Just a Note

Just a note to announce that The Girl Who Remembered Horses is now available at B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo, and Scribd.

And on Amazon, both digital and print copies are available, so you can read it either way.

The print copies have the old cover, but it's the same book inside!

Have you read this one yet?

Keeping Pet Records

Recently I took my two bad boys to a shot clinic to get their vaccinations.

My two former shelter kitties, Bugs and Fred

 

Although I've given lots of shots to animals myself, these two characters are of the scratchy, clawing variety when it comes to holding still for shots. (I mean, most of the time they are very sweet.)

But since they needed rabies this time, I grabbed their records and headed down with them in a large pet carrier.

And the veterinarian remarked not only on how beautiful these cats were (of course he says that to everyone) but what an excellent job I did of keeping records. *grin*

So I thought I'd share my very simple method, which works much better than jotting it on a calendar, daily planner, or a note that is easily lost.

This one was set up for horses.

 

Simply take an unlined sheet of paper and mark out some columns, like I did in the picture.

At the top, put the animal's name, date of birth (or approximate) and perhaps the date you brought the animal home (from the animal shelter, in my case. )

Then, I mark the columns (for dogs and cats):
Vaccinations
Worming
Flea Treatments
 but you could put anything you want in those columns.

Keep in a folder marked Pet Records in your file cabinet, or some other safe place, and you'll always have it.

If you are lucky and have your sweet pets for a long time, those columns will fill up over time, with all of the wonderful things you did for your friend and companion.

That's all! Easy Peasy!

So tell me, how do you keep records for your pets or your livestock?

The Seed of an Idea

As a writer, I've been asked many times "where did you get the idea for that story?"

I normally come up with some common response, like "oh, it just came to me" or "I just sat down to write and this is what happened."

But while writing The Girl Who Remembered Horses, I was quite conscious of a number of questions during the several years it took me to finish, revise, edit, etc. One was my constant wonder about why some girls (not all) become so passionate about horses. Why do some become "Horse Crazy?" This actually led me to build a college research project around this question.

Are horse crazy girls influenced in early life by cultural factors, or television, books, or movies? Or are they (as many of my research subjects attested to) "born with it." And if certain women and girls are actually "born" with a crazy desire for all things horse-related, did they actually inherit this tendency, or was it perhaps passed down from another relative they had contact with? Which leads us to another question - is there a case to be made for "genetic memory?"

Lots of questions, and as my rational mind sought answers, my creative side was dreaming of a future world where horses had largely been forgotten, as well as books, computers, cell phones, automobiles, electricity, and many other things that we take for granted in today's modern society.

The Girl Who Remembered Horses was just re-released with a gorgeous new cover and a new lower price of only $2.99 for the ebook. And it's available on Amazon.

I hope you'll give it a try, and maybe discover some answers for yourself!

Oh, and do you like the new cover??

The Writing Process Blog Hop

Hi Everyone! I'm participating in The Writing Process Blog Hop, where writers answer a few questions about themselves and their writing. Interested? Read on . . .

But first, I give credit to my writer friend Rob Kent (aka Middle-Grade Ninja) for talking me into this. Rob writes excellent scary fiction (I mean, who doesn't love zombies? *shudder*)

Rob also has an awesome informational blog, with tons of book reviews, as well as interviews with agents, editors and writers. You must go there and check it out! http://www.middlegradeninja.com/

But now, a little about me:

Question #1 - What Am I Working On?

Did you want the front burner, or the back burner? Because writers, like many creative people, have lots of projects rolling around in their heads all the time. In fact, sometimes we have so many ideas that it's hard to focus.

But on the front burner, for me right now, is the third story in my series of short fiction called Cat Tales.

Short fiction is a new genre for me. After completing five full-length novels and experiencing a bit of writer burn-out, or maybe its the shorter attention span we all seem to have these days (what? squirrel?) - I find myself enjoying writing short fiction.

Cat Tales are not little light-weight kitty stories, though. The Winter Kitten and The Springtime Cat (the first two in the series) are very real human drama, with fully-realized characters and families working out problems (with the help of adorable four-legged friends, of course *purr*.)

So at the moment I'm working on The Summertime Cat, and (fingers crossed) should have it available by summer. And on the back burner is the sequel to The Girl Who Remembered Horses, and I should have a surprise announcement about that later this year. Also, some other short fiction, as well as a YA novel in verse.

