Advertisement
A Horse at Night on Writing: Navigating the Darkness and Finding the Light
Author: Dr. Eleanor Vance, Professor of Creative Writing and Literary Theory, University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Vance has published extensively on the intersection of metaphor, psychology, and the creative process, with a particular focus on the challenges and rewards of nocturnal writing.
Keywords: a horse at night on writing, nocturnal writing, creative process, writer's block, metaphor, imagery, dreamwork, inspiration, solitude, nighttime writing habits
Abstract: This article explores the evocative metaphor of "a horse at night on writing," examining the potent symbolism inherent in the image and analyzing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by writing during the nighttime hours. We will delve into the psychological and creative aspects of this nocturnal pursuit, considering how the darkness can both hinder and inspire the writer's journey.
I. The Metaphor: A Horse at Night on Writing
The image of "a horse at night on writing" is rich with symbolic potential. The horse represents the untamed energy of creativity, the raw power of imagination that must be harnessed and directed. The night, with its darkness and quietude, stands as a powerful backdrop for this creative energy. It is a time of introspection, removed from the distractions of the daytime world. But the "night" also represents the inherent uncertainties and challenges of the writing process itself – the periods of doubt, frustration, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The act of "writing" becomes the journey, the path the writer must navigate astride this powerful, sometimes unruly steed, through the darkness towards a destination unknown.
The metaphor suggests a struggle, a constant negotiation between the rider (the writer) and the horse (the creative impulse). Sometimes the horse is compliant, its stride steady and purposeful, leading the writer smoothly toward completion. At other times, the horse is resistant, bucking and rearing, representing the writer's struggle with self-doubt, writer's block, or the sheer difficulty of translating ideas into words. The nighttime setting amplifies these struggles, casting them in a heightened, almost surreal light.
II. The Challenges of a Horse at Night on Writing
Nighttime writing presents a unique set of challenges. The isolation can be both a blessing and a curse. While the solitude allows for deep concentration and introspection, it can also lead to feelings of loneliness and discouragement. The lack of external stimulation can exacerbate writer's block, leaving the writer feeling trapped in a creative impasse. The circadian rhythm shifts, too, impacting focus and energy levels. Fatigue can hinder productivity and negatively affect the quality of the writing.
Furthermore, the nocturnal environment can be conducive to rumination and negative self-talk. The darkness can amplify anxieties and insecurities, making it difficult to maintain a positive and productive mindset. The temptation to procrastinate or engage in distracting activities is heightened in the absence of external structure and accountability.
III. The Opportunities of a Horse at Night on Writing
Despite these challenges, "a horse at night on writing" also presents significant opportunities. The quiet of the night offers a sanctuary from the distractions of the day, allowing for a deeper engagement with the creative process. The absence of external stimulation can facilitate a more introspective and intuitive approach to writing, fostering a connection with the subconscious mind.
Nighttime writing can be particularly conducive to accessing a more emotional and visceral style of writing. The heightened sensitivity associated with the nocturnal hours can unlock deeper wells of feeling and emotion, leading to more powerful and evocative prose. The darkness itself can become a source of inspiration, its mystery and ambiguity feeding the imagination. The dreams and nocturnal wanderings of the subconscious mind can provide unexpected insights and creative sparks, enriching the writing process.
Many writers find that the night allows for a more spontaneous and uninhibited style of writing. Freed from the pressure of external judgment and the constraints of daytime productivity, they can explore unconventional ideas and experiment with different forms and techniques. The risk-taking inherent in this freedom can lead to breakthroughs in creativity and innovative approaches to storytelling.
IV. Harnessing the Power: Strategies for Successful Nighttime Writing
Successfully navigating "a horse at night on writing" requires strategic planning and self-awareness. Establishing a consistent nighttime routine, creating a dedicated workspace, and managing distractions are crucial. Prioritizing sleep and maintaining good physical and mental health are equally important to avoid burnout and maintain optimal cognitive function.
Cultivating self-compassion is essential. Recognizing that the writing process is inherently unpredictable and that setbacks are normal is key to maintaining motivation and resilience. Practicing mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques can help manage anxieties and improve focus.
Experimentation with different writing techniques, such as freewriting, stream-of-consciousness, or dream journaling, can help overcome writer's block and tap into deeper creative resources. Engaging in activities that promote relaxation and creativity, such as listening to music or taking a walk before writing, can also enhance the writing process.
V. Conclusion
"A horse at night on writing" is more than just a evocative metaphor; it's a powerful symbol of the creative struggle, the challenges and triumphs inherent in the writer's journey. While the night presents unique challenges, it also offers unparalleled opportunities for introspection, emotional depth, and creative breakthrough. By understanding the inherent dynamics of this metaphorical ride and implementing effective strategies, writers can harness the power of the night to produce compelling and impactful work. The journey may be fraught with obstacles, but the rewards of navigating the darkness on horseback are immense.
FAQs
1. What are the main benefits of writing at night? Increased focus, reduced distractions, access to subconscious inspiration, and a more emotionally evocative writing style.
2. How can I overcome writer's block when writing at night? Try freewriting, stream-of-consciousness writing, or engage in pre-writing activities like brainstorming or mind-mapping.
3. Is nighttime writing suitable for all writers? No, individual chronotypes vary. Some writers thrive at night, while others find it counterproductive. Experiment to discover what works best for you.
4. How can I create a conducive nighttime writing environment? Establish a dedicated workspace, minimize distractions, ensure adequate lighting, and maintain a comfortable temperature.
5. What are the potential negative effects of nighttime writing? Sleep deprivation, increased anxiety, and feelings of isolation are potential drawbacks.
