Western Writer Kelton Dead

Famed novelist ELMER KELTON has died at the age of 83.

Kelton wrote a string of classic cowboy tales and was voted Best Western Author of All Time by the Western Writers of America. He also won the WWA’s Spur Award for excellence in literature seven times.

His book The Good Old Boys was made into a U.S. TV movie starring Tommy Lee Jones in 1995, and four others - including The Man Who Rode Midnight and The Time It Never Rained - scooped the Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Kelton wrote 62 fiction and non-fiction books during his 53-year career. His first, Hot Iron, was published in 1956, and he recently completed his final novel - Texas Standoff - which is due out next year.

Kelton died from natural causes on Saturday (22Aug09). He is survived by his wife Ann, two sons and a daughter.