Question #2 - How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I like to think my work is different because it's cross-over fiction. While perfectly suited to middle-grade readers and up, many of my readers are adults who happen to love animals. And even if you aren't an ardent animal person, there is enough excitement and drama in these stories to grab other readers, also.

For that reason, I've branded myself as a writer of Fiction for Animal Lovers of All Ages. And I love the fact that I now have readers and fans all over the world. In fact, The Winter Kitten and The Springtime Cat are very often in the Top Ten Animals/Cat Fiction in the UK. (Thanks, readers!)

Question #3 - Why do I write what I do?

After a lifetime shared with animals, I've realized how important they are to the emotional and physical health of humans. At first, when I began writing, animals (dogs, cats, horses, etc.) just seemed to automatically sneak in to any storyline I was working on. Later, I realized it was because animals have played a very big part in my life, since I was a small child. So it was only natural they would surface in my writing.

Presently, I see many humans living further and further from nature, trapped in houses and apartments with only cell phones, computers and television for companionship. And I recognize how animals (as pets, companions, or helpmates) can teach us kindness, compassion, and how the natural world really works. Show me a boy who loves his dog, and I'll show you a boy who'll grow up to be a kind man.

Question #4 - How does my writing process work?

Oh, good question. As if there was an actual process I could tap into and/or show you. I don't follow any "rules" - like writing every day, for X amount of minutes. I do know that if too many days go by without writing, I start to get twitchy fingers and I become restless. I have the "need" to write, and that is what it feels like to be a writer.

As for both novels and short fiction, I usually start with a character in my head. A character who wants their story told. Sometimes I will just jot down an opening paragraph, and let the story flow from there. Very often, the characters grow and develop before my eyes on the page, and as they tell their own story, I get to know them, just as you might by reading.

Do I work out a synopsis beforehand? Very rarely. On my most recent story, I do have a vague plotline. But whether or not I stick to it, is still very much up in the air.

Okay, enough about me.

I now pass the torch of this writing process blog over to two other great writers, who also happen to write about animals. In fact - horses! They'll be blogging about their writing process next week.

Natalie Keller Reinert writes contemporary racehorse fiction. Check out her Facebook page, which she titled Horse Books for Grownups and her books on Amazon as well as her blog http://www.nataliekreinert.com/

Lisa Wysocky is an author and motivational speaker who writes, trains horses, and consults with therapeutic riding programs. She not only writes horse mysteries, but also a wide variety of other things. Please check out her work here http://www.lisawysocky.com/  and here .

That's it for now, everyone! Hope you are all enjoying Spring, and finding great things to read, also! Be sure and check out the other writers in this blog as they talk about their writing processes and what they are working on!

Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary

We all love to visualize the beauty of horses running free, and adore their strength and proud spirits. But although it's sad to think about, there are many horses in this country, and in fact world-wide, that suffer horrible living conditions, neglect, abuse, and even starvation. Often, these unwanted horses end up at auction houses where they are likely shipped to slaughter.

Melanie and Jim Bowles, of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary in Lincolnton, GA have opened their hearts and their wallets, for over 20 years, to many such horses.

At the current time, they care for 52 of them, as well as an assortment of other critters needing homes, on their ranch where the horses are allowed to live out their lives in peace and contentment among friends.

For the month of February, I'd like to make a donation to Proud Spirit to help Melanie and Jim care for these neglected animals. For every purchase of my book THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES during February 2013, my publisher will hold back my royalties, which I will then send to Proud Spirit.

In fact, one of the inspirations for this book was the thought of what might happen to horses on this planet in the event of an apocalyptic event. THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES is, of course, a fictional account of imagined events. But Melanie and Jim are very real people, who take care of neglected horses day in and day out.

So if  you've been wanting to read this book (or if you've already read it and want to share it with someone else) buy a copy during February, and know that you are helping the horses of Proud Spirit stay healthy and well-fed.

Feel free to spread the word! Any sales worldwide from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Musa Publishing, iTunes, Smashwords, Kobo, or any other legitimate outlet.

Want to put your money where your heart is, and read a great book to boot?

Buy a copy of THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES during February 2013.

The Horses of Proud Spirit will thank you!

Animal Records - A Simple Method

Since many of you that read this blog are Animal Lovers like me, I thought I'd pass on a tip that might help you keep track of their health.

