Heather Hamel's Blog, page 9
June 9, 2016
And the new horse’s name is…
Before I announce it, I want to thank everyone who submitted their suggestion to me. They were fun, thoughtful, and most of them food related!! There were a few duplicate names (again, mostly food related) and quite a few had thought up ‘Freckles’ which was one of our original thoughts – but still a great one looking at that sweet boy’s face!
Les and I went around and around – trying to find the PERFECT name for him. We tried pulling names from a hat and almost every evening we tried to eliminate one or two. We even tried to follow in the footsteps of naming Kobi (Comanche word for Mustang) and the Nez Perce word for Appaloosa is m’a min, which is not something that flows off my tongue.
My yoga sister, Meaghan Alvarado, won the rights to be mentioned in my next book as she came up with his new name, Jasper, after the stone Dalmatian Jasper. She was even thoughtful enough to include a link to the definition and meaning to the stone. Just in case you don’t feel like clicking on the link – here are a few tidbits I pulled out that I felt had meaning for Jasper as well as us:
it aids in breaking down areas of protection we have place around ourselves
release lack of trust in others
creates child like joy and enjoyment in life, and finally
allows you move forward in life and find true purpose for being here
So from here on out, I hereby declare the Spotted One to be known as Jasper!
June 6, 2016
Graduation Day
We did it! Nine of the most amazing women and I have completed our 10 month, 200 hour journey to become yoga teachers.
I remember back to when I made the decision to become a yoga teacher. It was on a cruise with my mom and best friend and we had a horrible yoga instructor on the ship. It was almost as if we weren’t there, and she was put out by having to teach a class at 7 am. That day my course was set (and it didn’t hurt that the leggings I had bought from my friend and later mentor, Mandy, were so comfortable I didn’t ever want to take them off!)
I could not have taken on this amazing quest alone, so here come the thank you’s.
First of all to Les – not only did I spend Valentine’s Day weekend with all my new friends at teacher training, but he’s the one who has, without complaint, taken over everything I’ve let slack on yoga weekends (cleaning, the horses, cooking, you get the idea).
Next my family – I missed out on Mother’s Day since I was also with all of my new friends at teacher training. I am also missing out on my nephew’s birthday in Asheville today due to graduation.
My friends – thank you so much for your support and rescheduling your lives when you tried to include me for things and I’d respond “Sorry, it’s yoga weekend.” That is why I know I can call you ‘friend’.
Lastly, thank you Mandy. You have talked my off the ledge more times than I can count since you knew exactly what I was going through, but also understood the end of the 10-month tunnel. I also can’t thank you enough for having faith in my from the beginning to tell me that I would have a place teaching in your studio – and meaning it!
I have so enjoyed this part of my journey, which I know is only the beginning! Namaste!
June 2, 2016
Summer Vacation
To me, summer vacation is where I can live my life between one 180-day school year and the next. This year is no exception!
I’m working on changing my amazing back porch into my writing ‘cabin’. The transformation isn’t complete yet, but will be soon. From here – my summer writing plans are to finish book 5 of the cryptozoology series: Into Amethyst Mists.
I also plan to start on the screenplay for the series. I’ve never written a screenplay, so now seems as good of a time as any to do it!
I’ve also agreed to take on a 3rd horse. He’s a beautiful brown and white leopard appaloosa (whose name is yet to be determined – currently between Biscuit and Cracker). He won’t be moving to the Triple H Ranch until the end of summer, but he’s currently where I will be helping with horse summer camp – so I’ll still get to see and work with him every day!
I will also be completing the first part of my yoga journey on Sunday when I graduate with my 200 hours to become a registered yoga teacher and will be teaching at Downdogz studio every Monday at 4.
And this is just the first week of summer break – imagine what I can do with 8 more weeks!
May 2, 2016
Quest for Perfection
I will tell anyone who will listen that I feel as if I have two near-perfect horses…or near perfect for my world.
I was recently working with a horse (that isn’t one of mine) to get him ready to use for Ashley Thompson’s summer camp, which I’ll also be helping out with. The horse has been ‘out to pasture’ for some time now and is underweight and missing that beautiful top line from being worked.
The first time I worked him, he was near-perfect. He rode for about 45 minutes on a trail, but when he was done…he was done. He started crow hopping and min-rearing – nothing serious but enough to get my attention that he wasn’t as perfect as I thought. Our second session I had planned just to groom him and feed him. That’s when I found out that he’s quite food aggressive. He pinned his ears and even swung his rump over to warn me about getting too close. He never acted on his threats – but made them.
Now I was a little more concerned…
But then I took some time to think. The only area I expect perfection is with me and the horses. Yoga has taught me that I’ll never be perfect…so why should I expect perfection out of my horses. Being ‘perfect’ for me is a journey, not a destination…
Case in point: Kobi – I have spent probably thousands of hours working with him. He completely shattered my equine confidence and then built it back up. He is (in my opinion) a horse with one of the best trots and canters around in terms of smoothness. He can neck rein and work off my legs and seat as if through telepathy. But if he’s not in the mood, I can’t get ANYTHING out of him. But I accept his flaws.
