Kerri Lukasavitz's Blog, page 4

Equestrian Picture Book Author, Rae Rankin

Rae Rankin’s Award-Winning Cowgirl Adventure Picture Books

I recently had the pleasure of discovering equestrian author Rae Rankin while searching for horse blogs online. She has written several children’s picture books, my favorite being her rhyming, award-winning Cowgirl adventures horse books. Not only are each of the books warm and charming, but what I also loved about them was how Rankin included the daily tasks required in caring for a horse, whether that’s owning one or taking lessons, not just getting on and riding. Each book also has a theme included, such as sharing and caring, friendships, and building relationships, whether with people or horses.

Rankin’s picture books would make great gifts, especially for animal-loving youngsters. Parents will also enjoy her lovely stories when they read them to their children again and again and again as they become cherished bedtime stories. The illustrations by J-San are colorful, lively, and beautifully done. His consistent style pulls these these picture books together into a series - you’ll want to read them all!

Cowgirl and the Ghost Horse:

Our favorite Cowgirl is back and this time she’s on a quest to find the legendary ghost horse. It will take courage, bravery, and a little bit of luck. Come along and see if maybe, just maybe the legend is true.The award-winning author of Cowgirl Lessons and Cowgirl Christmas, Rae Rankin, is back with an all-new Cowgirl story. Told in the same charming, easy-to-read rhyme, Cowgirl and The Ghost Horse, is a fun, hair-raising story your kids will love!

*Named Best Children’s Short Story at the 2020 Equus Film and Arts Festival

*Winner Honorable Mention Holiday Story 2021 Purple Dragonfly

Cowgirl Lessons:

Cowgirl Lessons is a charming story celebrating the bond between children and horses. Told from the point of view of a young girl getting ready for her weekly horseback riding lesson, interacting with her parents, and getting to the barn for that special time with her horse, Cowgirl Lessons is perfect for your favorite bookworm or cowgirl!

*Named Best Children’s Book USA, 2019 Equus Film and Arts Festival

Cowgirl Christmas:

Cowgirl Christmas continues the charming adventures of a girl and her favorite horse. Our favorite Cowgirl is back! This time our favorite Cowgirl and Duchess along with family and friends are spreading the joy and magic of Christmas. Come along as they play in the snow, decorate the barn, and bring joy to their community.

*Named Best Children’s Holiday Book, 2019 Equus Film and Arts Festival

Show Day - A Cowgirl Lessons Adventure

A brand new Cowgirl Lessons adventure! The girls from Stags Leap Farm are heading to their first horse show. When Dana’s horse, Firefly, is injured, and won’t be able to show, the girls come up with the perfect plan – to share Duchess. Will Miss Valerie agree to their plan? Show Day explores the values of teamwork, good sportsmanship, friendship, and hard work. Told in easy-to-read rhyme, Show Day is the perfect book for all horse-loving kids

Rae Rankin’s Bio:

I am an independent marketing and graphic design consultant transplanted from sunny central California to the wilds of Utah. After two landlocked years (no the Great Salt Lake is not a substitute), my family was transferred to the Pacific Northwest. Four years later, we have come full circle and returned to California.

I have always had a passion for writing and reading. I have published four books. Cowgirl Lessons was named Best Children’s Book USA at the 2019 Equus Film and Arts Festival and Cowgirl Christmas was named Best Children’s Holiday Book USA at the same festival. Cowgirl and the Ghost Horse was named Best Children’s Short Story at the 2020 Equus Film and Arts Festival and won a Purple Dragonfly Book Award in 2021. My other books Mountain Girl, Mountain Winter, and Beach Day celebrate families in the great outdoors. I’m currently working on another horse book.

I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Northern California Publishers and Authors.

I live with a loving, supportive husband; teenage equestrian daughter; a dog who has her own business cards; and a neurotic cat who eats plastic house plants.

I am available for book signings, author appearances, speakers bureau events, and independent publishing consulting. Please contact me at raerankinauthor@gmail.com .

