Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Risk

My new memoir, Horseback, is now out in paperback and kindle versions. The book details my early years with horses, roughly the years when I was thirteen to twenty-three (or so). Over the years I had told many of the stories that are now in the book and with much hesitation finally decided to group them together in writing. Horseback is the result.


My hesitation came from the fact that my early years with horses were filled with stupid mistakes on my part. In many cases it was like the blind leading the blind as neither the horse or I knew what we were supposed to do. I was afraid that readers would not take my openness about my lack of ability in the positive way I wanted––for I very much hoped that readers would learn as much from my errors as I did. And, maybe enjoy a laugh or two along the way.

That's the thing about risk. It is always a gamble, if a calculated one. If I did the book, readers could possibly look at me and rightly think "Does she even have a brain?" Or, they might think "You know, I thought about trying that once . . .  glad I didn't." 

Hmmm. What to do? With the idea of nothing ventured nothing gained, I wrote the book. To my delight, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. And the thing readers are most positive about? The fact that I was willing to share my mistakes with them. Horseback forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and you know what? It's not a bad place to be. I hope that you, too, will add a little risk to your life in the coming months and do something (safe) that pushes your boundaries a bit. Then, I hope you will let me know how it goes.

Until next time,

Lisa

Monday, April 16, 2012

Awards!

The Opium Equation, my equestrian mystery has been recognized by two wonderful organizations. It recently was awarded the silver medal for fiction from The Mom's Choice Awards®, and is a finalist in the American Horse Publications awards in their book category.

This is especially exciting to me because I tried for seventeen years to get the book published, one rewrite and agent after the other. I had pretty much given up on the book when a publisher stepped up and took a chance. I am eternally grateful to them, but I am also grateful for all of the rejection slips, all the literary agents who passed, and also those who tried, but could not interest a publisher.

Each of those "failures" caused me to take another look at the book and either add or delete something important. Over the years characters were refined and plot lines expanded and the book would not be nearly what it is today if it were not for the early passes.

I have found two lessons in this. The first is if you really believe in something, never give up. Even if you never achieve your goal, there is significant value in the journey. The second is to consider the opinions of others. You do not have to act of their opinions, but all opinions regarding your goal are good to think about.

That said, I am tremendously excited about the awards! It is nice to know others value your efforts and being recognized in this way is fabulous.