Records. If you are like many people, you jot on your calendar, day runner (or maybe on your smart phone) when your dog/cat/horse/parakeet needs its shots/wormer/flea treatment/etc.

Or, maybe these dates get lost in the daily shuffle of things, and you sit around scratching your head, mumbling "When was it that Frodo got his last vaccination?"

Maybe because I'm a writer, I like to actually Write Things Down. Ha!

Maybe I'm super-organized. Not!

Maybe I've just had lots of pets/livestock over the years, and sometimes it gets really hard to remember.

So I've came up with a really simple system to keep track of everyone.

First, whenever we welcome a new animal into our family, I make a folder for them, which I keep in my file cabinet. Then, I make a little chart to go inside. At the top, it lists Name/Age/When We brought them Home. (We've had Frodo for 6 years? Really?)

I take a clean piece of paper - like this:

You can do this yourself in about 30 seconds, and mark your columns however you like:

Vaccinations/Worming/Shoeing-Trimming for a horse or donkey.

Vaccinations/Worming/Flea Treatments for a cat or dog.

Or whatever works for you and your animals. Yes, if you take them to the vet, the vet writes this stuff down (and sometimes sends you reminders.) But because I do a lot of these things myself, I like to remember when Frodo had his last treatment/shot/etc.

Hope this helps some of you take good care of your animals!

Kisses to all of your horses, cats, dogs, or parakeets (actually, I've never had a parakeet, do they get shots?)

The Scene You Missed

Aren't you lucky? You get to read a scene that didn't make it into my newest novel, SIX DEGREES OF LOST.

Actually, I am resurrecting this post from April 2010, when I was still working on this novel. Here's the original post, if you'd like to read it: http://lindabenson.blogspot.com/2010/04/killing-my-darlings-er-scenes.html

I loved this scene because it's about horses (of course!) But it's actually still there. It just starts right after this point in time, and is told from David's point of view. Sometimes it's fun to see how your actual writing process happens - what you keep, what you delete to keep things coherent.

Hey - if you enjoy this scene that didn't make it into the book, you might want to actually read the whole book!

Swede brings an old saddle over from his house along with a saddle pad. He tightens the cinch on old Paintball and I’m suddenly nervous. And it is still raining. But suddenly the clouds part and a brilliant blue sky appears.

“Put your left foot in the stirrup,” he instructs. “Then grab the saddle horn and hoist yourself up there.”

I feel like an IDIOT trying to climb up on the horse. It always looks so easy when you see cowboys do it, but I feel like a total klutz. Swede helps push me up and finally I’m mounted on Paintball’s back. He adjusts the stirrups and starts leading us around.

“Don’t let go of him,” I say.

“I won’t.” Swede holds onto the horse’s lead rope. “I believe this old horse is gentle as a kitten. He didn’t even flinch when we saddled him.”

Maybe, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. It’s fun, though, to be up so high. I can see a long ways. Out across the corrals and the back pasture, and all the way past the clear-cut behind Aunt Trudy’s five acres. I’m holding onto the reins, but Swede is actually the one controlling Paintball. “Look at the rainbow,” I say. “Wow. It’s a double one.”“It’s always a lucky day,” says Swede, “when you see one of those.”

We start down the driveway toward the main road. This is only the second time I’ve ever been on a horse, so it’s not like I actually know how to ride. It’s exciting but scary at the same time, and I feel jittery every time Paintball takes another step.

“Swede,” Aunt Trudy hollers from behind us. “Don’t take her too far. You don’t know what that old horse might do.”

“Just relax, Trudy. We are not going to do anything except walk.” Swede looks up at me and winks. “Your aunt’s a worry-wart, isn’t she?” he whispers.

"I heard that,” calls Aunt Trudy. “And darned tootin’ I’m a worry wart. This girl is my responsibility, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“Trudy, this horse is so old and pathetic he probably couldn’t spook if he tried. If he moves too fast he might fall down.”

FALL DOWN? Great. Paintball lifts his head up and stares at something moving up the road. I grab the horn of the saddle for safety, but he doesn’t spook or skitter sideways. He just keeps on walking calmly.

As the figure in the road gets closer, I can see it’s someone running. It almost looks like that boy I met in the driveway a few weeks ago. DAVID.

My face turns pink when I think about him. I barely knew him, but I remember telling him practically everything about myself. About Pendleton, and about how I got my name. He probably thinks I’m a total DORK. I almost wish Swede would just turn the horse around and head back to the barn, before the boy gets here.

