Writing the West

About Writing the West

Welcome to Writing the West, the official literature podcast of Cowboys & Indians magazine. Each episode features in-depth conversations with the authors, historians, filmmakers, journalists, and creators who illuminate the American West — past, present, and future. Hosted by C&I Assistant Editor Tyler Auffhammer, the series dives into frontier history, modern Western fiction, Indigenous narratives, outlaw legends, thrillers, film and TV, and everything in between.

Publisher

Cowboys & Indians

Category

fiction

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Apr 2025

Latest episode

19 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

23 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Feb 2026

   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 o...

2. 

   4 Feb 2026

   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 J...

3. 

   21 Jan 2026

   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 unp...

Who has been a guest on Writing the West

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• CJ Box
• Aaron Eckhart
• Jesse V Johnson
• Travis Mills
• Beau L’Amour

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.6 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

33

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

31

Contact Writing the West

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.