If you've ever wondered about the amount of time and effort it takes to get published. I'll be the first one to tell you. A LOT! Writing a book well, and publishing one that is of quality, is more difficult that it looks. Ask any successful author.
I spent years on the first draft of Broken Rib Ranch and hours revising it—okay, months—but I wanted to be sure my words expressed the story I had to tell. Even though there were times when I thought I couldn't bear to look at the manuscript again, I did.
What was my motivation? My readers. I wanted to immerse them in my story. I wanted them to laugh and cry with me. I wanted them to feel my despair while also realizing the devotion I have for my wife.
While working fulltime, I spent hours fact-checking, jotting down my thoughts in the middle of the night so they weren't forgotten in the morning; meeting deadlines; getting feedback from family and friends; and most dreadful of all, working with my editor. Although we sometimes disagreed, I know her expertise helped make it a better read. When she moved or cut something, I had to be creative in working it back in where I wanted (I usually succeeded).
Compelling storytelling, in effect, requires that you draw a reader in. Get their hearts pounding and their pulse racing. "Challenge them to a horse race that ends with someone picking gravel out of their torn skin." (Broken Rib Ranch, 41) Generate suspense. "Diana was terrified she had led Ryder into an impassible trap. He couldn't move. She contemplated going for help, but..." (Broken Rib Ranch, 113) And once readers are hooked, they'll keep turning the pages until the climatic end.
Some of the biggest rewards I receive are when readers take the time to write a letter to tell me how much they enjoyed reading Broken Rib Ranch; especially when they ask me if they'll ever see my characters again. That's when I know I've done my job well.
The bottom line is readers reciprocate in kind when your writing reads effortlessly. They tell their friends to "Read This Book"
(Petoskey News Review, Saturday, May 31, 2014, review by Jan Mooradian, Petoskey Library Assistant)
Read This Book: 'Broken Rib Ranch'
In the memoir "Broken Rib Ranch," set right here in Northern Michigan, truck driver turned author Timothy Parsel conjures up 30 years' worth of stories of his marriage to Diana, who is living out her childhood passion for horses.
The horses are more than minor characters. Written as a series of anecdotes from the author's remarkable memory, the book has a sit-around-the-fire-and-crack-open-a-beer-storytelling quality.
You'll meet runaway Ebony, Cody the rescued mustang stallion and Trouble, who lives up to his name. Every close-call situation is given a comic twist. Included are many photos of the expanding equine family.
Even though the author clearly states he would rather be boating, he is in it for the long haul. His love and devotion for Diana, and eventually even for the horses, comes through.
Anyone who has ever been obsessed with horses, local lore or just wants to share in an adventure of living out your dreams will enjoy this book. You'll be in for miles of trail rides and plenty of giddy-ups and yee haws! This book is brought to us by Parsel Publishing and is available at www.timothyparsel.com
