The Big Empty

Silver Winner — Best New Fiction, IBPA’s Ben Franklin Awards

What happens when the promise of progress threatens the soul of a community?
The Big Empty is a sweeping, character-driven novel of ambition, tradition, and the collision of old and new in the heart of West Texas. Acclaimed author Loren C. Steffy delivers a gripping, deeply human story set against the stark, mesmerizing backdrop of the West Texas plains. When a cutting-edge computer chip factory descends on the fading ranch town of Conquistador, two worlds collide: the proud, weathered ranchers fighting for survival and the ambitious newcomers chasing opportunity and reinvention.

Meet Trace Malloy, a third-generation cowboy whose life is tethered to the land, and Blaine Witherspoon, a Silicon Valley executive determined to build a legacy—no matter the cost. As drought, economic uncertainty, and culture clashes ignite tensions, both men are forced to confront what they’re willing to sacrifice for family, pride, and the future.
The Big Empty is storytelling is as expansive and unflinching as the Texas sky—rich with authenticity, empathy, and insight.