And It Will Be A Beautiful Life
 | Author:
Rachael Elliot-Brug
Rachael Brug: MT43 News Vice President and Copy Editor |
And It Will Be A Beautiful Life
by Craig Lancaster
Rachael Elliott-Brug
Montana author Craig Lancaster continues to excel at writing about being
human and all of the intricacies that define our condition. He has
written nine novels that have accumulated multiple awards and honors.
His latest, And It Will Be A Beautiful Life, recently won The High
Plains Book Award which 'recognize (s) regional authors and/or literary
works which examine and reflect life on the High Plains. The High Plains
region includes Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska,
Colorado, Kansas, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.'
His novel was
chosen out of 294 entries submitted this year. In it, we meet Max Wendt,
a middle-aged blue-collar worker who is content living his life mostly
on the road. He has a wife, a grown daughter with a plan, and a job he
truly loves.
A conversation with a random stranger on his way home from
a job kicks off a series of events that change Max's life forever. As
the events play out, the range of emotions evoked by the pure simplicity
and relatability of the entire situation is slightly overwhelming.
The cast of characters in this novel are so real and relatable that it
wouldn't surprise you to meet them while running errands in Billings, or
on a layover at the airport. The places are familiar and even if you've
never been, easily recognizable.
As you reach the conclusion of the
story, even though everything is different for Max, he also realizes the
many ways it can still be beautiful.
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