Troy Kechely, the author of the novel Stranger’s Dance will speak and read select passages from his book at Montana Murray Kennels (27 Dollar Drive, Belgrade) on Saturday, October 17, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Set in southwest Montana during the Great Depression, the book 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 took the dog in and named him Stranger.

Kechely will share about his writing process and the challenges of researching historical fiction. “The story happens in a time and place when dogs were not considered pets. Definitely not allowed in the house and certainly not riding in a car with you,” the Bozeman author said. “The story shows how dogs worked their way into people’s lives and hearts.”

Kechely, a nationally known dog behavior expert, is also the author of Management of Aggressive Canines for Law Enforcement, an instructional book that empowers police officers to avoid harm to both human and dog. Stranger’s Dance is Kechely’s first novel. The author will be available to sign copies at the Murray Kennels event. The book is also available at Country Bookshelf in Bozeman, Browsing Bison Books in Deer Lodge, and online through Amazon. Further details at www.TroyKechely.com.