Distinctly Montana Magazine

71 w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m One of my favorite scenes from that novel is when Lucas, who is not Catholic, goes to confession to tell the priest that if this young woman happens to come in and confess to having one of the local boys try and feel her breasts, it was his fault. Lucas doesn't want the girl to get in trouble for his actions. "Let's just say that might have been a true story," Grady says. The third novel is called Tramps Like Us, from the Spring- steen song "Born to Run," and "it's meant to represent that last year when we can claim to not grow up. It's truly a blue-collar saga. I was so lucky to be hired on to the Shelby City road crew. I learned so much in those four years. I damn near died every summer from various accidents. I learned at a different pace than I did at the university. Different kinds of learning. But I was also no longer Tom Grady's kid. I was Jim Grady, and I was ex- pected to do my part. I felt like I mattered, and if there's one thing I wanted to get across in these books, it's that the people who live in these small towns in Montana matter. I want these stories to indicate that these people matter." As someone who has read these books, I can say that James Grady has achieved that objective. The storytelling is compel- ling and fast-paced, the characters lovable but flawed, and the depiction of small-town Montana is spot on. Do yourself a favor and buy all three. A donation that lives on. Partner with to serve the pre-born and build up families in the valley. ZoeCare VOTE FOR THEM IN OUR WIN $ 500 IN CASH! FOR YOUR CHANCE TO BEST OF MONTANA CONTEST! MONTANA BUSINESSES HELP YOUR FAVORITE www.distinctlymontana.com/bom2025 2025 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F

• Cover