Bozeman Magazine

Country Bookshelf will host Troy Kechely, a nationally-known canine behavior expert, during an evening author event. Kechely will discuss his latest book, Stranger’s Dance, and share the true stories that inspired his Depression-era Montana-based fiction. Stranger's Dance follows a small ranch family through the years-long struggle to hold onto their land and keep their family intact. Along the way, a tenacious stray dog befriends them. Despite the convention that strays were pests that ought to be shot, they take the dog in and name him Stranger. Kechely will share about his writing process and the animal-human connection that his fiction celebrates. The canine character in Stranger’s Dance is based on several dogs the author met through his experience founding and leading Big Sky Rottweiler Rescue. “A lot of people feel like it’s easier to connect with dogs than with other humans,” Kechely said. “That canine friend often sparks human transformation that wouldn’t happen any other way.”