DARE TO DREAM

Some stories don’t just entertain—they remind you who you were.

Two facts about Lake Los Angeles: one, there’s no lake, and, two, it’s nowhere near Los Angeles. 

That’s where Kiara ends up after her parents’ divorce—in the middle of nowhere—a land of Joshua trees, dust devils, and tumbleweeds. Her mom calls it affordable housing; Kiara calls it hell.

Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, she drifts through life trying to please everyone—her mother who struggles to show affection, her brother who barely hides his contempt, and friends who aren’t what they seem. 

When she meets green-eyed Cole, she discovers the spark to seek out more from life. Escaping the town that’s suffocating her is her only option. But leaving means trusting herself and letting go of things she’s terrified of losing. 

There is a life beyond the desert. Can she dare to dream a way out?

Book one in the Desert of Dreams Series—standalone stories of friends in a small desert town (1980s–’90s) discovering resilience, courage, and hope.

“a wonderful coming-of-age story… a powerful and very worthy read.”
— Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite (5-Star Review)

“exceptional… a treasure trove of thought-provoking insights”
— D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“deeply compelling, moments of warmth and humor… a heartfelt tale of resilience and hope.”
— Publishers Weekly BookLife

Check out the next book in the series: Reach for Hope.

Content Warning: Books in the Desert of Dreams Series address many sensitive but important topics which may include bullying and peer pressure; troubled sibling relationships; struggling friendships and romantic relationships; religion; racism and classism; historical events of the late 1980s and 1990s; death; neglect and abuse (physical, emotional, and/or sexual); trauma (generational and situational); drugs, alcohol, and sex; teen pregnancy; abortion; and mental illness including depression, suicidal ideation, PTSD, and anxiety.

Discounted Pricing:

Paperback Retail Price $19.99  / Buy Direct $15.00

Jacketed Hardcover Retail Price $32.00 / Buy Direct $24.00 (coming soon)

eBook $4.99 (Kindle and Kindle Unlimited)

410 pages