Larry K. Brown
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Campbell County High School, Wyoming
I. Professional Biography
Larry attended the University of Nebraska and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism in 1960. He went on to enter the U.S. Air Force where he served as an Information/Public Affairs officer for the next 20 years. During his military career, he graduated from Boston University and later earned post-graduate credits at the University of Oklahoma.
In 1980, Mr. Brown went to work for the Sun Company, Inc. and by 1985, was named Director of Public Relations & Communications for a subsidiary of Sun Company. He also earned graduate credits at the University of Texas at Dallas during this time. Brown then joined the staff of the American Heart Association, and in 1987, moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, as the executive director of AHA-Wyoming. He left AHA in 1993 to begin writing about Wyoming and its history.
Larry has written five books plus numerous articles in non-fiction publications and magazines such as "Wild West," "Wyoming Magazine; Annals of Wyoming," and Wyoming History Journal. He writes a popular biweekly in the Casper Star-Tribune called, "Wyoming Artifacts," featuring museum treasures and historic sites. He has also had many short stories published in the highly regarded, "High Plains Register" literary magazine (BROWN, 188).
II. Personal Biography
Larry Brown is a fifth generation professional writer. His personal work schedule includes many hours of research on the Wyoming area, and the subjects he is writing about. He performs this research at the Wyoming State Archives and at libraries and repositories in others areas of the state. He researches from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and noon to 3 p.m. After his long day of research, Larry enjoys an hour-long, 4-1/2 mile power walk, every afternoon. He then usually writes in the evenings, at his home, from 6:30 p.m. until about 9:30 p.m. (BROWN) Mr. Brown is currently living in Cheyenne, with his wife Florence, and they have four grown children.
III. Regional and Other Influences On His Writing
Larry Brown has many regional influences that have generated his interest in the Wyoming region. He credits a Laramie-based historian, Elnora L. Frye, and her book, Atlas of Wyoming Outlaws at the Territorial Penitentiary , "for sparking his interest in writing about criminal history (BROWN)." He says she is an "excellent historian (BROWN)." Larry's writer models, whom he most admires, include Larry McMurtry, Dee Brown, Mari Sandoz, and Willa Cather (BROWN).
IV. Other Bits From My Interview With Mr. Brown
Q: "What are some of your favorites?"
LB : "Favorites? Well hold on, because I'm going to give you a sip with a firehose. Overall, I must say Mari Sandoz ranks at the top of my list of writers; Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry is my favorite western novel; Son of Morningstar, by Evan Connell is the best western nonfiction book I can remember reading; "The Unforgiven" clearly is my favorite western movie; "A Man Called Horse," by Dorothy Johnson ranks at the top of my best western short story list; "Bounty Hunters" is the best western TV series that I can recall, and, again, McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove," is in a class by itself in terms of best western TV mini-series (BROWN)."
Q: "How about your writings, what are you personal favorites?"
LB : "As for my own books, I'm afraid I'm never fully satisfied, because there are always things I wish I had done differently. Overall, however, I believe my most recent book, Petticoat Prisoners of Old Wyoming is interesting. I'm pleased, too, with my new book of short stories -- Sagebrush Seasons -- but only time will tell if they measure up (BROWN)."
V. Literary Works
Hog Ranches of Wyoming: Liquor, Lust, and Lies Under Sagebrush Skies. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 1995.
Petticoat Prisoners of the Wyoming Frontier Prison. Rawlins, WY: The Old Pen Joint Powers of Board, 1995.
You are Respectfully Invited to Attend My Execution. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 1997.
Petticoat Prisoners of Old Wyoming. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 2000.
Coyotes and Canaries. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 2000. (pending)
Sagebrush Seasons. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 2000.
VI. If you'd like to contact Larry you can write to him at:
Larry Brown
209 East Iowa Street
Cheyenne, Wyoming 820098929
Or you can e-mail him at:
hogranch@msn.comVII. Works Cited Brown, Larry. You are Respectfully Invited to Attend my Execution. Glendo, WY: High Plains Press, 1997. Brown, Larry. E-mail interview. 28 Nov. 2000.
This essay was submitted by a student of Nathel Coca, a teacher at Campbell County High School in Gillette, Wyoming.