, caused him to choose this setting for his first western novel,
El Sombre, Shadow of the Saguaro. During his college years, he served as Co-Editor for the
Minuteman, the then official school paper, of Beebe Jr. Agricultural College, where his first article entitled The Castle in the Valley (a serialized, fiction short-story) appeared. He contributed short stories and poems to
The Ripples, the official arts publication of Ouachita Baptist University, (Class of l951-53) during his tenure there. Dave and his daughter, Carla, both licensed Realtors, maintain a web page: http: / /www.arkansasliving.com
