A Novel Idea: 7/5/16

I recently discovered this blog and they post weekly writing prompts!

This week's prompt was pretty cool so I thought I'd give it a try!

Tell us about one of your first stories. When did you start writing it, and why? Do you remember the characters’ names? Are you still writing it? If not, do you think you’ll ever rewrite it? What did you learn while writing it?

My first ever story was a little "mini-series" I wrote called Cantering Hooves Ranch. It was about me when I grow up and owned my own horse farm and gave lessons to a couple pupils. Basically think of the Saddle Club kinda thing going on :D
I started writing it when I was like twelve or someting because I took a graphic arts class and we had to come up with our own business so we could make business cards, flyers, etc. So my business was Cantering Hooves Ranch and then I got the idea to write the books and kinda fulfill my dream life at the time haha.

Oh yes I remember my characters! Here's a list:
Lauren Stoner (duh lol) she was one of the main characters. She owned the Montana horse farm, CHR.
Leanne Parker: She was the main character. She recently moved to Montana and starts taking lessons from Lauren.
Erica Anderson: She quickly becomes Leanne's best friend when they attend the same church. They take lessons together often. Erica was the goofball of the group.
Emily Thomas: Another friend of Leanne and Erica. She was the more quiet and sensible one.
Denise Johnson: Emily's cousin and other best friend of the girls. She was the bubbly one.

Later on in the series I make Erica's older sister, Kylie, a main character too. She used to ride but quit to pursue swimming. She eventually starts riding again before she leaves for college.

And then the horses were:

Kodiak: A black Arabian, Lauren's horse

Cedar: A piebald Gypsy Vanner. Leanne's lesson horse.

Golden Sunshine "Goldie": A bright chestnut Thoroughbred. Erica's lesson horse.

Ninja: A black Quarter horse. Denise's lesson horse and later, she buys him.

Jonah:. A bay Quarter horse. Emily's lesson horse.

Crystal Rainbow: White Lipizzaner. Emily's horse she buys in book two.

Abram: Rainbow's baby.

Edelweiss: A palomino Haflinger. Leanne's horse she buys later in the series

Orion: Lauren's majestic Friesian. Kylie rides him.

David: Chestnut Clydesdale.

Pedro: Lauren's friend's donkey

Fredrick: Liver chestnut Irish sport horse. Kylie's friend's horse.

Elly: Bay Caspian that is Lauren's best friend's horse.

Meg: Dun Appaloosa that Erica ends up buying.

Liesl: Blood Bay Andalusian that Lauren buys in the second to last book.

Then there were the dogs lol. Someone dropped off two dogs at the farm one day and the one dog has puppies then. I named them all after musicals XD

Raoul: Brown husky

Christine: Gray husky

The puppies:

Marius

Cosette

Carlotta "Carly"

Ubaldo "Baldy"

Tzeitel

Tevye

Eponine

(Any musical fans out there know which musicals those names come from?)


I am not still writing it. I wrote eight little "books". I started a ninth but never finished. The O'Neal stories took over then. I would LOVE to re write them. I've actually started re writing some. I do it off and on when I need something to work on :)

I learned that with writing, you have lots of creative license to make things go how ever you want them to go.

I also learned you have to use that creative license within reason LOL.

I learned that it takes a lot of research to write books set in a specific place.