As he jogs closer, I can see David’s t-shirt is soppy and wet. He must have been running right through the rain. It would be awesome if I was riding Paintball all by myself, but instead I’m sitting up here like a little baby being led up and down the driveway. I sort of automatically lift my hand to wave, and then immediately wish I hadn’t.

Maybe he’ll just jog right on by, but David slows to a walk and turns in the gravel driveway. Why did I WAVE at him? I suddenly wish I could just crawl under a bush and HIDE.

“Hey, I didn’t know you knew how to ride,” he says, walking close.

Soo - if you think you might want to read what DID make it into the book - the purchase links are just to your right! Enjoy!!!

The Rain in Spain

Well, I've never been to Spain. But all the Rain we get in the Northwest means that things stay green around here for a long time. And it grows lots of grass. Too much grass, sometimes, which means that my two donkeys, Mr. Chocolate and Mr. Big, are locked in a smaller paddock so they don't overeat and founder. But we found some takers!

Here are Rojo (the horse) and Rastus (the mule) munching away, helping us make good use of this abundance of feed.

And here are Mr. Chocolate and Mr. Big, dejectedly pacing their corral, pouting. I think they look plenty well-fed though, don't you? (You can just imagine the names they are calling those interlopers.)

Talk Derby To Me!

No, Kentucky Derby, silly. Today is the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and on this day, for me, everything else stops. I am too tingly and excited and work myself into a fever pitch waiting for this:

It's televised on NBC from 1-4 PM Pacific Time (adjust your times accordingly.)

Here's a link about the horses that are running: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses

Yes, I am wearing a T-shirt that says "Talk Derby To Me!" It's all I can think about today!

How about you? Will you be watching??

Cowboys in the Ghetto

Last night I finished a book I had really been looking forward to reading: Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri.

Of course, as a horse lover, I'll read anything with a horse in it, but what had really appealed to me was that the setting was unusual - inner city cowboys keeping horses in an urban environment - so that kids who have never actually seen a prairie might get the feel of horses, and how to live by The Cowboy Way.

Things I Liked: 

I liked this book on many levels.

I loved the story of young Coltrane, who gets dumped off to live with his dad, Harper, who he has never met.

I loved the dialogue of the street kids, and how Coltrane slowly warms up to his dad.

I loved how he responded to one horse in particular who he names Boo, and how the horse brings out feelings of sensitivity in him. This part rings true, because all horse people understand how "the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man" or a woman, or most especially a young punk kid with major problems in life.

I loved, loved the illustrations by Jesse Joshua Watson, and I wish there were more of them. They perfectly depicted the feelings of the novel and the actual "scenes," and put us right in the thick of the story.

Things that bothered Me:

Okay, at the risk of sounding petty - I am a horse woman, and there were certain things that just, well, bugged me because they weren't correct.

First off, one of the major elements in the story is that these horses, kept in decrepit corral and stalls (which the city is trying to shut down) are mostly rescued race horses.

Dad: "They're old racehorses that normally get sold off for meat. We pool our money to buy what we can at auction before the slaughterhouse gets 'em." . . .

Son: But my mind's stuck on the meat part. "People eat horses?" I ask.

Dad: "Dogs. They get sold for dog food."

But according to this article on Wikipidia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_slaughter horse meat has been banned from pet food since the 1970's, and 90% of horsemeat goes for human consumption overseas. With all the intense discussion these days about the pros and cons of horse slaughter, how could an author get this fact wrong? In fact, several more times in the book there is talk about horses ending up as dog food. And now this book will sit on library and school shelves around the country for years to come perpetuating this misinformation. Are we dumbing this down for young people? Or did the author truly not know this? Surely, Candlewick, the publisher, should have checked this out.

Okay, a couple more petty little things. When Harp is getting Boo ready for Cole's first ride on a horse, he saddles him, then asks for "them stirrup straps," which he then attaches to the saddle. Well, maybe on a English saddle you'd do it like that. But on a Western saddle (which it obviously is, because not much later Cole grabs the "knob" on the top of the saddle to get on) the stirrups are already attached. (Trust me, I owned a saddle shop, I know these things.)

Worse yet, when Cole's horse spooks at a plastic bag, Harp attaches a "leash" to him (a rope that runs to the spooky horse's saddle) as if that will help. No, no, no, and NO. I could see him attaching a rope to the horse's halter and ponying him through a spooky neighborhood. That's a common thing you might do for the safety of a beginning rider. But if you attach a rope from one horse to another's saddle, you are only inviting a wreck. (Don't ask me how I know this.) 