6. How can I manage fatigue when writing at night? Prioritize sleep, maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and take regular breaks.
7. Can nighttime writing improve creativity? Yes, the solitude and introspective nature of nighttime can facilitate access to subconscious ideas and enhance creative flow.
8. How can I avoid procrastination when writing at night? Set realistic goals, create a writing schedule, and use time management techniques like the Pomodoro method.
9. What if I find my nighttime writing is consistently poor quality? Re-evaluate your routine, consider adjusting your sleep schedule, and seek feedback on your work.
Related Articles:
1. The Psychology of Nocturnal Creativity: This article delves into the scientific basis for why some individuals are more creative at night, exploring the role of circadian rhythms and brainwave activity.
2. Overcoming Writer's Block: Nighttime Strategies: A practical guide focusing on techniques specifically designed to overcome writer's block during nighttime writing sessions.
3. The Power of Solitude in the Creative Process: This article explores the importance of solitude and its impact on creativity, particularly in the context of nighttime writing.
4. Harnessing the Subconscious: Dreamwork and Nighttime Writing: An examination of how dream journaling and other dreamwork techniques can be used to enhance nighttime writing.
5. Nighttime Writing Rituals: Building a Productive Routine: A guide to creating a consistent and productive nighttime writing routine to maximize creativity and minimize distractions.
6. The Impact of Light and Darkness on Creativity: This piece investigates the effects of different lighting conditions on creative processes, comparing daytime and nighttime writing environments.
7. Famous Nocturnal Writers and Their Habits: Case studies of renowned writers who thrived on nighttime writing, showcasing their unique approaches and routines.
8. Managing Stress and Anxiety in Nighttime Writing: Strategies for mitigating stress and anxiety while writing at night, including mindfulness techniques and stress-reduction exercises.
9. The Art of Nighttime Editing: Refining Your Work After Dark: A focused look at the benefits and challenges of editing and revising work specifically during nighttime hours.
Publisher: The Writer's Digest Books, a highly respected publisher known for its quality resources and comprehensive guides for writers of all levels. They have a strong reputation for publishing authoritative works on the craft of writing, attracting a large readership of aspiring and professional writers.
Editor: Amelia Stone, a seasoned editor with over 15 years of experience in publishing literary and creative writing works. Amelia has a deep understanding of the creative process and a keen eye for detail, ensuring high-quality editorial standards.
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse at Night Amina Cain, 2022-10-11 “A Horse at Night is like light from a candle in the evening: intimate, pleasurable, full of wonder. It asks us to consider fiction as life and life as fiction. Amina Cain is our generous, gentle guide through an exquisite library. A truly beautiful book.” —Ayşegül Savaş “I adore her work, and sensibility,” writes Claire-Louise Bennett of Amina Cain; and Jenny Offill: “Cain writes beautiful precise sentences about what it means to wander through this luminous world.” Cain’s unique wandering sensibility, her attention to the small and the surprising, finds a profound new expression in her first nonfiction book, a sustained meditation on writers and their work. Driven by primary questions of authenticity and freedom in the shadow of ecological and social collapse, Cain moves associatively through a personal canon of authors— including Marguerite Duras, Elena Ferrante, Renee Gladman, and Virginia Woolf— and topics as timely and various as female friendships, zazen meditation, neighborhood coyotes, landscape painting, book titles, and the politics of excess. A Horse at Night: On Writing is an intimate reckoning with the contemporary moment, and a quietly brilliant contribution to the lineage of Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own or Gass’s On Being Blue, books that are virtuosic arguments for—and beautiful demonstrations of—the essential unity of writing and life. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Night Horse April Halprin Wayland, 1991-01-01 A neon blue horse carries a girl into the night sky, where she picks a bouquet of stars and feeds them to her steed. |
| a horse at night on writing: Indelicacy Amina Cain, 2020-02-11 FINALIST FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION'S FIRST NOVEL PRIZE Cain’s small but mighty novel reads like a ghost story and packs the punch of a feminist classic. —The New York Times Book Review A haunted feminist fable, Amina Cain’s Indelicacy is the story of a woman navigating between gender and class roles to empower herself and fulfill her dreams. In a strangely ageless world somewhere between Emily Dickinson and David Lynch (Blake Butler), a cleaning woman at a museum of art nurtures aspirations to do more than simply dust the paintings around her. She dreams of having the liberty to explore them in writing, and so must find a way to win herself the time and security to use her mind. She escapes her lot by marrying a rich man, but having gained a husband, a house, high society, and a maid, she finds that her new life of privilege is no less constrained. Not only has she taken up different forms of time-consuming labor—social and erotic—but she is now, however passively, forcing other women to clean up after her. Perhaps another and more drastic solution is necessary? Reminiscent of a lost Victorian classic in miniature, yet taking equal inspiration from such modern authors as Jean Rhys, Octavia Butler, Clarice Lispector, and Jean Genet, Amina Cain's Indelicacy is at once a ghost story without a ghost, a fable without a moral, and a down-to-earth investigation of the barriers faced by women in both life and literature. It is a novel about seeing, class, desire, anxiety, pleasure, friendship, and the battle to find one’s true calling. |
