Healing through story

Tag: desert tortoise

OFF-ROAD Launch Day

I am thrilled to say my young adult/crossover novel is now available on Amazon Kindle. Off-Road is an adventure short read that will appeal to both enthusiastic and reluctant readers. Three teens set out to make a film about an off-road race in the searing heat of the Mojave desert. What started as a fun adventure turns into a road full of obstacles and threats.

Off-Road book cover image

I like to compare the story to the adventures of another group of teens in Virals, by Kathy Reichs. And perhaps Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet too. Young people trying to find their way, to survive, to discover where they fit in this world, to articulate their voices.

I hope you like it. Comments and reviews are welcome.off-road racing, short read, Mojave Desert

Caution Tortoise Xing

The desert tortoise features as a character and a premise in my upcoming YA short “Off-Road.” Here’s a bit of information on the tortoise. Enjoy.

The tortoise is the state reptile of both California and Nevada. It is a threatened, not endangered, species.

Defenders of Wildlife estimate, “In some areas, the number of desert tortoises has decreased by 90% due primarily to human activity. Desert tortoise declines appear to have been most severe and widespread in the Western Mojave Desert.”

The National Park Service says, “Since the reproduction rate of the desert tortoise is low, the survival of every individual tortoise is important to the continuation of the species. Many of the threats to adult desert tortoises are related to or are the direct result of human activities; please be aware of how your actions can affect tortoises.”

Here are several links to sites where you can learn more about the desert tortoise:

Defenders of Wildlife

National Park Service

California Turtle and Tortoise Club

Caution Tortoise Xing; Mojave Desert Tortoise

Mojave Desert Tortoise

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