Anna Rashbrook's Blog, page 5
April 22, 2023
April Newsletter
I’m so thrilled that Lamplight is finished, the cover is sorted and it’s being proof read! I’m going into Pontypriddd once this is done (so I have a publication date), to arrange a book launch at Storyville Books. Never done one of those before, so am both excited and nervous. I’m looking at invites and bookmarks to give away and all sorts of ideas are bubbling away.
I should also hear by the end of May if In Plain Sight has got into the final six of the Dr Tony Ryan Book award in the US. If it doesn’t, I’m going to put a new cover on it as I still really don’t like the present one!
Now, here’s this month’s Author Interview with Jennifer Kelly. I understand her passion for writing about racing as I really got into researching Lovely Cottage for In Plain Sight.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Jennifer Kelly. I live in Madison, Alabama, just outside of Huntsville. I am married with two sons, ages 11 and 15. We are sadly petless! We have multiple allergies in our family so we opted to defer having pets for now. I eventually hope to adopt an OTTB, but that will wait until the boys are on their own. I hope to have a corgi named Sammy then too.
How did you get into writing?
I have been writing since I was a pre-teen. I wrote my first novel at age 12, after falling in love with the Black Stallion series. I wrote about a jockey named Alexandria Hamilton, who wins not one, but two Triple Crowns in her career and survives a scary spill in between those two accomplishments.
In high school, I discovered how much I enjoyed academic writing and then in college became motivated to teach because I wanted to make sure other students had better preparation than I did in my K-12 years. I eventually transitioned from teaching writing to writing full time, but that time as an instructor gave me valuable experience with writing for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Longhand or on PC?
PC for sure. My work requires is often done in tandem with copious amounts of archival research so I spend many hours at the computer. I am always amazed how many words I have in my head!
Are you a plot already in head person, or you let the characters write themselves?
My focus is nonfiction, so I get to start with a set of names and faces. The fun part of research is discovering the layers of each person’s and horse’s life. My biggest motivation is to take the story we think we know and to dig deeper into it and find the more nuanced reality behind those events. Some of these true stories are as compelling as the wonderful fiction I have read.
MY BOOKS
https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813197371/the-foxes-of-belair/
https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813197401/sir-barton-and-the-making-of-the-triple-crown/
My focus for my long form works to this point has been about the American Triple Crown series. When I was working on the first book, on Sir Barton, I discovered that several of these iconic horses did not have books on their career so I decided to tackle those stories. Thus far, I have explored the first three winners and plan to add more in the future.
Coffee or tea?
Lattes or cappuccino, please.
Chocolate or crisps?
Hm, depends on the crisp. I am a big fan of oatmeal cookies, but I also love dark chocolate with sea salt. So good!
Most favourite book ever?
That is a tough one. I have my favourite horse books and my favourite non-horsey books. Ironically, I read far less now than I did before I started teaching and then transitioned to writing. My favourite horsey book is Dorothy Ours’s Man o’ War: A Legend Like Lightning. Her storytelling simply sings. My favourite non-horsey book is the Outlander series.
April 14, 2023
Voting
I must admit, once the forms were handed it, I forgot about the whole issue of being a deacon until a few days before the church vote, and knowing our small fellowship, I didn’t really see there would be a problem.
I’ve even got on with finishing my next book so that clears the decks! We had a normal service then had the AGM in the chapel as downstairs was really cold as the heating was on the blink again – I hope that will be fixed before I start!
The vote was as expected, there are now two new Deacons, myself and the pastor’s wife. There has to be a meeting between the old and new and things handed over, then we’re off.
And the spiritual aspect? As we finished, I was sitting, thanking God and pondering when I felt that mild tingle in my hands that rushed up my arms, and I knew Holy Spirit was with me in a blessing such as I haven’t received for a long time. For the past few days I’ve been saying to myself, I’m a Deacon, I’m a Deacon!
I was attacked in the next couple of days, problems with the dog and toothache, but I know that’s because I’m on track.
April 9, 2023
Happy Easter!
Photo by David Dibert on Pexels.com
As most people will have forgotten, today is when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is the only way to a relationship with God. No rules, no striving, like in other beliefs, just your acceptance of his unconditional love, shown on the cross. Life eternal, you and God walking in the cool of the evening in the garden.
April 8, 2023
Need a proof reader?
Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels.com
I know many of you on here also write, so I’m doing a shameless promo for a friend who and editor and is just starting her business as a proof reader. She did a great job on my last book for me. Good rates and as yet, she’s not snowed under! Here’s her info.
Hello, my name is Gweno Hugh-Jones; I live in South Wales and I proofread text, finding and correcting mistakes.Proofreading is essential in presenting text to any audience, whether a book, academic paper, job application, blog, website or flyer. Well-written and mistake-free communication shows professionalism.I will examine grammar, punctuation, confusing sentences, spelling, omitted and repeated words, spacing and format so you can confidently present your work.I gained a Diploma in Proofreading and Editing from the College of Media and Publishing in 2016.Fees0.0125 per word, £12.50 per 1000 words. Final costs will depend on the genre and how many corrections I make.Contact: pennarproofreading@gmail.comApril 1, 2023
Under the house
Dave and I have been doing some work in the garden which involved some digging around the footings below the house. He had wondered for a while, as the house is on a slope whether there had been a cellar under it, like there is next door.
