Wyoming author C.J. Box will speak about his new novel “Wolf Pack” at the American Heritage Center on March 20.
Box, the author of 26 novels, will give insight about his new book and sign copies of other books for the Laramie community.
Box’s visit coincides with spring break, when many University of Wyoming students and faculty will be out of town.
“We weren’t aware that this event in Laramie will happen during UW’s spring break, but the tour schedule is such a logistical nightmare that changing it would be impossible,” reads a statement given to the Branding Iron by Box’s publicity firm. “We hope that those in Laramie will still come and meet C.J. Box.”
Hailing from Casper, Box graduated from Kelly Walsh High School and attended college at the University of Denver. He has worked at various jobs in Wyoming over the years, including stints as a ranch hand, fishing guide and small-town journalist. Nowadays Box lives near Cheyenne on a ranch with his family.
Box’s Wyoming upbringing influences his novels. His long-running series, the “Joe Pickett” series, draws on his experiences working with Wyoming game wardens as well as his own observations about the people who live and work in the Cowboy State.
“My favorite books (and authors) have something in common in that they deliver a great sense of place,” said Box in an interview with Crime Reads. “If it’s done right, I often feel like I’ve travelled to the location of the novel because the author was able to portray it so well. I try to do the same with the State of Wyoming, i.e. what it looks like, smells like, what the weather is like and so on.”
Many Wyomingites feel that Box is one of the only authors who accurately represents Wyoming. Box’s books are often waitlisted at libraries around the state. His publicity tour for this new book includes visits to six Wyoming cities.
Highly anticipated by fans, “Wolf Pack” continues the Joe Pickett series. The book deals with the recent rise of drone use in hunting as well as debate over the southern border.
“In ‘Wolf Pack,’ a drone is seen harassing deer and elk on a winter feed ground,” Box said about the plot in an exclusive release to the Branding Iron. “A female game warden in the district next to Joe Pickett asks Joe to help her find the pilot. The investigation leads to a much bigger problem when federal agents step forward to thwart the case before it can be prosecuted.”
Box’s visit to the American Heritage Center is free and open to the public. Box will sign books and visit with guests at noon in the Stock Growers Room. Parking is available to those who sign in at the desk.
