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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Hope NEWS A bipartisan (that means both Democrats and Republicans) coalition of lawmakers has introduced legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses for human consumption overseas, as well as the export of American horses to other countries for slaughter. John Conyers (D-Mich.). Dan Burton (R-Ind.) -- they introduced the bill, H.R. 6598, known as the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008. The good guys backing it so far: n addition to Conyers and Burton, the original co-sponsors of the legislation include Reps. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Jim Moran (D-Va.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Betty Sutton (D-Ohio). The legislation has strong support from The Humane Society of the United States and other animal protection organizations. "Every day the Congress waits, there will be more torment and more suffering for America's horses," says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). "The horse is an American icon, and it is a betrayal of our responsibility to these animals to treat them like cheap commodities and send them across our borders for slaughter. We ask leaders in Congress for an up or down vote before the end of the session." Video footage from the HSUS' horse slaughter investigations can be viewed and downloaded for broadcast or news websites at http://video.hsus.org. Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:29 AM 0 comments  
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 More FAQs Q: Do you base the characters in your books after someone you really do know? like is Sam like someone you know, or maybe Jake and Jen? A: Some of my characters are based on real people.Jake, for instance, is very much like a former student of mine, but he doesn't know he's famous. Wyatt is a lot like my grandfather and Pepper is just like a Nevada cowboy I met on my first cattle drive. Q: What is your favorite ice cream? A: Cinnamon Apple Caramel -- I only know one place to get it, though and it's about 400 miles away from my house! Q: Do you think THE PHANTOM STALLION or WILD HORSE ISLAND will ever be movies? If you do that would be so cool. I can just see myself jumping up and down at the TV if I ever saw previews for a Phantom Stallion movie. A: I'm proud that most of my readers are eager for a TV series or movie based on my work. That's why, even though I've had lots of interest and some offers, I'm being super particular. I want the result to be the BEST possible for my readers. There are a few things I'm looking over right now, so please keep you fingers crossed along with me! Q: Help! I like to write and I want to write, but I guess I have writer's block. Do you have any suggestions to unstick my creativity? A: If you want to get back to writing TODAY, here are some things to try: 1) write a sequel to a book you like. If you're NOT doing it for publication, it's perfectly okay. Lots of readers want a sequel to my SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA, so write what you'd like to see happen seven years after Jesse leaves. 2) write a diary from the viewpoint of one of your pets or a piece of furniture in your house. 3) do something you've never done before, even if it's just eating lychees or kiwi fruit. If it can be something that happens in your story, that's even better. For example, if a character in your book is unconscious and revived by her dog, play dead and see what your dog REALLY does. Then, write it down and build on it. 4) get your hands on the book WRITING THE NATURAL WAY by Gabrielle Rico (try requesting it at your library) -- do it! Her clustering technique has never failed me! Ever. Q: Are you ever coming to ______ (Dallas, Michigan, Sweden, Los Angeles, NYC...)? A: I'm flattered that so many of you want to meet me and I FOR SURE want to meet you! Readers are the reason I have a horsey job I love! First, always check Phantomstallion.com and click on the calendar to see where I'll be going. Next, if you'd like to learn Creative Writing from me, your school (or home school group) can certainly invite me to make presentations. If you are part of a horse rescue, riding therapy or an approved horse-linked charity, I will appear and sign books for expenses, only, if it fits into my schedule. Q: Why don't you change your website more often? I go there everyday! A: I know this is frustrating! I wish I had a clone, but there are only so many hours in the day to write, care for my family and help the horses. To stay in touch with you between books I have a monthly newsletter. Sign up on http://www.phantomstallion.com/newsletter.shtmldo that will tell you what's up with me and my books -- plus I write Sam's blog, there -- and since I have videos on my MySpace page, and I've been thinking about putting some on my PhantomStallion.com site, too. In addition, a page on the wild horses of Shackleford Banks is in the works! Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:45 AM 0 comments
Monday, July 28, 2008 Summer Shots Dear Readers, Lots of you took photos during my Hawaii, Colorado and Wyoming events and I'd love to include some of them on my website photo page http://phantomstallion.com/photo_album.shtml If you'd like to send me something, please tell me the first names only of the people in the photo! And where it was taken, k? Fingers crossed that I'll have a great new page up soon with wild horses from Shackleford Banks. Best to you, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:34 PM 2 comments
Sunday, July 27, 2008 Wise words to start the week "Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat . . . until he eats them. " Samuel Butler (1835-1902) (novelist, artist, critic, philosopher) Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:32 PM 0 comments
Thursday, July 24, 2008 MANE event Dear Readers, Even though this fundraiser for horses is happening in Maryland -- waaaay across the country from me -- I have to share. If you live near the shop, I hope you'll support them. Here's the news Appearances Hair Salon Presents Hair Cuts for the Horses Do you, a friend, a sibling or a neighbor need a hair cut? Please make an appt at Appearances Monday July 28th for a discounted cut. All dollars earned on the 28th will be donated to Freedom Hill to help feed and care for the horses in our rescue program !! Call 301-855-700 for an appointment Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:32 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 DON'T BE SHY (please) Dear Readers, I want to tell you all about my trip to Wyoming and Colorado, but first, I'm going to ask you to speak up. This week I'm doing a television interview and I'm talking about YOU -- or at least some of you. The topic: how young people are helping wild horses! Think about what you've done and write me an email telling me about it. If you have a website devoted to wild horses, or you've signed a petition, volunteered at a wild horse sanctuary, written a school paper or newspaper article about them, all those things count. Links to websites which show what you've done are VERY welcome! Please include your first name & where you live! It's not bragging :) Thanks you all, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:25 PM 0 comments
