DeAnn Lubell is one of those people about whom you never hear a bad word. Mention her name anywhere in the desert, and the response is usually, “Oh, I love DeAnn!” Lovely and always on the go, she’s got a heart the size of Texas.
Born and raised in Denver, Lubell is the middle child of three. Her sister is 12 years older, and her brother is 7 years younger. She studied ballet as a child, but journalism was always her first love. Though no one else in her family wrote, Lubell feels she was born to be a writer, and began penning her first book at the age of 10. She doesn’t remember the plot, but she does recall that she was always fascinated with travel and adventure, and loved the Nancy Drew series. Even as a child, Lubell wanted to be a foreign correspondent. She corralled her friends into playing “foreign correspondent,” but they thought it was the stupidest game ever, so that didn’t last long.
In high school, Lubell was the assistant editor of the school newspaper. Impatient to start her journalism career, Lubell went to the local newspaper in search of a job just one month after enrolling at Western State University in Gunnison, Colo. Impressed with the 18-year-old’s gumption, the editor hired her on the spot, offering 3 cents a word.
Between her studies and the newspaper job, Lubell put together a mini-novel called Nightmare Island. Soon after, she found a book in the library about the eruption of Mount Pelée on the island of Martinique in 1902. She made a pact with herself that one day, she would write a novel about that incident, but only after she visited the island. Throughout the next 15 years, Lubell started making plans to go to Martinique, but each time, something got in the way.
Two decades after college, Lubell was ensconced in her freelance writing career and living in Boca Raton, Fla., with her then-husband, Joe. They were in the process of selling their home when a prospective buyer asked to bring a friend by to help him make his final decision. That friend turned out to be a native of Martinique. When Lubell began telling him about the book she’d read about the volcano eruption and the explorer Fernand Clerc, he stopped her. “Madame, please let me introduce myself. I am Yves Clerc. Fernand was my grandfather.”
A month later, Lubell and her husband flew to Martinique and spent two weeks as guests of Clerc. She came back with tons of information for her novel, including an interview with 97-year-old Marcel Clerc, who, as a young child, had witnessed the eruption, which killed about 30,000 people in the town of Saint-Pierre.
The book, The Last Moon, was published in 2010. It has won numerous awards.
When Lubell moved to the desert in 1991, it was tough breaking into the local journalism scene. An opportunity eventually arose to do a cover story for Palm Springs Life. Her work with the magazine later allowed her to get her foot in the door at The Desert Sun.
Though she often has deadlines, DeAnn Lubell said she needs to be inspired to write. “But once I get in the mood—once the juices are flowing—you can’t drag me away,” she said.
Though she often has deadlines, Lubell said she needs to be inspired to write. “But once I get in the mood—once the juices are flowing—you can’t drag me away,” she said.
Lubell also has great PR skills. In 1999, she became the publicist for Angel View. After a lengthy tenure at the job, she had to quit to take care of her husband, Lee Ames, who had been diagnosed with cancer. She later picked up her PR career, representing many clients over the years, including an 8-year stint as publicist for the McCallum Theatre. She currently represents the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Coachella Valley, the Read With Me program in local schools, and her own nonprofit, Amy’s Purpose.
The story of how Amy’s Purpose came to be is tragic.
Lubell’s father loved Labrador retrievers and owned several, and Lubell has always had an affinity for dogs. At one point, she owned four: Sugar, a white American bulldog; Chewy, a Chihuahua; JoJo, an Australian Dingo; and Amy, a hybrid of a miniature Australian shepherd and a crested Chinese powderpuff. They were funny and had their own individual personalities. Lubell said that after Lee passed away, her pack of furry babies kept her sane.
Amy came to her through Lindi Biggi’s organization, Loving All Animals. Biggi and her staff had rescued a number of dogs from an abandoned puppy mill in Lucerne Valley. The most unique was white with one brown eye and one blue eye—and ears like the Flying Nun. When Lubell first spotted her, she told Biggi that she simply must have that dog. Soon, Amy was hers.
About five years ago, Lubell moved up to the high desert with her current husband, Jeffrey. One sunny morning, they let Sugar and Amy out in the backyard. Lubell ran in to get a cup of tea, returning 60 seconds later to a horrific scene.
“Sugar was cowered against the French door. My heart sank. … I opened the door in time to see three coyotes surrounding the lifeless body of Amy. She was my soul dog. It was the most traumatizing thing I’ve ever been through.”
Lubell said that she, her husband and her daughter knew immediately that the thing to do was to start a nonprofit, so something good could come out of this tragedy. They named it Amy’s Purpose. The initial goal was to educate pet owners on the dangers of predators.
A year after Amy died, Sugar was injured, and they had to drive all the way to Banning for emergency treatment. After learning that this was a common experience for valley pet owners, Lubell decided Amy’s Purpose needed an additional mission. After partnering with College of the Desert, the organization has since awarded 27 scholarships in veterinary education.
What stands out about DeAnn Lubell is her tenacity and determination, and the passion she feels about Amy’s Purpose.
“I can’t represent anything or anyone unless I truly believe in their mission,” she said.
Amy would be proud.
For more information about Amy’s purpose, visit www.amyspurpose.net.
Bonnie Gilgallon has written theater reviews for Independent since 2013. She hosts a digital interview show, The Desert Scene, which can be heard on www.thedesertscene.com and viewed on Mutual Broadcasting’s YouTube channel. Learn more at bonnie-g.com.
