Why Did You Write a Horse Book?

The answer isn’t as simple as “Because you love horses.” While it's part of the answer, it doesn’t tell the whole story. It was May 2018. I had just submitted my semester grades as a psychology instructor teaching a subject and students I adored. However, a few days later, without any warning, my teaching contract was not renewed, despite a positive end-of-year performance evaluation. I was shocked, hurt, angry, devastated, confused, and lost—which is how many of us feel when we’re grieving. Metaphorically, I had been not only bucked off a trusted horse, but dragged and trampled on as well.  In the midst of my fog, a fellow author and dear friend treated me to lunch where we discussed our current projects. Although the details are still fuzzy from my bereft brain, I briefly mentioned that although I had already fleshed out my second book, including a strong outline and completely written end scene, at some point, I wanted to write a horse-focused book.  I went on to say th at there