First Western: Before WWII Louis was mostly writing adventure and boxing stories, many of which have only recently been published in the new short story collections. During this time he only published two westerns, the first being The Town No Guns Could Tame (in the collection Long Ride Home).

First Published Story: Anything for a Pal - a pulp fiction gangster story

First Novel: Westward the Tide - Published first in England, it was a book that would not appear on the American market for twenty-seven years.

First Published Book: Smoke From This Altar - a book of poetry self published in 1939. VERY RARE