Meet Roger Naylor | Arizona author and travel writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Roger Naylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roger, why did you pursue a creative career?
I knew I was going to be a writer when I was 13 and read Mark Twain for the first time. That’s when I began to understand the power of the language. It was just a collection of Twain’s essays so there was no plot or story or characters. But those words leaped off the page and grabbed me. He made me feel things. Mostly I laughed because he was profoundly funny. But he also made me cry, made me feel outrage, made me experience a sense of wonder. He made me think. He showed me the world in a whole different way. I knew right then, that’s what I wanted to do. I was going to be a writer. That was it. There was never a fallback plan.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I spend my days writing love letters to Arizona. How cool is that? Every article, every book, every social media post is a celebration of the endless beauty and rich history of this remarkable state. I’m completely self-taught as a writer so I’ve developed a distinctive but casual voice that I hope engages the reader. I want to pull them into each experience and my passion for Arizona is always evident, and I hope, infectious.

My travel books like “Arizona State Parks” and “Arizona’s Scenic Roads and Hikes” are meant to encourage all residents to get out and explore the wonders that surround us. Even my book of fiction, “Crazy for the Heat” is rooted in this state. It’s a collection of weird, funny short stories that are all based in Arizona towns. Each is connected to an Arizona place, an Arizona legend, even Arizona weather. I can’t really write anymore unless Arizona is involved.

My most recent book is “Awesome Arizona: 200 Amazing Facts about the Grand Canyon State.” It’s chockfull of facts, information, anecdotes, historical tidbits, humor, and storytelling. This is the encyclopedia that lovers of Arizona have been craving. For anyone who already takes a fierce pride in his or her Arizona heritage, or who wants to learn more about this breathtaking state, this is the perfect book.

Arizona is often regarded as nothing but a land of transplants. The common perception is that this state shelters an unconnected population with few common interests, people that are still loyal to previous homesteads. But I’ve found just the opposite to be true. Sure, some folks landed here because of happenstance. Yet plenty, like me, are here for reasons of our own, and our passion and pride in Arizona knows no bounds.

We’re here because golden poppies blaze across the desert floor in spring like a satin fire. We’re here because skies are relentlessly blue—not gray or gloomy or soggy—but sharp as cut glass while still violet-soft. We’re here because our trails are winding, our horizons are shoved wide, and the outdoors laps at our doorsteps. We’re here because horses run free along the Salt River and wild burros rule Oatman and neon still shimmers along Route 66. We’re here because mountains heal and the desert seduces. We’re here for the burritos and date shakes and history and hummingbirds and swinging door saloons and Grand Canyon and Sedona and Monument Valley and ferocious heat and pristine snow and fragrant forests and the glorious, lavish, dramatic sunsets. We’re here because it feels good to dance in the rain, because we can see the Milky Way from our porches, and because we can hike every single day of the year.

If the Garden of Eden had a liquor license and served really good tacos, they would have called it Arizona. This is paradise.

I knew this was where I belonged when Arizona stole my breath, squeezed my heart, and opened my eyes all those decades ago. I’m here because happiness doesn’t exist for me anywhere else.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Cottonwood in the heart of the Verde Valley and love showing off my backyard. With guests I would probably start out at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for a morning walk along the Verde River beneath the canopy of cottonwood and willow trees accompanied by a chorus of birdsong. We’d keep a close watch for our resident pair of bald eagles, the great blue herons, and playful river otters.

Then we’d head for Jerome for the winding scenic drive, big panoramas, and the juicy burgers eaten on the deck of the Haunted Hamburger. The beef is so tender you wonder how it ever kept a cow upright. We could wander the hilly streets of the mile-high town and quench our thirst in the historic Spirit Room.

We would finish off the day with a sunset hike in Sedona. With more than 400 miles of trails weaving through the red rock country, it’s not hard to avoid the crowds. I would probably head for Hiline, Outer Limits, Cow Pies, Mescal, Secret Slickrock, Ridge, or Mescal Trails for some exquisite views.

Now if we’ve got a week, that opens up a world of possibilities. But I think I would most likely head for southern Arizona. We could stop in Tucson to hike among the saguaros and snag the sinful flavor bomb that is a Sonoran hot dog at El Guero Canelo. Then we would push on to Cochise County. I want to make sure my guest gets to experience Chiricahua National Monument, the most unsung, unappreciated spot in Arizona. It’s an otherworldly display of sculpted stone spires, towers and turrets as if the skyline were built from splintered castles. If it were in any other state, Chiricahua National Monument would appear on their license plate.

While we were in the area we’d immerse ourselves in the subterranean architecture of Kartchner Caverns, tour the historic Birdcage Theatre in Tombstone where the walls are still aerated by bullet holes, visit the ghost town of Fairbank, the frontier outpost of Fort Bowie, the lush defile of Ramsey Canyon, hike to Cochise Stronghold, and well, I’m not sure if a week will be enough time after all.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I will dedicate my shoutout to Arizona, my first true love.

This state stole my heart when I first showed up in Flagstaff as a wide-eyed college student. My swoony passion has only increased over the ensuing decades and it has given a direction to my career. Everything I write is rooted in Arizona.

Website: www.rogernaylor.com

Twitter: @AZRogerNaylor

Facebook: RogerNaylorinAZ

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me, except the ones I’m in.