Rocky Mountain Writer #176

Anne Hillerman

As Anne Hillerman describes it, she was shaking in her boots when she first set about writing new mysteries featuring the iconic characters Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn—characters created by her father, Tony Hillerman, and the lead protagonists in 18 award-winning novels.

But Anne Hillerman brought her own approach to the series and, with the release of The Tale Teller this spring, has added five new entries to the series set in and around the Navajo Nation.

On the podcast, Anne, who will be a keynote speaker at the Colorado Gold conference in September, talks about her decision to add female protagonist Bernadette Manuelito to the Chee-Leaphorn mix and about her approach to research and storytelling.

Anne Hillerman grew up in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, the eldest of the family’s six children. She received a journalism degree from the University of New Mexico and worked as a newspaper reporter, editor and columnist before becoming a full-time author.

Anne’s debut novel, Spider Woman’s Daughter won the Spur Award from Western Writers of America for the Best First Novel of 2013. Her next three titles – Rock with Wings, Song of the Lion, and Cave of Bones – were all New York Times best sellers. Anne also is the author of the award-winning Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn, created with husband/photographer Don Strel, and honored as the best photo book of the year by the Mountains and Plains Booksellers.

Anne Hillerman’s website

Intro music by Moby Gratis

Outro music by Dan-o-Songs

For suggestions about content or to comment on the show, email Mark Stevens. Also feel free to leave a comment about the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast provider.

Host Mark Stevens: http://www.writermarkstevens.com