I will shut my mouth and not mention how three inner-city boys (two of which have never been on a horse before, and one only once) can steal three horses from a barn, jump on them bareback during the night, with no halters or gear of any kind, and guide them through a corral, out a gate, and away through the park in the dark.

Now granted, I am a sixty-something white woman and not the intended audience for this book. Hopefully, it will still appeal to reluctant-reading boys who are looking for a bit of an adventure, and probably girls who are attracted by a horse on the cover (as I was.)

The story itself was great, the setting unique, and I believe it is still a worthwhile read.

But I know lots of horse lovers are going to read this book, and some things are going to bother them. So authors, if you're going to write about something you are totally unacquainted with, please get all your facts straight. Okay, I'll shut up now.

For more about how G. Neri was inspired to write this story, read here http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/08/guest-post-g-neri-on-on-trail-to-ghetto.html

Readers, find this book, and tell me what you think. Regardless of all my petty grievances with the facts of the book, I still give it: 4 out of 5 stars.

Snowman: The Eighty-Dollar Champion

When I'm not writing books, I'm reading them. And I adore books about horses. Here's one that I just finished. It's currently on the New York Times Best Seller list, and it's fantastic.

I just wrote a review over on Equestrian Ink and you can jump over there and read it, but Snowman is a true story of a horse saved just in the nick of time from slaughter, who went on to become a champion jumper. Unbelievable story and highly recommended!

If you want to see what else I've been reading lately, here's my Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3421565.Linda_Benson

And if you want the latest information on my soon-to-be released book, The Girl Who Remembered Horses, here's the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Girl.Remembered.Horses.LindaBenson

Are you a writer? Or a reader? Both?

What have you been working on or reading lately?

By Half a Head

Ah - Horse Racing!

Zenyatta lost her quest to retire at a perfect 20 for 20 yesterday, losing the Breeders' Cup Classic by half a head, to a very good horse named Blame. But even in defeat, she gave us the heart-pumping excitement she is known for. Starting in a mere canter as the other eleven horses sprinted away from her, she was way, way back early on in the race, fifteen lengths behind the leaders, and barely looked as if she was involved.

With the Churchill Downs dirt flying in her face on a chilly November evening, Zenyatta rallied and began to catch up. When she set herself down to open up her long stride, here she came, picking off the pack one at a time. With just a quarter of a mile left, her jockey Mike Smith threaded her between horses and she ran like we've seen her do it before, flat out, running her huge heart out to catch the horses in front of her. Impossibly, it looked like she would do it again. And she almost did. She passed everyone, and caught up to Blame, only to lose the race by mere inches.

The crowd of over 72,000 was stunned. Her jockey broke down in tears at an interview shortly thereafter. How could the Queen lose? Impossible.

But Zenyatta, even in defeat, lost no fans. If any, she gained more in this race, proving that at six years old she is every bit as much a racing machine as she was at age three, and a crowd pleaser and people lover as well.

No matter what the future holds for this great mare, I say "Long Live the Queen." She has brought more new fans to the sport of horse racing then any horse, movie, or book I can remember in a long, long time.

In a year or two, few will remember the name of the one horse that beat her. But Zenyatta's legacy - her heart stopping performances, her physical presence and charisma, her record of 19 wins and 1 second, will live on.

Did you watch the race? Will you remember it? I know I will.

Horse Racing for (Complete) Dummies

Horse racing is one of my passions (obsessions.) A few people recently expressed interest in knowing a bit more about this sport, so I am writing this post from a complete beginner's angle. Bear with me if some of this information seems old hat to you, but if you stick with it, you might learn something of value.

Let's start with the very basics: the breeds of horses that run today on tracks in the United States. While there may be a few races on smaller tracks for Arabians, Paints, Appaloosas, and even mules - most of the Big Races, and the Horse Racing you see on television are for three breeds of registered horses:

Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and Standardbreds.

Standardbreds race in Harness Racing. They are not ridden; they pull a sulky and have a driver behind them, and they either trot or pace.

Quarter Horses run over shorter distances, from 220 yards to 870 yards, and they race in a blister of speed, with the races often over in a matter of seconds.

