Four Awards!

Well, I see that Cat has dropped the ball in announcing all of our news but you must forgive her. It's been a very hot, busy summer and she's been trying to keep all of the horses cool. First, I am so proud to announce that the book that was written about us, The Opium Equation, has now won FOUR book awards! Who knew we were such interesting people? Well, lots of people find my husband interesting, but the rest of us are pretty ordinary.

Back to the news! The Opium Equation is:
The winner of a silver medal for fiction from The Moms Choice Awards®
A silver medalist in the book category of the American Horse Publications awards
A silver medalist in the mystery category of the Independent Book Publisher’s Association’s Benjamin Franklin Awards (IBPA)
A finalist in the mystery category in the National Indie Excellence Awards

That's really exciting to all of us here on River Road! Also, I hear that our friend Lisa Wysocky is in the middle of documenting another of Cat's adventures, one that just wrapped up a few days ago. It's an exciting time at a horse show in Tennessee and most of the people in The Opium Equation will be back, but maybe not in the same way that you imagine. Can't say too much right now, other than that the next book is tentatively titled The Magnum Equation. Lisa showed us a mock up of a cover. Very dramatic!

Until next time,

Carole

From Hank (the beagle)

It’s cold today. Cold, cold, cold! But it’s sunny, too, so the birds are out. I love birds. Chasing them, I mean. It’s the best fun. You should try it sometime. For real. It’s fun! I love fun. I also love Cat and Jon and Darcy and Petey and Sally and Bubba. Gigi not so much. She scares me. Too unpredictable. But everyone else, I love! Do you love lots of people, too?

Guess what? Our book is now an ebook! I’m not even sure what that is but please tell everyone. Cat told me and I try to imagine it, but it is beyond me. I trust her, though, when she tells me that it is a really good thing. I love Cat.

Cat also told me that in a reader survey of The Opium Equation that lots and lots of people wanted to learn more about me. ME! So happy. I love people. Have you taken the survey yet? Please do. But you have to read the book first. Have to, have to, have to. Because I’m in it. Me!

Oops. Cat is calling. Have to run. I love to run extra fast when she calls. She is my best-est friend. I love her. And I love you, too!

From Sally

Gigi is an idiot. I'm just saying. But that's beside the point. All of us horses here at Cat Enright Stables are so excited that the book that has been written about us will be available in a few days. Zowie! This is (almost) as exciting as my winning the world championship last fall.

Some humans think I "know" things, that I can sense the future. Maybe that's true, or, maybe it is just that we horses are smarter than humans. In any case, I predict that if you read The Opium Equation, that you will LOVE it. After all, I am a big part of the story.

In the meantime, I need my beauty sleep. No matter what anyone says, it is very tiring for a horse to type more than a few sentences. Later, y'all.

Sally Blue (the true heroine of the story)

From Gigi

Today was exciting. I got to see Doc Tucker! I love Doc Tucker! He looked in my mouth. He said I have pretty teeth! I love my teeth. I hope every horse gets to see Doc Tucker. But other horse’s teeth aren’t as pretty as mine. My teeth are the best, best, best! Doc said he’d be back in the fall to check on Sally and Bob. And me!

Now I get to go out and play. I love my paddock! Hank the beagle sometimes visits me. I love Hank! He brings me sticks. Then I run around and try to pick them up in my mouth as I whiz past. Jon doesn’t want me to play with sticks. He takes them away. He says sticks might hurt me. Sometimes I don’t love Jon.

Gigi (the yearling with the beautiful teeth!)

From Jon

It's been a hot summer. Really hot. Hard to keep the horses cool. Especially when we are on the road or at a show. Going through lots of electrolytes. Cherry flavored. Mix it into the horse's water and its like Gatorade. Keeps them hydrated.

Cat has been after me for weeks to get this blog post up. The heat, though. It affects everything. Our yearling filly Gigi has been most affected. She's definitely a diva, that one. Doesn't want to eat when it is hot. Found if we refrigerate her grain so it is cool, then she'll eat. What I'll do to keep a horse happy. :-) Getting lots of wins at the shows though, Gigi is. The other horses, too. And the riders. It's been a good summer. Just hot.

Only downer is that Cat and I are still a little distant. She got involved in a murder investigation last Spring. Didn't communicate with me as well as she could have. I care, you know. She's my boss, but we need to talk. Geez. Can't believe I actually wrote that. But we do. Need to talk. Cat, if you read this, call me. I know you have my number so let's lay this on the table and move on.

Oh, and you HAVE to tell Agnes to stop bugging me about being president of the Sally Blue fan club. Not interested. Don't have time. Besides, why does a horse need her own fan club? Some people (Agnes) have too much time on their hands.

Jon Gardner, barn manager
Cat Enright Stables