Midnight – As near perfect as I’ve ever met. But the first time I lunged him, he broke my lunge line and took a victory lap to the barn. After I recaught him for attempt 2, he pulled the line through my hands and gave me a significant case of rope burn. But I learned. I started using gloves and dropped my level of expectation and worked with baby steps. He still doesn’t pick up his ‘correct’ lead when he canters, but is such a lover on the ground I accept his flaws and will continue to work with him. I can’t put any level rider on him without any worries.
Which brings me back to my original thought: why expect perfection? Find who you love, whether it’s a person or an animal, accept their flaws but continue to grow together with baby steps.
April 18, 2016
Book Release scheduled for Halloween
As the newest ghost story murder mystery is in the final stages of editing, I figured I’d give a teaser of the amazing cover:
Destruction of Wild Cats isn’t a sequel to Murder of Crows, but it does have Liam and Ellie return, but this time the entire story takes place in the incredibly haunted St. Augustine. Not to give too much away, the title is another play on words. Just as in Murder of Crows, a group of crows is called a murder, a group of wild/ feral cats is called a destruction.
I am planning on a Halloween release date for this one – for those who haven’t read Murder of Crows and would like to fall in love with Liam and Ellie before this one comes out – click here. Don’t forget to leave a review!
March 28, 2016
Request for Reviews
There’s a rumor floating around the internet that once you reach 50 reviews on Amazon, you are put in a different ‘category’ for searches – closer to the top. I’m close to that number for Within Emerald Forests:)
I’m sending out a request to my village that if you haven’t left a review on one of my books, please do it – it’s amazing how something so small can catapult a product! I’ve included the links below to make life easier…just click on the book title you haven’t reviewed yet!
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Within Emerald Forests (Book 1)
Beneath Diamond Waters (Book 3)
March 20, 2016
Spring Break
Spring break is finally here so I have a moment to catch my breath and share all of the excitement of the last few weeks and share the scheduled events for the next week. Time off doesn’t give me time to relax – I feel I have to schedule even more!
Yoga training is going well (and fast). Only three more weekend trainings until graduation in June – then you can find me at Downdogz Studio, home of the world’s most comfortable yoga pants that I like to call Better Than Being Naked!
The horses are fantastic! I’ve finally started cantering Midnight – wow, does he have a big stride. It’s kinda like riding a rocking horse with his swaying movement – now to get him in shape enough where he can hold it! Les picked up a treeless endurance saddle for me at the flea market. Kobi has finally found a saddle he likes. No more choppy, short gaits – that little mustang can really move out now!
The books are moving along as well. Destruction of Wild Cats is scheduled for a Halloween release and Into Amethyst Mists is scheduled for December. That will officially be the last book in the crypto series & I think I’ll do one more in the ghostly mysteries before I’m done with that!
Now for upcoming events. A week off is giving me time to give presentations and talks that I wouldn’t normally be able to travel to. Wednesday I will be in St. Pete, Thursday I will be talking in Winter Haven and Saturday I will finish my Central Florida Tour in Lake Wales!
As my friend, and fellow author, like to say: Can’t Stop – Won’t Stop!
February 16, 2016
Cryptid Sighting in Elkton
I tend to have a pretty logical mind about most things, but I saw the elusive Chupacabra in the wee hours Sunday morning.
What else could it have been? What I saw looked a little more dog-like (if you clicked on the link above, it didn’t looking like the sketches but rather the actual pictures as you scrolled down). It was dark, so my headlights caught the reflection of its eyes first.
The creature was trotting down the middle of the road – heading straight for me. As I slowed down, it veered off the road and into a cow pasture (thankfully one without goats!)
The entire incident was only seconds long. At first, the logical part of my brain said ‘gray wolf’ but then I realized we don’t have any gray wolves in this part of the country. I knew right then and there with the cryptozoological vortex being so close by, it had to be a Chupacabra – what else could it have been?!
For more information about the cryptozoological vortex, check out Within Emerald Forests!
January 24, 2016
Wild Horse Round-Up
We heard that the Bureau of Land Management was coming to Green Cove Springs this past weekend. So, of course, we had to go.
It’s an interesting experience for anyone who has never been. The first time I went I expected chaos and fear from the horses. There’s none of that for the horses in the pens. They are mostly hanging out with a couple other horses and eating hay.
We came to an enclosure with some of the most beautiful horses I had ever seen (with the exception of Friesians!)
Thankfully the entire pen was already adopted – or there would have been some serious discussions about how to get one of those gorgeous boys home with me! But I came to the conclusion though that as soon as I’m ready to increase my herd – it will be with another mustang!
January 10, 2016
I need your help in the new year!
Typically I don’t start off asking for help. Well, now that I think about it, asking for help is not usually something I’m good at…so here it goes!
While books sales are steadily climbing, my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are not. Studies have shown that when any item receives 20 or more reviews on Amazon, it gets placed in a different category (somehow) and is promoted more.
So, please, please, PLEASE if you haven’t left a review – I’ve included links below to both Amazon and Goodreads (if you are a member)…
If you have left reviews, thank you – and please forward to anyone else who you know has read the books! As I’ve mentioned before – it takes a village to write and publicize books…and I have the best village around!
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C&query=heather+hamel
