I continue to research for my next publication, an historical fiction work about a unique character named Steve.

Steve was a preacher turned cotton farmer, but when the prices of cotton dropped during World War I, he could not pay the taxes. So he turned the farm over to the collector, packed his family into a truck, and headed out into the desert to found a small town to assist travelers along the route.
At that time, the “route” was merely ruts in the Colorado desert—a hundred mile stretch of nothing halfway between Phoenix and Los Angeles. He set up a café, a repair garage, and a gas station. Later, he added places to stay, a post office, a general store, and even a pool for traveller to cool off during their long journey.
As owner of the entire town for decades, he ran it his way—and he was quite a character. “No drunks or dogs—and we prefer dogs!” was posted on the café door. “The only town with a 100-mile Main Street!” he boasted.
It is a story of grit, determination, and a testament to the incredible ingenuity and staying power of those humans who chose to make their home in the middle of a desert in the early 1900s. It is also a story of bad poetry, goats who eat schoolhouses, love, betrayal, General Patton, the start of Kaiser Permanente and health plans, rattlesnakes, skin cancer, and much, more more.

Step into the rugged heart of the American West with Nuff Sed: A Novel of Desert Steve by Markus McDowell.
In 1921, Steve Ragsdale loses his Kansas cotton farm to taxes and ventures into the unforgiving California desert, where he transforms a desolate outpost into the thriving town of Desert Center.
This sweeping historical fiction traces Steve’s journey—from a stubborn farmer to a desert pioneer—through the Great Depression, World War II, and beyond. Blending real events with vivid imagination, the novel captures his battles with bureaucracy, love for his family, and unyielding spirit, all underscored by his signature phrase, “Nuff sed.” Rich with desert lore, resilience, and humor, this tale of one man’s legacy offers a poignant exploration of the human condition.
Perfect for fans of historical sagas and Western adventures, this is a story of grit, glory, and the enduring power of a dream.






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