The list of semifinalists for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for horse-related books published in 2024 is now out. The Kentucky Oaks: 150 Years of Running for the Lilies didn't make the cut.
I can't say that I'm not disappointed. The inevitable question of Why? comes up, along with the insidious self-doubt: maybe I'm just not that good a writer. It doesn't matter how many books and articles you've had published; rejection is a bitter pill to swallow, no matter when in one's career it occurs.
In truth, both the quality and quantity of horse-related books that have come out in the last few years have been high, and I'm sure that the selection panel for the Dr. Tony Ryan Award had to make some very hard decisions. Certainly, it's nothing personal. My challenge now is not to take it personally, and to continue trying to make each new book the best it can be. God willing, I will keep improving until the day comes when I set my last word to paper.
I can't say that I'm not disappointed. The inevitable question of Why? comes up, along with the insidious self-doubt: maybe I'm just not that good a writer. It doesn't matter how many books and articles you've had published; rejection is a bitter pill to swallow, no matter when in one's career it occurs.
In truth, both the quality and quantity of horse-related books that have come out in the last few years have been high, and I'm sure that the selection panel for the Dr. Tony Ryan Award had to make some very hard decisions. Certainly, it's nothing personal. My challenge now is not to take it personally, and to continue trying to make each new book the best it can be. God willing, I will keep improving until the day comes when I set my last word to paper.