Kerri Lukasavitz's Blog

Writer’s Photo

I recently completed the 12-week Spark Your Story Intensive with creator Nicole Breit and teacher Rowan McCandless. Throughout the course, we were introduced to many new forms of creative nonfiction that I had never worked with before, including the Decenterd Hermit Crab Essay. The regular Hermit Crab Essay and this style are both excellent forms to use when writing about social issues and traumatic or difficult personal experiences. The objective is to take an existing form, for example a crossword puzzle, horoscope, employment ad, drug box usage panel, etc., and write the essay within those “found” objects’ perimeters as a way to create something unusual and beautiful, something that is not your typical written-word essay. The unexpected visual elements add depth and character to each piece. These two specific forms are especially good at helping the writer share experiences in a safe manner rather than strictly writing the story down word for word in regular essay form.

When asked to write a Decentered Hermit Crab Essay, I thought of several ideas to work with. I had not planned on using my experience with anorexia, except I felt drawn to put down the words and images as I worked on the piece. I chose to use purple, a brilliant color, for the square grid. I started out with the rich tone and faded it into the palest color I could get before it turned into total gray, leaving the center square void of the color. I also grayed-back the text until the reader could barely see the words - fading into nothingness. I used a photo my mom took of me in high school. She wanted it to be artsy and moody. It certainly turned out that way! I love how my face is barely recognizable. Only part of the right side of my face is illuminated with gray light while the rest fades into blackness. How much of me is real? How much of me is left?

Writing this essay brought up questions from my past as to why I had had anorexia, while using bulimia and binge eating as back ups in the battle against my body, my weight, my self. I read memoirs by authors such as Caroline Knapp (Appetites: What Women Want), Emma Woolf (An Apple a Day: A Memory of Love and Recovery from Anorexia), and Marya Hornbacher (Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia) who also went down the rabbit hole of self-loathing, self-destructive behavior. I was never satisfied with the usual reasons I read about as to why anorexia shows up like an unexpected, never-leaving house guest and is so hard to overcome on one’s own: anorexics have no control over their lives except to refuse to eat; they want to stay childlike and not grow up; they want to emulate fashion models; it’s due to hereditary or stress in their lives. These might have been contributing factors to other women’s eating disorders, but none of these fully resonated with me on a deeper level.

What started out as a “diet” of sorts (I consumed only one grapefruit a day) became a full-blown obsession with losing weight, mainly seeing how fast I could lose it. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with this. Wasn’t every other girl watching her weight? I did not need to lose weight. I was a healthy, horse-loving teen who loved being outside in nature and spending time with my friends, who enjoyed school, learning, reading books and magazines by the dozens. I practiced yoga before yoga became a thing and was a distant runner for my high school track and cross-country teams. I am sure there were triggers of sorts that propelled me toward compulsive behaviors, but I always thought that something whispered in the back of my mind, something just beyond my consciousness, that meant for me to keep losing enough of myself until I became nothing. Then, I wouldn’t have to show up in life anymore and face the internal, never-ending pain that existed in me and all around me all of the time. How do you deal with something you can’t name but can only feel when you are a teenager without any support?

I was lucky. I also know a lot of my friends from high school who also made it. But celebrity women like Caroline Knapp, Margaux Hemmingway, Anne Sexton, and Karen Carpenter were not. Please find help if you are suffering from this serious affliction. National Eating Disorder organization and ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) are two great places to start. You need a team who understands what you’re going through and how to help you best.

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.

Photo Canva

Fall has arrived in the Midwest. Temperatures this morning were a crisp 37 F. A sunny day with hazy clouds drifting overhead as they cross azure skies. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I suppose because I’m not one to indulge in beastly hot temps. I prefer cool weather, colorful leaves, and warm sweaters to hot days, burned-up grass, and sheer summer clothing. It is also the perfect weather to ride horses in.

I have been busy learning about memoir and creative nonfiction writing forms. This was something that kept pressing at me earlier this year, but something I seemed to ignore until I finally purchased a pile of memoir-writing books and felt pulled to take Nicole Breit and Rowan McCandless Spark Your Story Programs. Both instructors are incredibly talented writers, earning awards and accolades for their individual work. I have been excited about learning about each of the short essay forms that were new to me. I had a CNF class when I was a graduate student and wanted to return to it at some point in my writing career. Now that the Oak Lane Stable Novel Series is complete, I felt drawn to pursue new writing experiences. That’s not to say I won’t finish writing Lesson Horse (it would be Book 5) at some time in the future, but these new writing forms have my attention for now. I plan on writing at least three new books but for an adult audience. I also have a memoir workshop with author Dani Shapiro through the yoga/meditation center Kriplalu for her presentation in early December. I have read many of her books and look forward to studying with her as well.