| a horse at night on writing: Painted Horses Malcolm Brooks, 2014-08-05 The national bestseller that “reads like a cross between Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain and Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms” (The Dallas Morning News). In this ambitious, incandescent debut, Malcolm Brooks animates the untamed landscape of the West in the 1950s. Catherine Lemay is a young archaeologist on her way to Montana, with a huge task before her. Working ahead of a major dam project, she has one summer to prove nothing of historical value will be lost in the flood. From the moment she arrives, nothing is familiar—the vastness of the canyon itself mocks the contained, artifact-rich digs in post-Blitz London where she cut her teeth. And then there’s John H, a former mustanger and veteran of the U.S. Army’s last mounted cavalry campaign, living a fugitive life in the canyon. John H inspires Catherine to see beauty in the stark landscape, and her heart opens to more than just the vanished past. Painted Horses sends a dauntless young woman on a heroic quest, sings a love song to the horseman’s vanishing way of life, and reminds us that love and ambition, tradition and the future, often make strange bedfellows. “Engrossing . . . The best novels are not just written but built—scene by scene, character by character—until a world emerges for readers to fall into. Painted Horses creates several worlds.” —USA Today (4 out of 4 stars) “Extraordinary . . . both intimate and sweeping in a way that may remind readers of Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient . . . Painted Horses is, after all, one of those big, old-fashioned novels where the mundane and the unlikely coexist.” —The Boston Globe |
| a horse at night on writing: Call If You Need Me Raymond Carver, 2015-05-25 The complete uncollected fiction and nonfiction, including the five posthumously discovered “last” stories, published here in book form for the first time—from “one of the great short story writers of our time—of any time” (The Philadelphia Inquirer). Call If You Need Me includes all of the prose previously collected in No Heroics, Please, four essays from Fires, and those five marvelous stories that range over the period of Carver’s mature writing and give his devoted readers a final glimpse of the great writer at work. The pure pleasure of Carver’s writing is everywhere in his work, here no less than in those stories that have already entered the canon of modern literature. |
| a horse at night on writing: I Go to Some Hollow Amina Cain, 2009 Fiction. In her debut collection of fifteen short stories, Amina Cain makes ordinary worlds strange and spare and beautiful. A woman carves invisible images onto ice, a pair of black wings appears in front of a house, and a restless teacher sits in a gallery of miniature rooms. As Miranda Mellis describes, The revelatory pleasure and hope [in these stories] emanate from an artistry driven by ethical desire. I highly recommend reading I Go To Some Hollow, says Bhanu Kapil, because of what it teaches you about love, and the relationship between love and writing. I GO TO SOME HOLLOW is published as part of the TrenchArt: Tracer Series, with an Introduction by Bhanu Kapil and collaborative visual art by Ken Erhlich and Susan Simpson. |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse Named Sorrow Trebor Healey, 2012-10-23 When troubled twenty-one-year-old Seamus Blake meets the enigmatic Jimmy (just arrived in San Francisco by bicycle from his hometown in Buffalo, New York), he feels his life may finally be taking off. But the ensuing romance proves short-lived as Jimmy dies of an AIDS-related illness. The grieving Seamus is obliged to keep a promise: Take me back the way I came, Jimmy had asked. And so Seamus sets out by bicycle on a picaresque journey with the ashes, hoping to bring them back to Buffalo. He meets truck drivers, waitresses, Native Americans, college kids, farmers, ranchers, and Marines--each one giving him a new perspective on his own life and on Jimmy's death. When he falls in man whose mother has also recently died, Seamus's grief and his story become universal and redemptive. Award-winning novelist Trebor Healey depicts San Francisco in the 1980s and '90s in poetic prose that is both ribald and poignant, and a crossing into the American West that is dreamy, mythic, mystifying.--Publisher's description. |
| a horse at night on writing: Horseman, Pass By Larry McMurtry, 2010-06-01 From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Lonesome Dove comes the novel that became the basis for the film Hud, starring Paul Newman. In classic Western style Larry McMurtry illustrates the timeless conflict between the modernity and the Old West through the eyes of Texas cattlemen. Horseman, Pass By tells the story of Homer Bannon, an old-time cattleman who epitomizes the frontier values of honesty and decency, and Hud, his unscrupulous stepson. Caught in the middle is the narrator, Homer's young grandson Lonnie, who is as much drawn to his grandfather’s strength of character as he is to Hud's hedonism and materialism. When first published in 1961, Horseman, Pass By caused a sensation in Texas literary circles for its stark, realistic portrayal of the struggles of a changing West in the years following World War II. Never before had a writer managed to encapsulate its environment with such unsentimental realism. Today, memorable characters, powerful themes, and illuminating detail make Horseman, Pass By vintage McMurtry. |
| a horse at night on writing: Martina the Beautiful Cockroach Carmen Agra Deedy, 2019-09-03 The beautiful Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha doesn't know coffee beans about love and marriage, so when suitors come calling, what is she to do? Luckily, she has her Cuban family to help! While some of the Cucarachas offer Martina gifts to make her more attractive, only Abuela, her grandmother, gives her some useful advice: spill coffee on his shoes to see how he handles anger. At first, Martina is skeptical of her Abuela's suggestion, but when suitor after suitor fails the Coffee Test, she wonders if a little green cockroach can ever find true love. After reading this award-winning retelling of the Cuban folktale, readers will never look at a cockroach the same way again. Carmen Agra Deedy delivers a delightfully inventive Cuban twist on the beloved Martina folktale, complete with a dash of café Cubano. |
| a horse at night on writing: Night Train David Quantick, 2020-09-29 A science fiction horror story like no other—from the Emmy Award-winning author of Veep hailed by Neil Gaiman as “smart, funny, and unique.” A woman finds herself on the ride of a lifetime in this “dark, nightmarish journey into a brand-new sort of Twilight Zone . . . breathless, frantic and creepy as hell” (Christopher Golden, New York Times–bestselling author). A woman wakes up, frightened and alone. The room shaking and jumping like it's alive. The noise is terrifying. Where is she? Stumbling through a door, she realizes she is on a train carriage. A carriage full of the dead. A personal hell unfolding in an apocalyptic future. This is Night Train. A terrifying ride set on a driverless locomotive, heading for a collision somewhere in the endless night. How did the woman get here? Who is she? And who are the dead? As our heroine makes her way through the train trying to find out what happened to her, she meets a former strongman, a trained killer, and a collection of strange and terrifying creatures. Each step takes her closer to finding out the secret of the Night Train. |
