Hey everyone,
So, there’s a lot going on. My official Facebook page reached 1 million readers in the month of May.
I’m shocked, and the impact on my life has been immediate. I appreciate you all sticking by me over the years and participating in my art.
To put that into context, one of the top outdoor magazines in the country (and one my work has been featured in), Outside Magazine, reached 650,000 people last month.
On the writing front, my nature thriller “The Puller” is coming from award wining PYR in November, with distribution by Simon and Schuster. I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m currently planning a tour in Montana, California, and the PNW. Can’t wait to see you guys!
I’m also working on two new novels.
If you look at my novels, “The Puller” was always a literary thriller at heart. Much of the novel is dedicated to landscape as character (see Cormac McCarthy as the best example of this) and to the relationships, with social commentary. My novel “Black Friday” expanded on this style, with a very expanded landscape, and also a focus on relationships and social commentary.
I was fortunate that “The Puller” was optioned for film and in development, and there are currently other options in the pipeline, for other stories.
I’m bringing this up because the new novels are absolutely a continuation of “The Puller” and the “Black Friday” literary experimentation style.
There were several directions I could’ve taken my career, but this path seemed to be the most organic fit. It’s not forced. It’s just what’s in my heart.
More news to come.
I’d love to talk to you about this as we are contemplating a move to Missoula from the heat and hurricane destruction city of Lake Charles, Louisiana. One of their residents sent this to me via Facebook. Thank you.
Shawn Campbell Chamblee
FYI …
“The national forests and parks of the Northern Rockies are the real deal. They are the home of the wildest and rarest animals in the world.
And for those continuing to consider a move to Montana, here’s the reality. Check out the frost-free days of these Montana towns:
97 frost-free days in Bozeman
102 in Whitefish
110 in Missoula.
Can you handle 250+ days of cold? Think about it. For real.
The truth is, Montana is a place best visited. It’s home to a unique brand of hearty people who’ve developed a tolerance to the harsh winters and abundant wildlife.
Growing up, I used to want a cabin on a lake. Then I realized that’s how you ruin the place you love. Soon, trees are cut down for a “better view”. Pine needle and sandy forest floors get replaced with chem-lawns that depleted oxygen levels in the lakes.
And if enough people keep building homes next to places like Glacier, they’ll deplete grizzly bear habitat like the oxygen in the Northwoods lakes.
To capture the essence of Glacier, tent for a few days in a campground. Or take a boat tour, or hike, or just drive. You won’t capture the essence by building a home there. You’ll only ruin it.
The Northern Rockies are more than your outdoor clothing catalogue dreams. More than your desire to “invest in a vacation home”. They are more than your personal goals. They go beyond you…beyond me.
They are the last of the best.
Respect the Northern Rockies…and they’ll respect you.” Michael Hodges, Author
Hi. Missoula is quite possibly the worst weather in the country. We get minus 20 in winters, multiple 100 degree days in summer (it’s 105 right now). The town sits in the middle of massive national forests that burn every year. The sky is already hazy and it’ s not even July.
best times of year are May through June, then late September to Halloween. August is almost always smoky, same for the first two weeks of September. Missoula is consistently ranked as the top 10 worst winter air quality in the nation due to the bowl like nature and formaldehyde plant in town.
Moving to western Montana for a “weather upgrade” is not a logical move. Instead, if you’re looking for stable, great weather between 40 and 80 all year, look at Portland, Seattle, Northern California. This is a land of extremes. I love Montana but it is not really a place to live full time unless a farmer, rancher, etc.