Machine Paperbacks (and) Horse Stories 4
Hey folks,
Just wanted to let you know that the UK paperback of Machine will be out on Thursday, May 27th. I just got my author copies this week and it looks GORGEOUS. Matte cover with a glossy little Dr. Jens, doing what Dr. Jens does best…
(Click through to Instagram for more images.)
The US paperback is out Tuesday, July 7th!
So that’s business taken care of.
One thing I’m doing on the paid side currently is… Horse writeups! I thought perhaps the rest of y’all would enjoy a free sample.
As always, most content is mirrored here and on my Patreon, so you can pick your poison.
Ormr and his best bro got their seasonal vaccinations on Monday, and I suspect at this point we all know what that feels like, so when I went over to visit on Wednesday Ormr and I took it easy. We worked on steering and my equitation and keeping my hands quiet, which is such a great word.
I can’t remember if I mentioned: we had an exciting incident when I was leading the horses out of the pasture the other week, where Magni decided to take off to go eat grass on the barn owner’s lawn. I caught him, and Ormr caught me. He missed his calling as a cow pony, because I hit the end of his lead rope pretty hard when Magni yanked me, and he planted his feet and stood there like a rock. His center of gravity is lower than Magni’s (he’s bigger-boned but about three inches shorter) and this did not work out well for Magni.
I expect it wasn’t particularly comfortable hitting his halter than hard, and he hasn’t tried it since.
(Horses are large, dangerous animals and deserve respect. They’re also giant fucking dorks. )
Here’s a photo of Alex, Magni’s owner, her dog Sammy, Ormr, and Magni—taken after a recent bath and Magni getting clipped.
Thursday was a formal lesson. We did a LOT of trot over tall poles in more complicated patterns than we have previously done, and he was full of energy and delighted to be working. We did half-circles and serpentines over poles and worked on our balance, which is… a work in progress, but he pulled it together beautifully by the end.
Friday Scott went over to hang out with ponies; Saturday is usually Ormr’s day off.
So all in all, a pretty restful week at the ranch. As it were.
Coming soon, some short fiction publication news and a “recipe” for Lilac Syrup.
Hope you’re all hanging in there.
Best,
Bear