Thursday, July 3, 2014
Giveaway
You can enter a giveaway from Goodreads to win a copy of Broken Rib Ranch, and it ends July 16th. There will be 25 winners, so good luck!
Monday, June 9, 2014
EFFORTLESS WRITING?
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
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
Friday, April 18, 2014
The Harley Effect
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Michigan Horse Expo in East Lansing, to promote and sell my memoir. I wasn't sure what to expect, having never been to such an event before.
What I discovered was what I call the "Harley Effect"—the wide range of people, from farmers to lawyers and every profession in between, who act perfectly normal until they buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle. At that point, they become weekend bad asses who don dew rags and leather chaps with long, shiny strips that flap in the wind.
Like Clark Kent, emerging from the phone booth transformed into Superman, once these everyday businesspeople put on their black leather jackets adorned with Harley logos to match their square-toed boots with large buckles wrapped around the ankles, they become weekend Hog riders that travel from bar to bar in large packs.
I prefer not to dress in a way to draw attention to myself. My usual attire consists of denim jeans, a button shirt with minimal flamboyancy, no cap or jewelry, and shoes or boots that are comfortable. Prior to leaving for East Lansing, my wife and a friend who attended the trade show with me warned me that I should wear a cowboy hat, or at the very least, a vest.
Keep in mind, Michigan has had a long-lasting and brutally cold winter, so I wore a pair of insulated tan pants instead of blue jeans and a long-sleeved undershirt for warmth. I was comfortable in my choice of clothing.
But when thousands of people began showing up dressed like good ole" Western cowboys and cowgirls, scuffing their freshly shined boots in the dirt—I soon felt out of place. Underdressed for the occasion.
I was afraid I wouldn't have anything in common with them, but they turned out to be some of the nicest people I have ever met. Many stopped by the booth just to say hi. Many laughed at the title of my book, Broken Rib Ranch. Some shared their own stories about when they'd broken a rib (or two).
Overall, I had a great time, and have decided to attend the 19th Annual Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio, which is coming up in April. As a reminder, I have already written myself a note: "Need to buy a cowboy hat, get my boots shined, and find a leather vest."
Hope to see y'all there!
Tim Parsel
What I discovered was what I call the "Harley Effect"—the wide range of people, from farmers to lawyers and every profession in between, who act perfectly normal until they buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle. At that point, they become weekend bad asses who don dew rags and leather chaps with long, shiny strips that flap in the wind.
Like Clark Kent, emerging from the phone booth transformed into Superman, once these everyday businesspeople put on their black leather jackets adorned with Harley logos to match their square-toed boots with large buckles wrapped around the ankles, they become weekend Hog riders that travel from bar to bar in large packs.
I prefer not to dress in a way to draw attention to myself. My usual attire consists of denim jeans, a button shirt with minimal flamboyancy, no cap or jewelry, and shoes or boots that are comfortable. Prior to leaving for East Lansing, my wife and a friend who attended the trade show with me warned me that I should wear a cowboy hat, or at the very least, a vest.
Keep in mind, Michigan has had a long-lasting and brutally cold winter, so I wore a pair of insulated tan pants instead of blue jeans and a long-sleeved undershirt for warmth. I was comfortable in my choice of clothing.
But when thousands of people began showing up dressed like good ole" Western cowboys and cowgirls, scuffing their freshly shined boots in the dirt—I soon felt out of place. Underdressed for the occasion.
I was afraid I wouldn't have anything in common with them, but they turned out to be some of the nicest people I have ever met. Many stopped by the booth just to say hi. Many laughed at the title of my book, Broken Rib Ranch. Some shared their own stories about when they'd broken a rib (or two).
Overall, I had a great time, and have decided to attend the 19th Annual Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio, which is coming up in April. As a reminder, I have already written myself a note: "Need to buy a cowboy hat, get my boots shined, and find a leather vest."
Hope to see y'all there!
Tim Parsel
Monday, April 14, 2014
Review of "Broken Rib Ranch, a memoir" by Timothy Parsel
When Timothy Parsel was in grade school, his English teacher tried to convince him to pursue a career in writing. And it's easy to see why, Parsel—whose day job is that of a professional truck driver—has a clear, confident writing style that is by turns humorous and sincere. He also never fails to entertain.
Broken Rib Ranch is a touching and informative memoir of his life married to a woman whose obsessive love of horses causes the couple's lives to increasingly revolve around the care and keeping of an ever growing herd on their eighty acre spread near the rural Michigan town of Charlevoix.
Experienced horse people and horse novice alike will recognize and revel in the many ups and downs of horse ownership and the trials of maintaining a large farm in a harsh climate. Who knew horses had personalities as varied and intricate as our own? Probably all "horse people," but it will be news to many others.