I do have a picture book manuscript ready for submission. I will present it to four editors early next month at a SCBWI workshop, so I may be busy with that for some time too. I do enjoy a variety of writing forms. All of them lend to each other in many ways.

Happy Writing!

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.

I recently had the opportunity to read Susan Friedland’s newest book Marguerite, Misty and Me (Young Readers Edition): A Horse Lover’s Hunt for the History of Marguerite Henry and Her Chincoteague Pony Misty. It’s a wonderful book. Not only is the nonfiction book filled with so much history of the beloved horse author Marguerite Henry and her life, but Friedland also includes stories from her own life as a horse-crazy kid and how Henry’s and her paths (almost) crossed at different times in history. Well-researched, the pages contain a wealth of information about Henry’s life and her famous pony, Misty. Friedland even includes her own front-line experience of the annual Pony Swim in Chincoteague, Virginia, which continues to this day, tracing back through Misty’s heritage.

The book is well-written with a sensitivity and an eye for young readers. Age-appropriate language and reading level is carried throughout. The book would make a terrific addition to school libraries and classrooms as a reference book as well as a great read. Young readers will relate to Friedland’s own stories and her passion for all things horses, Henry and Misty.

Look for my full book reviews at Goodreads and Amazon.

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.

Photo Image Canva

Dear Fans of the Oak Lane Stable Novel Series, yes, I have started Lesson Horse (Book 5). I was sure I had completed the series, but after a few dreams and other intuitive nudges, I determined that there was still another book to be written. I have had this idea for some time, so it was, in a way, already in-progress. Since I cannot move forward with the story line with the characters being in high school in Ghost Horse (Book 4), I needed to go back in time to when this series starts - when they are finishing up 6th grade and heading into summer vacation before 7th grade.

You will have the opportunity to see the early struggles Cassie and her family have and as to why she doesn’t get a horse for another year (until Mystery Horse [Book 1] happens). This story starts in 1974, a time when the nation is under economic hardship and the Vietnam War is still happening. Although I don’t make the novels about history, the events do affect Cassie in an indirect manner. I will have fun bringing back Lisa Schmidt, Cassie’s riding rival and classmate, and some of the other people in her life. I look forward to writing sassy behavior so typical in 6th graders. This will be fun!

I also determined that I can write this horse novel and still do the research for the women and art historical novel I have also started. There is a lot of work that will go into that art book, but I have to be honest and admit I miss sitting down at my laptop and putting in the writing time to create another book. I have a ton of garden work to do as well, but I can manage my time efficiently to get it all done. And I still would like to get back into riding again, but this time finding a great hunter/jumper barn to ride at. Dressage was okay, but my heart lies in jumping. It always has.

I am looking at a Holiday 2024 release date for Lesson Horse. May I stay on track to finish it in time!

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.

Photos Canva

My new historical novel is starting to take shape. I have been away from writing for a few weeks because I first needed to edit a new cozy mystery novel, Model Wave - Book 2, for T.K. Sheffield (due out at the end of this month), then filled up the last three weekends with tree clean up from spring storms, and now have started weeding my perennial beds that should have been weeded last summer but was too busy writing Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable-Book 4 to find the time to do it. I need to weed those flowerbeds if I want to actually see the plants. Besides, being outside after working on a story helps to bring in new clarity and ideas for the next writing session (and I can get in some exercise).

I have been envious of my other writer friends who are coming out with new books this spring. Why haven’t I been working on something new too? Besides the other work that had to be completed first, I feel there is a gestation period for story ideas. Even though I have had this idea for 13 years now, it is starting to move in a whole new direction, one I was not aware of when the initial idea presented itself to me. After doing some initial research last winter, I discovered things about the early American art landscape that I had not studied while in art school, something intriguing and useful to add another layer to the story. I originally understood that most women artists were prevented from life in the arts but that was, in fact, not entirely true. I will have to see how I can use this information within the story.