Kid’s Summer Reading Program

Rae Rankin is also the creator of the Kids Summer Reading Program, hosted by Horse Book Authors and through We Read Horse Books. It’s a wonderful reading program (of which I’m a part of), encouraging children to continue to read throughout the summer months and help prepare them for the new school year in the fall. It’s not too late to join in! Please visit the link to learn more about signing up and possibly winning some great prizes after the program ends September 1st.

Happy reading!

Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4) is Done!

I’m happy to say that after an intense week of writing last week (over 4,000 words in two days) Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4) is done! Now, that doesn’t mean it’s ready for publishing yet. I still have to go back through it to clean it up, add details where they are needed, and make it presentable to the editor. Then, when she is finished marking up her copy, I’ll go back through the manuscript again and make the necessary changes. It will make a wonderful read after all of that work is done.

I’ve already changed the ending I originally had, changed a chapter’s scenes, and added a chapter where I felt there was too long of a time span between reading about the interactions between the main character, Cassie, and Logan, the new, young cowboy she’s introduced to. Sometimes I don’t know these things until the novel is down, and I go back through it to get a sense of how the story flows.

What I hadn’t realized before, until maybe this novel and finishing Dark Horse (Book 3), is that I start to slow down toward the end. This is usually when the scenes start to speed up and escalate in a novel, but I often find myself wanting to slow down and savor writing those last few chapters. I don’t know if other writers do this or if this is something that’s a quirk of mine.

I have to remember that I’ve spent nearly 12 years with these same main characters and letting them go after this series isn’t easy. I cannot move forward in time with another novel because Cassie is already 14 - a tough age in a middle grade series. Usually, characters are 13 at best. I can go back in time to when she’s in grade school and learning to ride George, the school horse, (which would be Book 5), but moving her forward to sophomore year in high school isn’t going to work. She would start to experience more adult situations, which would not work in a middle grade series. I always have to consider the young readers who start with Cassie when she’s 12 in Mystery Horse (Book 1).

I had an idea (and was prompted to do so by a wonderful writing friend) for Christmas Horse at Oak Lane Stable, A Novella, something shorter that would continue Logan’s and Cassie’s story briefly (I have a feeling readers will not want to stop at just one Logan story), but that will have to come after all of the editing and proofing of Ghost Horse happens first. Still, a quick 20,000 word Christmas story . . . fun . . . doable . . .

I’m looking forward to Ghost Horse’s release this October. It was a wonderful story to tell. There are a lot of challenges ahead for Cassie and her friends - heartaches and new loves, horses won and lost, but then, isn’t that what growing up entails? Change? I hope you will enjoy the story when you have the chance to read it.

New Editions of Mystery Horse (Book 1) and Dark Horse (Book 3) In-Progress

The new editions of Mystery Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 1) and Dark Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 3) are underway as I write this. The other day, I thought about how much work goes into creating a book, not just the writing of it (which is extensive), but in the physical creation of the book. The interior is edited and proofread, and then it goes off for formatting when the corrections have been made, which is a beautiful part of any book. When those 8.5” x 11” manuscript pages are formatted, the story goes from pieces of plain paper (or copy on a laptop) to actual pages in a book . I tear up every time I have experienced this. It is proof that all of those hours (and hours and hours) spent working on the novel have come to fruition.

When the cover is laid out, it also adds to how “real” the novel will become. Even though I will have four novels out soon, I still love seeing the finished cover design. It is even more fun when the galley comes for proofing - that new book is now in your hands to touch, smell, and preview. Soon, that new title will be placed out in the world to be shared with others. An exciting time for authors.

Christine Keleny at CKBooks Publishing has helped me in creating the new editions of the middle grade Oak Lane Stable Novel Series. Christine has been great to work with. She is knowledgeable, professional, and offers suggestions when needed. There is a lot to learn when publishing a book, so it’s great knowing you have someone in your corner you can count on for help and direction and producing a high-quality book to put in the hands of your readers. To learn more, please visit her website at the link above.

I hadn’t planned on taking over the books’ publishing, but it was the right direction for me at this time. I have had a lot of added work and responsibility to get them back out into the world with their new, fully-edited editions, but I have enjoyed it greatly. I have had to juggle my time between the new editions and getting Ghost Horse (Book 4) finished, which is close. I plan on working on Ghost Horse this week and hopefully finishing it. Always a lot to do being an author, and it’s not always just writing!

