I was fortunate enough to find a self printed booklet on eBay that was written by Desert Steve Ragsdale sometime in the 1930s or 1940s, the subject of my forthcoming historical fiction novel. He used to print these including a humorous dictionary of terms, advertisements for Desert Center, and examples of his terrible poetry. Below is a section from one of the booklet I obtained, advertising Desert center in Steve’s quirky way.

The big news is that I finished the first draft of my Desert Steve novel. The hardest part. Now comes rewriting, refining, structural work, flow, and character/plot consistency. But first, some whisky and a cigar!

• Continuing work on a short story collection, as well as beginning brainstorming, research, and outlining my next novel (tentatively titled Seven Planets.
• Finished a major, multi year ghostwriting project, then got word today that the author wishes to do a full rewrite. Back to work! 
• Spent some nice time with family and friends from San Diego to the Bay (“your city is the bomb if your city makes it pay” - know what that’s from? ��)
• The weather has been all over the place here the last few weeks: cold, warm, clear, raining, foggy, balmy, fierce winds—you name it. Never a dull moment aboard the M.Y. Bannockburn!

Scroll on down for my books, current novel in progress, sneak peaks, and book reviews.

Have a good month, dear readers. Make someone smile. Don’t judge others when you don’t know their story. "Be curious, not judgmental."

Desert. Sun. Sand. And no roads or human settlements within 50 miles in any direction. The perfect place to found a town?

That's what Steve Ragsdale believed. So he and his wife bundled up their four kids in their 1915 Ford Model T, bought a local prospector’s shack and well, and built a fuel station (a 50-gallon drum), a repair garage, and café. He advertised “Free food on days the sun doesn't shine" and “No drunks, no dogs—we prefer dogs.” He was the mayor, sheriff, rockhound, author, naturalist, desert guide, and Santa Claus at Christmastime. He became one of the local “Desert Rats” and earned the moniker “Desert Steve.” Along the way, he became part of history: the construction of the first State and National highways, the invention of prepaid healthcare, General Patton and World War II, the largest iron mine in the United States, flying saucer sightings, and much more.

Based on a true story, this is the tale of a quirky, clever, and bold man who pursued a dream, wrote bad poetry, and found ways to survive when many would have perished or packed it in.

This is a sample of four short stories from Markus' two collections. 

Free or .99 from most retailers