Desert Rose is a story about courage. It's a story that I've heard in bits and pieces since my childhood. I suppose it's not uncommon for every family to have a storyteller. In my case, my great aunt took that role. She was my mother's aunt, and the sister of my grandmother. There was seldom a holiday visit that didn't include reminiscing on days-gone-by. My mother also intermittently shared memories about her family in response to current life events. I was always able to visualize my mother's commentaries with vivid clarity. With the passing of the years, my mother has penned many of her...