2023 Kid’s Summer Reading Program Starts

Graphics created by author, Rae Rankin

I am excited to be a part of the 2nd Annual Kid’s Summer Reading Program, hosted by Horse Book Authors. This year, over 30 authors are included in this wonderful program. There is a huge variety of riding disciplines, story lines, and plot twists to keep horse-crazy kids entertained all summer long, plus there are fun activities to do. Picture books to Young Adult novels will provide stories for all reading levels and interests.

According to Study.com there are three main reasons for children to keep up with reading during the summer:

1.) Increases Knowledge

2.) Defeats summer vacation reading loss

3.) Exercises the brain over the summer

When I was in grade school, I remember devouring books all summer long because I didn’t have homework to do. It gave me the chance to imagine all of the characters’ lives and the challenges they faced. I especially read anything with a horse on the cover, from classic horse books to contemporary stories. I never slowed down throughout the vacation. I was lucky to have friends who also read like crazy. We would exchange books with each other and have contests to see who could read the most over the summer - no easy task when there were horses to ride and care for and other chores we were responsible for. But I always managed to find the time to dip my nose into the pages of a good story. I also won an award in 6th grade for reading and handing in over 100 book reports, so I would say that reading over the summer paid off for me.

Graphics created by author, Rae Rankin

(From the www.wereadhorsebooks.com website): How to Participate

Read, log your reading activities on our official form, and complete fun activities.

It’s Easy!

DOWNLOAD the Kid’s Summer Reading Log or pick one up from one of the participating authors.

REGISTER your participation and be entered to win a random drawing of a horse book (or ebook)! This step is optional – BUT your child could win a new book!

READ  and complete activities on the reading log. Mark each off activity as you complete them.

SUBMIT  completed cards. There are four easy ways to do it.

Post it on social media with parents’ permission with the hashtag #HorseBookSummerReading2023 ;

Have a parent email a photo to hbsummerreading@gmail.com ;

Post it in our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidssummerreadingprogram ; or

Upload it to our website (link coming soon)

Finish by September 1 to be eligible to win fun prizes* from participating authors. Be sure to check our Facebook Group for features with authors, additional activities, book reviews, and more!

* Prizes will be randomly drawn from all submitted entries.

Please visit We Read Horse Books to learn more about the participating authors, their books, and for further details about the program.

Have a wonderful summer full of great horse-book reads and activities!

Oak Lane Stable Novel Series Gets a New Look

Photo created on Canva

I am excited to share with you that the middle grade Oak Lane Stable Novel Series has a new look! I wanted to have something fresh as I move forward with these newly updated editions. Not only have the covers changed, but the interiors have also undergone major editing - Gray Horse had over 5,000 words cut and Mystery Horse had around 1,100 cut. The stories have remained the same, only the extra words have been removed for better reading pleasure. I didn’t realize Gray Horse was so wordy until I started in on the editing. Goodness!

Now I feel the novels look like a series for young readers. I wanted to add the girls with the horses to better reflect the main characters’ passion for horses throughout the book series. Each horse on the cover matches the main horse in each book, something that was done originally, but I like the interaction with the girls with their horse versus only having beautiful horse heads on the covers.

As you can see, Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4) cover is not shown yet. I want to wait to reveal it in a few months and not ruin the surprise. It is a beautiful cover. Can’t wait to share it when the time is right.

Photo created on Canva

These are the first thumbnail ideas I had for the book covers. They are new, but I thought they looked too much like the old covers. Sometimes you have to go through a lot of ideas before you find the one that works perfectly. I actually did a horrible, muddy-looking idea that eventually led to the creation of the new covers. Never discount your ideas! They are all a helpful part of the creative process.

Gray Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 2) is now available at Amazon. Further buying outlets will be included shortly. Thank you for your patience as Mystery Horse and Dark Horse will be added as soon as they are ready. I appreciate your patience.

My First Embarrassing Moment Around Horses

Photo: The author and her first pony

It was the summer after 4th grade, and I could barely eat my lunch as I eagerly waited for the arrival of my first pony. I would get up from my chair and look out the living room window to see if the truck and trailer were pulling into our driveway. Having to wait was torture!

