TRI-COUNTY — Local writer and former Sul Ross languages and literature professor Barbara “Barney” Nelson has just released a new book, One Hundred Horses: Drama as Novel, Memoir as Drama.
“The book is actually a collection of failures,” Nelson said. “Since retirement, I’ve been teaching myself to write movie scripts because I humbly don’t think anyone has ever done the real cowboy/horse culture justice. But I couldn’t get past Hollywood’s alligator moats full of agents, lawyers, unions, and ‘helpful’ people willing to take money or flesh from naïve wannabes.”
Barney said, “I hated to just throw away all those years of hard work, so I tossed them in a box with some photos and stories about where I got my inspiration, shook it all up, and out came a strange mix. Readers will find many parallels between my fictionalized characters and real local
‘characters’ as well as ranches, camp meeting and local history.”
Nelson also lived on the Marfa division of the Catto-Gage Ranch for two years, so characters are inspired by a Marfa school teacher, sheriff and deputy, Border Patrol agents and “Northern Mexico hot-shot firefighters.” Also included are cameos and photos from the Sul Ross State University farrier school, rodeo cowboys Tuff Hedeman and Cody Lambert, local ranches
(Long X, JD, o6), local people like Nicasio Ramirez, Ramon Hartnett, Marcos Najera, Efren Polido, Chris Lacy, Vince Lavallee, Tommy Vaughn, Roy McBride, and local landmarks like Kokernot Baseball Field and Bloys Camp Meeting.
Barney said the book is dedicated to Don and Linda Coleman, owners of Coleman Well Service. The book’s design was created by local Alpine artist Tish Wetterauer. It is available to individuals at Big Bend Saddlery and Amazon or to local booksellers from Ingram Spark.