[11][12][13][14] In early 2013, a feature Bills penned on the 1910 Slocum Massacre (in East Texas) for the Austin American-Statesman[15] caught the attention of The History Press and a commissioning editor subsequently approached him about writing a book.

In mid-October 2017, The History Press released Bills’ fifth book, Texas Far and Wide: The Tornado with Eyes, Gettysburg's Last Casualty, the Celestial Skipping Stone and Other Tales.

In October 2019, Bills published The San Marcos 10: An Antiwar Protest in Texas with The History Press[19][20] and released his first book of fiction, Pendulum Grim, in December 2019.

Over the last several years, Bills' historical research and writing has been repeatedly noted by the Zinn Education Project,[21][22][23] and his titles have been cited in national publications like Smithsonian magazine[24] and Mental Floss .

Kirkus Reviews said "Bills displays an innate sense for the reader’s experience" and called it "a fun, imaginative story collection with solid horror and writing."

Commission officials criticized Hollie-Jawaid’s application, variously claiming it was unprofessional, based on rumors, antagonistic and, finally, too focused on negative history rather than positive.

[33] Bills and Hollie-Jawaid continue to work on locating and gaining access to the unmarked mass graves that still contain the remains of victims of the Slocum Massacre.

[36] The Bragg Williams Lynching Historical Marker was dedicated on January 20, 2025--MLK Day and the 106th anniversary of his horrific, extrajudicial execution.