Being a visual artist, I have decided to start a sketchbook of sorts to compile my findings for architecture details, clothing, landscapes, etc. for this time period. It can be a pretty “notebook” of sorts to keep my ideas all in one place. I have a small, lined notebook I used for writing the Oak Lane Stable series. I would have been lost without it, especially since the novels were written a few years apart. I needed to remember who everyone was, mostly their last names and what stables they belonged to if they rode for a different barn. The details had to be consistent in all four of the books. I will have far more details in this historical novel that I will have to pay attention to.

Writing for children has been a lot of fun, but I feel it is time to move onto the trials of an adult novel. I am looking forward to writing with more colorful descriptions and adult subject matter, namely women’s history in art. This is going to be a challenge but one I am ready for. I keep waiting to start because I feel I need more information before I put words to the page, except there is this great tool called editing that is at my disposal. I can always add extra details as I learn more about the time period, which I will share with you as I go along.

Now, I am off to do more reading!

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.

Photos Canva

Grooming horses is an art, or at least it is to me. Once a show groom for Class A Horse Shows, one never returns to simply “knocking off” the dirt and getting on to ride. Not only is it a disservice to the health of your horse and its coat, but grime left on creates a very dirty saddle pad that can create sores and needs cleaning often.

The time spent grooming a horse helps to develop a bond between the two of you - a bond that doesn’t necessarily translate into riding him/her, though. Horses naturally stand next to each other and groom each other's withers and top spots that are difficult for them to reach on their own. It’s how they learn about each other and their connection to the herd. It pays to spend the extra time with the horse to develop a connection, too, which pays off in better handling of the horse all around.

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Spring and rainy weather always means mud, unless the horses are kept on a dry lot. Rubbing off dried on mud isn’t always easy. When I used to work at a hunter/jumper stable, they had horse vacuums to remove caked-on mud. A luxury to say the least! If you don’t have one, a lot of elbow grease is necessary to get off the clumps of dried earth stuck all over their coats and halters. Expect to get their mud’s dust all over you if you have to groom by hand.

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My LEAST favorite part of grooming is picking out hooves, especially if they are covered in mud. There is just something about the thick slime of wet mud that’s difficult to get off of bare hands. Washing off their hooves in a wash rack works, but you have to be careful of rinsing too much dirt down the drain, which can easily clog it. I always have to grin and bear it and just dive into getting the job done. Hooves HAVE to be picked out daily. I immediately head for the bathroom to wash my hands when I’m done.

I least like picking out hind hooves. I was kicked in the face when I was around 21 while picking out the hind hoof of a horse I was going to turn out. The barn I worked for had us cleaning hooves out before they went outside to check for loose shoes and other such troubles. The horse wasn’t being malicious. He had a soft spot along his frog and simply pulled back when the hoof pick touched the tender area.

It was a good thing I saw him jerk his leg back and then shoot his hoof forward. I pulled my head away before my face took the full brunt of the impact. All he did was push the hoof pick into the bottom of my nose, causing a vessel to burst. I dripped blood down the barn aisle until I made it into the club room where I could check out the damage. If he had been shod, the damage would have been much more severe. I still bear the scar along the bottom of my right nostril. I was VERY lucky.

To this day, I stand back whenever I have to clean hind hooves. I might look weird, but I want to be prepared just in case a horse gets a little obnoxious.

Photo Pixabay

My MOST favorite part of grooming is currying their coats with a hand-sized, black rubber curry comb. I love how those methodical circular motions loosen hair and dirt from deep in the coat and start to bring out the oil and shine. Unless a horse is very sensitive, most of them appreciate this part of their grooming session. I’ve had horses push into me to show me where the “good spots” are that need more attention. They will often stretch out their necks when I’ve hit the itchy sides of the wither area, an area they can’t reach on their own. I always give extra attention to them because I know how much the horses enjoy the scratch.

I used to groom the Junior show jumper when I worked at the first hunter/jumper stable. He was very sensitive and hated all grooming. I had to be quick about it and never used anything on him except a soft brush, that is until it was spring. He would almost sit down as he pushed against me when I used to curry the top of his rump. The shedding hair and rubbing of the blanket all winter long made him especially itchy in that spot. He enjoyed a good grooming session then. When he was shed out, it was back to being crabby at being groomed.

I hope you don’t have too much mud to deal with on this first day of spring.

Happy Horses!

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.

Author at Five Years Old.

He was a black steed, smooth to the touch, with a molded saddle and two wooden pegs placed behind his ears for hand grips. Suspended on four silver springs and hung from a metal frame, my trusty steed and I would ride across imaginary landscapes, racing the wind and flying high over fences. Blackie, my first horse love, and I were inseparable.

