"Patterson explores in delicate and searing prose the visible and invisible negotiations women make to navigate lives bound by the rugged western landscape.”
—Fact & Fiction Books for All Ages
"Patterson gives us stories about broken-hearted on-the-street household disasters and high-country triumphs."
—William Kittredge, author of Hole in the Sky
"Patterson writes with grace and grit, stories that light up both the real Montana landscape and the imagined."
—Susanna Sonnenberg, author of She Matters: A Life in Friendships
“At once heartfelt and unflinching, Patterson's stories cover the wide world of hurt, hope, and uncertainty."
—Beverly Lowry, author of Her Dream of Dreams
"The calm, wise surfaces of Caroline Patterson's stories encourage readers to explore the deeper waters without fear."
- Deirdre McNamer, author of Aviary, Rima in the Weeds and Red Rover
Featured Books
The Stone Sister
Spanning the mid- to late 20th century and set in the Elkhorn Valley of southwestern Montana, The Stone Sister is told from the points of view of a father, sister, and nurse. Winner of the 2020 Big Moose Prize.
Ballet at the Moose
Lodge
Showcases sixteen of Patterson extraordinary stories, many of which were published in journals. In these stories, Patterson explores what it is to grow up female in the American West.
Montana Women
Writers
Outrages, awe, disillusionment, loneliness, fear, joy, acceptance, and love–these are the responses to the West portrayed in this collection of more than 200 years of Montana women writers.
Meet Caroline
Caroline Patterson is the executive director of the Missoula Writing Collaborative. She has published a story collection, Ballet at the Moose Lodge, a literary anthology, A Million Acres, Montana Women Writers: A Geography of the Heart, two children’s books on the natural world, and her work has appeared in anthologies including Montana Noir and Bright Bones. Her novel The Stone Sister won the Big Moose Prize and is due for publication this year.