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HORSES, HEARTBREAK AND FALLING IN LOVE
A random personal collection from a broken lifetime
THE FILLY
I’m like a little filly
That’s been brought up from the field
Broken to one master,
Taught to bend and yield.
I was content to have a warm stall
Good care, some hay and grain.
I no longer wanted to romp and roam
Upon a wild green plain.
But then one day as fate would have,
The gate was left wide open
And I, that little filly fair
Took off wild, and free…..and lopin’
Copyright by F.J. Thomas (registered)
“Some find love and keep it a lifetime. The rest of us search our entire lives and maybe find it once.” ~F.J. Thomas
I took a hard break from writing fiction for well over a year while I did some soul searching…
In my much younger years, like so many women writers I had the mental fantasy of being a world famous romance writer. I’ll be honest, I spent a lot of years chasing that romance writer dream.
However… as I’ve aged and been through a lot of shit – we’ll call it what it is – I’m realizing I’m rather jaded from life’s experiences. I’m not the same person in my 50’s that I was in earlier years.
Don’t get me wrong, I count my blessings every day and I make it a point to find something to be thankful for, but I have seen the ugly side of people and life that left me sorely disappointed. I don’t believe in things I once did, and believe in things I use to not believe in.
One thing I just don’t believe in any more are those romance fairy tales. Sorry if that disappoints you, but it is what it is. While I know there’s stories out there where folks met and stayed together for 80 years, it doesn’t apply to the broken in this world. I know that some folks love to escape for a little while with a good romance, but I’ve never been one to escape unless it’s on the back of a horse. Truth and reality are those things I’ve craved and sought after my entire life, sometimes without realizing it. That’s even more true now. So escaping into a nice sweet cozy fantasy is something I just can no longer do. I crave the grit, the reality, the ugliness as a writer – with something to be thankful for at the end.
So, I decided to release this collection of poetry that I’ve been writing since my 20’s. Some of it’s romance, some of it’s horses, and a lot of it is heartache. It’s real, and what I was thinking, feeling, or noticing over the years from people and horses that have come across my path.
And no, I won’t tell you when they were written or who they were about. That’s for the reader to decide!
The ebook is widely available on ebook outlets & should be available on Amazon soon. On a side note, I have some projects I’ll be working on in the coming months, so stay tuned!
Get the book – https://books2read.com/u/47Qyl7
Talking With Maureen Gregory…
This week we talk with fellow Solstice Publishing author and horsewoman Maureen Gregory. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know her, especially since she’s a fellow horse lover, loves animals and has a great sense of humor!
Tell us about where you live & what your day to day life is like.
I live in rural England in an area known as the Peak District, with my husband Chris and a collection of creatures great and small. Our home is a very old stone farmhouse, we can only date it back 400 years, but it is older than that. The lounge has old oak beams, the main one was off a ship apparently! There is a stone fireplace, in the winter the fire is blazing, but today, it is hot and sunny.
When I am writing I sit at an oak table with the window behind me. As I have two small dogs and one cat there is always one of them curled up on the chair and one in my lap. The only problem is when Minty (the cat) decides to walk over the keyboard.
My routine is dictated by the weather! If it is lashing down with rain/snow/hail or blowing a gale I get my outside chores done as quickly as possible, come in, light the fire, have breakfast and begin writing. However, if the weather is ok, I like to ride my horses, and potter about outside. At the risk of sounding a bit bonkers I confess to spending hours sitting with my two pet sheep – Rambo & Sweep, just chilling out and pondering on this and that. I then look at my watch, shriek “OMG where has the time gone!” and rush back into the house.
Tell us about your horses and what you do with them.
I have two horses Apollo and Jassmin. Apollo is a Welsh Cob, chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. He is twenty now and still very lively. We do dressage competitions together, but our favourite is dressage to music. He loves it. We recently won a dressage to music championship, despite the speakers to the main arena breaking down just as we started our test. I couldn’t hear a thing, but Apollo could, and I just followed his lead.
Jassmin is a ten year old coloured Gypsy Cob, she has blue flecks in her eyes, long white eyelashes and a long flowing mane. On a recent hack a little girl shouted out “Oh look that horse has angel hair!” She also has silky white feathers.
