• Books for the Family
  • Non-Fiction
  • Picture Books
  • Rodeo Hero-free read
  • Parents/Teachers
  • Vaquero Art
  • Bio
  • Blog
  • Contact Me

Wanda Snow Porter

Meet My Character

9/1/2014

6 Comments

 
I've been invited to join the Meet My Character Blog Tour
and introduce a character from one of my novels. Thank
you FM Kahren for the invitation. Frank has written some great novels. Learn more about his books at:
http://www.fmkahren.blogspot.com  

Now, I'd like to introduce my character, Winna Beckman. She
rides tall in the saddle on the pages of my newly released novel,
Riding Babyface.
She is fictional, but the names and personalities of her dog and horse in the story are real, inspired by my childhood pets. With some changes, the story setting is based on the town and house where I grew up.
Enough said.
I'll stop jabbering and let Winna introduce herself.
                                    ****
Hi, everyone. Nice to meet you.
My name is Winna Beckman.
It's the summer of 1957 when my family moves to a small farm near Arroyo Viejo on California's central coast. I'm fourteen, and I'll start 9th grade at a new school this fall. I dread going to high school. Maybe I'm not smart enough. Maybe I'll flunk out.  

Besides worrying about bad grades, I won’t know anyone except my older sister, Veronica. She calls me a pesky tag-along, and says hanging out with her is a definite no-no.

Oh well, making friends is never easy, real ones, not the kind that whisper about you behind your back. Perhaps it is an advantage no one knows anything about me or my family.

More than anything, I want a horse. I'm thrilled down to my
toes, when Daddy buys not just one, but two mares. One is named Snafu, and is due to foal soon. I sooo look forward to that. The other mare, Babyface, is a brat, and not so easy to ride.
If I'm going to be the best horseback rider ever, and train horses for the circus someday, I've got to practice my riding skills.

Despite Babyface's frequent misbehaviors, riding her is my favorite thing to do in the world. Mama says I'm horse crazy. 
Then Ben moves next door and makes my heart flutter. I never expected to act goo-goo over a boy the way my sister does.

Problem is, Ben seems to like my scheming sister, and doesn't seem to mind  the attentions of the other neighbor girls, Trudy and Jenny Lee, either. Dang it all. How can I get him to fall for me? I'm sort of a tomboy and don't know how to flirt, or do all that girly stuff like paint my fingernails. Even worse, my mother's drinking problem may spoil any hope I have of winning Ben's heart.
Picture

             Read more about Winna  
                             in
                 Riding Babyface. 
    
         Available in print and ebook at: 
                    Amazon.com
                             &
               Desert Breese Publishing 
 

Next week, keep following the Meet My Character Blog Tour and join these authors.

B.A. Kelly

A native of Chicago, author Bonnie Kelly has also called Michigan, Arizona, Washington and Hawaii home. Over the last forty years, she has lived throughout California and finally settled on the Central Coast in Northern Santa Barbara County. Bonnie has worked in various arenas such as folding billboard posters, working as a file clerk and waitress, stocking shelves, hairdressing, bartending, as a flight coordinator, being a housewife, and as a certified structural welder in the Boilermaker's Union. She published a small town newspaper for over five years, and earned an A.S. degree in Library Science.

Bonnie writes westerns under the name, B.A.
Kelly, and has had two a western novels published.
Blessings, Bullets and Bad Bad Men (which was nominated for a Peacemaker Award as the best new western of 2011)
and Wild Justice. She's also had a short story, Reflections, published in an anthology, Scattered Hearts.
They are all available as ebooks and in print at Amazon.
Her website is
http://www.bonniekelly.org 

Barbara M. Hodges

Barbara M. Hodges lives in Nipomo, California. She is the author or co/author of nine published works of fiction. The Blue Flame, The Emerald Dagger and The Silver Angel are the first three books in her young adult fantasy series. Return of the Ancients is not part of her series, but takes place in her fantasy land, Daradawn. 

Aftermath
contains three pieces of shorter fantasy fiction written for adults. Barbara has also co-authored two suspense novels, Ice and One Last Sin, with Randolph Tower. A Spiral of Echoes, written with Maggie Pucillo, is a paranormal romance set in Baja, Mexico. Shadow Worlds, co-authored with Darrell Bain is pure science fiction. Barbara also has short stories in three anthologies. 