| a horse at night on writing: Untamed P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast, 2010-04-01 Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she's become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel. (Recommended for readers age 13 and older) |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse to Love Marsha Hubler, 2009-09-13 For horse-loving young readers comes the first book in the Keystone Stables series, where a tough foster child named Skye learns about love and forgiveness through a beautiful quarter horse named Champ. Thirteen-year-old Skye Nicholson has become an expert at making sure no one will ever hurt her again. After her cold and angry behavior and numerous offenses remove her from more foster home placements than she cares to count, she’s headed toward juvenile detention. But then she’s given one last chance—an opportunity to live at Keystone Stables, a foster home and therapy camp where she meets a beautiful sorrel horse named Champ. As hard as she tries, she can’t deny she loves Champ—but her refusal to accept her new foster parents and their Christian faith might mean losing Champ forever. A Horse to Love: is written by an author who has firsthand experience with horses and foster care is a contemporary and realistic plot, with an inspirational Christian message features a character with special needs contains extensive back matter on different horse breeds, how to care for them, and horsemanship, as well as facts, diagrams, and a glossary of horse terms so girls can better know their favorite animal |
| a horse at night on writing: Spirit of the Horse William Shatner, 2017-05-23 From his first time riding as a child, William Shatner has felt a deep love for horses. Whether seated in the saddle, communicating with them, or simply appreciating their beauty, his bond with these majestic animals is deep. For decades he has sought to share his joy—with children, veterans, those with disabilities, and many more—through his annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show. And here, he brings that same joy to his fans and readers. In Spirit of the Horse, the Star Trek and Boston Legal legend speaks from the heart about the remarkable effect horses have had on his life and on the lives of others. From his first horse, bought impulsively on the advice of a twelve-year-old, to his favorite horses, acquired after many years of learning what to look for, this book draws from Shatner’s own experience and pairs it with a wealth of classic horse stories, including unique retellings of the Pegasus myth and the feats of the most famous war horses throughout history. The result is a celebration that captures the unparalleled connection between humans and horses—and the power, courage, mindfulness, and healing that they can inspire in us. Many fans have heard about Shatner’s passion for horses; few have seen it revealed as completely as it is here. |
| a horse at night on writing: On Being Blue William H. Gass, 2014-03-18 On Being Blue is a book about everything blue—sex and sleaze and sadness, among other things—and about everything else. It brings us the world in a word as only William H. Gass, among contemporary American writers, can do. Gass writes: Of the colors, blue and green have the greatest emotional range. Sad reds and melancholy yellows are difficult to turn up. Among the ancient elements, blue occurs everywhere: in ice and water, in the flame as purely as in the flower, overhead and inside caves, covering fruit and oozing out of clay. Although green enlivens the earth and mixes in the ocean, and we find it, copperish, in fire; green air, green skies, are rare. Gray and brown and widely distributed, but there are no joyful swatches of either, or any of exuberant black, sullen pink, or acquiescent orange. Blue is therefore most suitable as the color of interior life. Whether slick light sharp high bright thin quick sour new and cool or low deep sweet dark soft slow smooth heavy old and warm: blue moves easily among them all, and all profoundly qualify our states of feeling. |
| a horse at night on writing: Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse Marcy Campbell, 2018-08-14 A classic in the making, this heartwarming story about empathy and imagination is one that families will treasure for years to come. Adrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse--the best and most beautiful horse anywhere. But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse? The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important. Written with tenderness and poignancy and gorgeously illustrated, this book will show readers that kindness is always rewarding, understanding is sweeter than judgment, and friendship is the best gift one can give. |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse of Her Own Annie Wedekind, 2009-09-29 A girl who longs for her own horse is given the chance to care for a troubled, damaged horse, who needs her as much as she needs him. Fourteen-year-old Jane Ryan has always dreamed of having a horse of her own—but so long as she gets to ride her favorite school horse, Beau, at Sunny Acres farm, she's content. And this is the summer she means to try out for the advanced riding class. But just as camp begins, Jane receives heartbreaking news about Beau. She loses, not just her favorite horse, but also her chance to ride in the end-of-summer competition. When her trainer asks for her help with an out-of-control chestnut warmblood, Lancelot, a newcomer to the barn, she has no choice but to say yes. There's another new addition to the farm: Ben Reyes, the grandson of the barn's manager. As Jane struggles to go on without Beau, and to make Lancelot the great horse she believes him to be, her feelings for Ben, her relationships with the privileged group of girls she rides with, and her painful, joyous road to self-discovery all lead to a heart-pounding conclusion that is truly a new beginning. Only Jane's faith in Lancelot, and her own rediscovered skill and strength, can see her through the hard journey toward a horse of her own. