Avarice, deceit, and fleeing the law are the bedrock of Beautiful Horseflesh, a literary fiction, set in 1999. When a Thoroughbred filly arrives at the Smitt family's boarding and water walk farm, she is hailed by teen, Luis Smitt as, "a beautiful piece of horseflesh." Black as satin, she is speedy and shrouded in calamity. Her handsome trainer, Bud, insists on strict privacy in preparing the horse for Tampa's upcoming stakes race, yet finds time to flirt with both the mother and her sixteen-year-old daughter. As Luis unwraps the layers of the horse's mysteries, his family's life is irrevocably shattered. The race's starting bell pulls the Smitt's family forever impacted by deception, to its denouement. Readers of dramatic fiction, with a nod to young adult readers, will enjoy watching racehorses scorch the track.
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Karen S. Bennett-nee Klebe, was born in Pennsylvania to a PA. Dutch family. You've seen the art representing our heritage: the profile of a distelfink, a goldfinch, along with red hearts and little turquoise flowers decorating items for sale: on cards, towels, and plates. A short description of my idyllic life was that in the 1950's my dad was bent over shallow creeks hunting for bass, and my mother was bent over the open oven seeing to the cakes and pies-a-plenty she provided. Pork chops with sauerkraut, and potatoes in any form were big players.
The first wrinkle was in third grade when my teacher wrote "Dishonesty" on my report card, when all I'd done was to report wishful dreaming and presented the stories as fact. As an adult I learned that written lies were called FICTION. Pow! I was in.
I had many interests as a young person and started life by attending a NYC art school. Although I was well suited to be an artist I was also starving. Then, on to many non-art jobs, a husband and three kids. In the interest in having food money, I attended nursing school and wound up many years later as a retired nurse practitioner with time to write. From Fibs to Fiction. No truth-telling for me.
I've lived in PA., NY., GA., and MD, and have traveled to the usual places across the pond with my most recent travel to Russia, Vietnam, and South Africa. My last six cars have been hybrids which allow me to drive away without worry about the cost.
In 2006, I won first place for my first novel, through The Maryland Writer's Assn., and have four other books behind that one with semi-finalist or finalist. My books go from Horseracing to Ballet, to Choir, to Prison, and to The Farewell Tour. It's fiction, but I'm in there.
The first wrinkle was in third grade when my teacher wrote "Dishonesty" on my report card, when all I'd done was to report wishful dreaming and presented the stories as fact. As an adult I learned that written lies were called FICTION. Pow! I was in.
I had many interests as a young person and started life by attending a NYC art school. Although I was well suited to be an artist I was also starving. Then, on to many non-art jobs, a husband and three kids. In the interest in having food money, I attended nursing school and wound up many years later as a retired nurse practitioner with time to write. From Fibs to Fiction. No truth-telling for me.
I've lived in PA., NY., GA., and MD, and have traveled to the usual places across the pond with my most recent travel to Russia, Vietnam, and South Africa. My last six cars have been hybrids which allow me to drive away without worry about the cost.
In 2006, I won first place for my first novel, through The Maryland Writer's Assn., and have four other books behind that one with semi-finalist or finalist. My books go from Horseracing to Ballet, to Choir, to Prison, and to The Farewell Tour. It's fiction, but I'm in there.
Good Post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love horses.
ReplyDeleteThis might be for me.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend Mary.
ReplyDeleteI think your nephews need to share this one with their boss.
ReplyDelete