Barbara shares her life with her husband Jeff, two basset hound scamps, Hamlet and Heidi, as well as with a sassy ginger-striped feline, Wallace. When she isn’t writing she likes to design and create jewelry. She is a member of San Luis Obispo, California Nightwriters, Sisters in Crime and Public Safety Writers Association. Her critique group, The Santa Maria Word Wizards, is celebrating its twentieth reunion this year. She is a founding member.

Barbara also hosts a monthly program, No Limits, on Blog Talk Radio, where she talks with those involved in the field of writing. 
All of her books are in print and electronic format and can be purchased on the Internet and other brick and mortar stores. 
Website:
http://barbaramhodges.com 
Blog: 
http://barbarahodges.wordpress.com/

Beverly Stowe McClure

Most of the time, you’ll find Beverly in front of her computer, writing the stories little voices whisper in her ear. When she’s not writing, she takes long walks and snaps pictures of clouds, wild flowers, birds and deer. She also enjoys visiting with her family and teaching a women’s Sunday school class at her church. To relax she plays the piano. Thank you, Mom, for making/encouraging me to practice. Her cats do not appreciate good music and run when she tickles the ivories. She is affectionately known as the “Bug Lady” because she rescues
butterflies, moths, walking sticks, and praying mantis from her cats.

Beverly has several articles published in leading children’s
magazines. Two of her stories have appeared in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL anthologies. She also has nine books for children and teens published, with four more under contract. 
http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com
 http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com


6 Comments

On Dressage & Writing

10/7/2013

2 Comments

 
When I recently cleaned out my filing cabinet, I found a few tests I used years ago when applying for my United States Dressage Federation’s
Bronze Medal Rider Award. To earn the award, I had to achieve a score of at least 60% at a USDF recognized show, on two different rides, judged by two
different judges, at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels.
 
Picture
Dressage tests are performed in a 20 x 60 meter (about 66 feet x 198 feet) arena, and require specific movements be executed at letters placed around the arena. Each movement is scored from 0 to 10 with a remark. When riding a test, my goal was to achieve a score of seven or above on each movement. To do this, my horse and I had to work as a team, precisely and well—no easy
task.
Though I rarely attained the score I wanted, I enjoyed training
my horse for dressage events, and learned a lot from those competitions. If I made a mistake during a test, I learned to keep my cool and ride each step, because the whole test was judged, not just that one error. I learned to accept criticism. The dressage judge not only pointed out my mistakes, but also gave positive comments for improvement. This gave me a goal and inspired me to work on my riding skills.
Improvement in dressage only comes through wet saddle blankets, the rider’s dedication to practice, and a don’t give-up-even-though-I’m-sweaty attitude, much like a writer needs to finish a writing project, or deal with the disappointments and difficulties encountered in getting published. 
Years ago, I took an English class that edited a book to be
published by Hancock College. The students in the class also critiqued each other’s stories. The rules were to say something positive and give constructive comments. The experience of having my horse’s every stride scrutinized by a stern judge gave me an appreciation for the benefit of accepting someone else’s
opinion. Even so, scrutiny is never easy; for some reason, the pleasure of a multitude of positive remarks doesn’t seem to take the sting out of even a tiny negative one. It was the first time a group critiqued my writing. I was nervous. My voice quivered when I read my story to them. But the many times I had halted at X in the center of the arena at the end of a dressage test taught me you-can-do-it-if-you-stick-to-it.
Now, even after having a few books published, I still belong to
a critique group. By sharing my writing, I test my story for weak spots, and get ideas and remedies for my story’s glitches. Best of all, I get to hang out with a bunch of interesting people who love to write.   
PictureLuis in younger days
After I earned my Bronze Medal Award, my Morgan horse, Luis, and I retired from showing at dressage competitions. Over the years, he has been a
dependable friend who has taken me on many trails and roundups. He is now thirty-one-years old, and along with Mick, my younger horse, enjoys napping in the shade of the oaks on our back acre
.

2 Comments

Vacation's Over

9/3/2013

0 Comments

 
The Porter Ranch’s fall roundup went well. The weaned calves
have been auctioned, and the cows are awaiting the birth of their new calves.
 
Picture
Picture
Picture
The hay has been mowed, baled, and stacked in the barn. Long
summer days wane. Soon the fields will again be disked and prepared for planting in anticipation of winter's life-giving rain.  

