Cowboy Writer to Visit University

Utah Tech University to welcome “cowboy writer” for a reading on campus.  

A UT press release said Rod Miller, a Utah native, will be at the campus on April 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Zion Room. Miller is a four-time Winner of the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award. He is the author of dozens of books and has poems and short stories.  

Miller will read from some of his poetry as well as the novels, “A Thousand Dead Horses” and “With a Kiss I Die”. There will be a book signing after the event.  

As a Utah native, Miller has used historical people and places to inspire his writing. One event that Southern Utahns may recall is the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Just outside of Cedar City, emigrants were murdered by Utah militia men and Native American Allies in 1857.  

This historical Southern Utah event is one Miller has used as inspiration for his stories.  

“Doing research is one of the most enjoyable aspects of writing,” Miller said. “Understanding how people thought and felt and talked in times past, as well as learning details of how things were accomplished, provides seasoning and adds flavor to stories. I believe it is important to give readers a taste of the complex, layered, realistic Old West rather than relying on the mythical, formulaic picture presented in so much of Western literature.” 

Back in 2012, Miller was named Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers. He has also been in national publications like “True West” and “Western Horseman” the press release said. 

 “Rod Miller is a versatile and accomplished author,” Dr. Stephen B. Armstrong, a professor of English at UT, said. “On the day he visits our campus, he’s going to meet with our creative writing students to discuss his writing process and his experiences with publishers. Then he’s going to engage members of the local community with a fabulous reading.” 

For questions about the event reach out to stephen.armstrong@utahtech.edu 

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