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Night and Its Moon Piper CJ, 2022-09-20 An addictive fantasy romance from TikTok sensation Piper CJ, now newly revised and edited. Two orphans grow into powerful young women as they face countless threats to find their way back to each other. Farleigh is just an orphanage. At least, that's what the church would have the people believe, but beautiful orphans Nox and fae-touched Amaris know better. They are commodities for sale, available for purchase by the highest bidder. So when the madame of a notorious brothel in a far-off city offers a king's ransom to purchase Amaris, Nox ends up taking her place — while Amaris is drawn away to the mountains, home of mysterious assassins. Even as they take up new lives and identities, Nox and Amaris never forget one thing: they will stop at nothing to reunite. But the threat of war looms overhead, and the two are inevitably swept into a conflict between human and fae, magic and mundane. With strange new alliances, untested powers, and a bond that neither time nor distance could possibly break, the fate of the realms lies in the hands of two orphans — and the love they hold for each other. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Tin Horse Janice Steinberg, 2013-01-29 In the stunning tradition of Lisa See, Maeve Binchy, and Alice Hoffman, The Tin Horse is a rich multigenerational story about the intense, often fraught bond sisters share and the dreams and sorrows that lay at the heart of the immigrant experience. It has been more than sixty years since Elaine Greenstein’s twin sister, Barbara, ran away, cutting off contact with her family forever. Elaine has made peace with that loss. But while sifting through old papers as she prepares to move to Rancho Mañana—or the “Ranch of No Tomorrow” as she refers to the retirement community—she is stunned to find a possible hint to Barbara’s whereabouts all these years later. And it pushes her to confront the fierce love and bitter rivalry of their youth during the 1920s and ’30s, in the Los Angeles Jewish neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Though raised together in Boyle Heights, where kosher delis and storefront signs in Yiddish lined the streets, Elaine and Barbara staked out very different personal territories. Elaine was thoughtful and studious, encouraged to dream of going to college, while Barbara was a bold rule-breaker whose hopes fastened on nearby Hollywood. In the fall of 1939, when the girls were eighteen, Barbara’s recklessness took an alarming turn. Leaving only a cryptic note, she disappeared. In an unforgettable voice layered with humor and insight, Elaine delves into the past. She recalls growing up with her spirited family: her luftmensch of a grandfather, a former tinsmith with tales from the Old Country; her papa, who preaches the American Dream even as it eludes him; her mercurial mother, whose secret grief colors her moods—and of course audacious Barbara and their younger sisters, Audrey and Harriet. As Elaine looks back on the momentous events of history and on the personal dramas of the Greenstein clan, she must finally face the truth of her own childhood, and that of the twin sister she once knew. In The Tin Horse, Janice Steinberg exquisitely unfolds a rich multigenerational story about the intense, often fraught bonds between sisters, mothers, and daughters and the profound and surprising ways we are shaped by those we love. At its core, it is a book not only about the stories we tell but, more important, those we believe, especially the ones about our very selves. Praise for The Tin Horse “Steinberg, the author of five mysteries, has transcended genre to weave a rich story that will appeal to readers who appreciate multigenerational immigrant family sagas as well as those who simply enjoy psychological suspense.”—BookPage |
| a horse at night on writing: Horse Talley English, 2019-07-16 When Teagan’s father abruptly abandons his family and his farm, Teagan finds herself wading through the wreckage of what was once an idyllic life, searching for something—or someone—to hold on to. What she finds is Ian, short for Obsidian: the magnificent but dangerously headstrong horse her father left behind. But even as she grows close to Ian, patiently training him, trying to overcome her fear of him, Teagan is learning that life and love are fragile. With an unflinching eye and remarkable restraint, Talley English tells a piercing story about how families hold together and fall apart; about loss and grief; about friendship; about the blunt cruelty of chance; and, finally, about forgiveness. |
| a horse at night on writing: Three-Legged Horse Cheng Ch'ing-wen, 1999-02-05 Here are twelve moving short stories about Taiwan and its people by one of the island's most popular writers, Cheng Ch'ing-wen. Focusing primarily on village life and the effects of modernization on Taiwan in the postwar years, Cheng is one of the most respected of the island's nativist writers, yet this is his first book to be translated into English. This anthology represents the best of his fictional efforts across a forty-year span and encompasses his major themes: the tensions between men and women, parents and children, city and village, tradition and modernity. Taken individually, each story presents a moving portrait of paralysis, frustration, or self-realization. Together, they weave a complex tapestry of life in a rapidly changing country. Cheng Ch'ing-wen's stories tell of men grappling with their fears and frustrations, from The River Suite, in which a ferryman-championed throughout his small town for twice saving a drowning person-lacks the courage to confess his love to a young woman before she dies, to Spring Rain, in which a man struggles to come to terms with his seemingly rootless life as both an orphaned child and an infertile husband. Here too are illustrations of the changing place of women in Taiwan, as they take on more powerful roles and awaken to a sense of their own sexuality: a woman forcibly separated from her husband by her jealous mother-in-law walks for hours through the night to see him on his birthday, only to turn back and go straight home before her absence is noticed; a disappointed young female scholar with a deformed hand comes to realize--after many painful rejections--that loneliness is not reason enough to become intimate with a man. And generations clash in Thunder God's Gonna Getcha, as a mother's cruelty is repaid years later by a son's coldness. Death reverberates throughout these stories as characters recall deceased spouses, lovers, relatives, and friends in vivid detail. The focus, however, is not on the dead but on the living. In the title story, an old man carves exquisite lame horses as both a penance for having terrorized a town as a police officer during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan in World War II and a memorial to his deceased wife, who was nobler and more courageous than he. This book is a kind of gallery of three-legged horses: portraits of people maimed and transformed-for better or worse-by the suffering that life brings. |
| a horse at night on writing: How to Hide a Horse Elizabeth Winfrey, 1999-01-01 When Michelle and Stephanie learn Michelle's favorite horse is headed for a horrible new life as a workhorse, they are determined to rescue the unfortunate animal. |
