Animal interactions within the Southwest are these of survival in an arid atmosphere — and the subject of the newest ebook by Tucson writer Alejandro Canelos’ newest ebook: “The Neotenic Queen: Tales of Intercourse and Survival within the Sonoran desert.”
The ebook is a group of 25 quick tales portraying the lives of creatures in Southern Arizona and the way they do what “it takes to remain alive.” The phrase neotenic, which Canelo stated applies to animals reminiscent of termites, is when an grownup animal nonetheless has options of their juvenile phases.
“The animal within the entrance cowl of the ebook is a subterranean termite,” Canelos stated. “There aren’t many ebook titles on the market competing for the phrase ‘neotenic’.”
Nogales-born and raised in Tucson, Canelos graduated with a bachelor’s diploma in biology from Harvard College in 1992. He used his information in biology to have a profession in his household enterprise importing produce from Mexico.
Nevertheless, when the pandemic hit in 2020, Canelos discovered himself leaving the enterprise and commenced writing full time.
“I began writing a brief story each week,” Canelos stated. “I wrote in regards to the rattlesnakes. I wrote a narrative about saguaros. I wrote a narrative in regards to the black widows. Ultimately, it grew to become a sample. I discovered I actually beloved writing about animals and crops.”
Combining science with fable-like tales grew to become a piece of ardour for Canelos. He met with professionals reminiscent of biologists on the College of Arizona, Arizona Recreation and Fish Division and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to collect the protagonists of the tales he had been writing.
He drew on to the presences of rattlesnakes, javelina, desert subterranean termites and black widows within the desert panorama. And though the tales contain speaking animals, they don’t seem to be appropriate for younger readers.
“These tales could make readers relate to animals in a manner they most likely by no means did earlier than,” Canelos stated. “Like, rattlesnakes should not be feared. They don’t seem to be evil creatures, they only have to be understood. They’re pals, actually. I used to need to reduce off the mistletoe out of my mesquite timber I had in my yard, however I do not anymore as a result of I see them as one other organism that’s surviving and thriving in a spot that has excessive climate and little or no water.”
Canelos stated the desert animals “have it tough” within the desert. He stated the lives of the animals consist on them attempting to outlive and reside lengthy sufficient to breed.
“The desert is a wierd place,” Canelos stated. “There’s not a lot water. There’s excessive and excessive chilly, they usually nonetheless handle to thrive.”
One thing that occurred to him was that not each reader was going to know what a Gila monster is or what a javelina appears like. He requested illustrator Rachel Ivanyi to create pictures of the animals for every of the tales.
Ivanyi, who teaches on the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, painted coloured watercolor illustrations for “The Neotenic Queen.”
When readers buy the audiobook, they will obtain a PDF of all of the art work in coloration. Whereas the illustrations are printed in black and white for the paperback version, it is also in coloration within the e-book model. Ivanyi has a bachelor’s diploma in zoology from U.C. Davis and a graduate certification in pure science illustration from U.C. Santa Cruz.
The audiobook could be bought by way of Amazon and iTunes. The e-book is out there by way of each Kindle and iBooks, and print copies are carried by native retailers reminiscent of Bookmans, the present store within the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Antigone Books, and Petroglyphs.
Trying ahead, Canelos will probably be attending a signing occasion at Petroglyphs on November 5. Ivanyi’s art work will probably be displayed on the museum September—October 2023.