Christy Cashman: Writing “Was a Deep Dive Into Learning About Myself”
Christy Cashman is an author, actress, producer who has appeared in several films. Her debut novel, The Truth About Horses, is out in August. She is the founder of YouthINK, a not-for-profit mentor-led creative program geared towards teenagers ages 13-18 with a focus on writing, storytelling, and the arts. Its mission is to inspire confidence, imagination, and self-expression.
Christy is also co-chair of Literary Lights 2023 for the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Her two children’s books are set in Ireland: The Not-So-Average Monkey of Kilkea Castle and Petri’s Next Things. She lives in Boston and Ireland. Follow her on Instagram.
Christy Cashman
In this post, Christy shares what inspired her novel, how it lingered in her imagination, what she drew from it, and more.
Name: Christy Cashman
Book title: The Truth About Horses
Publisher: Spark Press
Release date: August 15, 2023
Genre/category: YA
Previous titles: Beautifully Broken
Elevator Pitch for the book: Fourteen-year-old Reese’s dream of winning the Black Elk race is shattered when her beloved horse, Trusted Treasure, falls at the last jump and the vet suggests they put him down. While still reeling from that loss, her family suffers a second tragedy—one that results in the end of their family business, the sale of Trusted Treasure, and irreparable damage to Reese’s relationship with her father. Through heartaches and triumphs, Reese must prove her worth if she wants to heal her family, help Wes, and show them all that some dreams are worth fighting for.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I was prompted to write this book primarily based on my experience of the amazing bond I had with my horse, Rambler, as I was growing up. I also went to the Cavalia show and while I watched it, I became emotional about how well the show depicted the beauty of the spirit of the horse.
The way the horses responded without commands made it seem like they were reading the thoughts of their trainer. I’m drawn to things that are powerful yet can’t be seen. Energy, Spirit, God, Bonds . . .
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
From idea to publication, it took nine years. Although I put it down for long stretches of time and worked on two children’s books and started another novel. I wanted to keep writing even though I may have been waiting for inspiration at times when I was in a difficult place in the story.
The core of the story stayed the same. But the detail in the backstory expanded significantly. I think that’s probably just the experience of the creative process.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
There were so many surprises in the creative process! That was the best part of writing the book! I had no idea where I was going sometimes from one minute to the next, so the writing process stayed fun and exciting for me.
I would draw a graph and then it would change. I’d draw another and it would change again and that kept happening and sometimes I didn’t trust myself and then I would. Sometimes if felt like I was always in the fog and then occasionally, the fog would clear.
Writing this book was a deep dive into learning about myself. Thank God a book came out of it!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will feel drawn into the world of Reese, the protagonist. I hope they love her and relate to her and somehow see themselves in all of the characters.
I hope anyone who reads the book allows themselves to feel a lot and when they read, “the end,” I hope they feel it was a great ride (so to speak) and that maybe they even say they love it and can’t exactly say why. After all, that’s how I feel after a good book.
If you could share one piece of advice with writers, what would it be?
Just write!
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.