Writing the West

Reclaiming Indigenous Food With Chef Sean Sherman

In this episode of Writing the West, Sean Sherman — chef, educator, and founder of The Sioux Chef and NATIFS — shares how a childhood on Pine Ridge Reservation shaped his understanding of food, identity, and access. From government commodity rations to award-winning Indigenous cuisine, Sherman traces the journey that led him to strip away colonial ingredients and rebuild regional food systems rooted in Native knowledge. His new book, Turtle Island, is more than a cookbook—it’s a reclamation of history, a celebration of biodiversity, and a blueprint for a healthier, more intentional future grounded in the original flavors of North America.

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 human stories. In this episode of Writing the West, Harrison reflects on how the West became more than a backdrop while also discussing her unconventional path into fiction, including forging her own literary voice as the daughter of acclaimed author Jim Harrison, and why reinvention remains at the heart of Western storytelling.

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 enduring legends of the American West. Often linked — loosely and inaccurately — to the creation of Zorro, Murrieta has long been portrayed as a folk hero and symbol of resistance. In this wide-ranging interview, Boessenecker draws on 19th-century primary sources to unpack the myths, trace the real history of Murrieta and his gang during the California Gold Rush, and explore how popular culture transformed violence, racism, and outlawry into legend.

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 “book of threes” structure, why he wanted the Pickett daughters driving the action, and how real-world pressures reshaping the modern Mountain West continue to fuel his fiction. Plus, don’t miss our print exclusive: Cowboys & Indians’ February/March 2026 issue features an exclusive excerpt of Chapter One of The Crossroads — a first look readers can only get in the magazine before the full book release.

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 of Writing the West, Eckhart joins director Jesse V. Johnson and writer Travis Mills to discuss the real-world inspiration behind the film, the enduring code of the western, and the responsibility of portraying a way of life still lived by working ranchers today.