The National Federation of Press Women awarded two horse stories first place in its 2022 at-large communications contest. Author Valerie Ormond’s Believing In Horses Out West won in the Young Adult Fiction category, and her short story “Be Brave” won in the Short Stories, single story category. The at-large contest included entrants from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Spain, Washington D.C., and Washington state. The first place wins advance both entries to the national round of competition.
Believing In Horses Out West takes Sadie Navarro on an adventure to a Montana ranch to check on a horse she rescued. The judge said, “Sadie is an engaging character, and her internal dialogue is complex enough to feel real. The Montana ranch is an interesting setting, and the resolution of the mystery makes for some exciting moments.”
Red Penguin Books published the “Be Brave” story in Ernest Lived and Other Historical Fiction Short Stories. It tells the tale of a young Pony Express rider, and the judge’s comments included, “Well written story. Interesting and easy to read.”
Believing In Horses Out West has also won Second Place in The BookFest® Awards, Spring 2022, and was selected a Finalist in the 2021 international Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Ormond’s first two books, Believing In Horses and Believing In Horses, Too, won eight national and international awards including an EQUUS Winnie Award and the Maryland Touch of Class Award. Ormond’s non-fiction and fiction stories have appeared in books, magazines, and news articles worldwide. Ormond is a small business owner, Navy veteran, equestrian, and member of numerous writing, equine, and veteran organizations.
Believing In Horses, Out West is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, book retailers, and at www. BelievingInHorses.com. “Be Brave” is available via Amazon.
Media contact:
Valerie Ormond
Chief Executive Officer, Veteran Writing Services, LLC
ceo@veteranwritingservices.com / (443)994-5651
Images available by request and on the Believing In Horses Medial Kit at Contact Us – Believing In Horses