“Honey, don’t look so guilty,” she said. “Men are like horses. If they’re even-tempered and sweet, you stay on for the ride. If they buck and run around, you get off before you get hurt.” She slammed the refrigerator door. “Damn, we’re out of cake.” --from Horseplay: A NovelA debut novel full of sparkle and wit, Horseplay is a story of the animals that touch our hearts… and the men who try our souls.When Judy Van Brunt finally decides to leave her cheating husband, she makes immediate plans to quit her teaching job, take the money she inherited from her mother, and run off, leaving a note on her husband's pillow. There is only one problem: Where is she going?During her weekly riding lesson, her instructor makes a suggestion just crazy enough to work—and before she knows it, Judy has a position as a groom at an exclusive North Carolina horse farm. There, she shares an apartment with three remarkable women who also work at the farm, and she puts in long hours caring for the horses in addition to learning the demanding sport of dressage from the farm’s owner, a former Olympic champion. Exhausted but fulfilled, she learns for herself that a horse in the barn is worth far more than a husband at home. Her housemates gladly supplement her education with lessons not found in the riding ring, such as how to avoid the farm’s snootier patrons and weed out unsavory suitors. Her devotion to horses is far more rewarding than her marriage ever was—after all, horses never lie or cheat, and even the most hot-blooded stallion won't kick her when she's down. Nevertheless, her new life doesn't keep her away from men entirely. She finds her early vow of chastity and cheeseburgers weakening as she is drawn to one especially eligible bachelor. But after a few escapades with studs of the two-legged variety, is she really ready to be with someone?Set against the alternately glamorous and grimy world of competitive horse shows, Horseplay is a jubilant ride.

    In the winter of 1917, a big-boned young woman shows up at George Bliss's doorstep. She's looking for a job breaking horses, and he hires her on. Many of his regular hands are off fighting the war, and he glimpses, beneath her showy rodeo garb, a shy but strong-willed girl with a serious knowledge of horses. So begins the irresistible tale of nineteen-year-old Martha Lessen, a female horse whisperer trying to make a go of it in a man's world. It was thought that the only way to break a horse was to buck the wild out of it, and broken ribs and tough falls just went with the job. But over several long, hard winter months, many of the townsfolk in this remote county of eastern Oregon witness Martha's way of talking in low, sweet tones to horses believed beyond repair and getting miraculous, almost immediate results and she thereby earns a place of respect in the community. Along the way, Martha helps a family save their horses when their wagon slides into a ravine. She gentles a horse for a dying man a last gift to his young son. She clashes with a hired hand who is abusing horses in unspeakable ways. Soon, despite her best efforts to remain aloof and detached, she comes to feel enveloped by a sense of community and family that she's never had before. With the elegant sweetness of Plainsong and a pitch-perfect sense of western life reminiscent of Annie Dillard, The Hearts of Horses is a remarkable story about how people and animals make connections and touch each other's lives in the most unexpected and profound ways.

    A jockey tested by tragedy. A rejected racehorse. A three million dollar race. Teagan Sullivan is a golden disappointment in the show ring. To make matters worse, her family are big deal Olympic equestrians, so she skulks off to pony Thoroughbreds at a rundown racetrack. But while she excels at equine relations, she sucks at human ones—just ask her sexy blacksmith/sleepover buddy Screaming Wolf. And if she hadn't gone and rescued that stupid jockey wannabe Anne Simmons, she wouldn't be saddled with a new roommate, a broken down racehorse and a chance to prove herself to her family at last. Born two months premature to an anorexic mother, Anne was a longshot just to survive. Now eighteen, she arrives on the backstretch with nothing but a duffel bag and Derby dreams. But the horsemen don't trust the naïve newcomer, so she's stuck ponying horses instead of riding races. She is still chasing their respect when a near-fatal accident shatters her body—and her spirit. As Anne struggles to find the courage to ride again, Teagan wrestles with her feelings for Screaming Wolf. Horse racing's richest race, the Breeder's Cup Classic, offers them both a chance at redemption. Will Teagan and Anne conquer their fears in time to claim the things that they love most?

