I got out my crusty miner costume for San Lorenzo Park’s 2024 49er Days, meeting with six groups of 4th graders. I told them about life beneath canvas while searching for gold and also shared my mostly true bear story about Bill, Terry and Michael. Suffice it to say that Terry always survives the bear’s panicked retreat and did so again — six times! I thank able organizers Julia and Fiona for including me in the event!
I shared the Headless Horseman, Hairy Toe and The Haunted Clown Car – favorites all – at San Lorenzo Park yesterday eve for MCARLM’s Ghost Story gathering. There’s nothing like a campfire to get me going! The kids, both old and young, seemed to be amused, especially by the old lady’s hairy toe supper! I thank the MCCARLM folks for inviting me to participate!
Kellee Kranendonk is an accomplished author and fiction editor of Youth Imagination. I’m most pleased with her recent Goodreads review of Joaquin’s Gold. Please allow me to share it!
“In Joaquin’s Gold and Other Tales of Old California, Robert Walton has created a likeable, retired bandit. His soft spoken manner is somewhat how I imagine Robert is himself. Joaquin Murietta has been characterized well, right down to being able to hear his Mexican accent as soon as you start reading the book . . .
Walton uses some lovely descriptive phrases. For example – “Fear squeezed his chest with hands of stone” and the whiskey Joaquin drank had “tongues of sun flame and scorpion stings”. I think that describes a shot of whiskey quite well . . .
Two favourites were La Loca and Black Maggie’s Secret. I won’t give anything away – you’ll just have to read the book – but I think anyone who identifies as a woman will appreciate La Loca . . .
All in all, I think this is a book young and old will enjoy reading, whether they’re from California or not. It’s a quick read – one you could read on your commute to and from work. You’d be finished within a week.”
Wayne Thompson —poet, musician, photographer, mountaineer and friend — commented on Kellee’s review:
“I agree with this review. Amazing book with descriptions that turn light bulbs of clarity on in my imagination.
If you enjoy this book, you will also enjoy Robert’s climbing and mountaineering stories.”
This is the paperback cover created by Emily Schwartzman.
My Joaquin Murrieta stories are now published in a Kindle e-book with a paperback coming shortly! Hidden gold, bloody bandits, vengeful miners, mad ghosts, shipwrecks, rattlesnakes— all these and more are to be found in these tales about Joaquin Murrieta. This book is set in Central Californian locations — what is now Pinnacles National Park, the Santa Lucia Mountains, Jolon, Old Mission San Antonio de Padua, San Francisco, among others — and blends 19th Century historical characters and events into the action as I’ve intentionally aligned its content with California Social Studies Standards. Its readability is above 90% on the Flesch scale and varies between a 2.3 and 2.9 in grade level, so most young people should be comfortable reading the stories on their own.
WELCOME!I've dedicated my life to literacy and literature for young people. I'm sixty-three and don't intend to change my focus now. I hope that this site will contribute to both! I hope it will be of use to kids, parents and teachers who love to read.
For Kids: I want to know what you think of my story! Writing can be pretty lonely and authors like to hear from readers. Ask me questions about Chaos Gate and I'll do my best to answer them as quickly as I can.
For Parents: I want to know what you think of my story! I'd also like to know how this website can best help you, what activities here are most effective and what you would like to see me include in the future.
For Teachers: I know how hard you folks work. I'm offering you effective, interesting activities to accompany Chaos Gate, whether you're reading it aloud to your class, using it in small groups, or simply have one or two students reading it on their own. I have (or soon will!) comprehension questions, vocabulary activities and word find puzzles in pdf format for every chapter. Check them out and take what suits you best.
Robert's story "Joaquin's Gold" just won the
2010 Art Affair Western Short Story Contest. The story brings legendary bandit Joaquin Murrieta back to Central California during the 1880's in a search for hidden treasure. Robert hopes to produce a book including all of his Joaquin Murrieta stories. Stay tuned.
Author • Educator • Mountaineer 
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