Book description
Rita Vargas owns an automobile junkyard outside of Santa Fe. Her
property abuts a hill with a spectacular view, making the junkyard a
magnet for ubiquitous developers. But Rita's land has been in her
family for generations, and she doesn't want to sell. Also, her son
Parker, a talented artist, uses salvaged pieces from the junkyard for
his sculptures. Local wheeler-dealer Leroy Sena has already bought the
ridge above Rita's property, and when Leroy sells that land to a
small-time landlord and his gallery-owner sweetheart, the stakes are raised.
In Junkyard Dreams, old-timers retaining their emotional ties
to the land face newcomers with money who want to build on every
hilltop. This first novel illustrates that for every person opposed to
the rapid growth of the real estate bonanza, two more people are
scheming on how to profit from the boom. This seriously political but
realistically compelling portrayal of land conflict confronts the
trade-offs between improvement and preservation.
"Two roadrunner thumbs up for this engaging and wonderfully
crafted novel that honors the land and its people."--Rudolfo Anaya
”I actually know my way around a junkyard--and so does Boyer. She
also knows her way around real estate, the rapidly changing face of
small western cities, and how insoluble conflicts can erupt between
perfectly nice people, changing their lives forever."--Lisa
Lenard-Cook, author of Dissonance and Coyote Morning (UNM Press)
Jeanette Boyer received an M. A. in theatre from the University of
New Mexico. She lives in Santa Fe.