Thoroughbreds are the horses that race over longer distances, usually from 5/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles. The well-known names Seabiscuit, Secretariat, and the undefeated mare Zenyatta are all Thoroughbreds, and the horses that race in the Kentucky Derby (as well as the other two races in the Triple Crown) are all Thoroughbreds, too.

All of these horses are registered in their respective breed organizations (Thoroughbreds being The Jockey Club) so that even though you've read Walter Farley's THE BLACK STALLION series, and dreamed of being shipwrecked with a fantastic horse on a tropical island, and then bringing it back to the states and racing it in a famous race, well, without a set of papers to prove the horse's lineage, it's not gonna happen. (Although I have to say that the movie scenes of Alec and The Black on the island are probably my favorite bits from any movie, anywhere.)

So, how many of you can name all three races in the Triple Crown?

That's right, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. These races are run over a period of five weeks, starting with the first Saturday in May. Entrants must be three-year-old Thoroughbreds, and although they are usually colts, a filly can enter, and in fact, fillies have won the Kentucky Derby three times.

The reason it is so difficult to win the Triple Crown (must win all three races) is that the three races are run in three different states, over a short period of time, and they are over three different distances, with the Belmont, at 1 1/2 miles being the longest and most grueling. It takes a super horse to do it, and we haven't had a winner now since Affirmed in 1978 (32 years.)

What other types of races do Thoroughbreds run in? You might have heard of maiden races, claiming races, allowance races, and stakes races. For a good discussion on the differences in these types of races, click here: http://horseracing.about.com/od/helpfornewfans/a/aaracetypes.htm

Many of the televised races are the Grade 1 Stakes races. At the end of the year, there is a two-day series of races known as the Breeders' Cup, which showcases the best horses of the year, including from Europe, with races at various lengths and on both the dirt and the turf. This year the Breeders' Cup will be held at Churchill Downs on November 5-6, 2010, and will be televised on several channels. For a complete television schedule, click on my post right here at Equestrian Ink about the undefeated mare Zenyatta (who will be running in the Breeder's Cup Classic, against males, trying for her 2oth win.)

If you'd like to become more familiar with horse racing, check to see if you get the television channels TVG or HRTV. Both of these carry not only the big races, but lots of smaller races, lots of live commentary, and after watching for a bit, soon you, too, will feel like an expert.

Or, to see what it's like to go to a real track and experience the races live, check out my post here about a day at Santa Anita Racetrack.

If you have any other questions you'd like answered (like - what's a furlong? one eighth of a mile) please post them in the comments, and I'll try and answer them for you (or find someone who can.)

Between the new movie Secretariat and all the hoopla around the fantastic mare Zenyatta, horse racing suddenly has a lot of new fans. I hope you'll tune in for some great horse racing this weekend, and whatever you do - don't miss the race called the Breeder's Cup Classic this Saturday, November 6th to watch Zenyatta run.

Enjoy those thunderous hooves down the track!!

A Horse Called Eagle

Or - why I love social networking. I belong to site called Goodreads http://goodreads.com/ and on that site, I recently listed a horse book I plan to read. It's by Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley, and it's called THE GEORGES AND THE JEWELS. That's a strange name for a book - but I related to it, because apparently the main character's father sells horses (like my father did) and in an effort to prevent her from becoming too attached to them, they all get named either George (for a gelding or colt) or Jewel (for a filly or mare.) This book is now on the top of my to-read pile, and I'm anxious to dive in.

So - last week I get a message on twitter (a tweet) from a horsewoman named Natalie Reinert, mentioning that THE GEORGES AND THE JEWELS looks good. Natalie recently joined Goodreads, and friended me there (see how this works?) So I mentioned that once I owned a horse named Eagle, that my dad bought for me off a truck load of horses from Idaho. He was a flea-bitten grey, part Arab, and colored like the horse below. I loved his name - Eagle, and that's what I called him.

Sometime later I found out that the man unloading the truckload of horses called every horse Eagle that day. "Come on, Eagle. Easy there, boy. Whoa, son. Good boy, Eagle." Boy, did I feel dumb. But still, it was a good name.

So when I told Natalie that story, she messaged me back that she once owned a horse named - wait for it - Eagle, who arrived in Florida off a truck from Virginia. I know, small world, huh?

Anyway, Natalie gallops thoroughbred horses at Aqueduct race track in New York, she's a writer, and she has a fabulous blog. Read her post right here about the thrill of riding a horse out of the starting gate for the first time: http://retiredracehorseblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/the-break-from-the-gate/ Wow. I could never be so brave!

