Now What?

Canva Photos

Most authors I know seem to hit a spot in their lives when they have to ask themselves now what? This author has had to ask it for the past few weeks. Although I have had inspiration for a few new novel ideas, none of them seem to hold my interest much. I was thinking of doing a YA book about a young boy who’s family is all about outward appearances and following a tight code of family rules, but I have put that one on the back burner for now. I also had an idea for an adult novel, but the horrific human behavior that would have been included was not something I wanted to tackle. I picked up a few books from the library regarding the subject and promptly put the pile of books back on the dining room table to be returned unread. I just do not think it’s something I can write about or at least at this moment.

Sometimes writing shorter pieces will inspire me to have new ideas for writing. The 2024 Jade Ring Writing Contest through the Wisconsin Writers Association may help me to move on to a new novel. I already have a flash fiction piece I was working on before I started on Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4) but abandoned it when I was deep in the writing process of finishing the final novel in the series. I will pull it out, finish it, edit it, and send it in.

I also started a new picture book manuscript that is quite rough right now. I can work on both of the shorter pieces at the same time, just switching back and forth between the two of them until they are completed. I also have a children’s short story about the Ugly Duckling that I wrote ages ago that could use some editing. So it’s not like I don’t have anything to do. Maybe I’ve needed to “refill the (creative) well” as author Julia Cameron likes to say. Sometimes authors/artists need time away from their projects to be inspired by the world around them. It will add depth and freshness to the work when they return to it. I’m hoping this is the case for me.

Photo Pixabay

Now, I have had an idea for a historical novel for the last 12 years. I wanted to start it in grad school, but there is a ton of research that needs to go into it that I didn’t have the time to do during classes. I’m still intrigued by this idea. Every time I’ve pitched it for fun to literary agents, their eyes light up and they say, “Send me that manuscript when you’re done!” Maybe it is time to work on this. I certainly have the time to do the research as I write the novel. I can always edit the work as I go along. I know it’s not middle grade/young adult writing, but I think it would allow me to have greater fun with language and stringing together stronger, more beautiful descriptions of this imaginary world based on actual history. I think it would be fun to write.

Authors Horse Photos, Canva Background

Horse News:

My time at the dressage barn has been reduced. Cowboy, the pinto in the lower right-hand corner, has gone home. He is being retired as a lesson horse. He will spend his days receiving therapy for his back, then grazing out in a field with his pasture buddies. At some point, all horses deserve this kind of retirement after all of the years of work they’ve been asked to do. It only seems fair to them.

Gent, the bay horse in the upper left-hand corner, was my lesson horse since November. Two weeks ago, he strained a meniscus muscle in his right stifle and is on paddock rest until he starts hand-walking therapy in a few weeks. I help out a couple of days a week by spending time with him and doing his infrared treatments as he heals, so I still get to spend some time at the barn. I’ll help out with hand-walking, too, when the time comes.

I hurt my lower back five weeks ago shoveling wet, heavy snow, so my riding has come to a halt. I tried to ride last week on a different school horse but re-injured my back with the posting and dismounting, which wasn’t pretty. I’m not sure how long this will take to heal, but I will make sure I can return to riding when there isn’t the possibility of tearing the muscle tissue again. It sucks, but it’s better to take the necessary time to heal now rather than try and rush getting back into the saddle again. I’ll just have to wait.

MHWF Website.

I donate regularly to the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation. I have followed them for years and send a portion of the book sales to them quarterly and for their annual fall hay drive. They always need donations for the rescued horses they have in their care.

Author Kerri Lukasavitz and the middle grade Oak Lane Stable Novel Series: Books written for young readers, but enjoyed by horse lovers of all ages.