Ever since traveling through a CA desert in the spring and seeing it bloom, I have wanted to live in the desert. It's beautiful.
The desert that is quite an unusual place to stay living conditions is very hostile.
I was also influenced in my interest by Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitude" and Louis L'Amour's "Haunted Mesa." The made the desert sound romantic.
I can understand the inspiration but the temperature and the weather can be a big deal.