    But when she drops out of vet school to get her jockey’s license in New York, intent on coming back to Ontario to ride Chique in the Queen’s Plate in three years, he’s the obvious choice to keep an eye on the filly. Nate’s content to watch Liv go, even though he’s got similar aspirations – when he’s not talked out of them by voices from his past. His growing bond with Chique might earn him Liv’s approval and give him the fresh start he’s looking for, but that’s as involved as he’s getting with the boss’s daughter. Not that Liv’s been receptive to anything more. Liv’s determined to keep their relationship professional, no matter how much Chique draws them together. Because racetrack romances are messy…and nothing can interfere with getting Chique to the Plate.Set against the backdrop of North America’s greatest racetracks, Good Things Come is a story about the hearts of Thoroughbreds...thepeople who love them...and the allure of Canada’s most prestigious race.

    Beautiful Jim Key, the onetime ugly duckling of a scrub colt that became one of the most heralded and beloved heroes of his day, was famous neither for his beauty nor his speed but instead for his exceptional intelligence. Said to have an I.Q. equivalent to that of a human sixth-grader, Jim exploded on to the national scene in 1897 by demonstrating inexplicable abilities to read, write, spell, do mathematics, tell time, sort mail, cite biblical passages, and debate politics.For the next nine years, Jim performed in nationwide expositions and world's fairs to wildly receptive crowds, smashing box-office records, overcoming hurdles of prejudice and skepticism, all the while winning rapturous praise from the press and leaders such as President McKinley, Booker T. Washington, and Alice Roosevelt Longworth.In this breathtaking saga, Jim's astonishing journey is coupled with that of his trainer and best friend, Dr. William Key, a self-taught veterinarian, former slave, Civil War veteran, prominent African-American entrepreneur, and one of the most renowned horse whisperers of his time -- a man who shunned all force in the training of horses, instead relying on kindness and patience.Masterful storyteller and bestselling author Mim Eichler Rivas at long last gives two cultural icons their due, not only unraveling the mystery of their disappearance but examining how, thanks to the rare and intimate relationship between horse and man that was championed by promoter and humane activist Albert R. Rogers, a dramatic shift took place in the public mind that made kindness to animals a cornerstone of modern civilization and helped launch the animal rights movement. Unveiled against the backdrop of American history, Beautiful Jim Key is their incredible tale.

    Attractive full-color photographs throughout the book illustrate every facet of horse care.

    Alydar, all muscle with a fearsome closing kick, was already the popular favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Affirmed, deceptively laid-back streamlined elegance, was powered forward by his steely determination not to settle for second place. In the Sport of Kings, the Triple Crown is the most valued prize, requiring a horse to win not just one race, but three: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. And 1978 would not be just for the record books, but also one of the greatest dramas ever played out in the racing world. There were names to conjure with, worthy of the Sport of Kings. The bloodline of Native Dancer. The teen wonderboy jockey Steve Cauthen. The once unbeatable Calumet Farm—the Damn Yankees of the racing world—now in eclipse and hoping for a comeback. The newcomer Harbor View Farm—owned by brash financier Louis Wolfson, who wouldn’t let even a conviction and a prison sentence for securities violations stand in the way of his dreams of glory. And the racetracks themselves: Belmont, Saratoga, Pimlico. And, of course, Churchill Downs. It has been thirty-five years since Affirmed and Alydar fought for the Triple Crown, thirty-five years when no other horse has won it. Duel for the Crown brings this epic battle to life. Not just two magnificent Thoroughbreds but the colorful human personalities surrounding them, caught up in an ever-intensifying battle of will and wits that lasted until the photo finish of the final Triple Crown race . . . and Alydar and Affirmed leaped into the history books.

    

    Old Bones, as he was affectionately called, came out of nowhere to win a Kentucky Derby and to run a hundred races before his retirement."

    This title discusses questions such as: Do animals have souls? Are animals psychic? and Do animals have a sixth sense? with examples drawn from real life experiences. It covers both pets and animals in the wild.

