Mark Spragg

State: Wyoming

Born in 1952, Mark Spragg grew up on the storied Crossed Sabers Ranch in Wyoming—an isolated dude ranch near Yellowstone—immersed in horseback riding, backcountry life, and a deeply rugged environment. After earning an English degree at the University of Wyoming, he worked on oil rigs, shoed horses, and guided wilderness pack trips to support his writing pursuits. Spragg's memoir, Where Rivers Change Direction (1999), reflects on his childhood and won the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award. His novels—The Fruit of Stone, An Unfinished Life (adapted into a film starring Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman), and Bone Fire—are set in contemporary Western settings, blending introspective character studies with the authenticity of rural life. Known for lyrical prose and deep connection to Wyoming landscapes, Spragg now lives in Red Lodge, Montana.

Genres: Adventure, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Memoir, Western

Audiences: Adult