Novel ‘Breaking Wild’ Gets You Lost In Colorado’s Wilderness

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Image: Breaking Wild Cover
Cover artwork for Breaking Wild by Diane Les Becquets

There's a lot to be afraid of if you get lost in the wilderness, like mountain lions and frostbite. But what if the scariest thing is confronting yourself? The novel, "Breaking Wild," by Diane Les Becquets, is about two women. One's gone missing during a hunting trip north of Grand Junction. The other woman tries to find her.

Amy Raye is a mother in her 30's, and her grandfather taught her to hunt when she was a child. The novel starts with her on a hunting trip with two men, and neither are her husband.

"From an appearance standpoint, there's nothing fishy about it," says Les Becquets. "But as the reader goes on, we know that Amy Raye has been involved with both of these men at some point."

Amy Raye gets lost after tracking an elk, and her complicated relationship with men is revealed as she reflects while surviving in the woods.

"Breaking Wild" is a national bestseller, and is up for a Colorado Book Award. Author Diane Les Becquets talks with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner.