Desert Haven

Women Empowered, Enlightened and Transformed
Step back in time to the revolutionary 1970s with Desert Haven, a compelling exploration of a hidden facet of history. Born at the crossroads of feminism, sexual liberation, lesbian separatism, and a return to nature, this novel breathes life into the movement that sought to forge self-governed women-centered societies within intentional communities. Across a span of forty years, Desert Haven meticulously weaves the political, social, and spiritual tapestry of a marginalized subgroup within the queer community. Through nuanced storytelling, the women grapple with the challenges of preserving their vision, offering tales of grief and hope, loss and celebration, passion, and solitude.
Against the evocative backdrop of women's land, where cactus and creosote stand beneath expansive skies and monsoon rains paint the landscape, Desert Haven unfolds through fifteen interconnected characters over four decades. Each character, a chapter in this rich narrative, contributes to a chorus of diverse voices that resonate with the intricacies of the broader community. As women seamlessly flow in and out of each other's stories, Desert Haven reveals a network of evolving relationships, creating a captivating portrayal of resilience and the enduring bonds that shape our collective history.
Praise for Desert Haven
"The women in this book head out of traditional lives towards Desert Haven, a hot, spiny, dilapidated, and free women's land where reinvention beckons. Flirty tales depict the connection and clarity these women find when they arrive, become part of the history of the land, find or leave lovers, and accept the risk of choosing their futures. Desert Haven illustrates the definitive ways that women's lands moved herstory forward." -Sandra Butler, author of The Kitchen is Closed; And Other Benefits of Being
"Desert Haven is a good read for all who have lived on women's land, dreamed of living on women's land or want to learn what it was/is all about. In Desert Haven, one time travels through the stories of individual women and the interweaving of their lives, from 1977 to 2017. Carefully crafted, and with great attention to the specificity of the details true to each time period, one comes to learn about the various life experiences and understandings of why different women chose to live on the land and what that experience was like for them." -Deb Edel, LCSW, Co-Coordinator, Lesbian Herstory Archives
"A fascinating collection of related stories which shine light on a little-known chapter of lesbian history. Starr's intimate portraits of women overcoming external and internal challenges with resiliency and idealism engage the reader. Unique and important stories. Embedded in each is the author's deep and authentic knowledge of the Sonoran Desert. She captures the magic." -Miriam Ruth Black, author of Turtle Season and Shayna