My mother would place me on Blackie’s back and let me ride until it was time for lunch. She never had to worry where I was in the house because the second I was on that plastic horse, I refused to budge from my spot. I remember a time when she came to get me for lunch. I screamed and refused to let go of the handles as she tried to pick me up. She said, “You can ride after you eat and have a nap!” I still wouldn’t let go. She managed to pry off one of my hands only to have me grab back on the second she would try to get the other hand off. I ended up dragging Blackie with me until my mother promised to let me ride him again. I did not want to be parted from my plastic mount.

Unfortunately, the day came when I had outgrown Blackie. No longer able to support my growing body, he was passed on to my little sister when she was old enough to ride him, along with the round-toed, red cowboy boots I also outgrew and adored. She never loved Blackie like I did. She barely rode him at all.

I was surprised to find a photo of him and me. I’m about 5-years-old in the above photo (and obviously hating to have my picture taken). There Blackie is, looking as sweet as always. I’m so much taller than the toddler I was when I rode him every day! Still, he was with us for a long time after this photo was taken. I think he was finally passed along to a family friend when she’d had a child and thought she could use Blackie to entertain her small daughter. At least he was still useful in his old age.

Photo Courtesy of Owner

Horse News:

Gent, the horse I rode for lessons, is on the mend. Here is a photo from his owner as she used the infrared tool on his hind stifle. He is such a sweet horse. He looks pretty relaxed. I haven’t been to the barn in a week, but since my lower back is better, I thought I would go over tomorrow and spend some time with him. I will groom him and do his therapy too. I’ve missed being around the horses, but I couldn’t take a chance on possibly being jerked around while leading a horse. I wanted my back to heal, not keep being re-injured. I think I’m good to go, though no riding yet for a few more weeks. I’ll try and remember to take some photos tomorrow to use in next week’s blog.

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.

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.

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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.

I was honored to be a featured author in the January, 2024 Sidelines Magazine. If you haven’t had the chance to read this magazine, I highly recommend picking up an issue or even subscribing to it if you love horses. The magazine is full of wonderful articles, beautiful photography, and a glimpse into the professional world of equestrian life.

I bought my first issue a few years ago from a local tack shop that is sadly no longer in business. I wasn’t familiar with the magazine and wanted to page through its contents. After buying my first copy, I immediately subscribed to its 12-issue annual rate of $9.95 (now $14.95). I have watched the periodical grow from a slim magazine to one that is now loaded with interesting copy and colorful photos of the horse world and the people who live there. I look forward to it being in my mailbox every month. You can view the current issue online now if you follow the link above.

Here is a new review by children’s book author Andrea Christoff from the Wisconsin Writers Association for Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable (Book 4). I thought I would share it with you:

Ghost Horse at Oak Lane Stable: Book 4, by Kerri Lukasavitz

Middle Grade Fiction

224 pages

Ghost Horse is an engaging and heartwarming tale that seamlessly weaves the captivating world of horses with the emotions and trials of being a teen. The author masterfully captures the essence of adolescence, blending relatable teenage experiences with the enchantment of the equestrian realm. This book is also a perfect stand alone, so if you haven’t read the first three books in the series, you won’t miss a beat.

The author does a fantastic job conveying the thoughts and feelings of a 14-year-old and uses great interiority to show Cassie’s struggles which gives the story its core. Also, being an animal lover, there is something about animal friendships that I adore. But you don’t need to be a “horse person” specifically to appreciate this book, because it is the characters that will hold your attention until the very end. I think coming-of-age readers will really enjoy this book, as well as older readers who want to be transported back in time and have a wholesome read.

Reviewer Andrea Christoff  lives in Spring Green, WI. By day, she works in Marketing for her family’s fourth-generation cheese company and, in her free time, she writes fiction and non-fiction picture books. She is a member of SCBWI, Storyteller Academy, and the Wisconsin Writers Association.

Things at the dressage barn are going well. My lessons on Gent (the bay horse I pictured a few blog posts back) are progressing. I’m not quite as sore after riding as I had been when I first started. I have been doing more specific exercises for riding (when I’m not clearing snow!), which seem to be helping a lot. Gent is such a good horse.

My riding time of only-walking on Cowboy (pictured above) has ended for now. He acted up for another rider, and the trainer wanted to get on him to see what was causing his uncharacteristic bad behavior. It turns out he has a sore back in addition to being recently cleared for work from a suspensory injury back in the fall. He is now being worked on the ground in a surcingle and bridle without any riding. I do some light bodywork to strengthen his back before I hand-walk him for half an hour, which I enjoy. Being responsible for their healing care has always been one of my favorite tasks around horses. I don’t need to ride to feel I’ve had quality time around horses. I hope he heals well. He is also a good horse.

