Cayuse's Canyon

Praise for My Desert Sun:

"My Desert Sun, by Diana Tuorto, brings the plight of wild mustangs into sharp focus. The story is told by Cayuse who is captured and misused by various owners. He becomes a ranch horse, a bucking bronco, riding stable hack, and is finally sold at auction. However, other horses befriend him and he learns to trust Charley, a Native American boy who is gentle with him. Readers will learn much about kindness-or lack-from this story and will enjoy how Cayuse uses horse sense and determination to never give up."

--Esther M. Leiper, Poet Laureate, White Mountains Region, Jefferson, New Hampshire (February 2007)

"If there is anyone who can get inside the mind of a horse to give a truly different, but wholly realistic perspective, it must be Diana Tuorto. Writer and activist, she is the author of a collection of extraordinary and deeply honest poems entitled Let the Horses Die, and now she has written a Young Adult tour de force novel with her second book, My Desert Sun.

Told from a first person point of view by the independent and freedom-loving Cayuse, the story details the events of this wild horse's life. Taken from his desert home by less-than-honest ranchers whose intent is nothing short of brutal and cruel, Cayuse must learn to use his wits to survive in unfamiliar territory. Most of the humans he encounters in his journey are cold and indifferent towards animals- both in their treatment and their welfare. There are some bright spots though, because fortunately, in both the animal and human world, there are still some who do care. It makes the rest of us care all the more.

Emotionally, My Desert Sun is wrenching because every time it seems Cayuse has come to terms with his life-altering experiences, of which there are several, upheaval happens- and in most instances, not for the better. Cayuse goes from ranch to rodeo- to a place so terrible, words cannot adequately describe it. No living thing should have to face what Cayuse must face in his story.

What this book does do most exceptionally is enlighten its readers about the plight of the wild horses. While reading My Desert Sun, one cannot help but feel empathy and compassion for these beautiful and elegant creatures. We desperately wish for their safety and self-determination as much as they do. We want to see Cayuse and the other horses win.

Although this book is fiction, it is obviously based in a truth, and that truth is often quite ugly. As a metaphor, it is stark in its indictment of the world in which we all live. If Ms. Tuorto's mission was to bring attention to these conditions by putting Cayuse and his fellow horses through the horrors they endure in her book, then it will truly have served it purpose, and served it admirably well."

--Randi Clarken is a New Jersey-based poet/author. In 2008, Randi released her first poetry anthology, Mugging for the Camera. Her website address is http://www.corkydogproductions.com. (February 2007)

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