Barbara ellin fox
In my own words...

I’ve spent my life as a horsewoman, and although I would change some parts, I would not change the love I have for horses nor the time I have spent with them. Not only have I experienced some terrific personalities in the horses I’ve known, I have worked with wonderful people in diverse socioeconomic situations. 

My time in the horse world has given me an enormous range of characters and situations to draw upon for my stories. Horses change people and that provides a natural character arc. And being involved in so many aspects of the horse world, I’ve met the seedy, the dishonest, and the cruel, along with genuine sports people and horse lovers. I’ve known people who could not part with their horses at any cost and those who would send one “down the road” for having refused a jump.

Value - Remember Not

I’ve seen the value of a horse go from hundreds of thousands of dollars one day to how much he would bring by the pound the next, depending on who owned and valued him. Eskador, the black horse in Remember Not, is one such horse having gone from being the hope of his country's Olympic team to a horse barely suitable for slaughter. In his case, misfortune was because of poor training and a man with an insatiable ego. In my observation, ego is one of the most common causes of cruelty in the horse world. Second to ego is the fatal flaw of ignorance, something we witness in the competitors in Eskador’s first Grand Prix.

Struggle - Where the Wild Ones Roam

America’s wild horses embody the spirit of freedom and instinct of survival in our nation. Since the days of cowboys, wild horses have targeted for destruction in the name of progress. Their treatment has been cruel. A few rare individuals have stood in the gap while the government scraped thousands of wild horses from the landscape, but most horse lovers can do little to help. Adopting one out of the tens of thousands who need homes is like trying to fill an ocean with one teardrop. In book two of the For Love & Horses series, Where the Wild Ones Roam, Kristi has been involved with the horses at their natural level. When she concludes her help amounts to nothing, she follows a single herd for nearly five years, photographing and documenting their ways. Her goal is to leave a photographic record of wild horses for people who otherwise may never see or even know about them. Most of us who write about wild horses write with the desire to show the reader the plight of these magnificent animals.

Rejection - What's There to Love?

Although many horsewomen seem strong, and capable of withstanding all sorts of trauma, they receive as many soul wounds as women in other occupations and lifestyles. In book three of the For Love & Horses series, What’s There to Love? Lizzie longs to be part of the family Thoroughbred business, but her father despises the fact that she’s female. He wanted a son and has no intention of including Lizzie. Rejection is a theme for What’s There to Love?. The larger theme is what a person will do to fill the gaping hole rejection leaves in them.

Second-Chances - Last Wish

Most of my stories involve a second chance for someone. Some of the animals in Last Wish have already had a second-chance before the story begins. Horsewomen know plenty about second-chances. Most of us have had at least one. Many of us have had way more. Second-chances usually involve grace and forgiveness. Whether we give or receive forgiveness can seem like the hardest thing we'll ever do.  Sometimes the toughest forgiveness is the kind we need to extend to ourselves. Other times we didn't even know we carried a grudge. I love the horse and dog treats background for Last Wish. It shows June's determination to take care of her adult responsibilities while maintaining a connection to the horses she loves. I too, started an online horse treats business that expanded, and our family loved a silly Goldie named Bailey.

It's a privilege to tell these stories in the environment I love. I hope they will take you on an adventure and will speak to your soul.

Writing awards

• First place in Inspirational Romance in the 2019 Great Expectations Writing contest
• First Place in Inspirational Romance in the 2019 Lone Star Writing Contest
• Semi-finalist in the 2019 ACFW Genesis Writing contest

2018 Writing Contests

• First place in the Long Contemporary Category of RWA Faith Hope and Love’s 2018 Touched by Love writing contest.
• First place in Inspirational Romance in the 2018 OCCRWA Orange Rose Contest for Emerging Writers!
• Second place in Inspirational Romance in the 2018 OCCRWA Orange Rose Contest for Emerging Writers!
• Second place in Inspirational Romance in the 2018 Lone Star Writing Contest, Northwest Houston RWA.
• Third place in Inspirational Romance NTRWA 2018 Great Expectations Contest.
• Third place in the 2018 TARA Writing Contest. Tampa Area Romance Writers

2017 Contests

• First place 2017 ACFW Virginia-The Crown- in Contemporary Romance
• Finalist in 2017 Linda Howard Award of Excellence- in Inspirational Fiction
• Finalist Windy City RWA’s Four Seasons 2017 Romance Writing Contest- Finalist Single Title Contemporary