Book excerpt: Despite badgering by government officials, despite unwarranted accusations of being squatters, the canyon pioneers left their mark on this grand stage. They chiseled trails out of stubborn rock, discovered rich copper deposits below the rim, erected lodges on the rim, and advocated rail connections to the brink of the Grand Canyon to promote its tourism and mining potential. Monte Bridgestone – rugged, quiet, and trapped in a loveless marriage; his mining skills are no help in consoling a lonely wife. He fights government, sabotage, and greed, and then champions the safeguarding of this wondrous place. Kirby O’Brien – a hopeless romantic, his slender frame disguises his strength and endurance. First a miner, then a rancher, he is destined to share a golden opportunity with the most beautiful woman in northern Arizona. Sabrina Jaffa – a young divorcee, proud, pretty and sassy. In search of a new life, she operates under a veil of secrecy, riding like a man but wanting nothing to do with men, that is, until she uncovers a long-kept canyon secret. In time, the miners put down their picks and shovels and turned to mining the pockets of tourists rather than the pockets of copper hidden in red-stained rock walls. What they began, big corporations finished. What they cherished as their own, the federal government confiscated and protected for future generations. Canyon Crossroads, a historical novel, Book One in Under the Canyon Sky: is the story of the Grand Canyon pioneers. It is loosely based on forty years of research by the author. There are stories of lost gold, mine explosions, stagecoach rollovers, rockslides, nefarious business dealings, political ambitions gone awry, and a mysterious woman prospector. "Canyon Crossroads brings to life the intrigue and romance of pioneers at the Grand Canyon amidst governmental pressures and a backdrop of natural wonders. Highly recommended!" —Dr. Gary Fogel, Author and Adjunct Professor at San Diego State University.