In this episode of Writing the West podcast, Paul Andrew Hutton sits down to discuss his new book, The Undiscovered Country. Drawing on a lifetime of research, Hutton threads seven iconic lives through 150 years of frontier transformation—balancing myth and memory, tragedy and triumph—from Braddock’s Defeat to Wounded Knee. We talk popular vs. academic history, the surprising friendship of Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill, and why the story of the West is inseparable from the story of America.

With The Bone Thief releasing October 28, Vanessa Lillie continues the story of Syd Walker—a Cherokee archeologist and BIA agent caught between worlds, where missing women, stolen remains, and centuries of colonial history collide. In conversation, Lillie shares why the series is so personal, how truth fuels her fiction, and why Indigenous storytelling is as much about survival as suspense.

Bruce Borgos has quickly established himself as one of today’s standout voices in crime fiction. With his Porter Beck mystery series—praised by the likes of Craig Johnson and C.J. Box—Borgos delivers stories that are equal parts sharp-edged thrillers and rich explorations of the modern West. In this conversation with Cowboys & Indians, he reflects on his journey from voracious young reader to USA Today bestselling author, the inspiration behind Porter Beck, and why Nevada’s wide-open spac...

Historian Peter Cozzens, author of Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West, joins Cowboys & Indians’ Writing the West podcast to discuss the real Deadwood beyond the HBO drama and dime novel myths. From the Lakota’s struggle to the town’s fleeting three-year heyday, Cozzens offers a vivid look at the forces—lawlessness, entrepreneurship, and greed—that defined one of the West’s most iconic places.

Few stories from the Old West capture both romance and resilience like that of May Lillie and Gordon “Pawnee Bill” Lillie. She was a Quaker girl from Philadelphia who became one of the world’s finest sharpshooters; he was a dreamer who transformed himself into a legendary showman. Together they built one of the era’s most famous Wild West shows and later turned their Oklahoma ranch into a hub of frontier culture and buffalo preservation. In her new book, The Sharpshooter & The Showman, au...

For veteran actor Josh Holloway (Lost, Colony, Yellowstone, Duster), the road to Flint began more than two decades ago, when the Georgia native first read Louis L’Amour’s tale of a dying gunfighter drawn into one last battle. Over the years, Holloway pursued the project through starts, stops, and near-misses—until director and screenwriter Ryan Whitaker (Surprised by Oxford) entered the picture with the right script, the right connections, and the right timing. In this conversation for Writin...

For decades, journalist John Glionna roamed the American West chasing stories that others overlooked: small towns, strange landmarks, and unforgettable characters. But it was in McDermitt, Nevada that Glionna found the heart of his first nonfiction book, No Friday Night Lights: Reservation Football on the Edge of America. What began as a tale about a struggling eight-man football team turned into something far richer: a chronicle of identity, belonging, and survival in a place most Americans ...

In this episode of Writing the West podcast, we sit down with journalist and historian Bryan Burrough, author of the riveting new book The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild. Known for his bestsellers Barbarians at the Gate and Public Enemies, Burrough brings his sharp investigative lens to the gunfighter era, tracing its roots in Texas honor culture, post–Civil War violence, and the rise of Western mythology. From Wild Bill Hickok to Wyatt Earp and lesser-known legends like Pink Higgi...

We sat down with Beau L’Amour — writer, producer, and the literary steward of his legendary father, Louis L’Amour. From audio dramas and graphic novels to film adaptations and hopes for future productions, Beau offers a candid look at the joys and challenges of carrying forward a legacy as vast as the American frontier. We talk about why his father’s stories are so difficult to adapt, how Taylor Sheridan has reinvigorated the western on screen, and why the genre’s future may lie in overlooked...

In this episode of Writing the West, we sit down with one of the most prolific voices in modern Western literature: Johnny D. Boggs. From his early days in South Carolina dreaming of wide-open spaces to becoming a full-time author in New Mexico, Boggs shares how TV Westerns, journalism, and real-life history shaped his storytelling. We talk about everything from cattle drives and morally complex characters to the future of the genre, writing strong female leads, and why every good Western sta...

Billy the Kid is quite possibly the most popular outlaw of the Old West. From his time as a regulator fighting against the corrupt Santa Fe Ring to his daring (and murderous) escape from the Lincoln County, NM, jail to his eventual death at the age of 21, Billy the Kid’s life and legend has remained a steadfast topic for academics and Hollywood alike. Years of research by scholar George Matthews culminated in the book, Billy the Kid: The Life Behind the Legend, which presents the first full-p...

In this episode of Writing the West, we sit down with bestselling author Craig Johnson, the mind behind the beloved Walt Longmire series, to discuss his upcoming novel Return to Sender. From his Wyoming ranch, Johnson reflects on the enduring relevance of the Western genre, the real-life stories that inspire his plots, and why voice, empathy, and lived experience matter in good storytelling. With warmth and wit, he opens up about his writing journey, the evolution of Walt Longmire, and what i...

Seasoned journalist and writing professor Laurie L. Dove's debut novel, Mask of the Deer Woman, is the culmination of a lifetime of craft and advocacy. Tackling the real-world issue of missing Indigenous women, Dove's novel also explores the ethereal bond between mothers and daughters, as well as the innate symbolism of Native American cultures. In this exclusive interview with Cowboys & Indians, Dove discusses how her journalism influenced her writing, what it was like to find a publishe...

Author of the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series of Native American crime fiction novels, Anne Hillerman inherited both her passion for writing, and her series' characters, from her late father, legendary writer Tony Hillerman. In this exclusive chat with Cowboys & Indians, Hillerman discusses how and why she took on the world of her father's invention, fans' reactions to her style and works, how she put together the 10th and latest book in her own section of the series, and her thought...

C.J. Box, the bestselling author behind the Joe Pickett series, knows Wyoming like the back of his hand, and it shows in his writing. Drawing from years of firsthand experience in the Mountain West, Box brings an authentic perspective to his novels. In this exclusive interview with Cowboys & Indians, he shares how his love for the region influences his storytelling, the lessons he learned from his journalistic background, and his approach to crafting well-rounded, real characters — both m...