About the Author
Dustin Charles Berg
Author of All Around Mesquite: History, Trails & Destinations. Marketing and communications professional, UTV enthusiast, Mesquite resident since 2019.
About the Author
Hailing from Yakima, Washington, Dustin Berg first set foot in Mesquite in 2019, hoping for a new beginning. Life, however, had its own set of plans, and while unexpected twists presented challenges, they also added great passion and depth to his narrative. In his personal life, Dustin proudly takes on multiple roles: a devoted husband, a loving father to two adopted stepdaughters, an avid UTV enthusiast, and a caring guardian to three dogs and a cat.
In the business world, Dustin has gained experience and achieved success in marketing and communications. Throughout a career spanning over 15 years, he has assisted over 500 small business owners, helping their brands reach new heights. He's a skilled businessman, who enjoys making the perfect BBQ brisket and has a natural entrepreneurial spirit.
"All Around Mesquite", is a departure from his usual professional pursuits. This heartfelt work is an ode to his desert community. Dustin pays tribute to the resilient spirit of Mesquite's pioneers, and deeply respects their determination. The book becomes a symbol of endurance, both of a land and its inhabitants, and the deep community bonds they share.
At the heart of his Mesquite experiences, and woven throughout his life's tapestry, is Dustin's connection with God in Christ, a quiet anchor amidst the ever-challenging desert sands of life.
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."Philippians 4:13
The project
How the book came about
From the two local papers that covered the release.
The idea
Somebody should write this down
Berg arrived in Mesquite in 2019 from the Pacific Northwest with a background in graphic design and marketing. A restaurant plan ended with the pandemic; the stories he kept hearing about the area did not. "It just occurred to me that somebody should write about all this stuff."
Mesquite Local News, February 2024The work
Three years on the trails
About three years of traversing the region's trails, talking to local trails experts and extensive research in the historical records, with twelve months of focused exploring across Mesquite, Clark County, the tri-state area, Moapa Valley and St. George.
The Progress, December 2023; Mesquite Local NewsThe hard part
Keeping it factual
"Definitely the biggest challenge is trying to keep things organized, focused and factual. There's so many pieces of information and rumors and a lot of it can't be verified."
Dustin Berg, Mesquite Local News
Publisher and partners
Desert Covenant Books LLC
All Around Mesquite was published in November 2023 by Desert Covenant Books LLC, Dustin's own imprint. The print edition carries a "Made in Mesquite" mark on its back cover.
The book's acknowledgments thank the organizations that supported it, directly and indirectly, starting with the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum and the City of Mesquite and including the Mesquite and Moapa Valley chambers of commerce, the Kokopelli ATV Club, BirdandHike.com, Friends of Gold Butte, the Virgin River Coalition and the Lost City Museum. Several of them are on the resources page; the book's sponsors are on the home page.
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