Labor Day signals my vacation is over; it is time for me to go to
work on a new novel. For inspiration, I am reading
Practical
Tips for Writing Popular Fiction
by Robyn Carr. This enjoyable writing guide advises: read extensively, gain a working knowledge of written English, write what you love to read, write what you know and what fascinates you, and invest time in learning to write well. 

All good advice. 

Of course, there is no magic formula. No amount of reading how-to books will improve writing skills. That only happens by writing, by searching for the right words to describe a scene or reveal a character’s inner turmoil, by being open to critique, and revising. The challenge to write a good story with great characters takes work and is often frustrating. Yet that’s what hooked me on writing. No matter how many books I write, stretching my skills to create outstanding characters and interesting stories is what makes writing engrossing and fun
.  
0 Comments

Christmas Isn't Always Merry

11/29/2012

6 Comments

 
Picture
The central coast of California's yearly
rainfall averages about  20 inches, and Christmas day is usually warm and sunny.
So it is hard to imagine on Christmas Eve in 1846 a rainstorm  heavy enough to kill horses almost devastated Fremont’s battalion as they marched over the Santa Ynez Mountains during the Mexican- American War.                     
                            José spent that unhappy night sheltered    
                            from this terrible storm in a cold, dark cave.
                                                           ****


Picture

After his parents separated, Christmas for Tim McGrew was not happy  either.  
                             ****                         
Geema pulled a fluttery-winged angel out of the box and held it up to the light. It looked like a huge, silver firefly. “This wishing angel belongs on the top. Every Christmas, Pop always topped the tree with it to wish on. Tim-Tom, you’re the man in the family now, so it’s your job.”
     A baseball-sized lump felt stuck in my throat. Me? I’m just a kid. I wasn’t supposed to be the man in the family? Not me. Dad should be here.  
     Geema’s hair was twisted in a crazy topknot and decorated with a blue Christmas bow. She smiled at me, but her eyes looked kind of sad. She must miss Pop. My chest ached where my heart was supposed to be, and I took a deep breath, swallowed the glob of anger, and went to get a stepladder.
     As I climbed up, Geema steadied the ladder and handed me the angel. “Make sure it’s straight,” Betz said. With four women bossing me, I fastened the angel on the twiggy top.   
     I clambered down and then took the stepladder back to the hall closet where Pop’s old jacket was hanging. The smell of his pipe tobacco still clung to the sleeve. If Pop were here, he’d know what to do about Dad. 
     What was up with Dad anyway? Didn’t he miss us? He was away on the road a lot, but our family was always together on Christmas. He’d drive us around the neighborhood with my sisters “oohing” and “ahhing” over the bright Christmas lights, the rearing reindeer, and the Santas and elves.
     In the living room, the string of lights was plugged in, and the tree shimmered red, blue and green. On top, the angel’s silvery wings glowed. I squeezed my eyes shut and wished that Dad and Mom would get back together, and we’d be a family again.

Find my books on Amazon 
Or Whimsical Publicaitons

6 Comments

The Next Big Thing

10/10/2012

4 Comments

 

Thank you, Beverly Stowe McClure, for tagging me to participate in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. The hop rules require me to answer 10 predetermined questions, and then at the bottom of my post, I’ve listed authors who will answer the same ten questions on their blogs next Wednesday. 

What is the title of your latest book? 
My young adult novel Remedy was just released in September.
Picture

Where did the idea come from for Remedy?
I  once wrote and illustrated a story for one of my riding students who owned a miniature burro. That story led me to write and illustrate the DANA Burro Picture Book Series. 
Then I went to see the wild burros when the Bureau of Land  Management brought them to a nearby town to be adopted. They were charming and inspired me to write Remedy.

What genre does your book fall under?
Remedy is a YA family/animal story told from two points of view, boy and burro.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Thirteen-year-old Tim and feisty Laney should be played by new, unknown actors. Glenn Close or maybe Cher would be perfect for the role of the whacky, psychic grandma.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of Remedy? 
Tim McGrew thought things couldn’t get worse--until his family moves to his grandparent’s remote ranch on Nowhere Mountain. 

Who published your book?

Both my young adult novels are published by Whimsical
Publications.


How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

At least a year. I write slowly, and my characters evolve as I write. My stories are set aside for a few months, revised many times, and shared with my critique group before I submit them to my publisher. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
The dog in Because of Winn-Dixie filled a void in India Opal’s life like the burro did in Tim’s. And the offbeat grandmother in A
Year Down Yonder
made me laugh. Tim’s grandmother is a hoot too.
 

