So far this year I have read four books by Peter Heller including The Painter, Celine, The River, and The Last Ranger so I couldn’t wait to see him speak in person! Before I talk about his speaking engagement, here is why I keep returning to Heller books: He lives in Colorado and endearingly writes about the American West while featuring bold descriptions and relatable dialogue. Also, the compellingly observational yet straightforward way he writes is one of the most intriguing aspects of the stories he tells. In terms of content, Heller usually inserts his preference of animals over people, includes a character who has an issue with alcohol and demonstrates how it ruins lives, and uses “Well” as a full sentence. Those threads are important because it feels like his books, although different, are connected. But Heller’s biggest flex is his ability to write wilderness thrillers with heart – and that is a major reason why I keep buying his books.
Last week Heller spoke at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards (where I’ve tutored writing for over a decade) and the event was hosted by The Bookworm (the local bookstore that has been very supportive of my book) and he was fantastic. He talked to the audience like we were all friends and made me feel like he was someone I could hang out with and discuss writing. Clearly we didn’t do that but Wookie and I did meet him and he signed books for us and Fleet!
During his speech, he talked mostly about his new book, Burn, and The Dog Stars, which is funny because those are the two I have not and mostly likely will not read as they feature post-apocalyptic plots that aren’t my thing. But he also spoke about how he got his start as a journalist writing for Outside magazine (I think journalists make captivating authors), how Ernest Hemingway influenced him (something I noticed within the first few pages of the first book of his I read because Hemingway is one my favorites), and how he wanted to be a writer since he was a child. So much for me to relate to!
He described his writing as adventure/environmental/outdoor journalism which is definitely accurate and said that he really tries to establish a sense of place from the beginning, create characters that jump off the page, and write captivating dialog. Mission accomplished! Another impressive aspect of Heller’s catalog is that he writes both fiction and nonfiction. It’s hard to be good at both. The next book I’m reading is Kook which marks the first of his nonfiction books for me. I’ll be sure to report back. 
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