, the desert–dwellers in surface with grit and grace from dust–blown trailers, ancient Joshua trees, and artificial lakes. With her signature down–to–earth storytelling style, Mary Sojourner explores the lives of working class people, threats to Western landscapes, and the complexities of love. depicts a community weathering the desert glare of the Mojave, seeking refuge, truth, and escape. is the author of the novels, , and ; the short story collections ; an essay collection, ; and memoirs, . She is an intermittent NPR commentator and the author of many essays, columns and op–eds for , and other publications. A graduate of the University of Rochester, Sojourner teaches writing in private circles, one–on–one, at colleges and universities, writing conferences, and book festivals. She believes in both the limitations and possibilities of healing through writing—the most powerful tool she has found for doing what is necessary to mend. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.