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Animals play big roles in all my stories. I’m inspired by the horses and all the wonderful pets I’ve known. Over the years, they have brought me joy, and comforted me if I felt lonely or sad. When I was about seven-years-old, I was attacked by a vicious dog, and our family’s loyal dog Puppy saved me from being torn to shreds. So it's easy to understand why animals hold a special place in my heart. 
Picture

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Remedy’s cover is so charming. The wise-eyed burro, cute dog, and sulky-faced boy invite the reader to pick up the book.

Next Wednesday check out these author's blogs to find out about their Next Big Thing.
Diane Craver
                               Marilyn Meredith
                               Regina Puckett 



4 Comments

I Love Burros

9/20/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
A burro’s ears look comical and cute and make me smile. However, those funny ears belie the burro’s smart, quick, and wily personality.
As a child I rode a burro and learned how clever they are.
Our family had one horse that my sister and I took turns riding. If we went on a trail ride together, one of us had to ride a friend’s burro. It was stubborn but would follow the horses. As I recall, it had an appropriate name like Taco. 
Our saddle didn't fit the burro, and neither of us liked riding him. With no saddle, no thick mane to clutch, and a flat ironing board back, riding Taco bareback faster than a walk was precarious. Of course, when we went trail riding, the kids who rode horses always wanted to gallop, and Taco would race after them. Most times, the unfortunate sister riding the burro managed to stay on the choppy gaited donkey’s back, that is, unless Taco bucked. He didn’t give much of a buck, just enough to throw us off balance. Then we’d hit the ground hard, while Taco merrily kept running after the horses.
My most remembered unanticipated burro dismount happened after a heavy rain that left giant puddles along the side of the trail. Cool weather made the horses frisky, and they took off at break neck speed, with Taco in hot pursuit. The race excited him and up went his heels, just once, but with enough force to throw me forward onto his neck, behind his huge ears. Then a strange
thing happened. He stopped, moseyed to a big, muddy puddle, and lowered his head. Over those big black-tipped ears I slid, and splash, landed in the puddle. Taco’s innocent brown eyes stared down at me all wet and muddy, and then satisfied, turned and raced after the horses.
 
Despite frequent falls, off horses as well as Taco, I kept climbing back on and never lost the joy of riding. For me, learning to ride
horseback was a trial and error, hands on experience. I eventually gained a glimmer into my horse’s mind and started anticipating her frequent misbehaviors. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed being taught by my many horse partners and feel blessed by every equine—for that matter all the pets—that have
shared my life.
 
My latest young adult novel, Remedy, the story of a boy and a wild burro, is now available at:
Whimsical Publications
Amazon.com
Smashwords.com




2 Comments

Beverly Interviewed Me Too

6/19/2012

0 Comments

 
My friend and fellow YA author, Beverly Stowe McClure, kindly
included me in her wonderful blog.
Check it out at: 
http://www.beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/2012/06/interview-with-wanda-snow-porter.html
0 Comments

Interview with author Beverly Stowe McClure

5/29/2012

6 Comments

 
Beverly Stowe McClure, thank you for your visit. I was first introduced to your books through an interview you gave on Blog Talk Radio. Since then, I’ve read and enjoyed almost all of your books and learned we have much in common. We both live in the country and are both horse lovers. Do you have a favorite horse, and if you do, why?

The country is a great place to live. Ducks float on our pond. Armadillos dig for bugs. The birds sing and the deer stop by for a snack. The snakes I’m not so crazy about, but if they’ll leave me alone, I’ll stay away from them.
My favorite horse is  Heavenly Sunrise, a quarter horse we owned years ago. My husband bought her at an auction. We were into race horses at the time, and she had a great pedigree, a half sister that had won some big races. She was a yearling and a beautiful sorrel. Unfortunately, she was injured just a short time after we brought her home. It was a miracle she survived. She raced a few times after that and won a small race, but she never recovered completely from her accident. I loved that horse. She was so brave. She had one beautiful foal. I wish we still had them, but we eventually got out of the horse business. I have some great pictures for my memories though.

I read that when you were young you hated reading and writing. What changed your mind and influenced you to become a writer?

