As a teenager, Aiden S. Clarke was inspired to become a writer by a class trip to Wonder Valley. Subsequent weekend outings with friends took him to places like Joshua Tree (where he was an avid climber), Amboy, Wiley’s Well, Death Valley, Afton Canyon, Hole-in-the-Wall and the Kelso Dunes. His greatest love became the Mojave National Preserve and the East Mojave Scenic Area. He also nurtured a strange affection for the crossroads town of Barstow.

Since those early days he has been actively researching and working to preserve the history and culture of the desert. Aiden’s creative fiction is intended to be a humorous tribute to his muse, Barstow, and the rich environment that surrounds. Generally his cast of quirky characters inhabit the desert, and their adventures take place from the 1980s – 2000s, a time of rapid evolution on the backroads of America.

Guiding Principles:

1.) First and foremost, I am a patriot. I love the USA and the shared common values upon which it was founded. 2.) I respect all persons and am opposed to any form of prejudice, whether based on ethnicity, orientation, beliefs or something else. It is never my goal to offend. On the contrary, I sometimes try to highlight how painful it can be to be marginalized. 3.) My writing style is intended to be a mixture of humor (50%) and serious thoughtful (50%) content. 4.) This is just a hobby and meant to be fun + positive. There is no particular end goal. 5.) I always write about strong female and male protagonists who are assertive and intelligent. Every character should be respectful and true to who they are. 6.) The time period of my books is typically split between past (~1980s) and near present. 7.) I don’t believe anyone should actually smoke, but because of the decade they live in, my characters occasionally do. It was just a different time. Definitely don’t imitate them.