    Havok and Shannon met on a glimpse. Although the chemistry was deeper than tree roots, Shannon’s attraction is flipped into fear when she becomes an unintended target. When the smoke clears, can she put her trust in the man who gunned her down? These two lives are tainted from the beginning. In the long haul, it may not work out, but maybe the journey will result in the best love that can’t be replaced. Shannon Mitchell didn’t set out to be a single mother. Nevertheless, she has a backbone of steel and a heart of gold. Losing her job, which forced her to relocate back to her hometown of Saint Louis was never in her plans. Shannon made the choice any real mother would. Picking up the late night shift at a strip joint in East Saint Louis, she is quickly pulled in by the fast money. Staying on her grind leads her to many late nights and early mornings. The one morning she sets out to go home to her son, Teon, she ends up being rocked to the ground by a stray bullet. Profusely bleeding, she lays eyes on the shooter. The compromising situation leaves her to lean on Havok to get her medical attention before she bleeds out. When she thinks he is taking her to the hospital, she is sadly mistaken when her heavy eyes roam on a poverty-stricken Clinton Peabody project building. Shontez “Havok” O’Neal went from being broke as hell and sleeping on his Grandma Uma’s couch, to flipping bricks. With a fast come up, the hate is heavy on him. Watching his back and not giving anybody a chance to knock him, Havok is placed between a brick and a hard place when Shannon falls victim to his chaotic lifestyle. Nursing her back to health is the least he can do for this single mother. Even when she pushes him away, he goes the extra mile for this woman. Shannon becomes his weakness, and with time, Shannon’s weakness is him. What should have placed these two far apart, glued them together for a ride they didn’t see coming. The right thing to do becomes the last thing to do when your heart is on the line. Find out what happens when you cross lines with a thug named, Havok.

    The perfect life, the dream career, great friends and family who love her dearly, the sexy husband, and her beautiful baby girl Jaxon. But things are far from what they seem. Life for the successful, beautiful British is the furthest thing from what it seems. Although she’s married, her husband, Derrick seems to have a hard time remembering that he is. Heartbroken, alone and unhappy, British feels like she is on an emotional rollercoaster and cannot get off. That is until her best friends Kori and Ashley take her on a vacation to Jamaica, where she meets the intriguing Terrence King. Terrance has the streets of Atlanta on lock. Him, his brother Ty and their friends Ronny and Sleez make money as easy as it is to breathe. Unfortunately, jealousy, and larceny rears its ugly head, causing tension within the crew. Terrance’s nickname, Terror, precedes him well, when his gangsta is tested in more ways than one. Neither of the two are in search of each other, but when a simple trip to Jamaica brings British and Terrance together, sparks fly. Thing is, British is still married and Terrance is fresh out of a three year relationship. Will British finally walk away from the disaster she calls a marriage? Or will Derrick convince her to stay? Falling in love is the last thing on Terrance’s agenda. In spite of it all, will British’s mesmerizing ways pull emotions he buried long ago, out of him? Or will he devote one hundred percent of his time on the hustle and the drama rapidly unfolding within his squad, unfazed by British and her sultry ways? Find out how it all unfolds between the drama filled pages of Giving my Heart to An Atlanta Street King.

    Watch out, Dick Francis!” —New York Times Bestselling Author J.A. JANCE Despite the accidents plaguing his racing business, horse breeder Coke McCallister was sure that Shameless, his prized filly, would put him back on top. But now Coke is dead, and his daughter Dakota returns to Arizona determined to sell Black Oak. Dakota is not prepared for the bittersweet memories that greet her, and she really isn’t prepared to see her ex-husband, Clay Pearce. Although she has every reason to distrust him, who else can she turn to in an atmosphere fraught with danger? Who else can she confide in when her life is threatened by an unseen stalker? When Dakota enters the filly Shameless in the All American Futurity, a desperate killer lays a trap. And on the eve of the race, Dakota learns the shattering truth. If she runs the filly to restore her father’s good name, her actions could bring down Black Oak and everything with it. And she could lose her life. >As featured in THE QUARTER RACING JOURNAL and THE QUARTER HORSE JOURNAL “DARK HORSE brings readers smack dab to the center of the complex and fascinating world of horse breeding and racing, and will take readers on an intense and nerve-shattering ride that is bound to please.” —ROMANTIC TIMES “DARK HORSE should put Falk in the Winner’s Circle.” —New York Times Bestselling Author TONY HILLERMAN “…joins the ranks of Nora Roberts and Janet Dailey with her wonderfully fresh tale of mystery and romance. A book rich in character and place, where the reader experiences firsthand the fascinating world of Quarter Horse racing and the mélange of people drawn to it. DARK HORSE marks the arrival of a most welcome new talent in romantic suspense. Gripping. Satisfying. A keeper!” —CAROL DAVIS LUCE, author of NIGHT STALKER, NIGHT PREY, and NIGHT PASSAGE. “Suspense and romance combined with the excitement of Quarter Horse racing and thrill of competing in a million-dollar race make DARK HORSE a winner.” —AMY OWENS, THE QUARTER HORSE JOURNAL What readers say about DARK HORSE: “I finished reading DARK HORSE last night (at 3 AM). I loved it and couldn’t put it down. … I had to tell you how much I enjoyed it and thank you for writing it. There isn’t a boring page in it. You have it Just Right. Thanks again – I’m glad I found you.” —Alva B. “I wanted to tell you of my recent excitement in reading your novel DARK HORSE. I purchased it because of the attractive cover and the praise of Judy Jance… a great lady and a wonderful writer. I am also a fan of Dick Francis. Your work is as good, if not better than his. … Thank you for the good read.” —Dan M. “I received a copy from you at the All American Futurity. I am the Navajo Indian racehorse owner from Colorado. … It was interesting to talk to you and see how you did your own track research. This research showed, as it really brings out realism in this book and makes it very enjoyable from my perspective as a horse owner.” —Ross A. “I have just finished reading your book DARK HORSE. To say that it was great is putting it mildly. I have been involved with horse racing, both at recognized tracks, as well as match racing all my adult life. … I won the 1985 All American Futurity with Mr. Trucka Jet.

