Chris La Tray is a writer and photographer. His freelance writing and/or photography has appeared in Montana Quarterly, the Missoula Independent, the Missoulian, Knives Illustrated, Vintage Guitar, Montana magazine, Alaska Airlines’ Beyond magazine, and World Explorer magazine.
His short fiction has been published in various crime, noir, and pulp collections and anthologies.
He lives in Missoula, MT, and is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
I first met Willy Vlautin in a scrum to be first in line at the pizza feed portion of a mutual friend's 40th birthday party. His band, Richmond Fontaine, was the evening's entertainment ... which was great, because they are one of my favorites. Vlautin also happens to be my favorite living, contemporary novelist. Don't Skip Out On Me, his 5th release, only cements that position in my regard. I won't read a better work of fiction this year.
I'm happy to see this book finding life as a television series, because it is a fantastic read. The book is a perfect mix of historical fiction (the doomed Franklin Expedition of 1945) and horror. I read it years ago and loved it. Dan Simmons has written a number of great books across multiple genres; I think this one is his best.
Open this book to any page and Mary Oliver will deliver a poem that will lodge itself deeply in your heart. I read her for inspiration, solace, and just the sheer wonder of occupying a gorgeous mind.