Brann's Revenge

This story is historical fiction about the city of Waco, Texas, Baylor University, and some of the Baptists and folks of the town during the latter years of the 19th Century. Most of the characters are loosely based on real people that lived at the time but are exaggerated and extrapolated to develop the story. 


Not everything was peaceful serenity in this small town located on the Brazos River on the cusp of the 20th Century. People held grudges and had axes to grind for real or perceived wrongdoings between such characters as William Cowper Brann a semi-famous local newspaper writer, the Carroll Brothers who ran the Baptist religion in the state, and the mayor of Waco, J.W. Riggins. Red, the primary narrator falls in love with Inez Brann, the daughter of William Cowper Brann, the city’s primary antagonist of the story. Red is heartbroken at their truncated relationship. As the story progresses, the history of the city including the devastating F5 tornado that struck the city in 1953, plays a critical part in a love story and quite possibly subsequent tragedies that have repeatedly struck the city over the years.


About the Author


S. Smith is an engineer working in the Dallas area. He grew up in Waco and always considers it to be his hometown, although he hasn't lived there in about 40 years. When he is not working at his “day job” and not writing fiction, he spends his time tending to his horses, cows, chickens, dogs, cats and wife while also making wine and doting on his grandson.


The genesis of this story was a challenge from his son who attended Baylor, receiving a Communication’s degree with ambitions of writing. His son wasn’t practicing his newfound art and being a typical Dad, S. Smith tried to encourage him by providing ideas and constantly prodding him to write, to the point of becoming a pest. He kept pitching the topic of William Cowper Brann to his son, hoping that he would take up the subject and write about it. But alas, all he did was end up pestering his son to the point where he’d finally had enough and told his father to write it himself. S. Smith accepted this challenge and this book is the result.


S. Smith is hoping that this book will motivate his three sons to write about their passions.