In many ways, however, Parsel's story is as much about his marriage as it is about raising horses. He details their courtship, which began at a local car dealership where he and his future wife were employed in their younger years. Parsel is a one-woman man, and it is always clear that, despite the good-natured ribbing his wife receives in the story's telling, he is devoted to her above all else, even when her herd of horses reaches unmanageable proportions. Another man might have called a divorce attorney as the amount of work involved in keeping seventeen horses gets out of hand, pushing him to the edge, but not Parsel. He is in for the long-haul, and it is enlightening to watch the dynamics of the couple's marriage in gear as they slowly bring the headcount down.
In the end, Broken Rib Ranch is an engaging portrait of two people in love. Stretched to the limits of their capabilities by the realities and day-to-day drudgery of raising horses, the couple's resilient bond is a testament to their powerful love, for each other and for their horses.
Review by John Casey
Published Freelance Writer, New York
Broken Rib Ranch is a touching and informative memoir of his life married to a woman whose obsessive love of horses causes the couple's lives to increasingly revolve around the care and keeping of an ever growing herd on their eighty acre spread near the rural Michigan town of Charlevoix.
Experienced horse people and horse novice alike will recognize and revel in the many ups and downs of horse ownership and the trials of maintaining a large farm in a harsh climate. Who knew horses had personalities as varied and intricate as our own? Probably all "horse people," but it will be news to many others.
In many ways, however, Parsel's story is as much about his marriage as it is about raising horses. He details their courtship, which began at a local car dealership where he and his future wife were employed in their younger years. Parsel is a one-woman man, and it is always clear that, despite the good-natured ribbing his wife receives in the story's telling, he is devoted to her above all else, even when her herd of horses reaches unmanageable proportions. Another man might have called a divorce attorney as the amount of work involved in keeping seventeen horses gets out of hand, pushing him to the edge, but not Parsel. He is in for the long-haul, and it is enlightening to watch the dynamics of the couple's marriage in gear as they slowly bring the headcount down.
In the end, Broken Rib Ranch is an engaging portrait of two people in love. Stretched to the limits of their capabilities by the realities and day-to-day drudgery of raising horses, the couple's resilient bond is a testament to their powerful love, for each other and for their horses.
Review by John Casey
Published Freelance Writer, New York
Thursday, March 27, 2014
The Stray
One day, our dog Char chased it up a tree. Soft-hearted me, I felt bad for the cat and decided to rescue it. When it saw me approaching the tree with a ladder, it quickly and determinedly got down on its own.
The closest I've ever been able to get to the stray, was the day he got a paw stuck in the tines of a rake. I slowly walked near him, knelt down, and reached out to help—until he bit me. Diana watched sympathetically as I cleaned my wound; then she asked if I thought her precious kitty was hurt. So much for sympathy!
Needless to say, I now keep my distance.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
There's Pain, Laughter and Romance in "Broken Rib Ranch"
Back and forth across the path,
Pounding hoof beats aftermath,
Left for dead, face down in the dirt,
Tim struggles to stand, but everything hurts,
Laid up for weeks, his ribs so sore,
On the bright side, he got out of chores.
Pounding hoof beats aftermath,
Left for dead, face down in the dirt,
Tim struggles to stand, but everything hurts,
Laid up for weeks, his ribs so sore,
On the bright side, he got out of chores.
Monday, December 23, 2013
A Quest to End Pain and Suffering Causes Additional Abuse of Unwanted Horses.
For the horse's sake, U.S.-based horse slaughter plants should be allowed to re-open. If there is a need for horsemeat to be processed for human consumption, and there is (approximately 150,000 domestic horses are exported abroad for slaughter each year), then it should be done within our own borders where there are laws to regulate the business and to protect the horses. As harsh as that may sound, it's better than the alternative: Horses being stuck inside cramped trailers for periods as long as thirty-six hours, without food or water, while they are hauled across the country to Canada, or to Mexico, where they are met with a horrific death.
There are just too many horses to be absorbed into the mainstream of the horse world without some sort of checks and balances. Large breeders want only the cream of the crop, no matter how many foals have to be born. The rest are cast off and sold at slaughter. Greed fuels the industry, with little consideration given to the animal's well-being. And, while rescues have achieved commendable success at providing care for a large quantity of horses, the numbers saved at these facilities is small in comparison to the influx of unwanted horses. Despite strong opposition to the contrary, slaughter is a necessary check, therefore, regulated transport and rendering should be the balance.
There are just too many horses to be absorbed into the mainstream of the horse world without some sort of checks and balances. Large breeders want only the cream of the crop, no matter how many foals have to be born. The rest are cast off and sold at slaughter. Greed fuels the industry, with little consideration given to the animal's well-being. And, while rescues have achieved commendable success at providing care for a large quantity of horses, the numbers saved at these facilities is small in comparison to the influx of unwanted horses. Despite strong opposition to the contrary, slaughter is a necessary check, therefore, regulated transport and rendering should be the balance.
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