For Animal Lovers Everywhere

by Linda Benson

Many of you love horses, or at least you love the image in your mind of their speed, power, and beauty. That is one of the things that inspired me to write my post-apocalyptic novel called The Girl Who Remembered Horses. It takes place several generations in the future, when humans have actually forgotten about the horse –human bond.

Unfortunately, even today, there are many forgotten horses standing in dark stalls, empty corrals without a scrap of food, or even worse, on a trailer bound for slaughter. There are some good-minded people in the world, however, who choose not to ignore this problem, but to do something about it.

Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary in Lincolnton, GA, run by Jim and Melanie Bowles, is a great example. For over twenty years, they’ve provided a home for neglected, unwanted, and abused horses (currently 52 of them) - allowing the rescued animals to run free in a herd and live a life of peace and comfort.

That’s why I’m choosing to donate royalties from the February 2013 sale of my book, The Girl Who Remembered Horses, to Proud Spirit. Musa Publishing has agreed to separate these royalties and send a check which will be ear-marked especially to support the horses of Proud Spirit. This is one of the perks of being published with a small company, and I’m thankful to Musa for giving me this opportunity to help.

The Girl Who Remembered Horses is a book for all animal lovers. It features dogs, horses, and even goats (yes, goats!) So if you’ve wanted to read this book, or if you’d like to send it as a gift to another animal lover, now is a great time to do so. All world-wide sales from a legitimate source are eligible, and all of my proceeds will be donated to Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary.

Thanks! This is a great time to enjoy a fantastic read and help feed rescued horses, too. The horses of Proud Spirit thank you!

In a world that has forgotten the ancient bond between horses and humans, can one girl’s dreams make people remember?

Several generations into the future, Sahara travels with her clan in a barren environment where recyclables are bartered for sustenance, and few remember horses or their connection to humans. But Sahara has recurring visions of riding astride on magnificent animals that run like the wind.

With the help of Evan, a young herder from the Gardener's Camp, Sahara discovers a crumbling book containing pictures of humans riding horses and learns her visions are real. Confronting a group of hunters led by hot-headed Dojo, Sahara rescues a wounded horse, but the animal escapes before it can be tamed.

Sahara is labeled a foolish dreamer and almost gives up her quest. Following horse tracks into a remote ravine, she finds wild dogs attacking a dying mare, and must drive them off in order to save the foal. Now she must attempt to raise the young animal, finally convince her clan of the ancient bond between horses and humans, and learn the secret of her true identity.

To read an excerpt from The Girl Who Remembered Horses, please click HERE.

Linda Benson is the author of several middle grade and young adult books, including Six Degrees of Lost and The Girl Who Remembered Horses (both available from Musa Publishing) as well as Finding Chance and The Horse Jar (which has been translated into Spanish.)

Her genuine passion for nature and animals often finds its way into her heartfelt writing. She has been a veterinary assistant, zoo keeper, race track groom, realtor, children’s librarian, and owned both a native plant nursery and a saddle shop.

Linda lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a variety of animals, all of them adopted. When she's not petting a dog, cat, horse, or donkey, traipsing through the woods, or enjoying a good glass of wine, she's most likely working on her next book.