20 • Winter 2018
People often ask me where I get my ideas for stories. Being a pastor for thirty years has provided much of the fuel for my writing. So many experiences in my ministry find expression in my writings. My most recent novel is entitled, The Legend of Sam Tally. It is a western tribute to one of the greatest kingdom builders who ever lived–Billy Graham. Several years back I traveled to Ashville, North Carolina, to visit The Cove, which is the Billy Graham Conference Center. During my visit, I walked through the rooms that chronicled the awesome crusades that Billy Graham conducted on six different continents. I wept as I considered just how much God used one man to impact the world with the Good News! That experience culminated in the writing of my latest book, The Legend of Sam Tally. Tally is an itinerant preacher who travels in and out of the boomtowns and cow towns of the West confronting the atrocities so rampant in these places. He ministers to the “down and outs” and through his ministry, these towns are transformed. If you ever wondered what Billy Graham’s ministry might have looked like in the 1800s, just give this book a read. Much of Graham’s character and his ministry experiences are present in the life and ministry of Sam Tally. Another seedbed for writing ideas sprouts from the many experiences my family and I had while riding horses on our farm. From my earliest recollection as a child, I have always loved horses and am still crazy about them. In fact, every summer for the last several years, I make my pilgrimage out West, mainly to different parts of Wyoming, where I do a lot of riding and working cattle with friends who own ranches. Working cattle in the Big Horn Basin last year was a unique experience. I finished the last few chapters of my second novel on the back of a horse. This past summer I spent a week at Horse Creek, Wyoming, on my good friend’s 64,000-acre cattle ranch. Horse Creek is actually the setting of my Caller’s Spring series. I am still writing stories out of that experience. There is something about being out West that makes me come alive on the inside. I suppose as Louis L’Amour the great western novelist once said, ‘there’s a little cowboy in all of us.’ In my case, there’s a big cowboy in me! A third source of ideas for my writings comes from the influence of my father, the late Wayne Burnett. I am amazed of how often my dad surfaces in my writings. We were always very close, and I learned so many things from this great man. He had an incredible sense of humor. As an attorney and as a human being, he was a staunch defender of the underdog, the weak, and those who could not defend themselves. He grew up in very hard times, but God put people in his life that saw his potential and encouraged him. He and my mother raised my siblings and me to love God and to respect and honor others. My dad was a great encourager to me as well as one of my prayer partners. He was also a master storyteller. I think that’s where I get my love for and abilities to write. It’s no wonder why something about Dad usually shows up in one of my books or short stories. He was a man who made deep impressions in my life, and in the lives of many others, as well. He passed away several months ago, but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. I still enjoy coming home to Brandon to visit my mom. She is battling Parkinson’s disease these days but her faith in God and the love of her family keep her pushing on. She, too, has been a great inspiration for my writing. In fact, in my book, Return to Caller’s Spring Ranch, she is the heroine. My latest work is a Christmas collection of five short stories that will be out in November. It’s titled, Christmas Riders of the Backcountry. Each story captures the essence of Christmas in an Old West setting, of course. All of my books and short collections are available on Amazon. And none of my writings contain profanity, sex, or anything else dishonoring to God or offensive to the moral convictions of Christians. Please go to and like my Facebook page, Miracle at Caller’s Spring Ranch Series. There you can access information about my books and read testimonies that people have posted. I am proud to have been raised in Brandon, Mississippi. There are so many people in that town that poured into me and helped shape who I am today. To them I say thank you and God bless you. ___________________ Jim is available to speak in just about any venue. He enjoys coming and sharing stories from his books. He speaks at churches, cowboy churches, festivals, rodeos, trail rides, etc. To order Burnett’s book and learn more about them, go to his Amazon author page or you can contact him by phone at 601-296-0555. Hometown Brandon • 21