Louisiana Lou

'Louisiana Lou' is a Western-themed novel by William West Winter. The story takes place in the old West during the first year of a new century on Ike Brandon's sheep ranch at Twin Forks. The ranch is situated in a bare, brown rolling plain with little greenery, except for the ranch's fields and a line of willows and cottonwoods along the creek. Ike is a sheepman who grazes large herds of sheep in an area previously dominated by cattlemen. Although there had been previous conflicts between sheep and cattle ranchers, the tension has dissipated, and Ike now walks unafraid on his land. The nearest neighbors are 40 miles away, and the landscape is mostly unpopulated, creating a sense of isolation and loneliness. The story follows Ike's journey as he navigates the challenges of being a sheep rancher in a cattle-dominated area and his relationships with those around him.