When my sons were born, I decided I wanted them to enjoy reading, so I read to them. And guess what? I fell in love with Dr. Seuss. His stories were so much fun. We read his books so many times my boys could say them by heart. Also, I became a teacher. Yeah, who would have thought it? In my classroom library I had Newbery winners and honor books. My fifth-grade students had to make reports on the ones they read. Watching them dress up like the character, or act out the parts, or just tell the class about the book, and seeing their enthusiasm (most of them) also helped me realize what I’d been missing. So I became a reader. This doesn’t count all the books I read for my classes at the university. This was reading books I wanted to, and I was hooked. I haven’t stopped reading since. I also discovered writing was fun.

Was your road to publication difficult?

Yes, but probably not any more than for many other authors. When I started out, I knew very little about publishing. This was in the late 1990s. I don’t think authors had the support back then, like blogs where other writers freely talk about writing and give advice. If it did exist, I knew nothing about it. So I was pretty much on my own. I signed up for a writing course which helped a lot. Then I wrote my first YA novel and sent it to all the big publishing houses. The manuscript came back, over and over. Well, I’m kind of stubborn, so I was determined not to give up.
In the meantime, several of my articles for children were published in leading children’s magazines like Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Ladybug, and others, which made me feel a little better. I also discovered small, Indie publishers. My first published book was actually an eBook, before eBooks were popular. That publisher soon went out of business. But I was on my way.

Do you write every day?

Yes, every day except Sunday, unless something unexpected prevents me from writing.

How did you come up with the adoption idea for your latest book,
Life on Hold?

I read an article in the local newspaper about a teen boy and girl who were sweethearts in high school. They had a baby boy, but her parents made her give the baby up for adoption. The boy and girl eventually went their separate ways, married others, and had other children. Those marriages did not last, however. Eighteen years later, they found each other again, and a chance conversation with someone (I forget who now) mentioned a boy of eighteen who had recently discovered he was adopted. They had decided to find their child, if possible, and he turned out to be their son. I just love happy endings.
Picture
Life on Hold
Author: Beverly Stowe McClure
Cover Artist: Aidana WillowRaven
Publisher: 4 RV Publishing LLC
Paperback/Pages: 200
Published: Feb.21, 2012
ISBN: 978-0983801825 
A paper found. A secret revealed. A girl’s life changed forever. Myra Gibson’s life is a lie. For sixteen years her parents have kept their secret, but the adoption paper she discovers while cleaning the guest house tells the truth. As the past and present collide, Myra finally stands up for herself and begins a journey she may regret.

Amazon:
http://amzn.to/zb81Cd
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/8xp9xp7
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/beverlysmcclure
Twitter: http://twitter.com/beverlymcclure
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11462.Beverly_Stowe_McClure
Blog: http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com      



6 Comments

Being Published~Unexpected Things

4/16/2012

2 Comments

 
I'm often asked what it feels like to have a book published. For me, it has been fun but hard work, full of unexpected things. In 2002, when I finished writing, illustrating, and designing my first picture book, Sister Sara, for Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos, I was surprised when DANA’s editor, Barbara Watson, wanted me to include my bio and photo in the books, and expected me to do a book signing. After all, photos, bios, and book signings were for celebrities, not me. Besides, when I was a kid, teachers always admonished me to, “Never scribble in books.” And now the kicker was, Barbara wanted me to write my name on the clean white page of a book I had so painstakingly illustrated.
At that first book signing, I was nervous, but after scribbling in a few books with my lousy handwriting, I overcame my reluctance and had a great time visiting with friends. Fast forward to 2012. Now with three picture books published, after Whimsical Publications published my young adult, historical novel, Spurs for José, last November, I've been delighted when historical societies have invited me to read and talk about José’s story, and sign books at their museums. These photos are from my signing for the History Center of San Luis Obispo County at Children's Day on the Plaza. It was a wonderful day!
Picture
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Picture
My chaps, spade bit, and hackamore on display with mission brands.
Picture
Porter Ranch brand and branding iron
Picture
History Center of San Luis Obispo County
Picture
Inside the History Center's gift shop
Spurs for José can be purchased in California at the History Center of San Luis Obispo County's gift shop, the Dana Adobe's gift shop in Nipomo, the Cooper-Molera Museum Store in Monterey, the Coalesce Book Store in Morro Bay, and the Book Loft in Solvang, as well as online through Whimsical Publications.com and Amazon.com.
2 Comments

Guest Post by Traci Markou~Dreams Are Hard Work

11/9/2011

4 Comments

 
When I was very young, about five years old, my mom and I were filling out a keepsake book that documented my school years. One of the questions in the book was what did I want to be when I grew up. I answered then in scrawly handwriting that I wanted to be an artist and a farmer. I think it had something to do with the bright orange finger painting I had done in school that day and the fact that both sets of my grandparents always had huge gardens that I loved to explore.
 