I am delighted to know Natalie, because we share a love of writing, reading, and horses. (Not to mention former horses named Eagle.)

Do you have a friend you've met through social networking, or a crazy story like that to share? Tell us. Or (gulp) have you, too, ever owned a horse named Eagle?

The Tevis Cup, or Hanging in there for the Long Haul

The 55th annual Western States 100 mile/ one day Trail Ride (more commonly known as the Tevis Cup) is this weekend. Held on the weekend in July closest to the full moon (to better see the trail at night) riders on this quest attempt to ride their horse 100 miles, through some of the toughest terrain imaginable, and finish within 24 hours. Horses have required rest stops with vet checks, and any horse deemed unready to go on is pulled. Only about 50 percent finish in any given year. The balance take a trailer ride home.

I rode this race 25 years ago, in 1985, on a quarter horse/mustang cross named Daniel. I was fitter, lighter, tougher, and boy I'd do it again tomorrow if I thought I could. I wax nostalgic just thinking about it.

Riders start from a point near Squaw Valley, California (base camp was in the meadow at Squaw Valley when I did it) and ride all the way to Auburn, California.

They begin in the wee hours of the morning - 5:15 am - after months or years of preparation, involving long hours of trotting their horse up and down mountains several days a week, until the horse is not only physically but mentally prepared for the challenge. The trail itself snakes over granite ridges with insane elevation gains and descents,and trail hazards including a swinging suspension bridge and the infamous Cougar Rock (imagine rock climbing for horses.) Riders routinely clamber off and run alongside on the steep downhills, and follow behind, holding on to the tails or "tailing" their horses uphill. All this in order to save their horses for the long haul home.

Why would anybody do this? I don't know. Because they're half-crazy? To say they can?




Here's a picture of me and my horse, Daniel (my head is turned away from the camera.)This picture was taken at Squaw Valley about three weeks before we accomplished the actual Tevis ride itself, when a girlfriend and I pre-rode the trail in three days, camping out and completing about 30 miles a day. We carried all our food and gear with us, and it was hands-down the most fun I've ever had horseback. For the actual race, I traveled much lighter, with a crew of great volunteers at rest stops.

Today, the Western States Ride has its own website, with a live report on each rider in the race and even twitter updates. Finishers are still awarded the coveted Tevis Cup belt buckle.

Do I own one? No. Daniel and I made it through each and every vet check, and with just a few miles to go, in the wee hours of the following morning (after riding for about 23 hours straight) my horse was all done in. Tired. I urged him forward. "Come on boy, just a couple more miles, you can do it." Nothing. Nada. He had given me everything he had, so with tears in my eyes, I got off and walked my superb trooper, my palomino horse Daniel, to finish the last few miles. We came in just overtime. We didn't win a buckle. But we finished the course, and I brought my horse home tired, but completely sound. The endurance motto "To Finish is to Win" has made me feel like a winner all these years later.

The publishing world is a lot like endurance riding. You've got to train hard, hang in there, and there are peaks and valleys and tests of your endurance. My best horseback riding days are behind me, but I hope my best writing days are still in front of me. And believe me, I'm in it for the long haul.

What have you done that you're really, really proud of, that still brings nostalgic memories? Would you do it again? Feel free to share.

A Day at the Horse Races

I am a huge horse racing fan. And this time of year, right before Triple Crown season, I become a little antsy, waiting for the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. I've even been known to cut out of a SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference session to find the hotel lounge and a television in order to watch one of the races.


Conference Speakers: The state of the publishing business is . . . blah, blah, blah

Me: OMG OMG OMG Did you see that?? Smarty Jones just won the Preakness by almost twelve lengths. Twelve lengths, people. O.M.G!!



So, for those of you who have never been to the horse races, let me see if I can share a little of the excitement.

You don't really have to get there at the crack of dawn. Most races start mid-day and last until evening, with a new race about every half-hour.

This is the statue of the famous Seabiscuit, in front of Santa Anita Racetrack in Southern California.

Here are the starting gates, where the horse will load so they all break at the same time.

Here is the saddling area. You can wander right up and watch the horses getting ready before each race. I like to do this before I place a bet, and see which one has fire in his eyes.


