My current novel-in-progress is an historical fiction work about the man who founded Desert Center, California, in the 1920s. He’s a fascinating character, one of the famous “Desert Rats” who scraped out a pretty decent living in an area that would be uninhabitable for most humans.

At the time of the founding, there was no paved road between Phoenix, Arizona, and Los Angeles, California. A track through the desert sands was the only way to travel between the cities.

There was a stretch of 100 miles between towns along that route.. Steve Ragsdale broke down halfway between once, and decided there needed to be a town there—with a garage, gas pumps, and a café. Since no one else had done it, he did, and Desert Center was born.

The story of why he founded it, the obstacles he encountered, his unique solutions, his toughness, his love of the desert fauna and flora, notoriously bad poetry, quirky signs and sayings, and a scandal in his later years are the subject of my novel. My favorite themes of chaos and how humans respond will be present, as it reflects much of his life. Other themes will be perseverance and the weakness of the human condition.

Steve was born on June 16, 1882, in Coffeyville, Kansas, and died on May 2, 1971 at 88 years of age. He

Here’s a couple of insights from my research:

Steve says the Desert Tortoise is not only the most interesting, but the most harmless and therefore endowed with the greatest wisdom of all God’s creatures, Says if man would pattern after the Tortoise we’d have no more murderous wars. (From Harry Oliver’s The Desert Rat Scrapbook, Winter, 1946.)

Ragsdale was a desert eccentric of the first order, and his advertising for Desert Center in publications such as Desert Magazine reflected his personality:

  • U Need Us – We Need U”
  • “Our Main Street is 100-miles long!”
  • “We lost our keys… we can’t close!” (a reference to the fact that the café has been open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year since it opened in 1921)
  • “Free Room and Board Every Day The Sun Doesn’t Shine In Desert Center”
  • “If You Don’t Believe Me, You Can Go To Hell, or Visit Me in Desert Center in August! Nuf sed, Steve”.

“’Nuf Sed” was the way that Desert Steve ended his missives and articles. My working title for the novel, at the moment, is ’Nuf Sed: A Novel of a Desert Rat. (I’m not sold on that yet—leave a comment below if you have any reactions or ideas.)


Cover of Nuff Sed: A Novel of Desert Steve by Markus McDowell.

A captivating historical fiction saga that traces the indomitable spirit of “Desert” Steve Ragsdale, a man who helped shape the American West. 

In 1921, after losing his Kansas cotton farm to an inability to pay the taxes, Steve ventures into California’s desert with a bold vision. Defying a harsh land and no roads except ruts in the sands, he founds the town of Desert Center—a beacon of resilience amid heat and hardship. From his early days in Coffeyville, Kansas, confronting outlaws, to navigating the Great Depression, World War II, and the rise of Eagle Mountain Mine, Steve’s journey is one of grit, humor, and unwavering conviction. His motto, “Nuff sed,” encapsulates a life of action over words, as he battles the harsh environment, builds communities, and leaves a legacy etched in desert lore. 

Blending historical events with vivid storytelling, McDowell explores themes of perseverance, family, and the human condition, drawing readers into a world where one man’s dream transforms a wasteland. With meticulously researched details—from Gruendike’s Well to the Colorado Aqueduct—this novel immerses you in the 20th-century West. 

Perfect for fans of historical fiction and Western epics, Nuff Sed is a testament to the enduring power of determination. Join Desert Steve’s extraordinary adventure and discover why his story still resonates today.



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