    They owned virtually everything ever written or videoed by Monty Roberts, Clinton Anderson, and the Parellis and they were bouncing back and forth from one to the other testing what worked best with their horses. But Joe was longing for a compressed, congealed, shuffled together guide to the basics. Not just what works best but why. Now he has one. He wrote it. And now it's yours. A book of the good stuff crammed with everything Joe & Kathleen have learned about relationship and leadership. And why it all works. Including an entire chapter on fear. This book can change your relationship with your horse and teach you to trust yourself to trust yourself. With free Kindle apps, download this book to your computer, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, iPad, Kindle , or all of the above for one teeny little price of 99 cents! The stories you love and the information you need will always be with you. What Readers and Critics Are Saying About Joe Camp “Joe Camp is a master storyteller.” The New York Times “Joe Camp is a gifted storyteller and the results are magical. Joe entertains, educates and empowers, baring his own soul while articulating keystone principles of a modern revolution in horsemanship.” Rick Lamb, Author and TV/Radio host “The Horse Show” "This book is fantastic It has given me shivers, made me laugh and cry, and I just can't seem to put it down!" Cheryl Pannier, WHO Radio AM 1040 Des Moines “One cannot help but be touched by Camp’s love and sympathy for animals and by his eloquence on the subject.” Michae Korda The Washington Post “Joe Camp is a natural when it comes to understanding how animals tick and a genius at telling us their story. His books are must-reads for those who love animals of any species.” Monty Roberts, Author of New York Times Best-seller The Man Who Listens to Horses “Camp has become something of a master at telling us what can be learned from animals, in this case specifically horses, without making us realize we have been educated, and, that is, perhaps, the mark of a real teacher. The tightly written, simply designed, and powerfully drawn chapters often read like short stories that flow from the heart.” Jack L. Kennedy, The Joplin Independent “This book is absolutely fabulous! An amazing, amazing book. You’re going to love it.” Janet Parshall’s America "Joe speaks a clear and simple truth that grabs hold of your heart." Yvonne Welz, Editor, The Horses Hoof Magazine "I wish you could hear my excitement for Joe Camp's new book. It is unique, powerful, needed." Dr. Marty Becker, best-selling author of several Chicken Soup for the Soul books and popular veterinary contributor to ABC's Good Morning America “I got my book yesterday and hold Joe Camp responsible for my bloodshot eyes. I couldn't put it down and morning came early!!! Joe transports me into his words. I feel like I am right there sharing his experiences. And his love for not just horses, but all of God's critters pours out from every page.” Ruth Swander – Reader “I love this book! It is so hard to put it down. I don't want it to end! Every person who loves an animal must have this book.

    Kelsie is the spirited protagonist who tries to rescue a rebellious horse named Caspar. Kelsie plans to swim this horse to Mackay's Island, a mysterious deserted island with a dark past, before the horse's owner, Hank Harefield, ships him off for auction. Along the way a violent storm puts Kelsie and Caspar in grave danger. Will they make it to shore safely? Will Hank discover and foil Kelsie's plan?