The Land of Rain Shadow : Horned Toad, Texas

Joyce Gibson Roach is a legend. She has truly outdone herself with her new collection of stories about the place that made her who she is. It s an honor to know her and to know this book. --Sarah Bird, author of "Above the East China Sea" With these eight gems of short fiction, Joyce Gibson Roach captures the culture of West Texas with precision and authenticity. Roach s characters speak the language of the folk and carry the values of small-town Texas. The gallery of characters, from high-toned women to cowboy ranch hands, along with young narrators with hidden dreams and complicated questions, provide a chronicle of West Texas that has both local color and universal application. This book is destined to be a classic of Texas literature. --Phyllis Bridges, Cornaro Professor English, Texas Woman s University I know the exceptional talent of this award-winning author and have read most of her stories as well as most all of her writings in other genres. This new collection contains an unpublished story Crucero which I believe is one of the best she has ever written. It is a gem. --Bob J. Frye, emeritus professor of English, Texas Christian University "