My friend made a short promotional video to promote my novel, and it features Jassmin, looking very windswept. Although she is not typical of a dressage horse she has lovely light paces and does very well in competitions. Our favourite pastime is just hacking out along the many bridleways and lanes.
I also have the pleasure of owning Dylan the donkey. He is fifteen, very loveable and cheeky. Dylan doesn’t really do anything, he just is!!
Do you write full time?
I gave up a career in psychiatric nursing and mental health counselling to renovate an old farmhouse. It took several years and after the work was completed I decided not to go back to that line of work. I felt as if I had moved on and things would not be the same if I went back.
I began to write short stories for magazines, with some success before I decided to concentrate on writing my debut novel. Also by that time I had added to my collection of fluffies and furries, paws and claws, so alongside assisting Chris with his paperwork I find my day is busy enough.
Here’s some info and a review on her book The Seventh Wave….
In the novel deceit, obsessive love, betrayal and murder are threaded alongside the fabric of normal life. Emma is convinced she has found the man of her dreams, until she suspects her lover may have a darker side. Was he a cold, calculated killer or a victim in someone else’s deadly game? Emma believes she will uncover the truth, but are some lies better left undiscovered?
Review:
“Beware the Seventh Wave,” begins with Emma rushing to make it to a funeral. Things just haven’t been going her way for a long time. An early morning argument with her husband, Phil, left her feeling exhausted. She over slept and was running late. A quick breakfast from the local eatery drips on her clothing. The weather is gloomy. To just top her day off, she scraps the side of her car trying to enter the cemetery lot. Nothing is going right.
At the funeral, she knew she was going to be running into her ex-boyfriend and his wife, Mark and Alicia. She just wasn’t prepared for the reactions she was going to be experiencing. Seeing Mark brought back feelings that she tried so hard to suppress over the years. But what can you do when you are both married to someone else?
As we all do when we are trying to sort out our lives, Emma is conflicted with her feelings. Instead of checking into a hotel as she originally planned, she returns home to find what can be the most devastating thing ever. Walking in she finds what she’s hoping is a romantic event planned for her only to find her husband in the throes of passions with her friend Katie.
Totally in shock, Emma had the difficult task of trying to sort out her life. Does she fight for her husband and marriage? Does she give up and let the other woman win, again? Is she ready to restart her life all over again? Is there anyone in her life that she can actually trust?
It’s a phone call from Mark, a week after the funeral that sets Emma up for the most drastic and important event in her life. With her marriage failing, she willingly runs to Mark in hopes to help him in a time of need. But will the help that she offers Mark, help her find what she is missing in her?
How can people find your work? (List all your buy links & contact info — this is about promoting you!)
Buy Beware the Seventh Wave by Maureen Gregory on Amazon UK
Maureen Gregory’s Amazon UK Author Page
Book Trailer: Beware the Seventh Wave by Maureen Gregory
Maureen Gregory’s Website – www.maureengregorybooks.com
Maureen Gregory’s Facebook Author Page
Link to Maureen Gregory on Goodreads
Twitter @MaureenMgregory
Profile name on LinkedIn: Maureen Gregory
Any parting words of wisdom for those writers looking to be published?
If you think you can do it, or you think you can’t – you are absolutely right! It’s all in the mind-literally.
Feel free to include comments, etc.
Just a bit thank you for hosting me on your blog. Happy riding, writing & all the other things that make life worth while FJ!
Thanks again!
Chatting With Author Laura Crum
This time I’m chatting with author Laura Crum who writes mysteries. If you love an authentic down to earth “who done it” that involves horses, then you’ll love Laura Crum’s books. Her years of experience in the horse industry have created some great stories that are difficult to put down for even just a little while!
