You might have noticed that I’ve been quiet around social media for the last several months. Or, maybe you didn’t if you aren’t there all that much yourself! LOL. I realized at the beginning of this year that I needed to take a break from all things AUTHOR. I was several months into this break before it dawned on me that I was burned out. Among other things, I’ve been reading a great book that I recommend called Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.
2020, in particular, was hard, as it was for everyone. I got the Dream Horse Mysteries out on audio and created a boxed set with 7 other authors, and I wrote and published 5 novelettes under a pen name. Our goats were ill and back and forth to the university veterninary center, and, of course, there was COVID. After the second goat passed in early January, I noticed I was very, very tired. So, I decided to take a break–not just from authoring but from social media. I took FB and twitter off my phone. When I go to FB–not daily let alone several times a day–I don’t scroll my feed. I check my notifications and get off. I can’t remember the last time I was on twitter or instagram.
Not gonna lie. I’m loving it. I began sleeping better, feeling less stressed, etc. I’m able to do other things I also love but never felt I had time for like sewing, taking violin lessons, and learning Italian. I have a new camera, will begin training to be a Master Naturalist in the fall, and am starting a new adventure with my horse–carriage driving.
I needed to refill the well. Apparently it was very dry! Will I write more in the future? Possibly…probably…but maybe not. This “break” is open ended. I’m even taking a break from my weekly critique group this summer while our daughter is home from college, and that night has been sacred for many, many years.
Thank you for your support! Of course, my books remain for sale, and the Dream Horse Mysteries are on sale for 75% off during the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale through the end of July. You can currently get On the Buckle for 99c on Amazon as well.
Feel free to private message me, respond, or email me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Until next time, take care!
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Saddle up for a thrill-ride that will leave you breathless and longing for more!
Ever since I was part of a couple of multi-author boxed sets, I’ve wanted to put one together for adult equestrian fiction–to collaborate with other authors of horse books for grownups. My experience with boxed sets has been nothing but positive. Meeting and working with other authors to create and promote a project is fun and rewarding. But it looked like a daunting task to wrangle several authors and their books, and the formatting and getting of a cover, and the uploading, and then the marketing and all the details that go into publishing a book. To be in charge.
I didn’t want to do it alone.
When I met Carly Kade at the American Horse Publications Equine Media Conference last year, I knew I’d found the right woman to partner with. We talked, emailed, had Zoom meetings, and we figured it out together.
Of her interest in getting involved, Carly, author of In the Reins–set on a southern farm–said, I’ve learned so much from other equine authors and appreciate how unique each writing journey is. I think it is so important to support each other and share knowledge. We are stronger when we work together to share about the equestrian fiction genre. When women support each other incredible things happen. Horses, Hearts & Havoc is a great example of that. It’s an honor to team up with such talented women who are all equine authors on such a unique project.
The result is Horses, Hearts & Havoc, a boxed set of eight complete novels by eight talented authors of equestrian fiction for adults. Read on to learn more about this fabulous collection of books and the authors who wrote them.
Why horses, hearts, and havoc? Well, at the center of each story are the horses, of course! But in what is probably a first for a boxed set, not only do we have multiple authors, but we also have different genres and disciplines. We have romance, and mystery, and suspense stories set against backdrops of eastern show barns, western ranches, and midwestern and southern farms that include gaited show horses, jumpers, racing, western pleasure and more.
Why now? As Susan Abel, author of Through the Mist--set at an equestrian camp in the Rocky Mountains–pointed out, with all the book and horse event cancellations this year due to the pandemic, I was looking for any opportunity for exposure and to promote my books. Plus having never worked on a book set before, it sounded like fun to offer such an unique product to fellow horse enthusiasts.
So, the timing turned out to be good, although we never would have wished for a pandemic! But people are staying in, and many are looking for new books to read.
Bev Pettersen, author of Riding for Redemption–set at a cutthroat California jockey school–said, I joined because it was a great chance to meet and work with like-minded authors, and I’ve always enjoyed being in other box sets. And this was an equine box, yay! But best of all, at a time when people need a diversion, it’s great to have the opportunity to offer a range of full-length books at such a bargain price.
What is that bargain price? I’m glad you asked! Horses, Hearts & Havoc—8 complete novels–is only 99 cents while on preorder. The set will be delivered to your e-reader on October 15. Order your copy now.
