A fireball launches itself from the Arizona desert leaving behind three camels, a magical jukebox, and a five-year-old girl who only speaks Italian. Soon, the nearby town of La Sentencia is reeling from a series of disasters. The copper mine, which supports the town, shuts down leaving most of the population unemployed. Massive sandstorms batter the place. And then Devlin Lucero shows up. He seduces a pretty substitute teacher and then uses her to spread greed, anger, and vengeance everywhere. In the face of all these trials, Esteban Dorantes decides to retrace the steps of his great, great grandfather, who once led a quest to find the Seven Cities of Gold. Aided by the camels, the wisdom of the little girl, and the spirit of the magical jukebox, he hopes to locate a great treasure and bring it back to save La Sentencia. Esteban is accompanied by Ceci Moreno, his old high school sweetheart, the only person in town who doesn't think he's a madman. But Ceci is still in love Gabriel Romo, another dreamer who somehow feels he can bargain with that devil Lucero to save the mine and the town. Wacky, scary and spectacular, Esteban's Quest blends science fiction, Aztec lore, classic horror, and offbeat humor into an unforgettable tale of love, destiny, magic, and redemption. Nick Iuppa began his career as an apprentice writer with famed Bugs Bunny/Road Runner animator Chuck Jones and children's author Dr. Seuss. He later became a staff writer for the Wonderful World of Disney. As VP Creative Director for Paramount Pictures, Nick did experimental work in interactive television and story-based simulations. He is the author of Management by Guilt (Fawcett Books 1984 - a Fortune Book Club selection) as well as eight technical books on simulations and interactive media. He lives in Northern California with his wife, Ginny. For more about Nick, visit www.nickiuppa.com.
