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Click here to go to our store front on lulu to purchase a copy of Skylark

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 Skylark

Twelve year old Hannah Stevenson has wanted to ride horses for a long time. And she also dreams of being a barrel racer.

 Follow Hannah and her friend, Mary Sun; as their life is filled with horses, and learning how to take care of them.  One late summer day Hannah meets a very special horse.  She instantly loves the horse, but will she always be with her?  Then the day before Hannah’s Sixteenth Birthday, her friend Mary and people at the barn start acting strange. Hannah wonders what is going on! 

Ride along with Hannah and her friends and learn that “With God All Things Are Possible!”

I have finished my book!  I just got the softcovers yesterday.  They are great!  Here is the first chapter for a sample.  Enjoy!

Twelve year old Hannah Stevenson lived with her parents, Rebecca and John Stevenson.  Hannah had straight brown hair, blue eyes, and always had on a smile. They lived on a small piece of land in Kansas, that had a barn, and pasture. There were just two problems; the barn and pasture were in terrible shape, and her parents didn’t have money to support a horse. As long as Hannah could remember she had wanted to ride horses. But there was no local barn in the town where they lived, so there was not really anywhere for Hannah to ride.

Hannah, who was sitting on the back porch snapping green beans, her long brown hair blowing in the humid Kansas breeze, was thinking. Her parents were going to take her to the local rodeo! The more she thought about it the faster she snapped the beans. Soon she was called in the house to get ready to go. Hannah washed the green beans from her hands in the bathroom sink, then braided her hair into two braids.  Hannah could hardly sit still in the car on the way; she could not wait to see what it is like to be at a real rodeo.

From in the front seat Rebecca, Hannah’s Mom, said, “There is the rodeo up here on the left.”

There were pickups and horse trailers everywhere. Owners were grooming and tacking up their horses. Hannah’s face was glued to the window of the car.

Then they walked up to the front gate, where they paid. Then the lady stamped a little horse on the top of her hand.  But the best part came when they were in the stands watching. She loved the barrel racing. They sped around the barrels as fast as the wind.  She also liked the calf roping, but didn’t enjoy the bull riding as much.

Lying in bed that night Hannah thought about the rodeo. She thought it would be so fun to ride, and especially, to barrel race. She knew now that’s what she would love to learn.

That same night, in another town, in a cozy little stable, a lovely chestnut mare was about to give birth. Late into the night, the owner stayed close by.  Soon a little foal was born, looking just like her mother: chestnut, with a blaze on her face.

Soon after, Hannah was siting on the back porch of Mary Sun’s house, her best friend. Mary had black curly hair, with a sweet smile. Mary had some exciting news to tell. She said, “There is a new man that moved in on the east-side of town. Well he is starting a boarding barn called Sunflower Barn, and hopes to board lots of horses, AND give riding lessons.”

Hannah looked into her friend’s face; the excitement that she felt in her heart was reflected on Mary’s face.  It was so quiet you could hear the birds and grasshoppers in the trees. 

Mary said, “Let’s go ride our bikes over there tomorrow and talk to…oh yes, Mr. Pickle is his name.”

Hannah replied, “We should ask our parents first, right?”

“That’s right but I think they will let us. My Dad and him were friends in college,” said Mary.

Hannah said goodbye, and headed toward home on the rough gravel road. But she had a hard time concentrating on steering her bike, because her mind was thinking about Mr. Pickle and the new Sunflower Barn.