My three siblings finished their lunches and went outside to play - not caring the least that a pony was on his way - leaving me, my mom, and maternal grandmother at the dining room table. I checked out the window for what seemed like the 80th time and finally shreaked, “He’s here!” I bunny-hopped in place when I saw the truck and trailer pass by the driveway (a common occurrence for most drivers new to our address). I knew they would turn around in the grade school’s driveway up the road, where they would have room to do so, and return.

“Settle down, or I’ll send him right back,” Mom said to me, stern and unsmiling.

I slithered into my chair and did the best I could to dampen my excitement at getting a pony, something I had begged to have for years. My dream was finally coming true, and I had to act like a robot? Someone who was unfeeling? I remember doing my best not to react to anything - I wasn’t going to jeopardize having to send back something so precious to me that hadn’t even been delivered yet. (I never understood her behavior then. She loved animals and horses too. I never thought to ask her why she’d been like that on that day when I was older.)

Once the truck and trailer pulled into the driveway, the friendly driver in a light-colored cowboy hat got out and greeted my mom (my dad was in Colorado for a high school visit). His wife got out of the passenger side and joined him. As the driver talked, he walked around to slide back the bolts that kept the 2-horse trailer’s door/ramp up. I tried desperately to get a peek at my new Shetland pony, but I couldn’t see him over the open sides of the trailer because he was too short. The trailer ramp landed with a thwump! on the gravel, and the cowboy man walked inside to untie my pony.

Photos: The author and her first pony

Peanuts was a typical Shetland - about 10 hands high, liver-brown with a flaxen mane and tail, and a sweet disposition. I was smitten with him the second he was backed down from the trailer. The cowboy man led Peanuts over to a large elm tree, where we had his water bucket, neon-blue salt lick, and a place to tie him up to. The cowboy man’s wife stood nearby, while he chatted away to Mom, asking her, “Does your daughter know how to ride?”

“No,” Mom said.

Of course I knew how to ride! Well, mostly through reading lots of horse books and feeding grass to the pastured horses and ponies from the side of the road that lived in our area, and let’s not forget about the pony ride at the county fair. Didn’t these count? “I do, too!” I contradicted her. “I’ve ridden America.” (America was my best friend’s pony and, technically, I’d been on him once - led around their paddock by her dad. Still, I was on the back of a pony . . . riding).

“Well, you’ve got a nice little pony here to learn on.” The cowboy man still held onto the lead rope. “Do you want to get on him now?”

“Sure!” I went over, patted Peanuts’ neck, and was ready to mount up. I swung my right leg over his rump and up onto his back as high as I could. Just as I was pushing off the ground with my left foot (and with plenty of oomph to get on, I might add), Mom grabbed me and unnecessarily lifted me up and off of the ground. Not only did I clear Peanuts’ back, but I landed - hands and head first - in an ungraceful heap on the ground on his other side. I was NOT happy with my Mom. How embarrassing!

“They say you’re a rider the first time you fall off a horse.” The cowboy man grinned at me. “Guess you’re one now.”

I think I had to actually be sitting ON his back to claim I’d fallen off, not pushed over his back. Still, I had to soothe my 10-year-old, bruised ego. Who wants to look foolish in front of others? After I dusted myself off, I came around to Peanuts’ mounting side and got on all by myself. The cowboy man led me around for a while before saying they had to go. I slid off and took my pony over to his new spot. I stayed with him for hours. I was so delighted that this beautiful pony was mine to take care of.

I have fallen off of a handful of other horses in the many years I’ve ridden, but none as graceless as my first time mounting Peanuts. I learned to tuck and roll for safety in the event I was launched off a horse. I was fortunate to get back on every time I fell or was bucked off, something every horse rider needs to always be grateful for. There’s always that next ride to look forward to.