Here are the buglers in the call to the post. You can't help but get excited right about now, because

the horses are being led out to the track. You can get right up close to them and watch

as they each are assigned to a pony horse. That's what they call the horses that lead them under the grandstands, out to the track and trot and canter alongside them as they warm up.

Here is a pony horse leading two time Horse of the Year, Curlin.

You don't have to spend a lot of money at the track. You can place bets for as little as one dollar. People have all kinds of methods for picking winners, and some do just as well picking horses that have Cat, Kitten, or Chocolate in their names. Go figure.


I tried to get a picture of the betting windows, but a beefy security guard confronted me and threatened to take my camera. Seriously. He made me delete the picture I took, but let me keep my camera. *Whew*

Have you got your bets all placed? Great. Because the race is about to start, right in front of you

they come charging out of the starting gate and the whole crowd is on its feet cheering, and the hooves thunder by right in front of you and your heart beats fast in your chest, and the announcer is calling out names but you cannot hear because the crowd is so loud and the horses stampede right past you

and you're jumping up and down screaming which one won? Was it Chocolate Kitten, number 8? Yes, yes, yes!

And when all is said and done, they cool the horses off with a bucket of water and lead them back in front of you and you better go get a sandwich and a coke because in a few minutes they'll be bringing in the horses to be saddled for the next race, and where's my program? I need to study who's running.

Hope you enjoyed my little photo montage. Remember, the Kentucky Derby is always the First Saturday in May, which is May 1st this year. And if you can't make it to Churchhill Downs, I hope you'll tune in to NBC to watch it.
That's where I'll be, right in front of my television, jumping up and down screaming for my favorite.

Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra

To read more about these two great mares, and to find out why you should circle the date of April 9, 2010 on your calendar (Hint: Race of the Century) -

- hop on over and read my full post at Equestrian Ink: http://equestrianink.blogspot.com/2010/02/zenyatta-and-rachel-alexandra.html

Equestrian Ink

Hey Everyone - Just wanted to let you know I'm also going to be blogging about horses with some fellow horse authors, over at a site called Equestrian Ink. Here's the link: http://equestrianink.blogspot.com/

My first post will be on February 9th, 2010 and its called (appropriately enough) First Horses.

Come check us out!

Honest Writing

I have an article out in the February 2010 edition of Equus magazine. It's called Back on Top, and I'm excited about it. Excited to break into a national horse magazine, but also excited that this little personal essay that they published is some of my most honest writing.

I wrote this article, about the purchase of a paint horse named Pete, approximately a year and half ago. I originally titled it Riding into Old Age, and I sold it to the magazine last year, and they just now published it.

It has been said (gee, I don't know who originally said it - sportswriter Red Smith? or someone else) that to write the truth you just open a vein and bleed onto the page. And that's what I attempted to do in this article.

You know how we all hold onto fantasies of who we really are? We are cool, we are fit, we are awesome writers, mothers, lovers, or in my case, cowgirls. I always imagined myself a true western cowgirl, although I grew up on a prune ranch and didn't get my first horse until I was fifteen. But from that moment on, I imagined I was tough, and could ride any horse, and I wore tight Wrangler ProRodeos, and a western belt with a silver buckle.

Even through motherhood, and many occupations, and an aging body, this self image of myself as a cowgirl remained. But the reality is that I have changed over the years, although I still love and enjoy my horses.

So this article just published in Equus is a good piece of writing for me, because I opened my vein and let it all hang out: the fact that I'm not so tough anymore and I'm even occasionally chicken (although I didn't actually mention the fact that I don't fit into my tight jeans so well any more). I'll save that for another bout of honesty.

I'm working on finding that honesty in all of my writing, so that my words ring true and say something that matters, and people can read them and say "oh yeah, that's the way is really is". Even if it's "just" a children's novel. Because hey, if we're going to be honest, when you are writing for kids isn't it even more important to write honestly? Age appropriately, yes, but honestly.

So there ya go. Honest Writing. Go find the Feb/2010 issue of Equus and read my article. You'll love it.

A Winter's Morn

The thing about dogs is that they're always happy to go . . .even if it's just to the barn to feed on a thirty degree foggy morning.
Did I hear the barn doors open?

These ears don't miss a thing, and I got here first, hee hee hee.

Wait. . . wait. . . don't give her all the grain.

I'm coming. I'm coming . . .

I'm Here! Is that my grain pan you are rattling?

Catch any mice last night? Lucy get off the hay, please.

Are we done yet? Is it my turn now? Finally . . .