What's the number one question kids are asked these days? "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I've had that question stuck in my head for years, up until four years ago when I got my first horse. (who is no longer with me now )

It was at that point that I realized that I have a strong, unbreakable passion for horses. Whether it's training, riding, breeding, rescuing or just sitting and watching them be..well..horses!

So after that, my mind went sort of..haywire. Did I want to breed? Compete? Raise? Train? Riding lessons? What did I want to do with horses that I could make a living from?

While I was trying to straighten that mess out, I began to fall in love with writing. Any type of writing.

I won my first poetry contest at 11. Then I was the first runner up in a Canada wide poetry contest and a horse magazine had been holding. I was 16 then.

But I really sucked at rhyming, and I moved to short stories. Though I have been writing short stories since I was about 8. And please don't ask to read any of them, because they were really awful

I started out with small stories, mostly about girls and their horses. The time line was always around the 1800's. I actually thought I would stink at writing things with a modern time line.

Then my mom told me to at least try it. And I haven't written an old fashioned story since

My stories always vary in style and story line. From a story being told from a Mother horse to her baby, to a story being told front he point of view of a wild stallion who guards his herd.

I wrote stories about girls and horses for several years before forcing myself to try something new yet again.

Now one thing to keep in mind is, by this time, I had never finished a book. Honestly, I'd never gotten past chapter 5 in a book before. They always seemed to die. The flame I had for writing them, had fizzled into nothing.

So when I started my new novel last January, I hoped that this one would be different. It was definitely different then any other novel I had writing. Without even mentioning the word "horse" in the book, it was unlike any other story I had written.

Unfortunately, that book soon died after only 3 chapters, thus continuing my "never-finished-a-book" streak. So for about five months I went book-less.

But by that time, I had already been writing for a horse magazine for almost a year, and been paid for an article on foaling and the first few hours.

I worked on several other books int he few months in my spare time, but each seemed to die faster then the previous.

It was really beginning to annoy me that I couldn't even finish one book. It didn't have to be anything long. Just a good story that people would actually want to read!

But at east I was able to build up my career in the horse area while I waited for my next idea. I was writing a monthly article, and even getting emails from a reader with questions they had about their horse.

I was happy to help them, and get updates of their horses progress. I also began working more with the horses under saddle. Taking Raiah out as often as I could, I jumped with her.

Scary at first, I soon adjusted and we were flying over the jumps together. Now at 2'6", I am ready for our first competition, possibly next year. When I give Raiah a day off, I take Mina out and work with her. She is now at 1'3".

Lacey is also being trained to jump. But since I cannot ride her yet. I lounge her over jumps. But when she was only 3 months old, she already proved to be a born jumper. Mina as well. They both cleared out 4'6" fence one night and didn't even get a scratch.

So just picture a small, 9hh (4 inches per hand, so 9X4=36 inches) jumping over a 4'6" fence. Something I wish I had seen!

That cleared it all up for me. I HAD to get into horse training. So I started taking online courses, and reading all I could.

Which has set a path for me. Once our house sells, I am going to get more into horse training and become certified. But since I can't be out riding young, unbroken horses when I'm pregnant, I will be giving riding lessons.

I would LOVE to apprentice under Ian Millar and learn as much about horse training as I can from him. And also learn how he is able to jump 6' and not fall off

I am also going to get into real estate. I hope to buy my first rental home next year and invest in it. Then as the years go, eventually sell the house and move up to something bigger.

But another thing I REALLY want to do in my life, is publish a book. That is why I was thrilled when I finished my very first novel last month.
"the extra-ordinary" is a book better then I could have ever hoped for. I've had people read it and compliment me on the story and style writing.

People have even suggested I publish it which I hadn't given a whole lot of thought to until recently.

So looking online I found a website for Dorrance Publishing Company. One of the biggest and oldest publishing company's around.

I sent them a small preview of my manuscript, and held my breath, waiting to hear back.

Then today, when I wen to check my email, I saw an email from Dorrance Publishers!

It said the following:

hi there... this is my first time visit to your blog and I've enjoyed my visit. Your blog is very interesting and you remind me very much of my niece. She too was just addicted to horses and wanted to do something with them to make an income and a career. She too did some training; then she found her passion ~ photography. She now attends major events doing photo shoots. You really should check out her sight http://highlandphotos.net She has some really beautiful horse photos that you might enjoy. Keep up the great job of writing and I hope that you find what it is you want to be when you grow up.