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Writing the West
Welcome to Writing the West, the official literature podcast of Cowboys & Indians magazine. Each episode features in-depth conversations with the authors, historians, filmmakers, journalists, and creators who illuminate the American West — past, present, and future. Hosted by C&I Assistant Editor Tyler Auffhammer, the series dives into frontier history, modern Western fiction, Indigenous narratives, outlaw legends, thrillers, film and TV, and everything in between.
Episodes
22 episodes
Jamie Harrison On Montana, Mystery, And The Power of Place
Few writers capture the layered complexity of the modern West quite like Jamie Harrison. Best known for her Jules Clement mystery series, Harrison has spent decades drawing inspiration from Montana’s small towns, evolving landscapes, and deeply...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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41:54
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The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California And Launched The Legend Of Zorro
In this episode of Writing the West, historian and author John Boessenecker joins the podcast to discuss his latest book, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta, a deeply researched examination of the man behind one of the most...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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43:01
C.J. Box At The Crossroads: Joe Pickett's Daughters Take the Lead
In this episode of Writing the West, we’re joined by bestselling author C.J. Box to talk about The Crossroads — the 26th Joe Pickett novel, and one of the boldest turns the series has taken yet. Box shares what inspired a new ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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32:48
Aaron Eckhart Takes on Modern Cattle Rustling in Thieves Highway
Cattle rustling isn’t a relic of the Old West — it’s a growing modern crime affecting ranchers across the American West, and it’s the driving force behind Thieves Highway, the new action-thriller starring Aaron Eckhart. In this episode...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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38:40
New Book Spotlights Bank Robber-Turned-Silent Film Actor Henry Starr
Long before Hollywood perfected the outlaw antihero, Henry Starr was writing his own script across the banks and backroads of Indian Territory and Oklahoma. A Cherokee bank robber who famously vowed that no one would die in his heists, Starr wa...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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43:38
Louis L’Amour’s Son Beau Discusses Restoring Rivers West For Lost Treasures Series
For fans of Louis L’Amour, the Lost Treasures series has opened a rare window into the legendary author’s creative process — the drafts, the letters, the abandoned openings, and the stories-behind-the-stories that shaped his iconic bod...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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54:58
The Real Story Behind Wyatt Earp And Doc Holliday’s Lifelong Friendship
Few relationships in American frontier history are as mythic — or as misunderstood — as the bond between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. In his new book, Brothers of the Gun, acclaimed historian and author Mark Lee Gardner brings their st...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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45:48
How Triumph And Tragedy Shaped The Story Of America
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 tr...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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48:39
Indigenous Voices And The Power Of Thrillers With Author Vanessa Lillie
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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43:44
Author Bruce Borgos Brings Mystery To The Modern West
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 thr...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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46:40
Gold, Guns, And Greed: The True Story Of Deadwood
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. Fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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36:21
Beyond Buffalo Bill: The Couple Who Brought the Wild West to Life
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 transfor...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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40:21
Josh Holloway And Ryan Whitaker Bring Louis L’Amour’s “Flint” To Life On Screen
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. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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42:46
Life, Loss, And 8-Man Football On Indigenous Reservations With Journalist John Glionna
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 nonfic...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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42:08
Bestselling Author Bryan Burrough Reveals How Texas Shaped the Gunfighter Era
In this episode of Writing the West podcast, we sit down with journalist and historian Bryan Burrough, author of the riveting new book
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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41:50
Louis L’Amour's Son Beau Discusses His Father’s Legacy And Expanding The Western Genre
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:10:16
Johnny D. Boggs Talks The Frontier Spirit And Why Everything’s A Western
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 N...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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42:52
Scholar George Matthews Discusses The Life & Legend Of Billy The Kid
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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49:50
Craig Johnson Explains How Westerns Have Evolved And Dishes On His Latest Longmire Novel
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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27:13
Laurie L. Dove Discusses Crafting Authentic Indigenous Characters In Her Debut Novel
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 explor...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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31:05
Anne Hillerman Talks Finding Her Own Voice And The Dark Winds TV Series
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 exclus...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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42:33
C.J. Box Dishes On Writing, Wyoming, And His Latest Joe Pickett Novel
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 no...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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44:49