Tell us a little bit about where you live and what your life is like.I live in the hills near California’s Monterey Bay on a very small horse ranch. I keep five horses here, also have a large garden and various other critters. All of my horses are getting older, my oldest horse is 34 and I have owned him for thirty years. I spend my time writing, reading, riding and taking care of family, critters, garden…etc.Do you write full time or do you work in addition to writing?I have been a full time writer for over twenty years. My first mystery, Cutter– involving the cutting horse world– was published by St Martin’s Press in 1994. Since then I have published a dozen books in my mystery series featuring equine veterinarian Gail McCarthy.How do horses first into your life and how do they fit into your stories?I spent my twenties training and competing on cowhorses and cutting horses and my thirties training and competing on team roping horses. I have owned horses non-stop for over forty years; I currently spend most of my horse time trail riding with my son. In my lifetime I have started well over a hundred colts, worked on commercial cattle ranches, as an assistant to professional trainers, and at a mountain pack station. All these experiences form the background of the books in my mystery series.What genre do you write and why?My books are mysteries, partly because I have always loved mysteries. More specifically, when I began writing, it was in an attempt to take my background in the western horse world and use it in the same way Dick Francis used his background as a steeplechase jockey to create his wonderful stories. I quite frankly set out to imitate him, because I loved his books so much, and I am never happier than when my novels are compared to his.What makes your books different from other books in your genre? How do you think that has impacted the type of readers that you have?I would say my books are a bit more honest and authentic than most of the horse themed books I’ve read. I would also say that they are a bit more personal than most of the mysteries I’ve read, and I’ve tried to weave into them my insights about life as well as horses. If I were to describe the series, I might say it is more or less a blend of memoir and mystery.Tell us your favorite reader story where you met a fan.can’t say that I have a favorite reader story. I do remember one woman who traveled across the state to meet me and then was bitterly disappointed that I wasn’t actually a vet myself. I also remember getting my hair trimmed (and looking less than elegant)…and the woman in the next chair recognized me and said, “Aren’t you Laura Crum?” I sort of wanted to deny it and slink away.Do you have any special writing rituals? If so, how do you think it makes a difference in your writing?No writing rituals. I just try very hard to make my deadlines. That’s what keeps me honest.How can people learn more about you and your books?All my books are on Amazon and available as Kindle editions. Type in Laura Crum and you’ll find all twelve, complete with reader reviews…etc. You can also go to lauracrum.com. And I write a weekly blog post on the Equestrian Ink blog.Any parting words of wisdom to writers trying to get their book published?I broke into traditional publishing over twenty years ago–things were very different then. One needed a literary agent for an editor to look at the ms, and self-publishing was a dirty word. Now with Amazon and Kindle, more and more writers are self-publishing and calling themselves “indie” authors and having success. So I really have no idea what approach I’d follow if I were starting today. The old wisdom of write the best and truest thing you can in your voice is probably still good advice.Next time we’ll be talking with western romance author Christina Cole! You won’t want to miss it!
Talking With Romance Author Stephanie Berget
This week I’m talking with romance author and fellow barrel racer, Stephanie Berget. Nothing like talking with a gal that enjoys the need for speed and a little hot romance!
Tell me about your family.
I was born and raised a city kid with an overwhelming love of horses. I was lucky enough to marry my cowboy sweetheart and have a wonderful daughter and two terrific sons. My folks are still trying to figure out where the love of horses came from. I think it was a gift from my maternal grandfather. He was a sheriff in North Dakota and a horse gypo.
What type of stories do you write & how many books have you sold?
I write stories about cowboys, mostly rodeo cowboys, and the women who love them and also contemporary romance. My first book is titled Sugarwater Ranch and is set in the central Oregon ranching country. The hero, bullrider Sean O’Connell, isn’t a very nice guy at the beginning of the book. But as his life is falling apart, Catherine Silvera, a woman battling her own demons, helps him learn that riding bulls isn’t the only valuable thing in his life.
You can find Sugarwater Ranch here:
Amazon Sugarwater Ranch
Barnes & Noble http://buff.ly/1de9PRo
Evernight Publishing http://buff.ly/GNYivD
Tell me about how you got into riding horses and what accomplishments you’ve had with them.
When I was 15, after years and years of whining, my parents gave in and bought me a horse. They knew nothing about horses and neither did I, but I fell in love with barrel racing and rodeo in general. I was lucky enough to live near some of the best trainers in the country, Larry and Kay Davis, and they generously gave their time and expertise to help me learn. I’ve had many horses, but three were really special and helped me become a better trainer.
Ruff’s King Tut was a little sorrel gelding with a great big heart. Ruff was born on our place and I won rodeos sanctioned by the Idaho Cowboys Assn and the Northwest Rodeo Assn on him. If I turned him loose and opened the trailer door, he’d load himself. Guess he loved to rodeo as much as I did.
