This week YA Author Barbara Bryan took over our Twitter as a part of our weekly Thursday Twitter Takeover. Barbara Bryan is the author of Topanga Canyon: Fire Season. (See YEM’s interview with Michelle A. Barry here.) See highlights from the takeover below.
Hi, Barbara Bryan here, I've written a book called Topanga Canyon: Fire Season and I'm excited about spending time with you and Young Entertainment. #YAauthorTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
The story in Topanga Canyon: Fire Season, (let's shorten to TC:FS) takes place on a horse ranch located near the top of the canyon. #AauthorTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Although next door to Los Angeles, the canyon is a rugged yet beautiful place. And bears the name that the Tongva people gave it hundreds of years ago. Topanga can be translated as "where the mountain meets the sea." #YauthorTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Now Matt the main character in the story is a city boy from Chicago who is nearing his 15th birthday. His mom sends him to his grandfather's ranch under the pretext that the old man is sick and needs help. Matt doesn't want to go.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
I started writing this book during Covid when all of Los Angeles and the country as a whole was shut down. For me it was a very dark time. Not knowing how long the pandemic would last, worrying about keeping our little cafe open, and our employees healthy. #YAauthorsTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Like everyone else, I lost some people to Covid and felt I had lost control over my life. It was then that I thought writing about Matt and his world which was also turned upside down. #YAauthorTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
I'm new to this Twitter word count – so please bear with me until I get the hang of it. Anyway, by telling Matt's story I would remember that we all intrinsically poses the courage to face the myriad of challenges in today's world.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Since this is my first attempt at a novel I wanted to include things that I am familiar with. That's why I put it on a horse ranch. I first fell in love with horses on a pony ride in New York's Central Park and have tried to spend as much time on the back of a horse as possible
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
I have never been a really great rider but that has not stopped my enthusiasm or my love of horses. The ASPCA has long fought against the mistreatment of horses and one of their decades old campaign has been to eradicate soring. One breed of horses in the Tennessee Walking Horse
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
The Tennessee Walking Horse is known for his ability to walk at different speed. Now not many people know that all other horses cannot. When the Tennessee Walking Horse does his fast walk, his front legs extend, he raises his tail for balance and all his legs are equally timed
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
The value of a Tennessee Walking Horse goes up the smoother his ride is and the further out and up he raises his front legs. And regrettably, when there is a lot of money to be made unscrupulous people do wicked things. And it is called soring.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
The inside of a horse's hoof is very delicate, and a horse will raise his legs higher if it is in pain. Soring is when either a caustic substance or foreign materials such as glass or nails in inserted in a horse's hoof. Regrettably soring has been used for decades.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Matt discovers that a rich horse owner at his grandfather's ranch is soring his horses in order to win at the horse shows. He tries to tell the people at the ranch but everyone reacts with " why that's the way it's always been done" #YAauthorTakeover
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Matt realizes he is on his own. I hoped that by writing about soring more people will become aware and through ASPCA's we will be able to end it. Just because something has been going on for a long time doesn't make it right, and we can and should change whatever that is.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
Matt, our city boy, has a hard time adapting to life on the ranch. And it is Esmerelda, the ranches house manager who teaches him about life in the Canyon. Esmerelda is a Tongva descendent and has a deep knowledge and understanding of the land.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
It was important for me to include a character of Tongva decent in my story. For thousands of years the Los Angeles Basin has been their home. Today, they are a vibrant force as guardians of this land and have much to teach us if we will only listen.
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
As I write this Maui has experienced their terrible fire. I live in Santa Monica and Southern California must endure the Santa Ana winds that yearly threaten us. It was necessary to include the wildfires inTC:FS because I know what the land looks like after everything is burned
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
So if you can please make a donation for the people of Maui. Sometimes by doing the smallest thing it can make huge changes. I know you are very special and carry a bright light inside of you. Let it shine for all of us
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
I want to thank you for being able to spend this time with you. I sincerely know that each one of you has the ability to change the world. And I look forward to seeing you do it each in your own individual and special way. I would love to hear from you. https://t.co/hMXcXjKCWe
— Young Entertainment Mag (@YoungEntmag) August 18, 2023