10 Items on My Horse Bucket List …

Photo: Canva

Here are 10 items I have on my horse bucket list that I would like to accomplish before I leave this earth:

1.) First and foremost, to get back in the saddle again. It’s been about 13 years since I have ridden consistently, meaning weekly lessons at a private barn. The barn was close by and offered (or so I thought) hunter seat riding lessons. The instructor preferred teaching Western Pleasure/Dressage, so I ended up riding Western again (I hadn’t ridden Western since I was about 16-years-old) on her lovely bay Quarter Horse mare. I learned a lot and was quite comfortable, but I missed a hunter/jumper barn. We parted ways when I went to graduate school. The thing is, is that I’m not afraid to get back on, but I seem to have a lot of reasons not to get back on again. I need to address this. Here is a New York Times article on riding later in life: It's Never Too Late to Learn to Ride Horseback

2.) Adopt a horse, or two (three?). Once I’m around horses regularly again, I would like to adopt a horse. I feel there are so many wonderful horses who need a second chance. Many of them ended up in the wrong hands and were handled poorly, or endured some other sad circumstances. I would like to be the person who gives a horse the opportunity to settle into a forever home - at least to the best of my ability. The first place I would look would be the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation I have followed them for many (many) years and even donate a percentage of my books’ sales regularly to their organization. I have seen the magic they do with abused, unwanted horses. I would enjoy meeting Scott and Karen Bayerl in person. Anyone who runs an animal/horse rescue gets a gold star from me.

3.) Finish writing the Oak Lane Stable Novel Series. I am almost done with Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4). It will be released in October of this year. I hope the readers enjoy the book as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I thought this would be the last book in the series, but I have had inspiration for a Book 5, where I take readers back to when Cassie, the main character, moves on from a large pony and starts riding George, a crafty old school horse who teaches her many lessons about horses and riding (We first meet George when Cassie is still riding him in Mystery Horse (Book 1). I also have had an idea for a Christmas shorter novella that would follow Ghost Horse, but I have to wait and see how Ghost Horse ends before I will be inspired for that.

4.) As odd as this may sound, I would like to show again. Now, I am not sure where this comes from because I haven’t shown since I was young, but I think it would be fun to compete again. Not that I have my sights set on the Olympics or other major horse shows, but smaller, local shows would be great to attend. The last time I was at horse shows regularly, I groomed the horses and only rode if I had to cool down someone after a class. This time, I would probably ride in the hunter classes, equitation most likely, and use the experiences to learn and grow. I think the camaraderie with the other adult riders would also be enjoyable.

5.) Write (and illustrate?) a picture book idea I have had about a young Appaloosa filly. I have been so busy with the novel series that I haven’t had time to write down even a quick draft. Picture books are usually around 600 to 700 words, although some are as long as 1000 words, but I haven’t made the effort to commit it to paper. I need to do this and research more on the Appaloosa. The idea has been wanting my attention. It will take some time to sort through the story, but I know the gist of it. It has also been a while since I have illustrated anything, but that’s what a book dummy is for - to get the idea down in rough form. I can go from there.

Photos: Canva

6.) Attend the Dublin Horse Show. Ever since I was a child, I have always wanted to be at the Dublin Horse Show. I must have read about it in one of my horse books. Maybe there were photos and captions of riders and their horses that caught my attention. I believe there is (or was?) a three year waiting list to get tickets, but I can certainly investigate to obtain them now so I can attend in the future. I would enjoy an Irish horse vacation and the opportunity to watch some fine equestrians and their horses. Which brings me to number 7 -

7.) Ride in Ireland. Another childhood dream of mine. At first, I wanted to go fox hunting in Ireland, until I read about how wild and aggressive their riding can be. Maybe when I was younger, but not now! I would love to hack along the countryside and take in Ireland (the UK, really) on horseback. I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland this fall, but the plans fell through. I looked up another trip through Ireland Equestrian Tours. I wanted to do the 7-Day stay at Castle Leslie, where riding was a part of the vacation. I also wanted to include high tea at a manor house, garden tours, Dublin sites, etc., anything that I would have had the time to do/see without feeling overbooked. I need to plan the trip and simply go. No excuses!

