Desert Guardian follows a young man on a post-graduation trip, who literally falls into a hidden world of illegal artifacts, danger, and unexpected friendships. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The grandeur and other-worldly feel of the gorges, rivers, and hoodoos of Canyonlands National Park provided the inspiration for the set-up of this story.

What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?

Ethan is a “reluctant hero,” dropped into the setting by accident, so one of his main themes was finding the strength to persevere, uncover the theft of ancient artifacts, and fight not only for his own survival but for that of newfound friends.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Our relationships with the earth, wilderness, and the history of mankind are themes in the novel. The thieves see the artifacts not as precious history but as something to be exploited. Relic, and eventually Ethan, see their connections with the past and the place that shaped it and work to protect them.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

I have a total of six Relic novels and am working on the seventh. It is not likely to be ready for another year or so.

Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon

Get ready for an epic adventurous thrill ride into danger and murder
A moonshining hermit. A campus bookworm. A midnight murder. Can an unlikely duo and a whitewater crew save themselves and an ancient Aztec battlefield from deadly looters? Ethan’s world turns upside-down when he slips off the edge of red-rock cliffs into a world of twisting ravines and coveted artifacts. Saved by a mysterious desert recluse named Relic, Ethan must join a whitewater rafting group and make his way back to civilization. But someone in the gorge is killing to protect their illegal dig for ancient treasures… When Anya, the lead whitewater guide, is attacked, he must divert the killer into the dark canyon night, but his most deadly pursuer is not who he thinks… Ethan struggles to save his new friends, face his own mortality, and unravel the chilling murders. But when they flee the secluded canyon, a lethal hunter is hot on their trail…