The passion for books is not dead and this article proves it. If so many people are willing to brave the cold to physically pass thousands of books into a library, then we have hope that reading for gaining knowledge and for pure joy is alive and well. History is unfortunately littered with book burning’s for political and religious reasons but the human spirit and love of books has never been squashed.
When you realize how long the list is, then you understand books are more than paper sheets bound together – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_book-burning_incidents
Saving them is paramount for future generations not just for historical reasons but for the author’s words to be shared and loved beyond their life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_burning
“The people who stood in the Baltic Way remember that feeling of being shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. The people taking part in the book chain who are prepared to stand here on a cold winter day are taking this seriously too – we are literally standing up for culture.”
Quotes: “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” ―Cicero
A personal favorite as an English woman: “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ― C.S. Lewis
And now for the fun part of today. A prompt to spark your imagination:
While hiking through a ancient woodland you discover a moss covered metal box with ornate brass decorations. What is inside? Where did it come from?
The title says it all – learn to take turns – this is a barrel racing saying. One of many I learnt while researching my current WIP, Willow Tree Tears. It was certainly a journey into a world I had no previous knowledge of. Isn’t that what makes writing fiction all the more exciting?
The barrel racing course itself is a series of sharp turns in a clover-leaf shape, as you can see from the diagram below. A figure-eight pattern was the initial barrel racing circuit but has been replaced by the favored clover-leaf course, which demands a higher skill level. When watching these events I marveled at the synchronicity of horse and rider at speeds that were astonishing.
To begin a barrel race, the horse and rider enter the arena at top speed, through the center entrance. An electronic timer beam records the horse and rider as they cross it. This timer runs until the beam is crossed again at the end of the run.
Modern barrel-racing horses need to be fast, strong, agile and intelligent. To maneuver the course in as little distance as possible requires physical strength and agility from the horse as well as the ability to follow commands from the rider. Horses that can “hug the barrels” and maneuver the course quickly show up by their consistently low times. The favored breed for barrel racing is the American Quarter horse. The history of the breed began in the 17th century with British thoroughbreds paired with ‘native’ horses, (Chickasaw), which in turn were descended from horses brought over by the Conquistadors. Such as the Iberian, Arabian and Barb and wild horses.
The Girls Rodeo Association, (GRA) was the first organization specifically developed for women, who wanted to compete in rodeos. It was formed in 1948 by a group of Texan women consisting of only 74 members and having a limited 60 approved tour events. The group officially changed its name to the WPRA (Women’s Professional Rodeo Association) in 1981.
In 2013 the WPRA celebrated sixty five years of women in rodeo. The WPRA . . . the past, present, and future of women in rodeo!
Subsequent to writing my narrative, I found out a new ‘reality’ TV program is on air – Rodeo Girls. However, the authenticity of its portrayal of women in rodeo is open to discussion.
Why does every show have to glamorize and falsify ‘real’ life?
I read many derogatory comments on a forum once the show was aired from barrel racers appalled at the depiction of their profession. I am happy to declare my narrative is true to the real barrel racers and their lifestyle.
Willow Tree Tears is a romance which follows my protagonist, Trinity, a champion barrel racing young woman. Trinity must decide between two men. A man she has known since high school and who lives the ranching and rodeo life and a suave globe trotting Italian. She is determined and focused in her sport and lives on a Quarter horse stud with her father. Can she resist the lure of the unfamiliar? Is marrying her ‘kind’ best for her and her father’s hopes for her future and the ranch?
The launch of Willow Tree Tears is still under negotiation but I will announce it as soon as a date is finalized.
What have you learnt about through novel researching?
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 