Bio
William MacLeod Raine (1871-1954) was a British-born American novelist renowned for his adventure stories set in the American Old West. Born in London, Raine moved to Arkansas with his family after his mother’s death. He later attended Oberlin College and became a school principal in Seattle, where he also wrote newspaper columns. Eventually, Raine moved to Denver and transitioned into a career as a full-time fiction writer, working for local newspapers like the Rocky Mountain News.
Initially, Raine’s works were romantic histories set in England, but after spending time with the Arizona Rangers, he shifted his focus to Western novels. His 1908 novel Wyoming marked the start of his prolific career, during which he wrote nearly two novels a year. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Raine emphasized accuracy and craftsmanship in his storytelling, producing many works that contributed to the Western genre.
One of his novels reached 500,000 British soldiers during World War I. Though slow and careful in his writing, his stories gained significant popularity, with over twenty novels adapted into films. Raine also co-authored Helldorado with Billy Breakenridge in 1928, a controversial account of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral that portrayed Wyatt Earp unfavorably.
