Best-selling mystery and thriller writer C.J. Box may write a lot about mysterious disappearances and death in his popular series that follows the fictional game warden, Joe Pickett, but this isn”t the only time he”s faced these themes in his writing career.
Box”s first agent wasn”t very communicative, and had Box”s first transcript for four years before the author ceased attempting to work with the man and took his transcript to the road.
Lyndsie Kiebert | Rawr
Mystery and thriller author C.J. Box speaks at a booksigning event in downtown Moscow March 22.
“When I”d call him he”d get mad at me,” Box said. “So eventually I just quit calling.”
At a conference in Denver meant to allow aspiring writers to pitch their works to agents and editors, Box met someone interested in helping him get published. The interested party asked Box if he already had an agent – so Box gave him the inactive agent”s name.
“The guy looked at me and he said, “You didn”t know he was dead?”” Box said. “He”d been dead for like six months. So that was my first agent.”
Despite the strangeness of his first agent experience, Box has spent the last 15 years publishing 22 novels, which have been translated into 17 languages. Over 10 million copies of his works have been sold in the US alone.
Carol Spurling, BookPeople of Moscow owner, introduced Box to a crowd of several dozen packed into the back of the small bookstore on March 22. After listing off Box”s various awards and recognitions, she had the pleasure of announcing the mother of them all: March 27, the coming Sunday, Box”s newest addition to the Joe Pickett series would be number one on the New York Times best sellers list.
“That”s every writer”s dream,” Box said.
People of all ages stuck around for nearly two hours to listen to Box read from him newest novel, “Off the Grid,” ask questions pertaining to his writing process and everyday life, as well as get their brand new books signed.
Spurling said that Box, who is currently reaching the end of a month-long book-signing journey, stopped in Moscow on his way from the west coast of Washington to Montana.
“I knew we would be a good stop,” Spurling said. “I knew we would have a good turnout.”
Though Spurling has yet to read any of Box”s novels, he is on her to-read list.
“I love a good mystery,” she said. “It is always fun to find a new series.”
Box”s books take place primarily in the American west – mostly Wyoming, his native state and current home. The 57-year-old author said he was been a ranch hand, fishing guide, surveyor, and owner of a tourism marketing firm. He also spent time as a small-town newspaper reporter and editor.
“I guess becoming a writer kind of flowed from that,” he said in regards to his time practicing journalism.
Box said he receives undying support from his wife a daughters, who read the first drafts of each manuscript as soon as it”s done and offer suggestions.
“They”re all kind of part of the team,” he said.
Box said his favorite part about writing is the research required to write about bureaucratic processes, accurate depictions of western landscapes and what it is really like to be a game warden in Wyoming. Box said he often does ride-along sessions with wardens who trust that he won”t write about them specifically.
“Researching is one of my favorite parts of writing the books,” Box said. “All of the pieces need to fit – it all needs to work. It”s a real construction project.”
Box”s next visit to North Idaho will be April 23, when he will visit Post Falls. All of his other scheduled readings and appearances can be found at cjbox.net/appearances.
Lyndsie Kiebert can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @lyndsie_kiebert