Luke Short is the pen name of Frederick Dilley Glidden (1908-1975), the bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty classic western novels and hundreds of short stories. Renowned for their action-packed story lines, multidimensional characters, and vibrant dialogue, Glidden's novels sold over thirty million copies. Ten of his novels, including Blood on the Moon, Coroner Creek, and Ramrod, were adapted for the screen. Glidden was the winner of a special Western Heritage Trustees Award and the Levi Strauss Golden Saddleman Award from the Western Writers of America.

Born in Kewanee, Illinois, Glidden graduated in 1930 from the University of Missouri where he studied journalism. After working for several newspapers, he became a trapper in Canada and, later, an archaeologist's assistant in New Mexico. His first story, "Six-Gun Lawyer," was published in Cowboy Stories magazine in 1935 under the name F. D. Glidden. At the suggestion of his publisher, he used the pseudonym Luke Short, not realizing it was the name of a real gunman and gambler who was a friend of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. In addition to his prolific writing career, Glidden worked for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. He moved to Aspen, Colorado, in 1946, and became an active member of the Aspen Town Council, where he initiated the zoning laws that helped preserve the town.

A freight captain races across the desert to protect priceless cargo in this rollicking adventure from a master storyteller of the West.
The guns come down the Colorado River, cases of army rifles that could mean life or death for the soldiers fighting the Indian Wars throughout the American West, and Dave Harmon is waiting for them. A grizzled, one-eyed freight captain, Harmon knows better than anyone how to drive cargo over the broad, merciless desert. The rifles could attract Apache, bandits, or worse, but none of that frightens him. The real trouble is one of the passengers: a major's beautiful daughter he's not sure he can trust.

Soon Harmon is fighting off not only ruthless outlaws and Apache determined to defend their land, but backstabbing members of his own wagon train. In order to reach Fort Whipple with the guns and the girl, he'll have to take on his enemies singlehandedly-and destroy them all.

Desert Crossing is a thrilling chase story featuring vibrant characters and rich, authentic western atmosphere from legendary author Luke Short.