Horseback Riding in Autumn

A rider enjoying the day.

by Toni Leland

A sharp edge to the air, the soft thump of hooves on pine needles. What could be more invigorating than trotting through the forest or cantering over a rolling countryside in the fall? Organized for exactly that experience, hunter paces and turkey trots are the darlings of avid horse folk everywhere, but especially here in Connecticut...

Pretty chestnut, just waiting...

One of the great things about writing for Connecticut Horse magazine is that I can write about what I love. Horses have been my passion since I was a little girl, and to now be able to share that love with others is amazing.

Enjoy my article about hunter paces and turkey trots, a piece beautifully designed by the magazine for your reading pleasure. 

Mystic Valley Hunt Club – A Treasure in Southeastern Connecticut

by Toni Leland

Imagine riding your horse in a beautiful setting on 172 acres in Southeastern Connecticut. Better still, imagine taking lessons from Connecticut Hunter/Jumper Association’s 2014 High Point Hunter Trainer, Sally Hinkle Russell. These dreams can come true at Mystic Valley Hunt Club in Gales Ferry, a premier training facility owned and cherished by Sally.

My very first assignment for Connecticut Horse magazine! Wow, a chance to meet this charming and caring horsewoman, and see the dream she made come true.

Join me as we talk with Sally, and walk her beautiful property. Happy horses and happy riders are everywhere, and that makes Sally happy!


Connecticut Horse makes its debut with this issue. Look forward to many more issues packed with interesting and informative articles and details about horses in Connecticut.

Is Self Publishing the Easy Way Out?

by Toni Leland

Never let anyone tell you that publishing your own book is an easy way to do it, or a "last resort". Self-publishing is anything but easy and, in today's publishing economy, "last resort" could be "only resort."

In a post last month, I asked if writers knew if their book was ready to see print, whether traditional or not. Following my own advice, I just finished reading through my "finished" YA manuscript for the SIXTH time. Yes, I wanted to skip this last read--I'm really tired of the story. But knowing that any time an author touches a manuscript, even to adjust a word, or change a line, that action provides the opportunity to mess it up!

Yes, I found seven typos.

Writers have access to a ton of good, expert advice, so why not take advantage of it? The hard work that writing and getting published entails is certainly made easier by solid, dependable information.

I subscribe to the Author Marketing Experts newsletter, a marvelous goodie basket of advice and tips for anyone trying to sell books--self-published or not. Penny Sansivieri wrote a great article last week about self-publishing and protecting oneself from getting scammed. She offers 13 tips for protecting yourself.

For example: " #4--Promises, promises: don't believe the hype. Yes, we are all selling services, but there is only so much that a publisher can promise you. They can promise you a finished book. Beyond that, it's a lot of hard work and a little luck."

Well said! Read the whole article HERE. Better yet, check out the website and FaceBook. Sign up for the newsletter. 

You won't be sorry.

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Freelance Writing

Jeff Geerling photo

As we toiled through the economic morass that defined the past few years, I'm sure most of us wondered if things would really be better, come the new year. I did, for sure, and in those last days of December, I sat down and forged a plan. Optimism is one of my greatest strengths (or failings, as the case may be) and the simple act of setting out some goals and reasonable expectations brought me into this year with great enthusiasm.

Not only would I continue to work hard for the publications that have supported me in the past, I would spend some time each week acquainting myself with new possibilities. Sitting down and researching publications and their needs, wants, policies, and compensations is by no means a quick or simple task. But it is a very necessary one for any writer who wishes to build a foundation for their work.

The key to finding your assignments is clarifying to yourself where your strongest writing lies, then pursuing those publications that cater to your subject. Tempting as it might be to try something new, you'd be best served to stick with what you know and can manage easily. Organize the publications according to the type of submission they require; i.e., do they insist on snail mail? Will they take phone pitches? Do they have an upload feature for submitting? Categorizing them in this way will allow you to use your time and energy efficiently. Choose a day for putting together only the mail submissions, then choose another day to query or submit via e-mail. (I find that switching from physical to electronic and back to physical can get confusing.)

Whether you write short content for blogs and online sites, columns or essays, or longer feature articles, it's important to have a structure to your work plan. Today's technology can provide you with anything you need, many times for very little cost.

One of my latest "finds" is a wonderful tool called Writer's Scribe. I tried out the Mac version demo, loved it, and it now is comfortably settled on my computer, helping me stay organized and ahead of the game. With over 125 feature-length articles in my portfolio, I can no longer keep track of them using file folders.

From time to time, I'll be sharing some of my past articles, and I hope to feature some guest writers here on the Musings page. If you've discovered a wonderful writing tool that will help make this year more productive, please share it with us. We all need to succeed!