| a horse at night on writing: Night Mare Piers Anthony, 2002-03-26 The danger to Xanth was so great that only a night mare could offer hope! The Nextwave of barbarian warriors was invading Xanth from the north, ravaging and destroying as they advanced. But Mare Imbrium had her own problems. Ever since she had gained the half soul, the night mare had begun to mishandle her job of delivering bad dreams. Now the night Stallion dismissed her, exiling her to the day world with a message for King Trent: Beware the Horseman! She had no idea what that meant. But that was the way with prophetic warnings—nobody could understand them until it was too late. Then she met the Horseman. And she discovered that one who would right a night mare was a master of a bit and spur, and not a man to surrender her. For the night mare, it all began to be a horrible nightmare! |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse Called Hero Sam Angus, 2014-07-01 In A Horse Called Hero by Sam Angus, it is the brink of World War II, and a family forced out of their London home flees to the country. Wolfie and his older sister Dodo are devastated to leave behind everything they've ever known, but they begin settling into their new life. One day, they come across an orphaned fowl, which they raise as Hero, a strong and beautiful horse who lives up to his name when he saves the children from a fire. Wolfie and Dodo find comfort in their new life, but the war is escalating quickly and horses are needed for combat. One night, Hero is stolen, and the children are shattered. Years then pass without any indication Hero will return. It's only when Wolfie becomes a stable hand that he discovers Hero has ended up working in the mines under terrible conditions. Then and there, Wolfie resolves to save Hero, a plan that places both of their lives in jeopardy. Together again, can they will survive? |
| a horse at night on writing: Horse Geraldine Brooks, 2024-01-16 “Brooks’ chronological and cross-disciplinary leaps are thrilling.” —The New York Times Book Review “Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME “A thrilling story about humanity in all its ugliness and beauty . . . the evocative voices create a story so powerful, reading it feels like watching a neck-and-neck horse race, galloping to its conclusion—you just can’t look away.” —Oprah Daily Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award · Finalist for the Chautauqua Prize · A Massachusetts Book Award Honor Book A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack. New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance. Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse—one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success. Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism. |
| a horse at night on writing: Seduction and Betrayal Elizabeth Hardwick, 2011-07-13 A vivid and provocative literary criticism of famous women writers from Virginia Woolf to Zelda Fitzgerald by a “gifted miniaturist biographer” (Joyce Carol Oates) The novelist and essayist Elizabeth Hardwick is one of contemporary America’s most brilliant writers, and Seduction and Betrayal, in which she considers the careers of women writers as well as the larger question of the presence of women in literature, is her most passionate and concentrated work of criticism. A gallery of unforgettable portraits—of Virginia Woolf and Zelda Fitzgerald, Dorothy Wordsworth and Jane Carlyle—as well as a provocative reading of such works as Wuthering Heights, Hedda Gabler, and the poems of Sylvia Plath, Seduction and Betrayal is a virtuoso performance, a major writer’s reckoning with the relations between men and women, women and writing, writing and life. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Night Gardener George Pelecanos, 2006-08-08 Gus Ramone is good police, a former Internal Affairs investigator now working homicide for the city's Violent Crime branch. His new case involves the death of a local teenager named Asa whose body has been found in a local community garden. The murder unearths intense memories of a case Ramone worked as a patrol cop twenty years earlier, when he and his partner, Dan Doc Holiday, assisted a legendary detective named T. C. Cook. The series of murders, all involving local teenage victims, was never solved. In the years since, Holiday has left the force under a cloud of morals charges, and now finds work as a bodyguard and driver. Cook has retired, but he has never stopped agonizing about the Night Gardener killings.The new case draws the three men together on a grim mission to finish the work that has haunted them for years. All the love, regret, and anger that once burned between them comes rushing back, and old ghosts walk once more as the men try to lay to rest the monster who has stalked their dreams. Bigger and even more unstoppable than his previous thrillers, George Pelecanos achieves in The Night Gardener what his brilliant career has been building toward: a novel that is a perfect union of suspense, character, and unstoppable fate. |
| a horse at night on writing: Horse Miracles Brad Steiger, Sherry Hansen Steiger, 2008-09-17 Horses & ponies. |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse's Best Friend Sibley Miller, 2015-02-03 The Wind Dancers—Kona, Brisa, Sumatra, and Sirocco—are back with four more full-color illustrated titles sure to delight the imaginations of horse-loving little girls everywhere. Puppy love abounds when an adorable little black-and-white doggie finds himself lost in the Wind Dancers' dandelion meadow. Finders keepers, right? If only taking care of a puppy by four (tiny themselves) magical horses were so easy! |
| a horse at night on writing: Arabian Horses at Play Michelle (Flatoff) Laucke, 2019-03-31 This is a children's book describing Arabian Horses, their history, their versatility with photos and rhyme. |