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.

I used to be serious about doing New Year’s resolutions when I was younger, right along with the rest of the national masses, but I learned from repeatedly having to restart those promises after a few weeks that I required a different way to approach this. Resolutions are great and can truly be something positive we bring to our lives (and not just at the beginning of a new year), but maybe we go about this the wrong way. Instead of feeling “forced” to slog through a new diet and exercise routine or pushing myself to “get better” at whatever I felt I needed to get better at, I decided to change the word from resolution to practice. What if everyday I practiced something I wanted to change, like movement or adding healthier foods to my diet? I wouldn’t feel like I had to be perfect and “get it right” but could simply make some adjustments to my daily life. Here are the following practices I’ve chosen to incorporate into my life for 2024:

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To be a better listener. I have a horrible habit of interrupting people when they are talking. It’s rude, rude, rude and doesn’t allow the other person to feel heard by me. I’m sure this comes from childhood and trying to make my noisy family pay attention to what I had to say, although I was usually overshadowed by someone with a louder, bigger voice than mine. Sometimes it’s about feeling included in the conversation and adding something to what’s being said, which is fine if the other person is finished but they usually aren’t. I end up apologizing for interrupting them and then interrupt them as they add something else! Okay, enough.

Back in mid-November, I started doing 20 minutes of meditation each morning, mostly to see if they would help cut down the migraines I get. I have noticed that I don’t feel so compelled to interrupt people when they are talking to me. I think the meditation is helping me to stay centered and calm and not feel anxious, like I’m not going to get my turn to talk, when I’m around others. (It seems to be helping to reduce the number of migraines I’m getting, and my husband says he’s been incredibly mellow the last few weeks - glad I could help out.) This is a habit I truly want to change. We all have something to say, and I’d rather hear what that is instead of cutting everyone off that I’m speaking with.

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Learn more about dressage and improve my riding. Okay, this was probably pretty obvious. I’m having a great time being back around horses and riding again, but there are times when I don’t know what the trainer is asking me to do. Dressage is quite different from riding hunt seat, of which I was trained to do. My leg is in a longer stirrup and I sit more upright. It’s the different sized circles and geometry of the moves that I don’t understand - yet.

I have been reading a ton of dressage books and doing the best I can. I have to understand it will simply take time to learn, just like anything else that’s new. I have been following Nicola Smith's Dressage Rider Training to strengthen my body as I learn more about really using my legs to ask my horse to move on. I love her 21-Day Challenge, 5-minute workouts on Instagram that are so effective. I put together three or four of them and have a complete workout in a few minutes. Very doable! They are definitely helping me when I’m in the saddle.

For Christmas, my husband gave me a lease horse (I know, I cried). I have to wait until a suitable horse becomes available at the stable, but I’m looking forward to spending more time focusing on one horse as I learn dressage. The horse pictured above looks like a wonderful mount to have. Hmm, maybe I could start looking for a horse of my own . . .

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Write the next novel. I have a picture book manuscript I sent off to an acquiring editor back in December and another very rough draft of another picture book about Appaloosas, but I’m still trying to figure out the next novel to write. I have some ideas. One is for a YA horse novel from the perspective of a boy main character. Another idea is for an adult historical novel about women and art. Another idea that came to me recently is about a woman, her horse, and an unhappy marriage. I’m not sure which one it will be. I’m sure the inspiration for one of these will take over soon. I can always edit the picture book manuscript as I work on a new novel.

Photo Pixabay

Spend more time in nature. I’m fortunate to live in a very rural area with plenty of woods and fields and nature all around me. I missed the whole gardening season last year as I worked on editing and re-branding the first three books in the Oak Lane Stable Novel Series and finished writing Ghost Horse, Book 4. I want to make sure I get plenty of exercise outside and spend more time in my (now very weedy) perennial gardens. I have a lot to do in spring!

I spend time going for walks too. I love watching the seasons change as I explore my familiar farming neighborhood. I will pay attention to the wildlife that shows up as I walk along the trails. It’s fun to notice animals or birds that show up that are more unusual to see, like Bald Eagles lately. Nature is amazing.

I wish you success in your New Year’s resolutions. Stay the course!

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.