8.) Visit Middleburg, Virginia. I became interested in Middleburg, Virginia after reading Vicky Moon’s book The Private Passion of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The thick book contains the story of Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ lifelong passion for horses. The books'‘s photos are stunning. Moon’s writing is informative and interesting. I didn’t know Middleburg, VA was the nation’s horse and fox hunting capitol. I was simply intrigued with the town’s history. There are quaint shops, restaurants, hotels, etc., that seem to be a horse lover’s paradise. I learned that there are a few stables that will teach you to fox hunt, which leads me to number 9. -

9.) Go Fox Hunting. I have always wanted to fox hunt, not to kill the fox but to enjoy the day spent with other horse lovers/riders. I read a 2023 back issue (Sorry, I can’t find it, but I will edit this when I do) of the Chronicle of the Horse Magazine that there are several stables that will teach you to fox hunt before you actually ride to the hounds, something I would definitely investigate. I would much rather be prepared BEFORE I arrive at a fox hunt than to show up uninformed (or unconditioned). The riders value their traditions. I think that’s one of the enduring qualities of the sport.

10.) Attend the Land Rover Three-Day Event in Kentucky. I have been to Kentucky twice - first, driving through with a childhood friend and her father on our way to vacation in Tennessee and second, to visit Lexington and Louisville’s Thoroughbred farms. Next time, I would like to attend the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Again, I loved riding cross-country in my youth, so this would seem like a given. Three days of horse-eventing, what’s not to like? My favorite part would be the show jumpers, but I actually think the whole experience would be fabulous. Now, time to start looking into all of these trips …

Wisconsin Setting for Oak Lane Stable Novel Series

Photos: Canva

For those of you familiar with the middle grade Oak Lane Stable Novel Series, you are aware that the setting of the stories takes place in Southeastern Wisconsin, with travel to horse shows in other Midwestern states like Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. I chose to do this since I am a native Wisconsin resident and quite familiar with the surrounding natural environment and its climate.

Each part of Wisconsin has a different feel to it: SE Wisconsin has the rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine, land that was shaped by glaciers and their subsequent melting over time - creating lakes, steep hills with deciduous trees covering them and open meadows for pastureland and farming. Central Wisconsin is flatter in a way, with a lot of agricultural crops grown in the rich, abundant land. Northern Wisconsin is a mass of evergreen forests and sandier soils. Each place is distinct from the other - from prairies to marshes to dense forests to shorelines.

Although people have commented on how they “know” where Oak Lane Stable is located and how it relates to my childhood, I assure you that it is only a figment of my imagination. (I actually looked at a photograph in a horse book to use as a model of the actual stable in the books.) There were a few stables in the area where I grew up, but none of them were hunter/jumper stables, or even remotely resembled the Oak Lane Stable I have used in the books. Most were small operations with only a handful of horses versus dozens of them found at riding/training/breeding stables. And there were far more Holstein dairy farms than horse farms when I was growing up.

But what I do try to replicate in the stories is the sense of place, a sense of what living in Wisconsin is (and was) like. There are extreme temperature changes (daily sometimes), four distinct seasons - often without definite beginnings and endings, and a diverse natural environment. The people are hard-working, kind, sensible, and stoic when faced with a crisis. Many of the German, Polish, Irish, and Scandinavian immigrants from the area I grew up in still have next generations living on their families’ farmsteads - properties dating back before Wisconsin became a state in 1848. There is a sense of being rooted here - to this place I still call home.

Photo: Canva

Handling (Writing) Criticism

Photo: Canva

In the fall of 2020, I entered Gray Horse at Oak Lane Stable, Book 2 in the middle grade horse series, into the Midwest Independent Publishers Association annual Midwest Book Award contest. I placed the novel in the Young Adult Fiction category, which really should have been placed in the Children’s Fiction category due to the age of my intended reader. It was my mistake for not paying better attention to their guidelines. I sent off the novel in September, but had to wait until April, 2021 when the finalists would be notified. Then, I had to wait until the final winners were announced in June, 2021.

In April, 2021, I received an email notification that Gray Horse had been chosen as a Finalist for their book award. I was delighted that my novel had received the recognition and next prepared for the online Zoom award ceremony in June. When the Young Adult Fiction category winner was announced on the awards night and it went to another author, I felt disappointed but still honored to have had Gray Horse win a Silver Medal Finalist badge for its cover. After the awards night, I was emailed the 3 judges’ remarks and their points given for Gray Horse’s entry. I was not prepared for what I was about to read.