One criteria I insisted upon when considering titles to include is that each book be the first in a series. Reading Horses, Hearts & Havoc is not only an opportunity to be immersed in hours of reading pleasure, but it’s your chance to find new authors to binge. There’s plenty more horses, hearts, and havoc from these authors waiting after you finish this set!
All the authors involved expressed their interest in collaborating and getting new exposure for their titles.
Natalie Keller Reinert, author of Show Barn Blues–set at a Florida show barn–said, multi-genre for me is a big opportunity because I write women’s/contemporary fiction, so reaching across the aisle to try and pick up some mystery, thriller, or romance genre readers would be great.
When I was in boxed sets before, I learned so much from the other authors involved. And those authors became friends. I knew we could learn and grow together while also exposing new readers to our work.
Sue Archer, author of Stake Night--about gaited show horses–said it well. I saw it as an opportunity to meet and learn from other writers. Writing fiction is a hobby for me and I have already learned a lot from the women in this group about promotion and networking. Also, I value the social connection of working on a collaborative project.
All of the Horses, Hearts & Havoc authors are horsewomen, many for their entire lives, and their stories ring with the authority of real-life experience. But for most, it’s their first time being involved in a boxed set.
Amy Elizabeth, author of Cut and Run–set on a Wyoming ranch–said, I’ve never had the opportunity to do a collaborative project like this before. Not only did it sound like fun, but I knew I’d learn a lot from other talented authors and marketers (and I have)! As my books have only ever been offered on Amazon, I’m also excited about reaching new audiences on different platforms.
Horses, Hearts & Havoc is the perfect indulgence for fans of suspense, mystery, romance, and horses! Whether riding jumpers, dressage, western, racehorses, or gaited horses, the heroines of these books are in for a bumpy ride. The heroes and villains include jockeys, cowboys, PIs, ranch owners, trainers, land developers, and veterinarians. You’ll find yourself reined into stories with stalkers, conspiracy, unexpected turns, cut-throat competition, and love-at-first-sight romance.
And yes, Horses, Hearts & Havoc is available everywhere for every kind of e-reader. Whether you shop at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, or elsewhere, you’ll be able to find your copy to read via the links on this page.
What are you waiting for? Follow a link and preorder your copy today. You’ll be glad you did.
After writing Raver, the book of my heart, I wanted to switch gears and try something different. We had been living on a farm for about ten years and loved it. But when we first got there, we weren’t really prepared, especially as we moved in the winter.
While it wasn’t quite as extreme as that old television show, “Green Acres,” we made plenty of mistakes and had our share of mishaps–mishaps that provided endless entertainment for our neighbors.
We met countless wonderful people who helped us through those first years, including the former owner of the farm, a cantankerous character who used to call us early on Saturday mornings to yell, “You up yet? You better be. You’re a farmer now!”
I wanted to write something that would incorporate our experiences with our move to the country and the people we met. At the same time, I kept wondering what would happen if Janet Evanovich and Dick Francis had a book baby. And of course, my story would include horses done right.
Oh, and then there was the manure pile–the big, steamy hill of bedding and poop growing on the hillside not far from my horse barn. Every time I dumped another wheelbarrow full onto it, I wondered, what if…?
And then one day, Viola Parker galloped into my consciousness, full of sass and snark and with a hidden soft spot for a kind word. The best-selling Dream Horse Mysteries were born!
I have a confession. I didn’t plan for On the Buckle to become a series. Silly me, I put “book 1” on the cover anywhere, thinking those famous last words, What could go wrong?
Absolutely nothing! Except neither Vi nor the readers were done.
I hope you enjoyed this latest story of where I find inspiration. In the meantime, as always, enjoy the ride!!
Inspiration can come from anywhere such as a song heard on the radio, a dream, reading an article or book, a walk in the woods, Pinterest. Sometimes it’s a combination of things, and sometimes ideas come, seemingly, out of thin air.
Raver, The Horsecaller: Book One is the first book I wrote, so I’ll start there. This one is easy. It was a dream. I used to keep my horse, Smirnoff, near a state park that had miles of trails we enjoyed riding on. Deep in the woods was an old structure of some kind. All that was left was a stone foundation. It provided the perfect place to practice jumping up and down embankments. Which we did. One night, I dreamed of riding Smirnoff down one of these drop-offs, only to land in a different world.
