Will James lived like a character in one of his own novels. The Canadian-born cowboy, writer, and artist came to Nevada in 1914. Soon after, he got caught in a rustling scheme and spent time in prison; he used the solitude of jail to sharpen his skills at drawing scenes depicting life on the ranch. James lived in a cabin in Washoe Valley south of Reno in the early 1920s and there began a highly successful career as an author of short stories and novels, which he illustrated with his own drawings and paintings. Smoky is considered one of James's most enduring works.