On Saturday, March 29, best-selling author C.J. Box will sit down with author and emcee Carter Wilson to discuss his career in letters for Off the Page and On the Stage: In Conversation with C.J. Box.
In anticipation of the big event, JCPL had the pleasure of catching up with the creator of the Joe Pickett series to discuss the development of Pickett's world, the unexpected twists in character development, the real-world inspirations that fuel his narratives, and what keeps him inspired after 25 books and counting.
Battle Mountain is the 25th book in the Joe Pickett series. How has the story evolved over the years? Were there any surprising character arcs that emerged along the way? What's the biggest challenge in maintaining a long-running series?
Two long-running characters that were introduced in the third book of the series, Nate Romanowski and Missy (Joe's mother-in-law), have appeared countless times. Many others have dropped away. I never think of a big narrative arc to the series, and I write each book as a stand-alone. I think a big challenge is to provide just enough background in each book to assist new readers without boring long-time readers.
Wyoming's rugged landscape and its unique challenges — like water rights, ranching and land development — often play central roles in your stories. Based on your observations, what's the greatest tension shaping the future of the West?
There are so many. The Mountain West is the epicenter of so many big topics — energy production, wilderness, resource management, high-tech, land use, etc. One huge and constant tension is public land in the West. Forty-nine percent of Wyoming, for example, is owned by the federal government. That means unelected bureaucrats control half of the state. When the administration changes, so do the rules and regulations. Many locals feel they are whip-sawed by the feds depending on who are currently in Washington, D.C.
Falconry plays a key role in Battle Mountain and other books in the Joe Pickett series. What inspired you to incorporate this unique element into your stories?
Nate Romanowski is one of the few characters in the books based on a real person, who happens to be a falconer. I grew up with him, and we still keep in touch. I was never a falconer, but I "hunted" with falcons and falconers, and I learned about them. It's a magical relationship between a falconer and his/her falcons.
There are many published authors, but few have had their work adapted for the screen. What was it like seeing your work adapted, and were there any unexpected challenges?
Two TV shows, Big Sky on ABC and Joe Pickett on Paramount Plus, were based on my books. I wasn't involved intimately with either one, although I am billed as an executive producer. We look at television series as one-hour commercials for the books, and many new readers have come on board having seen them. Rarely is a TV series absolutely faithful to the source material. We knew that going in.
Your books have been translated into 27 languages. What's the most surprising feedback you've received from international readers? Did any of their responses offer a new perspective on your work?
Most responses have more to do with Western culture and lifestyle than anything else. Many foreign readers simply cannot believe we have so many guns.
Have you ever encountered a news story and thought, "This belongs in a book"? If so, can you share how you turned that real-life event into fiction?
This happens all the time. I've used a number of news items as the basis for a novel. For example, the Supreme Court case Sackett v. EPA became the basis for Nowhere to Run.
What's the best book you've ever read, and why has it stuck with you?
My favorite book is Catch-22. I've read it four times at different stages of my life. It still holds up, but I get different things from it as I get older.
What do you enjoy most about interacting with your readers at live events?
I love the Q&A sessions the most because I can hear what's on reader's minds and find out what struck them, or what they didn't like, or what they'd like to see in the future.