I have come a long way since then, kept many gardens, and painted many different pieces of art from nursery murals to falling angels. I feel like my life is always a work in progress. There is always more to do and try. More to learn. It never ends. Sometimes it’s frustrating because nothing ever seems to get done. But as one of my neighbors once told me, “If everything was done, you would have nothing to do, and you would be bored.” 

Wanda asked me to write something for her blog. She’s probably a little curious about how I keep up with all of the insanity I have going on in my life. Firstly, I am a mother of three young boys ages: 7, 9, and 11. They take up a lot of my time and attention. My husband and I also own two Greek restaurants here in Tucson, The Fat Greek on Park and University and Fat Greek 2, which is changing its name to Greek Taverna, and is located at Swan and Camp Lowell. I also run a small publishing house called Purple Sword Publications
. If I have any spare time leftover, I get to write romance stories under the pen name Anastasia Rabiyah or design cover art for a few small presses that I freelance for.

Getting in to cover art design was quite by accident. I was having my first novella published at Forbidden Publications and the publisher taught me the basics of photo manipulation so I could make my own cover. All of the covers I’ve designed are done from stock images which I meld together using a drawing program. The program allows me to change colors, textures, crop, blend and so much more. It’s a lot of fun and very destressing in most cases. Once Forbidden’s owner saw my work, she asked to me do cover art for other works besides my own. After that, I took on more freelance work and have designed covers for loveyoudivine, Amira Press, Sugar and Spice Press, Whimsical Publications, Whispers Publishing, Awe-Struck Publishing, and Phaze. 

As time went on, some of my publishers closed. I eventually found myself with a lot of my romance stories coming out of contract. Rather than send them out and start over again, I  opened my own publishing house and decided to keep it simple and small, working with many of the authors I either designed cover art for or edited for at my old publishers. Purple Sword has given me an avenue to not only publish my stories, but read on a regular basis the stories of authors whose work I love.

When the economy crashed a couple of years ago, my husband and I were trying to find creative ways to keep our restaurants afloat. So many Mom and Pop businesses have gone under with the recession. We had purchased land that we intended to build a house on, in order to fulfill our dream of moving to the ‘country’ someday and were not able to do so. Lending policies had changed and we found ourselves trapped with two mortgages.

Rather than let the land sit and do nothing, we put it to work for us, starting with several dwarf goats. The goats led to a garden (had to do something with all the poo). The garden now provides many of the vegetables we use at our restaurants. You can find out more about it and see pictures of all the animals and gardens at
www.markouranch.com. Like all things I do, it is a work in progress. It’s our first year trying this idea, and it’s a great deal of trial and error and manual labor. We now have thirteen goats, seven sheep, twenty-one chickens, two geese, two ducks, and a Jersey dairy cow due to have a calf in March.

My day is pretty hectic. I wake at seven, get the kids off to school, stop at the ranch and do all my chores: watering, milking, feeding, weeding, and general maintenance.That takes anywhere from one to two hours. Then I head home to work on publishing responsibilities such as contracting, cover design, editing, writing, uploading, and website maintenance. I also work on restaurant duties such as accounting and marketing. Then it’s time to get the kids from school. There is a small lull of time for helping them with homework, watching them play and ride bikes. But around six or seven it’s off to the ranch again to milk, feed
 and water. The kids help out with chores.

My family leads a busy life. All of us help out to try and make the ends meet. We have fresh goat milk daily,chicken and goose eggs to eat, lots of healthy, tasty home-grown veggies, and my husband and I get to pursue what we enjoy. It’s not always easy. There are days I’m exhausted and wish I could sleep just one more hour, but in the end following my dreams has given me a lot of inner peace and happiness. 


4 Comments

    Archives

    January 2020
    August 2018
    January 2017
    August 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Birds
    Books
    History
    Holidays
    Interviews
    Isaac J. Sparks
    Nature Education
    Pets
    Poetry
    Publishing
    Remedy
    Riding Babyface
    Rosa Sparks Porter
    Screenwriting
    Spurs For Jose
    Spurs For Jose Book Signing
    Willian G. Dana
    Women's History Month
    Writing

    RSS Feed

    RSS Feed