horse/man by Julia Merritt

 Please welcome Julia Merritt author of horse/man

Julia Merritt will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

horse/man

by Julia Merritt

 

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GENRE: Fiction - Literary

 

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INTERVIEW:

1. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

 

I was sitting in a (rather boring) library conference session about self-publishing and printing books at library-owned presses, when I wondered what kind of struggles would face horsemen during the time of the great changeover from horses to machines. Of course there would be many people who would be able to make the switch without a struggle, but what about the people who didn’t have other skills, or who liked working with horses and didn’t want to give that up? Exploring the history around that time frame, and thinking about those questions were what led to this novel. 

2.  Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

 

horse/mantells the story of Adam O’Connor, a young boy who grows up in a farming community and comes of age during the Great Depression and Second World War. This is the backdrop for the changes in Adam’s life – he grows up and learns how to make a living with horses, and he struggles to hold on to a place where he can use those skills. There’s a lot of animal characters, with their own jobs and personalities, and animal lovers will enjoy their stories as they intertwine with Adam’s. 

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

 

Working as a Chief Librarian gave me tons of experience in writing clearly and succinctly. In my job, I have to write reports for the Library Board, and for City Council, who don’t know library jargon, and also don’t have subject matter expertise in running a library. So it’s critical to be as clear as possible. This has helped me not to run on too long – but I did run into the opposite problem, where I had to learn how to let go a bit and elaborate!

 

4.  What elements are necessary components for this genre?

 

For historical fiction, and on a subject that’s not common knowledge, it’s essential to do enough research so that the plot will reflect a realistic set of events, and then distill the unfamiliar settings, events, and information into something tangible so that people can feel as though they relate to what the characters are going through. 

5.  If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

 

Although she’s an antagonist, the idea of Mrs. Bryant’s personal farm and unlimited horses to ride sounds like a good time to me! 

 

6. Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder your writing?

 

No – alas, I am too private to workshop drafts with a critique group! Maybe one day I’ll be able to treat my writing a little more like my work reports, where criticism is expected and not a source of emotional reaction. 

 

 

7. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

 

I just start writing! I’m not a linear thinker, so I ping between scenes as they arise in my imagination, and then work to fill in the gaps between them in ways that make sense. Writing “random” scenes helps kick-start my brain into problem-solving mode, which makes it much easier to solve plot points. 

8.  How do you maintain your creativity?

 

Routine is critical.I believe it is true that art does not just “arrive” in the world following a period of consistent inspiration. Mastery requires practice, and practice requires commitment. Maybe the characters will speak to you and their actions will become clear. And even if they don’t, the practice builds trust, and confidence. Eventually, the practice becomes easier. You can see where the writing is good. And if the writing needs work, it doesn’t hurt so much, because you can trust that you will show up for it tomorrow.

 

9.  When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

 

The first editor I worked with actually encouraged me to do so. I worked with him for nearly 2 years on the first substantive edit of horse/manand he was very encouraging. Initially I had thought it would be a novella, but after the editor read it, he sent me back to double and then triple the size. Once that was accomplished, he was satisfied and told me to start reaching out to publishers. 

10. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

 

My second novel is in the works! It’s going to be significantly different from horse/man– it’s going to be a feminist fairy tale. And I’d like to work on a humorous novel in the future as well. “Eclectic” is a good descriptor of my reading and musical tastes, and I would like to explore different genres and styles of writing. 

BLURB:

 

What happens when your entire identity revolves around a way of life that is becoming obsolete?

 

In the 1920s, as Canada progresses through the Industrial Revolution, horses are still the rural engines of survival. As a child Adam lives this reality on his family's farm in the Ottawa Valley, planning to take over one day and have a family of his own. When his parents die during the Great Depression, nineteen-year-old Adam is disinherited in favour of his brother and is forced to move to the city to find work. Without a formal education his choices are few, yet he finds a place to use his horsemanship skills in the dwindling forces of the Canadian cavalry based near Montreal. There he finds pride in being a mounted soldier, and friendship with his fellow dragoons. But the cavalry units are mechanized by the beginning of World War Two, and when Adam is sent to Europe, he must abandon his equine partners for trucks and tanks. In the catastrophic experience of war, he will lose everything once again.

 

Broken in body and spirit, he returns to Canada where he must confront the question of survival in a world that doesn't seem to have a place for an injured soldier. Full of poetic reflections on what it means to work with horses, horse/man is a powerful story about a man searching for dignity and connection in the face of a rapidly shifting world.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

“Trot on, Jack! Git up, Pete! Git UP! Good.” 

 

The driver called out orders and sounded gruff, even in praise. The reins slapped the broad chestnut backs lightly, then loosened. It was the end of May, and planting had finished. Today, they were going to town. Freed from their heavy collars and the deep wet soil, the horses danced down the dirt road, shaking their heads as they pushed through the harnesses. Their efforts were rewarded with an easy silence. 

 

Seven-year-old Adam sat in the back of the wagon, his skinny legs anchoring the sacks and baskets his mother had given him for dry goods. He was small for his age but wiry and strong. His face was still childish, heart-shaped and snub-nosed, with sandy brown hair and eyes. His father, Ciaran, was alone on the front seat, driving the horses with his back to Adam. Adam was grateful for the rest. 

 

The horses picked up speed, and Adam bounced from side to side on the planks. The percussion of the horses’ hooves and the squeak of the wagon on its struts was all he could hear. The wind from the wagon’s movement had a chill. He turned his head to face it, letting the tears from his watering eyes stream along his cheeks. He inhaled the sharpness of spring, undercut by the heaviness of soil and vegetation that was not quite yet alive. Travelling along, further details unfurled — the patches of mud in the potholes, the freshly tilled soil in the fields, the shades of green emerging from the ditches and the trees.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Julia Merritt has been captivated by horses ever since she could see out of the car window. Then she grew up and became a public library CEO and certified animal bodyworker. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her thoroughbred horses and smooth collie dogs. This is her first novel.

 

Connect with Julia Merritt

 

WEBSITE http://www.juliamerritt.ca/

 

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/firehorseperformancebodywork 

 

INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/j.a.merritt/ 

 

TIKTOK https://www.tiktok.com/@j.a.merritt 

 

GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60353574-horse-man 

 

NOTE: There will be a Goodreads giveaway of 100 copies of this book between April 1 and May 1, 2022 – those hosts on the tour for dates in this range, please include this information: 

 

We're giving away 100 e-copies of horse/man, the new historical fiction novel by Julia Merritt. Don't miss your chance to win!  Click here to enter: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/343041-horse-man

 

 

Get your copy of horse/man               

 

AMAZON.COM https://www.amazon.com/dp/0228856566 

 

AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/0228856566 

 

INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/horse-man/9780228856542-item.html 

 

BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/horse-man-julia-merritt/1140954662 

 

BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/horseman-Julia-Merritt/9780228856566 

 

SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1129973

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Julia Merritt will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

RAFFLECOPTER:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4137