Update

This update is long overdue but I decided to grab a few minutes and get it written.
First off, if you are reading this then I'm sure you have already noticed that something is different! Yes, I re-did the blog and website. I had some comments about how the white writing was difficult to read against the dark background and it was time for a change anyway :) Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the new look :)
Now for an update on the books.
Whisper is all finished and my part of the editing is complete. It doesn't look like it is going to work out with the publisher I was originally thinking of going with. I have some other options but it is going to take awhile to make a decision, then we still have to go through the publishing process. So it doesn't look like my original goal of Jan/Feb will be met but I will try to get it out as soon as I can! I added a page to the website for Whisper and you can check it out by clicking here. It gives a synopsis of the book as well as a little story on Ashwin and his role in Whisper.
I don't think I mentioned this before, (if I did I don't remember!) but I am working on a sequel to Whisper titled Thunder. It will feature Bethany, Rachel's younger sister and her struggles to overcome her fear of horses. Thunder is based off of Bannie, though he did not experience the same things as the horse in the story. A sample cover is shown on Thunder's page which you can see by clicking here! I am working on the rough draft of Thunder and am on Chapter 4 right now. It will probably end up being approximately the same length as Whisper.
I have been working on book #2 of TCCAS(The Christian Cowgirl Adventure Series), but its not going as quickly, nor as smoothly as I had hoped. I am still planning on having it published by April/May of next year. I plan on spending some these snow covered evenings curled up by the fireplace with my laptop editing away!!
#3 of TCCAS is at a standstill right now. I haven't worked on the rough draft in quite some time and by the time I finish it, it will have taken me the longest amount of time to write of any of my books. Other than finishing #2, I am going to give Amy and her friends a rest and concentrate on other things. After #2 is published, I will probably pick up #3 again and try to publish it the spring of 2016 if possible.
Last but not least, horse news!!

Bannie is doing great(when isn't he!?) He hasn't been ridden much lately but that's just fine with him! He is content to be my best horsey friend and gives me hugs when I need them :) He looks like a giant teddy bear with his new winter coat! I tried to ride him the other day but he was in a mood and wanted nothing to do with being ridden. If it was any other horse, I would have made him go anyway, but I'm a softie when it comes to Ban so I just let him going back to eating or sleeping, whatever his activity of choice was for the day :)

Smoke has not been herself lately and I'm not really sure why. There's no spring to her step and she just seems dull and uninterested in anything. I rode her the other day and she tried to buck me off, she has never, ever bucked in the two years I've had her so something is up. I'm giving her some time off and just monitoring her closely. All the horses have been a little off lately, but nothing like her. She's been more cuddly than usual, craving affection which is unusual for her. At first I thought she was in heat, that's usually the explanation when she's moody, but that's not it this time. Horses usually get frisky when the cold weather hits so hopefully that livens her up a bit.

We've had several conflicting opinions on Lena's age, but based on certain facts, we still think she's about 20-22. Levi has been using her for sorting competitions, but because of her age and the fact that she is pigeon toed, its not very fun for her so we are trying to get Abby healed up so Lena can go back to just being the trail horse she wants to be. She's been a little depressed lately because of Rio being weaned but hopefully her spirits will pick up when we re-unite them in a couple weeks. She is in very good condition coming into winter and her colors make her pop out in a crowd!

Rio is getting so big!! And unfortunately his attitude has grown right along with his body! He's been moody and grumpy lately, but he's seemed more personable the last few days so hopefully he's outgrowing that faze. I've been too busy to do a lot of work with him, but I am going to start working with him again before he gets too big to manage. He still shows off the baby side of him every now and then and even get Abby and Ashwin(his pasture mates) goofing around with him.
Rio has been a stinker about letting me halter him...this morning I was trying to catch him for the farrier. When he finally decided to let me put the halter on, I dropped the lead rope and slipped on the halter. Just as I tied the halter rope, he freaked out and jumped backwards. I tried to stop him, but the lead rope had gotten caught on the feeder(the one behind him in the picture) and Rio proceeded to drag the feeder over top of me, then into the woods about 150 yards away, where he finally stopped when the feeder wrapped around a tree. Needless to say, it was an eventful morning! He was shaken up and his one leg is slightly swollen, but I don't think any serious damage was done.

Abby is finally starting to get over her lameness that was a result of the hoof abscess. We had our farrier out about ten days ago and he cut off all the dead tissue which exposed some sensitive areas, but in the end will help her to heal faster. She is still limping but the farrier will probably be putting some shoes on her today which should help her not be so sensitive and hopefully give her enough support that Levi can start riding her again. After so much time off, she is peppy and full of energy!

And last, but certainly not least, Ashwin! He gets the special privilege of a blanket on these cold nights! He's still his same old sweet self, but I have noticed him get more testy and a little grumpy with the other horses now that the cold weather has set in. That's typical, especially with horses that are low in the pecking order. He and Rio buddy up a lot because Abby doesn't like Rio. A few weeks ago, Ashwin had a panic attack and while it lasted, managed to climb a five foot vertical bank and get himself tangled up in a barbed wire fence. There were  a few tense moments as he was suspended by the wire, but he managed to free himself and climb up the bank onto the farm lane before we could reach him. Miraculously, he only had four cuts and they were not very bad at all, barely breaking the skin. He was shook up after that, as were we, but there don't seem to be any lingering affects from the incident.