| a horse at night on writing: Circling the Sun Paula McLain, 2015-07-28 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BOOKPAGE, AND SHELF AWARENESS • “Paula McLain is considered the new star of historical fiction, and for good reason. Fans of The Paris Wife will be captivated by Circling the Sun, which . . . is both beautifully written and utterly engrossing.”—Ann Patchett, Country Living This powerful novel transports readers to the breathtaking world of Out of Africa—1920s Kenya—and reveals the extraordinary adventures of Beryl Markham, a woman before her time. Brought to Kenya from England by pioneering parents dreaming of a new life on an African farm, Beryl is raised unconventionally, developing a fierce will and a love of all things wild. But after everything she knows and trusts dissolves, headstrong young Beryl is flung into a string of disastrous relationships, then becomes caught up in a passionate love triangle with the irresistible safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and the writer Baroness Karen Blixen. Brave and audacious and contradictory, Beryl will risk everything to have Denys’s love, but it’s ultimately her own heart she must conquer to embrace her true calling and her destiny: to fly. Praise for Circling the Sun “In McLain’s confident hands, Beryl Markham crackles to life, and we readers truly understand what made a woman so far ahead of her time believe she had the power to soar.”—Jodi Picoult, author of Leaving Time “Enchanting . . . a worthy heir to [Isak] Dinesen . . . Like Africa as it’s so gorgeously depicted here, this novel will never let you go.”—The Boston Globe “Famed aviator Beryl Markham is a novelist’s dream. . . . [A] wonderful portrait of a complex woman who lived—defiantly—on her own terms.”—People (Book of the Week) “Circling the Sun soars.”—Newsday “Captivating . . . [an] irresistible novel.”—The Seattle Times “Like its high-flying subject, Circling the Sun is audacious and glamorous and hard not to be drawn in by. Beryl Markham may have married more than once, but she was nobody’s wife.”—Entertainment Weekly “[An] eloquent evocation of Beryl’s daring life.”—O: The Oprah Magazine |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse Walks Into a Bar David Grossman, 2016 A Guardian and New Statesman Book of the Year The setting is a comedy club in a small Israeli town. An audience that has come expecting an evening of amusement instead sees a comedian falling apart on stage; an act of disintegration, a man crumbling, as a matter of choice, before their eyes. They could get up and leave, or boo and whistle and drive him from the stage, if they were not so drawn to glimpse his personal hell. Dovaleh G, a veteran stand-up comic - charming, erratic, repellent - exposes a wound he has been living with for years: a fateful and gruesome choice he had to make between the two people who were dearest to him. A Horse Walks into a Bar is a shocking and breathtaking read. Betrayals between lovers, the treachery of friends, guilt demanding redress. Flaying alive both himself and the people watching him, Dovaleh G provokes both revulsion and empathy from an audience that doesn't know whether to laugh or cry - and all this in the presence of a former childhood friend who is trying to understand why he's been summoned to this performance. |
| a horse at night on writing: Stories Are What Save Us David Chrisinger, 2021-07-06 A foreword by former soldier and memoirist Brian Turner, author of My Life as a Foreign Country, and an afterword by military wife and memoirist Angela Ricketts, author of No Man's War: Irreverent Confessions of an Infantry Wife, bookend the volume. |
| a horse at night on writing: His at Night Sherry Thomas, 2010-05-25 Love is hottest in the darkness before dawn. Elissande Edgerton is a desperate woman, a virtual prisoner in the home of her tyrannical uncle. Only through marriage can she claim the freedom she craves. But how to catch the perfect man? Lord Vere is used to baiting irresistible traps. As a secret agent for the government, he’s tracked down some of the most devious criminals in London, all the while maintaining his cover as one of Society’s most harmless—and idiotic—bachelors. But nothing can prepare him for the scandal of being ensnared by Elissande. Forced into a marriage of convenience, Elissande and Vere are each about to discover that they’re not the only one with a hidden agenda. With seduction their only weapon—and a dark secret from the past endangering both their lives—can they learn to trust each other even as they surrender to a passion that won’t be denied? |
| a horse at night on writing: A Horse's Tale Susan Lubner, 2008-04-01 In Williamsburg, Virginia, in colonial days, Lancer the horse runs loose and behaves oddly while his owner and owner's friends try everything they can think of to help him feel better, until Margaret the Milliner realizes that Lancer needs a friend, too. |
| a horse at night on writing: Chosen by a Horse Susan Richards, 2009-06-01 When she agrees to take on one of the abused horses just rescued by the local SPCA, a new chapter opens in Susan Richards's difficult life. She lost her mother at the age of five and was raised by uncaring relatives; she married unhappily and divorced; and she'd been an alcoholic. Now, at the age of forty-three, she lives with three horses who keep her company: the diva-like Georgia, boyish Tempo and hopelessly romantic Hotshot. While trying to capture another horse assigned to her, Lay Me Down, a skeletal mare, walks into Susan's horse trailer of her own volition. When Susan agrees to take her, she begins to forge a special, healing relationship that alters her life. Poignant and evocative, this is a book for anyone who has ever loved a horse, and for everyone who has ever lost a loved one. |
| a horse at night on writing: Slow Horses Mick Herron, 2010 Who can you trust when nothing's as it seems? |
| a horse at night on writing: In The Shadow Of The Banyan Vaddey Ratner, 2012-09-13 A stunning, powerful debut novel set against the backdrop of the Cambodian War, perfect for fans of Chris Cleave and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie For seven-year-old Raami, the shattering end of childhood begins with the footsteps of her father returning home in the early dawn hours bringing details of the civil war that has overwhelmed the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Soon the family's world of carefully guarded royal privilege is swept up in the chaos of revolution and forced exodus. Over the next four years, as she endures the deaths of family members, starvation, and brutal forced labour, Raami clings to the only remaining vestige of childhood - the mythical legends and poems told to her by her father. In a climate of systematic violence where memory is sickness and justification for execution, Raami fights for her improbable survival. Displaying the author's extraordinary gift for language, In the Shadow of the Banyanis testament to the transcendent power of narrative and a brilliantly wrought tale of human resilience. 'In the Shadow of the Banyanis one of the most extraordinary and beautiful acts of storytelling I have ever encountered' Chris Cleave, author of The Other Hand 'Ratner is a fearless writer, and the novel explores important themes such as power, the relationship between love and guilt, and class. Most remarkably, it depicts the lives of characters forced to live in extreme circumstances, and investigates how that changes them. To read In the Shadow of the Banyan is to be left with a profound sense of being witness to a tragedy of history' Guardian 'This is an extraordinary debut … as beautiful as it is heartbreaking' Mail on Sunday |
