One of America's greatest Western storytellers,┬аWayne D. Overholser┬аwas born September 4, 1906 in Pomeroy, Washington and died August 27, 1996 in Boulder, Colorado. Overholser won the 1953 First Spur Award for best novel for┬аLawman┬аusing the pseudonym Lee Leighton. In 1955 he won the 1954 (second) Spur Award for┬аThe Violent Land. He also used the pseudonyms John S. Daniels, Dan J. Stevens and Joseph Wayne.