Charles Kerns writes mysteries about Oaxaca. Sometimes his characters end up in Mexico City and California, as well. Kerns loves the land, architecture, peoples, foods, music, and style of life in Oaxaca. He writes to celebrate and explore, and show how the US is slipping down below the beltline of Mexico into this city-Starbuck's, Walmart, cable TV, the internet and all the products of post-modern world impinge on the lives of the poor, the newly growing middle class, and the rich. Some changes help, some lead to yet more corruption and crime, and some destroy the communal ways and rich family culture. Kerns lives in Oaxaca and Oakland, CA. He retired after 30 years as technical educator at Stanford University and Apple Computer. He is married to Roshni Rustomji-Kerns. He believes God provides churros and chocolate in heaven.