Monday, July 14, 2008 Fav Quote from NEWSWEEK article "You mean to say that the millions of cows on BLM land are causing less damage than 20,000 horses?" Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:42 AM 0 comments
Thursday, July 10, 2008 Horse Talk Dear Readers, I still have a few more days of answering questions at a Virtual Press Conference and I hope you'll join me. Visit GirlsHorseClub.com and click on HORSE TALK (upper left of the home page) and it will guide you to where a bunch of us are chatting about horses, books, and the future of what I'm writing. You can make suggestions, ask questions, whatever you like! We're working on strategies to help wild horses, too. For instance, you might check out http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/news_alerts.html for some things you can do no matter where you live! Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:21 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 09, 2008 STANDING UP for horses HI -- I couldn't stay out of this discussion of wild horses in a Wyoming newspaper. Just cut and paste this link in your browser. http://www.trib.com/articles/2008/07/09/editorial/letters/8bbe68c3dc1ba66d8725747f0075bb71.txt Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:06 AM 0 comments
Monday, July 07, 2008 Heads-Up re: calling BLM Dear Readers, I just called BLM's Jim Caswell's office and was told Tom Gorey is taking the messages on this topic. NOT. According to Mr. Gorey's answering machine, he is on vacation this week. So, I called back to Caswell's office to notify them that gee, no one was there to discuss the wild horse issue. The woman I talked with was very nice, and I don't know if this was an intentional shuffle by someone above her, but just thought I'd give you a heads-up. Moral of the story -- leave message with everyone you talk to & get their names for possible follow-up. Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:39 AM 0 comments
Sunday, July 06, 2008 CALL NOW! Dear Readers, I have a message for you from Bonnie Matton, President of the Wild Horse Preservation League : "When Wild Horse Annie was trying to get a bill passed in 1971 to protect the wild horses and burros, IT WAS THE CHILDREN WHO HELPED GET IT THROUGH CONGRESS. Now, I’m sure, it will be you and your friends will help save the Mustangs - our American Heritage - just as the children, citizens of the United States and other countries, helped Annie. These magnificant animals belong to YOU, not to the Bureau of Land Management who are the overseers of both them and the public lands where the wild ones have the right to freely roam." I want to add my plea, as well. You can help the horses HUGELY by making a thirty second phone call . It will cost next to nothing. Pick one (or both) of the phone numbers. . If you call (202) 208-3801 anytime after 7:30 a.m., Eastern time, you'll reach the office of Mr. Jim Caswell (director of BLM) . Tell whoever answers what you're thinking. I'll be saying something like this : America's wild horses belong to the American people. I am a citizen and I want MY horses alive, running wild and free. Please pass on my message to __________________. May I please have your name so that I may follow up, later? If that line is busy, try the office of the Secretary of the Interior -- Mr. Dick Kempthorne (202) 208-3100 (Secretary of the Interior) -- wait for option #5, the Bureau of Land Management and tell whoever answers there, what you're thinking. The horses can't speak for themselves. You are their voice, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:26 PM 0 comments
Saturday, July 05, 2008 Horses Need Our Help
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Confab Dear Readers, Not familiar with the word CONFAB? It's a pretty common term among cowboys and though the dictionary defines it as "chat" that's not a word you'd hear coming out of most cowgirls'/boys' mouths. They might say "shoot the breeze." Anyway, I'm doing an interview/confab on the GirlsHorseClub.com website this week. Started this morning and it's already fun. Drop by, click on Talk, and throw any questions you like at me! Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:21 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 04, 2008 Tell BLM what you think Dear Readers, Please go to this link to express your opinions via email to the BLM regarding their care of our wild horses and burros. http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro.html Thanking you for the horses, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:07 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 02, 2008 BLM Must Cowboy Up Dear Readers, BLM has rounded up thousands of wild horses. Now, they may kill them. I'm a fourth generation Westerner, and I live in Nevada, the state with the largest number of wild horses. I've resarched and written both non-fiction and fiction about the West's wild horses. I've witnessed gathers, branding, innoculating and adoptions. I know this issue first hand and I've stood up for Bureau of Land Management staffers who know wild horses. But the current government has ignored knowledgeable staff members. This government spends huge amounts on helicopter round-ups, but won't fund assessment of range conditions or accurate counts of wild horses. Check their news releases for phrases like this: "There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on the range..." "Approximately 30,000 wild horses are in holding facilities..." If BLM doesn't know how many horses are in pens, how can they expect us to believe their claim that there are too many on the range? Yes, this agency is a victim of the same administration which marches thousands of Americans into the jaws of a financially disastrous war. Yes, BLM expects its annual $39 million budget to drop to $37 million. They're justified in worrying. But, these funds are often misused and staffers know how and why. According to Brookings Institution figures, the spare change from one day of the Iraq war could cover BLM's wild horse budget. Monthly, TWELVE BILLION dollars is poured into a war that's magnified the world's hatred for the U.S. The greedy say conservation of wild horses is an emotional issue. So is art, music, so many worthwhile things that such an arguement has lost its sting. Besides, the hearts of the world ached for us on September 11th. Many wanted to stand up for us and beside us. That's changed. It's worth remembering that hearts worldwide swell at the sight of a galloping wild horse. Many see the mustang as a powerful symbol of America's freedom and spirit. BLM knows how to fix what's wrong, but some might say, they've got a wishbone where their backbone oughta be. Generations of Americans hope BLM staff will find their backbones, then cowboy-up instead of bowing to another bloody cover-up. Sincerely, Terri Farley Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:44 AM 0 comments
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