Feature by Lis, over at Horse Family Magazine

   A tale of two of the brattiest boys in the Barnyard, Mister Cecil, a Quarter Horse, and Mister Hornpipes, a Pygmy Goat and the pranks they play on this poor farmer one sunny winter day.

 Read more at http://horsefamilymagazine.com/critter-sense-of-humor

The Equinest is now featuring an interview by yours truly with critter talk and stuff. Check it out at http://www.theequinest.com/lisa-ford/. Comments welcome.

      Then for my birthday this year, my dad (ain't he great) got me Rose Daughter, Chalice, and Dragonhaven in trade, I had to wait till they came out thus. He also got me a Pegasus hardcover, and Sunshine as an audio book. I love audio books, though I still get an actual book for each that I love. So now my reading limits are full up. I honestly want to sit here and read them all in a row, but sadly cannot do that....darn, life gets in the way. However with the Sunshine audio book, I can do other stuff while still reading...isn't that sneaky, but awesome? 

      I just need to get Fire and Imaginary Lands, and then my McKinley collection to date will be complete...I think. Of course then I want them all on audio. 

      In between all of my art shows this fall I have been reading every article and interview I can about the Pegasus release and whatever glimpses I can, just so excited about getting a McKinley book on it's release date. Whilst trying to relax this evening I enjoyed another one, written in a fun way, by Melissa Marr...her books sound like they might be good too, must investigate. Anyway, should you be interested journey over to her journal at http://melissa-writing.livejournal.com/408020.html

      I have read a few on livejournal by other authors whom I have heard of through Robin McKinley. I would love to be on that fantasy book shelf someday next to them. http://sarahtales.livejournal.com/

      And if you are looking for an adventure to take you away into another world, read a Robin McKinley book. ***

http://www.robinmckinley.com/

*Yes Pet Peeve of mine, don't crack/ruin the spine!! People who bend the book all the way around, flatten, shove, toss...gasp....make me cringe.

**You know, cassettes, those things prior to cds, which were prior to mp3s.

***Must enter footnotes, because we are talking about Robin McKinley and she does this on her blog. :0)

      Robin McKinley is one of my favorite writers. I love, adore, reread, and cherish each of her tales and books. She's on the "reread every year" list with J.R.R. Tolkien. I have been reading Tolkien since I was five: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I have been reading Beauty since I was 11, when I choose it from the order list of R.I.F books in school. So glad I did, I now have three copies of the same edition, but sadly no hardcover original as yet. That way I have one to lend out, and two for me. I read very carefully and though my books are well and frequently read, their spines do not show it.* I used to read a book a day, large few hundred page books, and still worked on a farm and did schoolwork...no video games. 

      When I was in school I borrowed an audio book on cassette** from the local library. It was The Hero and the Crown, and I loved it. I would have preferred if a woman was reading it rather than a man, but still I loved the tale. I checked it out till it got worn out between myself and others. 

      When I graduated from school my dad bought me Spindle's End, Rose Daughter, The Outlaws of Sherwood, and Deerskin in Mass market paperback size and A Knot in the Grain in trade paperback size. I found I much prefer the trade paperback size. Whilst it is not as hardy has a hardcover, it is lighter. Trades are much easier to read than the mass market style; text is larger, book can be read without bending spin, and it doesn't involves as much scrunching in holding. It was not long after this that I developed my health issues, that prohibit the reading of mass market style due to horrible pain and headache increase, and thus never got to read Rose Daughter, Spinde's End, The Outlaws of Sherwood, or Deerskin. They still sit proudly on my shelf, but I wasn't able to read them myself. 

      Then due to our lovely local bookstore, which is no longer in business, my dad found trade versions of The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword. I still adore TH&TC, however I almost love The Blue Sword better, maybe.  Our "local" bookstore is now 40 miles away; Barnes and Noble and then Borders came 'round. At B&N I was able to get Spindle's End in trade and finally read it. And at Borders I found The Outlaws of Sherwood in trade style, as well as A Door in the Hedge. Yay! And when Water came out I was able to get it.