From Caprice Alexander’s App Prototype Notebook
AKA: Project Bring Tourists To Sierra OR At Least Get A Scholarship Out of Here
Home Screen: Welcome To Sierra, California
Sierra is one of those hidden northern California gems. A mere three and a half hours from the bay area, this town is a quiet escape into pine-scented air and vistas without the crowds. It completely delivers on old California feels. But it’s far from a ghost town. Come to Sierra and vacation where the vistas are for everyone.
The Dam
Sierra’s history is linked to the building of the historic Plumule Dam and the series of smaller dams to control flow along the Plumule river. The reservoir offers boating, fishing and swimming. Apparently this was quite the party destination in the 70’s. Rumor has it the banks still host the occasional keg party, and several houseboats are rentable for tourists like yourself. Come to Sierra and stay on the water. I promise it will be way cheaper than anything you can find in Marin!
Flumes and The Plumule River (I know Beckett says we shouldn’t include this)
A favorite for local adventure seekers, the north fork of Plumule River snakes its way along the bottom of the canyon that borders Sierra to the east. Enjoy a long afternoon walk on historic flumes (waterways that once had something to do with gold mining and now have something to do with power), and take a side trail down the canyon to some of the most beautiful swimming spots in the North State where natural rock waterslides lead to deep pools and serpentine rocks shimmer green in the sun. Be sure to check the depth before jumping in. And always keep an eye out for poison oak!
Impregnate Point (Can we really call it this on the app?)
Looking for a view that rivals the Grand Canyon? This lookout stands at the north end of the Plumule Canyon and has historically been a spot for “parking” among the local youth. If you go in the daytime you’re less likely to run into steamed-up windows and more likely to see some incredible vistas. Wildlife frequently spotted here include red fox and red-tailed hawks. Oh, and there’s lots of red dirt too.
Dam Good Donuts
Sierra loves its Dam puns. You might even say it’s full of Dam Pride. And Dam Good Donuts is not just another name. These really are the best donuts in the North State. Rumor has it the quality has something to do with how often you change the fry oil, and Layla Montoya’s secret family recipe for the base dough. The Boston Creams are out of this world. What does a kid from Sierra know about Boston Creams? I don’t know. I’ve never been to Boston, but I can tell you these donuts will rewire your brain. The coffee’s decent too. Make sure you go out back for the view.
Sierra Market
A local grocery and fast-food joint. Sierra Market’s burger+fry basket is local legend. Order one while browsing their stores of locally made candles, jewelry and artisan teas—and grab milk to stock up that houseboat you rented!
Even Frank Wants Flowers
Sierra’s only local florist, Franks has been keeping brides, prom queens, and the cemetery in bloom since 1973. Many of the seasonal flowers available at Franks are still grown on the ridge, and the rest are sourced in California from sustainable producers. The shop was started by local character Aster Alexander and is now run by her daughter Adrienne. It was called Even Frank Wants Flowers because “men like flowers too,” and because Aster’s husband was not named Frank, so she figured it would give the town something to talk about. It did.
The story of a girl struggling to figure out her estranged brother, a new love, and her own life just as wildfires beset her small California town—by the acclaimed author of As Many Nows as I Can Get, herself a native of Paradise, California, destroyed in the 2018 Camp Fire
Seventeen-year-old Caprice wants to piece her family back together now that her older brother has returned home, even as she resents that he ever broke them apart. Just as she starts to get a new footing—falling in love for the first time, uncertainly mending her traumatized relationship with her brother, completing the app that will win her a college scholarship and a job in tech—wildfires strike Sierra, her small California town, forcing her to reckon with a future that is impossible to predict. A love story of many kinds and a reflection of the terrifying, heartbreaking events of Paradise, California, where the author grew up, this is a tale that looks at what is lost and discovers what remains, and how a family can be nearly destroyed again and again, and still survive.
Young Adult [Dial Books, On Sale: March 18, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593405512 / eISBN: 9780593405536]
Shana Youngdahl is a poet and author who teaches writing at Lindenwood University. One of her greatest joys is helping people embrace the stories they need to tell. She is the author of the acclaimed novel, As Many Nows as I Can Get. Shana lives with her husband, two daughters, and two cats in Missouri.
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