Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 2 32 volving hundreds of people is a wholly different animal than sitting alone in my office writing a novel. The most import- ant thing to have happened as a result of the two television productions is that a lot of new readers are coming on board. Book sales have skyrocketed. MANY OF YOUR BOOKS DEAL WITH REAL, LARGE ISSUES FACING WYOMING, MONTANA, AND NORTH DAKOTA (SUCH AS THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OR THE BAKKEN OIL INDUSTRY). ARE THERE ANY CURRENT ISSUES YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IN YOUR WORK GOING FORWARD? I think it's important (and accurate) to include contempo- rary issues and controversies in the novels, and I'm always on the lookout for things that interest me and things people are talking about. We're on the cutting edge of so many big issues in the Mountain West when it comes to energy devel- opment, land use, wildlife and resource controversies, and so many other things. I want the novels to reflect that. Although each novel involves crimes and solving mysteries, they are also about what's going on around us. I try not to preach or propagandize on issues. I don't like it when writers do that. I'd rather present both sides in an honest way and trust the reader to come up with their own conclusions. AS THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE KNOW, THE WEST IS CHANGING IN MANY WAYS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF WESTERN LITERATURE IN A CHANGING, MODERNIZING HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE? One thing I see happening (albeit very, very slowly) is that novels set in the West are no longer being pigeon-holed into the category of "regional literature" and therefore automati- cally dismissed. There are simply too many excellent authors out there producing excellent books (see the list above for many of them) to not recognize that some of the best novels around are coming from Western-based folks. ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR YOUR WORK THAT YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT? CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF JOE PICKETT? There will be a new Joe Pickett novel called Shadows Reel in March. It takes place the day after Dark Sky concluded. It's a wild one. I'm working now on a new Cassie Dewell book ten- tatively titled Treasure State that will be out late next sum- mer. It's a fun job. Browse More than 60,000 Used Books at Isle of Books 8492 Huffine Lane • Bozeman (406) 586-9747 • Open 7 days a week Check out our New and Used Books, Records, Greeting Cards and Gifts at Books and Books 43 East Broadway • Butte (406) 782-9520 • Open Monday through Saturday You'll Be Shocked By Our Selection! "We're on the cutting edge of so many big issues "We're on the cutting edge of so many big issues IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, LAND USE, WILDLIFE AND RESOURCE CONTROVERSIES, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS. I WANT THE NOVELS TO REFLECT THAT."

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