I was greeted by a group of people who were not outright hostile, but not exactly friendly, either. They took me to their leader. Now, this sounds like an old cartoon to me, and who knows what parts of my subconscious were dredged up as part of this dream! Anyway, their leader was straight out of Central Casting for alpha hero. Tall, dark and handsome. Intelligent. Tough but not unkind. He might have served me tea. We chatted. Something may have sparked between us, but I couldn’t stay there. They escorted me and my horse back to whatever strange portal or magic had brought me, and sent me back.
This dream stuck with me. The ideas and imagery didn’t evaporate the moment I woke up. While I’d written short stories and essays, I had yet to tackle a novel, but I wasn’t inspired to get started right away.
Around the same time, I finished reading the fourth book in the Outlander series The moment I closed it, I thought, I can do this. I went to my computer and started writing. The dream bubbled up out of my memory and formed the beginning of Raver. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. The story flowed out of me. I wrote every waking moment I could spare and thought about the story constantly when not at the computer.
That initial draft was edited, of course, but the original concept–a woman rides her horse through a portal to another world–stayed. As I wrote, I constantly asked questions that had to be answered by the story. What if they didn’t let her go back? What if they needed her for something? What is wrong in this world that she can fix? What if she’s single and a relationship with the fearless leader is on the table? Or is it? What if…?
Where do you find inspiration? I’ll discuss my inspiration for another book next time. Until then, enjoy the ride!
The end of May/beginning of June found me kicking up my heels at the American Horse Publications High Desert Media Roundup and Equine Media Awards in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was home a couple of days and my husband left to attend the American Institute of Architects Convention in Las Vegas. He was home only a few days before our daughter and I took off for a week in Costa Rica with a school group. We had one weekend after that before company came to visit from out of town over the Fourth of July weekend.
Whew! Are you tired yet? Now, we’re preparing for a big family gathering here at the farm at the end of July, and right after that, we leave for vacay. And right after that, our daughter heads back to college. I feel like I can’t catch my breath. I have NOT been writing. I have, however, been packing, unpacking, doing laundry and cleaning!
But, oh my, it’s been fun! Almost from the moment I landed in Albuquerque, I was greeted and embraced by the welcoming arms of fellow horse lovers and writers. What could be better?
Well, it got better! I attended an equine author meetup and made new writing friends. And then, Wrong Lead, Dream Horse Mystery #3 WON the award for equine novel. Wowee zowee!
What an amazing weekend! I can’t wait to do it again next year in Lexington, Kentucky. I was blown away by the kindness and generosity of every person I came in contact with. Everyone was there to celebrate the horse.
We know the power of story. We know the power of horses. Combine the two and you’ve really got something!!
Check back soon for a quick roundup of our Costa Rica adventure.
Wrong Lead, Dream Horse Mystery #3 is a finalist in the 2019 American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards!
This poignant and exciting wrap-up to the Dream Horse Mysteries is told through the eyes of Viola Parker, a wonderfully flawed and vulnerable character.
“Candace Carrabus expertly threads the needle between romance, mystery and thriller, striking the perfect balance that never leaves you waiting too long for the action.” ~~Amazon review.
Held since 1974, the American Horse Publications (AHP) annual awards contest offers members an opportunity to be recognized for excellence in a variety of equine media categories. This year’s competition for material published in 2018 drew 711 entries from 119 members. For more information, visit www.americanhorsepubs.org.
May 31 and June 1, I’ll be attending the High Desert Media Roundup in Albuquerque, NM! Wish me luck!!
It happens. We make mistakes. We forget what we said or to give someone a message. Miss an appointment or a deadline. We apologize. We’re busy. Life is full, hectic. Some of us make lists, write notes, create reminders. I swear to do better. I’ve tried all sorts of tactics and systems. But the truth is, I’m a panster. Not just with my writing, but with life.
But this is specifically about writing. As I was working on the draft of Wrong Lead, the third book in the Dream Horse Mysteries, I realized I had changed a horse from a mare to a gelding. Not one of the major horses like Vi’s mare, Cali. But an important secondary character’s horse–Dex One’s Ciqala.
I was so proud of myself for catching and fixing this mistake before the book was published!! In On the Buckle, she was a mare, and in Wrong Lead, she is a mare. Whew!
