Laura Pritchett
Laura Pritchett is a regular columnist and focuses on environmental issues and exploring her home state of Colorado.
She lives in northern Colorado, near the ranch where she was raised, where her primary job is writing novels and directing the MFA in Nature Writing at Western Colorado University.
She’s the author of seven novels, all set in Colorado; two nonfiction books; one play; and editor of three environmental-based anthologies. Her work, which focuses on the contemporary West, has been the recipient of the PEN USA Award, the Milkweed National Fiction Prize, the WILLA, the High Plains Book Award, and several Colorado Book Awards.
Known for championing the complex and contemporary West, giving voice to the working class, and “re-writing the traditional Western,” her books are always explorations of the very-serious business of living a full and honest life. Pritchett developed and directs the MFA in Nature Writing at Western Colorado University. When not writing or teaching, she’s generally found exploring the mountains of her home state of Colorado.
Job title: Opinion columnist
Topic expertise: Environment, exploring Colorado
Location: Northern Colorado
Education: Ph.D., English, Purdue University, 2004; MA, English, Colorado State University, 1994; BA English CSU, 1993
Honors & Awards: 2018 Winner, Colorado Book Award (The Blue Hour) • 2017 Booklist Editor’s Choice (The Blue Hour) • 2015 Winner, High Plains Book Award (Stars Go Blue) • 2007 Winner, Colorado Book Award (Home Land) • 2006 WILLA Literary Award for Fiction (Sky Bridge) • 2002 PEN USA Award for Fiction (Hell’s Bottom, Colorado) • 2001 Milkweed National Fiction Prize (Hell’s Bottom, Colorado)
Professional membership(s): Board Member, Mari Sandoz Society
Contact:
Email: lpritchett@western.edu
X (Formerly Twitter): @authorlaura
Website: www.laurapritchett.com
