Silver Winner — Best New Nonfiction, IBPA’s Ben Franklin Awards
Legendary oilman T. Boone Pickens, cut from a lucrative Permian Basin oil deal, fights back with trial lawyer Chrysta Castañeda. This riveting true story chronicles their billion-dollar courtroom battle against powerful oil industry adversaries, offering an intimate portrait of a business icon’s final fight and the determination required to win.
T. Boone Pickens, legendary Texas oilman and infamous corporate raider from the 1980s, climbed the steps of the Reeves County courthouse in Pecos, Texas in early November 2016. He entered the solitary courtroom and settled into the witness stand for two days of testimony in what would be the final trial of his life.
Pickens, who was 88 by then, had made and lost billions over his long career, but he’d come to Pecos seeking justice from several other oil companies. He claimed they cut him out of what became the biggest oil play he’d ever invested in—in an oil-rich section of far West Texas that was primed for an unprecedented boom. After years of dealing with the media, shareholders and politicians, Pickens would need to win over a dozen West Texas jurors in one last battle.
To lead his legal fight, he chose an unlikely advocate—Chrysta Castañeda, a Dallas solo practitioner who had only recently returned to the practice of law after a hiatus borne of disillusionment with big firms. Pickens was a hardline Republican, while Castañeda had run for public office as a Democrat. But they shared an unwavering determination to win and formed a friendship that spanned their differences in age, politics, and gender.
In a town where frontier justice was once meted out by Judge Roy Bean—“The Law West of the Pecos”—Pickens would gird for one final courtroom showdown. Sitting through trial every day, he was determined to prevail, even at the cost of his health.
The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens is a high-stakes courtroom drama told through the eyes of Castañeda. It’s the story of an American business legend still fighting in the twilight of his long career, and the lawyer determined to help him make one final stand for justice.
Vince Taormina, Director, Clean Energy Fuels, and CEO of Taormina Industries“A thoroughly enjoyable read that truly captures Boone’s character and essence. `The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens’ had me laughing and crying as I read about all the little details of Boone's personality and idiosyncrasies that those who knew him recognize so well."
Craig Enoch, Former Texas Supreme Court Justice and founder of the Enoch Kever law firm“Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy have accomplished the remarkable. They’ve taken issues most familiar to lawyers and judges, woven them into an incredible story and presented to all an enjoyable journey through The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens.”
Ron Ricks, Vice Chairman, Southwest Airlines“A big deal in the Texas oil patch gone bad, the legendary T. Boone Pickens and his hotshot blonde female barrister, real courtroom drama—and it’s all true! I can’t wait for the movie!”
Vince Taormina, Director, Clean Energy Fuels, and CEO of Taormina Industries“A thoroughly enjoyable read that truly captures Boone’s character and essence. `The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens’ had me laughing and crying as I read about all the little details of Boone's personality and idiosyncrasies that those who knew him recognize so well."
Craig Enoch, Former Texas Supreme Court Justice and founder of the Enoch Kever law firm“Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy have accomplished the remarkable. They’ve taken issues most familiar to lawyers and judges, woven them into an incredible story and presented to all an enjoyable journey through The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens.”
Ron Ricks, Vice Chairman, Southwest Airlines“A big deal in the Texas oil patch gone bad, the legendary T. Boone Pickens and his hotshot blonde female barrister, real courtroom drama—and it’s all true! I can’t wait for the movie!”
Joe Nick Patoski, author of Austin to ATX and host of the Texas Music Hour of Power.“Think you know T. Boone Pickens, the larger-than-life business titan, energy trader, and corporate raider? Think again. The attorney representing Pickens in his final major court battle and the business writer who covered him most over the decades reveal a whole other T. Boone that few people outside his bubble could have ever imagined.”
Jennifer Latson, author of The Boy Who Loved Too Much“T. Boone Pickens, the legendary wildcatter and takeover tycoon, was a controversial figure — and a hard man to truly understand. As Pickens’ attorney in the highest-stakes trial of his life, Castañeda got to know him better than most, and in this captivating, candid portrait, she and Steffy shed new light on the character and quirks that made him a villain to some and a hero to others.”
The Art of Farming celebrates a symbiosis of plants, humans, dogs and livestock, with wildlife cousins on the fringes. Retired art teacher, Sam, markets herbs and produce, aided by his lovely “sidekick” Annie, and a handful of local after-school teens. A scheming donkey named Sol is this charming story’s formidable antagonist.
Stories of Perseverance and Personal Growth from the Cockpit
Aviation Therapy chronicles Dale’s remarkable transformation through flight—from B-52 nuclear alert missions during the Cold War to wartime refueling in Desert Storm and Bosnia, then flying General Tommy Franks after 9/11. This inspiring memoir reveals how aviation shaped one man’s journey from quiet navigator to commanding an elite squadron.
Moscow, 1986: American correspondent Natalie Chester falls for Soviet diplomat Anatoly Kuznetsov as they navigate Chernobyl’s aftermath, KGB surveillance, and the collapsing Cold War. Based on the author’s experiences, this sweeping romance captures forbidden love against perestroika’s historic upheaval—where idealism faces deadly consequences.
An enchanting story that brings to life four constellations in the night sky while telling a tale of friendship, wonder and the beauty of the cosmos. The second book in the Night Sky series from the mother-daughter duo of Amy Jackson (Starry Sky Austin founder) and Donna Paredes, Little Sky Bear and the Dragon is a must-have for young dreamers, stargazers, and lovers of magical adventures.