Oh, not so fast. Someone wrote a review. I am SO thankful to people who write reviews. It was a good review on the UK or Canada Amazon site, four or five stars. The reviewer just happened to mention that one of the horses had gone from being a mare to being a gelding and BACK TO A MARE.
What the what?
That could mean only one thing.
I wasted no time searching the second book manuscript. Sure enough, in Run Out, I called Ciqala a gelding. Indeed, this poor horse started out as a mare, became a gelding, then went back to being a mare. Never mind gender politics. This was magic!
But magic that needed to be fixed. And fix it I did before sending the books to the audio narrator. Corrected copies of Run Out are being uploaded to all retail sites as well.
A million thanks to that reviewer for pointing this out. And my apologies to readers and poor Ciqala!
Have you found a mistake? Let me know! Made one you’d like to share? (It would make me feel a little better!) Tell me all about it in the comments section.
We had a serious cold snap here in the midwest this past week. How cold was it? Cold enough that my heated water trough kept freezing over, which I found exceedingly annoying!
We have two angora goats–twins Zeus and Zannice–a guard llama named Pedro, an alpaca named Hazel, and our mini donkey, Ralphie. These are hardy animals with dense fleece (okay, Ralphie doesn’t have fleece, but he’s a tough one). I don’t worry about them in the cold overmuch, but dang, a windchill of -30 is seriously frigid and not exactly what they’re used to. These are the days when I think there ain’t nothin’ between us and the north pole but a couple of barbed wire fences. The wind howls out of the north like to wipe the earth clean.
Hazel, you need to know, is a drama queen. The goats, being butt heads, pick on her a little, especially when there’s food involved, and she and Ralphie have something going on between them that involves making faces at each other, the flattening of ears, and spitting. That is, Hazel spits. Ralphie dodges it. Pedro lords over them all with a benevolent eye, mostly keeping to himself and above their petty disagreements.
We have a large enough barn to accommodate all of them. It is bedded deep with fragrant straw. No one has to be outside in the weather or sleeping on the frozen ground. However, Hazel WILL NOT go in it. Doesn’t matter whether the goats or Ralphie are in or out or if Pedro is inside. Doesn’t matter how cold it is or if it’s raining. She stays out.
Which compelled me to build a windbreak out of square bales beneath the cedar trees for her. She and Pedro made use of it, I was glad to see when I went out to check them on Wednesday morning. In fact, everyone was outside at what had become the all-you-can-eat-hay buffet. As I once again broke the ice on the water trough, I noticed Zannice shivering. She’s the only one who occasionally gets cold, so we have a coat for her.
I went and got Zannice’s coat. By the time I got back, she was out in the pasture. I called her and she came running. Awwww, I thought, she wants her coat! What a good goat.
I was bundled up in my insulated bibs, neck gator, fur hat, etc., but my gloves had gotten a little wet when dealing with the water, so my fingers were numb, and I wanted to get back inside as quickly as possible. No problem! I knew I could slip the coat over her head, and get the part that goes over her chest down between her front legs Velcroed up the sides in a jiffy.
Silly human! Nope! Just kidding!! I do NOT want to put on my coat. Let’s wrestle! <Insert loud swearing from me>
My frozen fingers couldn’t hold her. She pranced off, flaps flapping, tripping over the part that wasn’t done up. I followed. She ran straight for Pedro. Pedro’s eyes bugged at her neon coat and flapping flaps. He skipped sideways. I could just hear him–Get away from me weirdo! I don’t know you.
Hazel’s head came up. Drama? I’m in! She came running to see what was going on. Pedro sidled away as Zannice butted at his legs. Zeus had to get in on the action, too, even though he clearly had no idea what was going on. Ralphie stayed out of it. Morons, he seemed to be thinking, we’re on the grass. Grass is good even when it’s frozen. Eat. Eating is what we do.
They ignored him.
Well, I thought as we made another circle around the pasture, at least we’re getting warm! Not my fingers though. Those were still dead to me. I tried to chase them toward the barn. Nope, not happening. I gave up, went inside and did what I should have done in the first place–got a small bucket of grain and shook it. Zeus and Zannice came running–gamboling–yes yes yes! We get candy because we’re so fun!!!
Once they both had their heads shoved in the bucket as if they don’t even know they have horns, I was able to secure Zannice’s coat flaps and release them back to the field.
We survived the cold snap!
I hope you’re staying warm (or cool, depending on which part of the world you’re in) and enjoying the ride.