I opened the document and read through the first two of the three judges comments, both stating that Gray Horse should have been entered into the Children’s Fiction category, not the Young Adult Fiction category. They thought it was better suited for a younger reader and not a teenager. But both judges gave strong marks on the five categories used to judge the books. Judge three, however, did not.

In fact, judge three wrote horrible, scathing remarks about the novel. Things like, “No teenager would read this,” “I got so tired of all of that horse terminology I lost interest in reading the book,” “No one talks like this.” (meaning some of the slang words used briefly), “The story could have had more going on,” “The only good thing about this book is its cover - I guess.” Gray Horse barely received 5 points out of a perfect 50, and only because this judge actually had to do his/her job, which he/she also grumbled about having to do.

I was shocked - and deeply wounded. So much so, even though I was halfway through writing Dark Horse (Book 3), I stopped working on the novel (or any writing) for 6 weeks. Six. Whole. Weeks.

Now, I am a seasoned writer/artist. I have had years of practice dealing with constructive, artistic criticism at both Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design when I was as a design student and when I was an English graduate student at Mount Mary University , but there is still something to be said about the sting of cruel criticism that takes time to process, even by those of us with years of experience.

I remember avoiding my laptop for those six weeks, finding anything else to do other than writing. Since it was summer, I am sure I spent a good portion of my time pulling weeds and gardening rather than returning to finish my novel-in-progress. I assumed since Gray Horse was flagged as the worst middle grade novel ever written, why should I bother writing another one? I was feeling sorry for myself and being too stubborn to do anything about it. I needed time alone to heal.

Photo: Canva

I walked along our country roads for solitude, and thinking. I would pass by a neighbor’s farm, where her three horses would greet me and hope I had carrots to share with them. This neighbor is also a huge fan of the book series, and this neighbor was waiting for Dark Horse (Book 3) to arrive. I could not let her down. She was the motivating factor in getting the book completed. I seriously thought about finishing the manuscript, printing up a copy and giving it only to her. Why share it with the world if it would be criticized? But I finally made up my mind to go home and get back to work.

Before I started back on the novel-in-progress, I pulled out the scathing judge’s notes and went over them again, this time stepping back and determining if there were any nuggets of truth I needed to pay attention to instead of writing them off as hurtful nonsense. What could I learn from his/her remarks? As it turned out, plenty.

Instead of picking up where I had abandoned the in-progress novel, I went back to the beginning and searched for slang terms or any other words that seemed clumsy or out of place. I also asked myself could the story be stronger, and how would I change things to make it better? What needed to go, and what needed to be added? I looked at the work with fresh eyes. I seldom do a major edit on a novel until I have the first draft down, but cleaning up the chapters before I had finished it made a difference in how the story changed, then flowed onto the page. The novel came together in ways I had not anticipated. Dark Horse at Oak Lane Stable (book 3) was published May 1st, 2022. The book was dedicated to my horsey neighbor, who was so excited when she read it in the book’s beginning. Dark Horse (Book 3) tied for First Place for Middle Grade Fiction in the 2022 Purple Dragonfly Book Award, and I am waiting to find out if the novel is a Finalist in the 2023 Midwest Book Awards and made the 2023 Eric Hoffer Award Short List.

Recently, I have had the opportunity to edit and revise Gray Horse’s manuscript in preparation for some changes that are ahead for me. After going through the first editing pass, I realized that I deserved the harsh criticism from the judge. The novel needed cleaning up - I removed over 5,000 words, but did not change the actual story line. I cannot be hard on myself, since I wrote the novel over 4 years ago. I was at a different place in my writing. And I will be at a different place again in another 4 years - we are always evolving, changing.

Our first instinct when our work is being criticized is to lash out at the “offender” and move off to lick our wounds, be angry, instead of stepping back to see what we can learn from someone else’s comments. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it’s what you do with that opinion that counts. Are you going to be a professional, or are you going to sulk (like I did) and waste precious creative time? We only get so much in this lifetime. Use it wisely.