Imagine our surprise when we hit something that wasn’t brick. After a lot of digging, we found a door, excavated it with real care and shone a light inside. To our amazement, there was a cellar and there’s was loads of boxes and bits of pieces inside.
We hauled them inside, lots of old documents that were still legible that will take a while to go through, odd broken furniture and finally as box that we had to jemmy open. Inside were many metal objects, and a jewelry box, still with velvet on it. There were some rings, a necklace and a locket inside. I can’t put up pictures as we have to go to a solicitor to sort out ownership, they may be worth a fortune.
What an surprising day!
March 27, 2023
The phonecall
I was happily chugging away at the new book one afternoon when the phone rang, and to my surprise it was a woman from Andrew Wommack ministries, ringing to thank us for coming back to being partners with them. I was thunderstruck.
I told her all about our belief that God had sent us to Austria, and that it had also been the right time to come back. We discussed about the college and my puzzlement that I had never felt led, even though I asked God if I should go.
This led into other things such as my belief that I over think every thing and the best thing I could do was go to a meeting and while I was messing around with my chair, the Holy Spirit would zap me while I was distracted.
We also got into how I don’t like having a discount when I buy books, because I am a partner. I feel that if I’m giving, I want it all to go on ministry, no returned to me. I heard a voice saying, or is it that you have a problem with receiving. That was one to think about.
This lovely lady prayed with me and even gave me a gift of a scripture to mediate on, which I am doing, letting it sink in and work in my subconscious, not work it out!
The whole conversation had me reflecting on how I’ve thought and studied so long, I long to be out, talking the Christian talk with people, being overtly Christian. I can’t wait!
Filling in the forms
I’ve now filled in the forms for being a Deacon, and have an idea of what the job as a secretary means, and it shouldn’t be too time consuming. I also got approached to be the treasurer as well, because without one, the church will have to close. I could do it, after all, the lady who currently does it, writes it all in a book and doesn’t even have internet banking.
So where would the evangelism come in? I want to be out with people, talking about Jesus. I can see that admin is another ministry and I would do it to my best, I really need some Godly guidance on this!
And most important. No one has asked me what I believe, what my position is on things like the gifts of Holy Spirit, this is a Baptist church. A Deacon is after all a Godly, biblical role. Shouldn’t there be an interview or something?
March 25, 2023
Grace
Burg Finstregruen
Walking around a golf course, now full of golfers catching up after the snow, I’m now listening to a teaching on God’s Grace.
Here’s the latest revelation which took a couple of days to sink in. When we come to believe in God, he takes us as we are. Warts and all. Unperfect. Then as we receive Jesus our spirits are made perfect, it’s only the soul, our thinking part that stays in the carnal and needs to be renewed by the word of God.
So we will sin again, we live in a fallen world. So why is it religion then puts all these laws on us? In church you must tithe, read the Bible, do this, do that to do what God wants us to be, so we’re still in his good books.
NOOOOO. We have the Grace of Jesus within us, and all is forgiven. But we are human, God never found a perfect person here, we’re all damaged, but he’s forgiven all, past present and future. Mr Wommack says the only way we can stay perfect on earth is for him to shoot us as we come out of the waters of baptism before we can even say a word. God uses us wonky folks.
So churches, stop binding us by rules that will make us get back in God’s grace again, it never left.
March 18, 2023
In Plain Sight -a wonderful review
In Plain Sight, being set in the UK has been struggling a bit in the US, then this wonderful fellow blogger, on Horseaddict.net wrote this!
Book Review: In Plain Sight by Anna Rashbrook
What ever has happened in the past is always subject to memories,interpretations. and reactions. A writer can take events and twist and change them to his own will. And this is what I am doing now using the past to create a new story that holds on to the turth as far as it can be recollected
Anna Rashbrook.
I think that one of the best accolades I can give to any book is to say that I looked forward to reading it every night when I would get into bed each night. I do most of my reading at night before going to sleep. In Plain Sight was one of those books. I looked forward to opening the book every night.
This book is the story of a young girl,Moira, who wants to make a life working with horses. But her Mother is intent on seeing her become a housewife married to a wealthy gentleman. But Moira is not easily swayed and she has her sights set on a racing stable near her home. She works there for a time mucking stalls and looking after the horses and she gets to know some of the jockeys. She also see one horse that they are preparing for the Grand National. Also she falls for one of the jockeys who is also smitten with her.
At the end of the war Moira has finished school and passed her final exams. She was not a big fan of school and so she is happy and relieved. She has a pony called Amber and she rides out with her through the countryside and often encounters the racing jockeys exercising and training the steeplechase horses.
About three-quarters of the way through this book there is an unexpected change of scene. But it is a happy one. So I read on eagerly.
I would recommend In Plain Sight. However Do Not Read The Epilogue until you have finished the book!! I am serious about this. I didn’t and so I followed along happily as the story unfolded. But the epilogue contains information that will spoil the main story so you have been warned!
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