Arnold was a big, high-powered chestnut gelding that my husband bought to team rope on. He ran barrels and poles like a champ and went on to take a young girl to the National High School rodeo.
The horse that stole my heart was a brown mare named Suzy’s Last Flight, or as we called her, Olive. Olive’s sire was Dinner Flight. Many of his colts were born to barrel race and Olive was one of the best. She liked to pin her ears back and act like a bad-ass, but she didn’t have a mean bone in her body.
How do horses fit into your stories?
In Sugarwater Ranch, Sean works with a spooky blue roan colt that he calls Roany Blue Pony. The cowboy may have some problems in his life, but he is a natural horseman. The desire to understand the colt helps him to understand himself and the world around him better.
Where do you get the inspiration for the characters in your books?
Mostly I wake up during the night and have an idea for a character. In Radio Rose, I woke up thinking about what Betty White would be like if she chain-smoked and was a real grouch.
Then, as I write, they introduce themselves to me and tell me what they want to do in the book. As the book evolves, more characters show up and demand my attention.
Besides writing and riding, what are your other interests that most people may not know you have?
Wow, writing and riding take up most of my time, but I love playing with my grandkids and watching football. Go Broncos!
What are your two most important pieces of advice for a new writer?
#1-Finish the Book! You can’t sell it unless you finish it. #2-Write what you love.
You can visit Stephanie’s blog and keep up with her progress on her series!
Lost Betrayal is coming out March 5th on Amazon!
I’ve got a couple days before my next interview so I thought I’d share some news in the meantime.
Solstice Publishing is releasing my debut romance novel, Lost Betrayal, on March 5th on Amazon in Kindle format. This is a modern western romance with a few flames thrown in. Check out my Facebook to find out the buy link and keep up with news on my next book. You can also follow me on twitter.
UPDATE – Lost Betrayal was released a little early! You can download it on Amazon.
Probably one of the biggest things that is important to me in writing this type of book is authenticity. If nothing else, when it comes to horses this book is the real deal. I eat, sleep, breathe horses. You can’t talk to me too long without it wiggling into the conversation somehow. I’m not one of those starry eyed horse women that think all horses are my friends. I’m a woman that rides colts, loves working the most difficult horses even when I get bucked off, and that is always striving to see how far they can go. I do my own feeding, saddle my horses, and clean my own stalls….well, when my husband is running short or time or we’re at a show.
By the way, to give you some background on the book, it took me ten years to write Lost Betrayal. I got the idea years ago after watching the news about a really bad tornado. The last couple of years have spurred me on as we had some devastating tornadoes closer to home in east Tennessee, northern Georgia and Mississippi.
One fact that haunts me more than anything is that in a disaster large animals are often the last to be rescued. Anyone can rescue a person or a small animal. Not just anyone can rescue a thousand pound animal that’s scared to death that can’t be reasoned with. It takes a certain set of skills that are not that common. Also, people and small animals get more press time than anything so their needs are met quickly. Large animal needs often go unmentioned to the general public but they’re just as important.
If you’d like to see the book trailer, here’s the link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urkSTWnMNr0
Here’s a little bit about the book –
THE FUTURE OF THE RANCH HANGS IN THE BALANCE
Sage is just getting her life back together when a tornado touches down and destroys her family ranch in northern Georgia taking her hopes, her dreams, and the very horse that the ranch’s future hinges on. An ex rodeo cowboy with a past, Garrett has sworn off rodeo and the last thing he needs is entanglement with a woman on a wild horse chase but there’s too many unanswered questions, such as how a horse could stay gone so long.
Refusing to believe her horse was killed in the storm and refusing to give up on the ranch, Sage begins the journey of rebuilding her life once again and searching for the horse that to her, holds the past, and her future. Garrett’s past and a malicious betrayal jeopardize her efforts. Is she strong enough to push past the hurt and the lies in order to get back all she holds dear?
Here’s the book cover!
Next week I’ll be talking with western author, Tell Cotten about how ranching and writing. In the meantime you can read about his newest book, Cooper on his blog. I’ll also be interviewing romance writer, Stephanie Berget about barrel racing and her books. You can check her out on her website. So stay tuned! Can’t wait for you to find out about these folks!
Talking In The Barn 