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It is Friday, August 1, 2008 at 3:37 P.M. when defense Attorney Joe González walks into a Eagle Pass courtroom and finds District Judge Galaviz lying on the floor, surrounded by his bailiff , attorneys, and others. Judge Galaviz is dead of a massive heart attack. When Kevin Helms, the head of a prestigious law firm, calls González into his office the next day, he reveals that a large briefcase filled with fifty bundles of five thousand dollars each had been left in Judge Galaviz's chambers a few days before his death in a botched attempt to bribe him. The FBI is now involved and Helms wants González to assume the duties of the now vacated bench in an effort to catch whoever wanted Judge Galaviz's attention. A reluctant González finally agrees and must endure the criticism of those who do not think he is qualified to take over the bench while simultaneously becoming embroiled in drug trafficking and other issues taking place on the Texas/Mexico border. America and Mexico must work together to prevent a disaster to both countries while González faces an epidemic of violence, political conflicts, and religious beliefs, all while focusing on just one goal to stay alive.

This is a joint publication of Berkeley and Floricanto Presses. "Migrant Earth" very eloquently documents the travels and travails of a family of Mexican migrant workers as they wander the Western United States in the nineteen forties and fifties. These are poignant tales that paint the life and death struggle of a family living on the periphery of a dominant white culture that simultaneously loathed and needed them. They owned but the clothes on their backs and lived in rat infested, dilapidated agricultural labor camps throughout the Pacific Northwest. They worked from sunup to sundown in pesticide laced fields under scorching, unrelenting summer suns. While wandering the countryside working the fields-White society was too genteel to harvest-they dreamed of better times and the safety of a piece of land they could call home. Ultimately they were able to save enough to purchase a small thirty acre farm in Eastern Washington. But just when the hard life seemed over, his padres divorced and mama with nine children in tow was sent back on the migrant labor circuit. Senor Ledesma's writes passionately about a hard as nails papa he feared but who taught him to love the land and respect hard work. He credits his mama for teaching him the transformative nature of dreams. If he took them seriously, she explained a thousand times, they would save him from the brutal life that tragically killed his four older siblings. Migrant Earth is historical and hopeful. Until now Senor Ledesma's stories have been too painful to talk about. His stories lie quietly in the shadows of a middle class life with no resemblance to where his family began or what they experienced. This book is about how those experiences shaped what he and his siblings became. These stories talk about the long journey of hope that brought them out of those desperate times. The voice you hear throughout the book is that of a frightened child living a life no child should live, trying in vain to make sense of who he was, where he was and what he saw . . . fearful he would never make it out of the camps alive. In our country's present, contentious debate over immigration policy, Migrant Earth is helpful in bringing to light the subculture of the migrant workers in America. Through education comes understanding and understanding can lead to a more humane view of those of us who have sacrificed health and life to bring our nation's food to our tables. Ramon Ledesma again invites readers into the world of his youth as a migrant worker through evocative poetry and prose. In stories both heartbreaking and bursting with joy, Ledesma deftly shares his family and life experiences in imagery so vivid and words so powerful you will feel like you were there. The visit into his world is a journey well worth taking. -Laura Gjovaag, "Daily Sun News" -Reporter Senor Ledesma was born in Toppenish, Washington, into a family of sixteen brothers and sisters. He spent his formative years living and working in migrant labor camps throughout the Pacific Northwest. He is a Vietnam veteran. He attended Eastern Washington State College, now Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington, earning a BA with majors in history and sociology and a minor in anthropology. He also earned a master's in counseling. He worked as a mental health therapist for thirty-eight years before retiring in 2012. He now devotes himself to writing. He lives with his wife, Kendra, a high school mathematics teacher on ten acres in rural Sedro Woolley, Washington.

Migrant Earth is a passionate work told by Senor Ledesma. He writes of his family's journeys as they navigate the sun-scorched fields in four Northwest states. Migrant Earth is historical and hopeful, sometimes sad and often joyful

Clover, A Literary Rag is a semiannual magazine featuring stories, poems, memoir, and an occasional review. Based in Bellingham, Washington, the magazine hosts writers from the region and the world. New writers mix with seasoned writers--and writers from the Independent Writers' Studio are featured. The magazine celebrates words and in this light there are no photographs or visual art in Clover. The cover is the first page of the table of contents for that edition. We frequently have over 50 contributors. We pride ourselves in creating a beautiful setting for the written word.

When his parents split up and a man who insists that he speak only English moves in with his mother, Tomâas finds comfort in his grandparents and the special Ferrari Formula One car racing set from his grandfather's very unusual friend.

Observing a mysterious white culture while living on the ragged edge of poverty in an unaccepted Mexican subculture of America was acutely troubling to a child simply looking for safety, acceptance and a place to belong. These poems are of the brutal struggles of hard work in dangerous times. These poems are about a papa who never wavered under the difficult challenges of working and raising a family in a foreign country as a migrant laborer and a mama who dedicated herself to loving and protecting her children at all costs, in a man's world, twice over. In a time when we were innocent and vulnerable and the world was a scary, foreign place, all we had were our parent's gifts. Papa's strong work ethic helped us forge ahead and not give up through difficult times and Mama's passion and the pictures she painted in our minds filled us with hope... and hope was the road we traveled into our future. Migrant Sun is a poignant tale of love in hard times, racism, forgiveness in the face of brutality, but most of all, how the bonds of family are ultimately more important than any differences we may have had within our family or that existed outside of it."

Clover --fresh -- best collection of poetry and stories our edits can find. All words, no photos in time honored tradition that breaks boundaries.

The best in poetry and short stories Clover's editors can find. Based in Bellingham, WA, this all word publication features writers from all over the globe. Fresh, innovative and relentless in its independence.