Traveling this summer? It’s smart to take gold with you, and even smarter to take “Joaquin’s Gold” with you!
“I read this in an evening while a van trip — fantastic and fun. I particularly liked The Wreck of the Annabelle Lee.”
Brad Young, Historian and Mountaineer
Filed under Front Page, published story, Western Tales
From a pleased poet:
“Joaquin’s Gold — what a delight! I am still relishing these stories, re-reading and enjoying them again. Before I began, I especially enjoyed knowing that your students inspired both your research and writing. Once reading, I wished I could have been in a class that read, discussed, and wrote reactions to these adventures. Each chapter’s title is an inspiration to read!”
Sheelagh from Idaho
Help me out a bit by viewing the instagram link to “Joaquin’s Gold”!
Filed under Accolades, Front Page, published story
“Joaquin’s Gold” is my long awaited new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RTX6G3G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Here’s another enthusiastic review!
These stories bring the fabled Joaquin Murrieta, a notorious desperado with a heart of gold, to life. Readers will find the man and the era irresistible. The author finds this historical figure fascinating, and makes Joaquin real — he comes alive and is so likable! The settings and descriptions are fabulous also! I really liked this book!
Becky Caufield, Editor and Publisher
Filed under Accolades, Front Page, published story
From a new review of Joaquin’s Gold: “What child wouldn’t want to read these tales? Walton paints a very accurate and descriptive picture of the area and the characters are vivid and realistic. And, what about all those flashing knives, drawn guns, wicked ghosts, caves, gold bars, really bad guys? His depiction of Murietta in his later years shows a man who has come to terms with his life, who doesn’t deny his wrongdoing and who knows he is no one’s hero. Students see that he is a multidimensional character as opposed to a comic book caricature. Hero.
As a retired public librarian, I have read many such tales and local histories. Most of these were for adults OR children and the writing and vocabulary level did not cross over. These are very readable tales for anyone interested in California legends and histories.”
Liz Cecchi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RTX6G3G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Filed under Accolades, Front Page, published story
Hidden gold, bloody bandits, vengeful miners, mad ghosts, shipwrecks, rattlesnakes— all these and more are to be found in my stories about Joaquin Murrieta. The individual stories have all been published separately and several have won contest awards. They are now published together for the first time as both a Kindle e-book and a paperback.
Set in Central Californian locations — what is now Pinnacles National Park, the Santa Lucia Mountains, Jolon, Old Mission San Antonio de Padua and San Francisco, among others — the stories blend 19th Century historical characters and events into the action. I’ve intentionally aligned the book’s 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. I also created classroom activities for all of these stories — now in use as part of the reading fluency program at Chalone Peaks Middle School — that are available on TPT.
I’m proud to share this collection with you and hope it will open California history for you and yours.
Here’s the link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RTX6G3G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Filed under Front Page, published story
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.
Allow me to mention that I first became intrigued by Joaquin Murrieta while teaching about him to my middle school students and wrote “Joaquin’s Gold”, the first story, many years ago to enhance my teaching. This worked so well with the kids that I included the famous bandit in other stories over the years. The individual stories have all been published separately and several have won contest awards. I’m proud to share them with you in this collection and hope they will open California history for you and yours. https://www.amazon.com/Joaquins-Gold-other-Tales-California-ebook/dp/B09QFRCT4N/ref=sr_1_1?crid=7ZDR13RZAH9P&keywords=Joaquin%27s+Gold+and+other+tales+of+old+California&qid=1642269095&s=digital-text&sprefix=joaquin%27s+gold+and+other+tales+of+old+california%2Cdigital-text%2C153&sr=1-1
Filed under Front Page, published story, Western Tales
I’ve long enjoyed writing Joaquin Murrieta stories for middle schoolers. I completed “Llorona”, the tenth such, this year and was greatly honored when it won the recent Who’s Afraid of the Dark contest on Scribophile. I’ve since created reading fluency activities for it and put them up on TPT. I encourage all you teachers out there to take a peek: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Llorona-reading-fluency-for-middle-school-6216001
“Llorona” was recently honored by being included in the Bewildering Stories 3rd Quarterly Review of best stories.
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/anthologies/anthos2019/814-825_antho.html
Filed under Front Page, Western Tales
Author • Educator • Mountaineer 
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