5 Things You May Not Know About Me …

The author

Whenever I am reading a book, I like to imagine what the author is like. Sometimes I come across a biography or an autobiography and learn some rather quirky things about the author, which only adds to my liking them more. You are aware that I am the author of a middle grade horse book series, but here are 5 things you may not know about me …

1.) I have a sense of humor. I will laugh until I tear up, can’t breath, and my stomach hurts. I grew up in a family of joke-makers, so we are all well-versed in rolling laughter. My father’s dry, sarcastic humor was often tossed about the house, making us laugh uncontrollably. And, my mother could easily keep up with him. Although I’m terrible at telling jokes (I never get the timing right), I know a good tale when I hear one. My husband and I connected right away when we first dated. He and I were talking about a silly way to earn money. Obviously, whatever our “grand scheme” was became ridiculously funny because neither one of us could breathe as we tried to give each other our input on the subject. My mother told me after she heard about our hysterics to hang onto him because men who make you laugh were far and few in between. Almost forty years later, we still make each other laugh until our sides hurt.

Photo: Canva

2.) I was a Kitchen and Bath Designer. For almost 8 years, I specialized in designing kitchens and baths (I was an interior designer for over 18 years). My family thought my designing kitchens was a HUGE joke because I rarely cooked (but then neither did most of my clients). I learned to design the kitchen to function for people who would cook in it eventually. I used the basic work triangle for kitchen efficiency when laying out or remodeling a space. I did make sure the space would function properly, even though most of my clients only wanted beautiful cabinets, tile work, and elegant wooden floors - the bigger the flash, the better they liked it. I still cannot walk into a house and not notice if the kitchen functions properly or not. I cook now, too, so I have a much better sense of what is needed in the space, even though I shelved designing for writing years ago.

3.) I love math and science. Most people know about my artistic, creative side, whether that is through writing or visual art & design. But I have a huge side that loves more analytical subjects, especially math and natural sciences. I couldn’t wait to learn long division and fractions in grade school and didn’t have a problem with algebra or geometry in high school, unlike some of my classmates. I filled up my school schedule with botany, biology, chemistry, and animal science classes. The natural world was so interesting, how could I not want to study more of it? This science bend came from my mother, who would have us stare up into star-studded nights and wait for falling stars to arch across the deep indigo sky. She would take us on nature walks on our property or the surrounding countryside and help us identify tree species, plants, and bugs. An animal lover from birth, she taught us how to properly care for our many pets. I’m surprised I didn’t pursue natural science as a career path earlier in my life. I wanted to specialize in equine/veterinarian science and even did a science project on comparative (horse) anatomy when I was in 8th grade. I headed off to work directly with horses instead.

Photo: Canva

4.) I have read thousands (and thousands) of books. Although I write daily, I also read daily. I have been a voracious reader since I begged my mother to teach me to read before I went to kindergarten. I remember being quite small and staring up at the built-in bookshelves we had in our home, wanting to desperately know what was written inside those books. I would spend hours playing with my siblings’ and my wooden alphabet blocks and being so sure that I had created a fabulous word, when in fact it was probably more like: ekmcuidopsbgtn. I thought length made it more special. Once I learned how to read, I was off to the races, burning through all of the books in our school library, the town’s library, my friends’ libraries, you name it. Horse books were always my favorite, but that’s probably no secret. I still get nervous when my to-read pile starts to dwindle. Then it’s time to replenish with a new stack, either from the library or a book order, or both. I often feel sad when I think about all of the books I won’t have time to read in this lifetime.

5.) I wanted to be a famous showjumper rider. This probably isn’t a surprise. I loved hunter/jumpers as a small child. I don’t remember choosing the discipline; it chose me. I enjoyed riding Western for fun, but there was always something about riding over fences that caught my attention early on. I have always wanted to go fox hunting (for the camaraderie, not the killing of the fox), ride cross-country, and stadium show jump. I also wanted to train for the Olympics, but it wasn’t until I worked for the first hunter/jumper stable in my late teens that I learned riders had to qualify and have the horse(s) to train with - it was far more involved than I originally thought. As odd as this sounds, I often imagine showing again. But first I have to get back on after a 13 -year hiatus and become conditioned to ride again BEFORE any jumping starts again. Still, a girl can dream …