| a horse at night on writing: West with the Night Beryl Markham, 1983 Autobiography detailing the author's life in Africa and career as a pilot. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Five Wounds: A Novel Kirstin Valdez Quade, 2021-03-30 Winner of the 2021 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Winner of the 2022 Rosenthal Family Foundation Award Finalist for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction • Finalist for the 2022 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel • Finalist for the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize • Finalist for the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction One of NPR's Best Books of the Year • A Publishers Weekly and Library Journal Best Book of the Year in Fiction • A Kirkus Reviews Best Fictional Family of the Year • A Booklist Top Ten Book-Group Book of the Year • A Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Novel Nominee From an award-winning storyteller comes a stunning debut novel about a New Mexican family’s extraordinary year of love and sacrifice. Masterly…Quade has created a world bristling with compassion and humanity. The characters and the challenges they face are wholly realized and moving; their journeys span a wide spectrum of emotion and it is impossible not to root for [them]. —Alexandra Chang, New York Times Book Review It’s Holy Week in the small town of Las Penas, New Mexico, and thirty-three-year-old unemployed Amadeo Padilla has been given the part of Jesus in the Good Friday procession. He is preparing feverishly for this role when his fifteen-year-old daughter Angel shows up pregnant on his doorstep and disrupts his plans for personal redemption. With weeks to go until her due date, tough, ebullient Angel has fled her mother’s house, setting her life on a startling new path. Vivid, tender, funny, and beautifully rendered, The Five Wounds spans the baby’s first year as five generations of the Padilla family converge: Amadeo’s mother, Yolanda, reeling from a recent discovery; Angel’s mother, Marissa, whom Angel isn’t speaking to; and disapproving Tíve, Yolanda’s uncle and keeper of the family’s history. Each brings expectations that Amadeo, who often solves his problems with a beer in his hand, doesn’t think he can live up to. The Five Wounds is a miraculous debut novel from a writer whose stories have been hailed as “legitimate masterpieces” (New York Times). Kirstin Valdez Quade conjures characters that will linger long after the final page, bringing to life their struggles to parent children they may not be equipped to save. |
| a horse at night on writing: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon, 2009-02-24 A bestselling modern classic—both poignant and funny—narrated by a fifteen year old autistic savant obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, this dazzling novel weaves together an old-fashioned mystery, a contemporary coming-of-age story, and a fascinating excursion into a mind incapable of processing emotions. Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. At fifteen, Christopher’s carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbour’s dog Wellington impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer, and turns to his favourite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents’ marriage. As Christopher tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, the narrative draws readers into the workings of Christopher’s mind. And herein lies the key to the brilliance of Mark Haddon’s choice of narrator: The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotions. The effect is dazzling, making for one of the freshest debut in years: a comedy, a tearjerker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read. |
The Horse Forum
A forum community dedicated to horse owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!
Mounting - The Horse Forum
Nov 5, 2024 · If a horse doesn't stand still to be mounted, we must correct the horse (link below). Before mounting we gather up the reins and hold them with a slight tension in our left hand …
RIP Poker Joe - The Horse Forum
May 5, 2025 · The Turvey's had their home base at a barn near me in 2015 or so. I actually took a horse desensitizing clinic from his sister and met Tommie and PoKer Joe as well as some of …
The Horse Forum
Nov 27, 2024 · Threads will be subject to approval by a member of the Mod team. See the sticked read me for further information A place for members to share equestrian related news from …
Metabolic support supplements - The Horse Forum
May 4, 2025 · A horse where I board is currently on a combination of Thyro-L and Insulin Wise. Both seemed to have really made a big difference in this horse's well being. He was grossly …
Salt licks - The Horse Forum
Jan 8, 2025 · I always have salt licks for my horses. I know how important that is for them. Recently I read i should be using the white salt, not the mineral red one, for my horse with …
How to read serial number? - The Horse Forum
Oct 29, 2024 · Hereford Brand Tex tan saddle! How to read serial number and what it means. Not exactly sure what you'd call this specific type of saddle and what it, roughly, would be worth? …
CyLence Pour on for horses - The Horse Forum
Feb 15, 2025 · Seems all I can find are treatments that consist of dousing your horse until fully wet which is not a user friendly application in a North American climate in the middle of Winter. …
Horse Talk - The Horse Forum
Oct 13, 2022 · Horse Talk. Unfollow Forum Follow Forum Create thread Filters Show: ...
Horse Breeds, Registrations and Brands | The Horse Forum
Apr 28, 2025 · Questions and discussions about horse breeds and their traits. Ask general questions and advice on Registrations and registering horses Ask for information on brands …
The Horse Forum
A forum community dedicated to horse owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, …
Mounting - The Horse Forum
Nov 5, 2024 · If a horse doesn't stand still to be mounted, we must correct the horse (link below). Before mounting we gather up the reins and hold them with a slight tension in our left …
RIP Poker Joe - The Horse Forum
May 5, 2025 · The Turvey's had their home base at a barn near me in 2015 or so. I actually took a horse desensitizing clinic from his sister and met Tommie and PoKer Joe as well as …
The Horse Forum
Nov 27, 2024 · Threads will be subject to approval by a member of the Mod team. See the sticked read me for further information A place for members to share equestrian …
Metabolic support supplements - The Horse Forum
May 4, 2025 · A horse where I board is currently on a combination of Thyro-L and Insulin Wise. Both seemed to have really made a big difference in this horse's well being. He …
