Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Writing by the Light of Western Stars

Writin' Riders is an authors' conference on horseback.  Writers and riders of varied experience rode through 5,000 acres of northern California's Wild Horse Sanctuary.    We wrote setting at our first break and character under the tree that shaded our lunch. The plan was to create conflict after dinner and before we lost the light, but we didn't stop there.

I urged writers to focus on their senses.

I didn't count on Western stars to create a sense of wonder.

At daybreak, this young mare gave me a story idea. As I wrote it down, I glimpsed something across the meadow -- too long to be a dog, not tall enough for a deer. It undulated at the edge of the woods before fading into the trees. Cougars live here.

Warmed by sun, the horses donned creative expressions.

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 3:00 AM

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Comments: That sounds like so much fun! I'd love to try something like that one day!
  Hi Terri! Im a huge fan, and I had a question. I was wondering, do you wear a helmet when you work around horses, ride, or both, or not at all? Thanks!
  Kate, you're right! It was lots of fun. I really, REALLY hope we do it again! DD: It's funny you should ask about helmets, because just last week when I was riding, I almost had a friend take a photo of me riding with a helmet, so that my readers would know I value my skull :)

  Hey Terri,where did you get the idea for The Wildest Heart. Palomino Armstrong's Miracle Mustangs sounded really cool.Especially Romeo and Collins, just because i adore mustangs.
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