Anne-Marie Jennings
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 10/98) - In his new book, Fort Smith author Richard Van Camp reveals a deep, dark secret about himself -- he's not much of a horse person.

Reached at his home in Bella Bella in northern British Columbia, Van Camp talked about the inspiration for his latest publication, What's The Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?

"After A Man Called Raven came out, I received another call from my publishers, saying that George (Littlechild, illustrator) was interested in doing another book together and did I have a story about horses. I lied through my teeth and said yes."

Van Camp then proceeded to call his friends and family around Fort Smith and ask them what they thought was the best thing about horses. Those answers became the basis for the book.

"When I sent the story down to my publishers in San Francisco, they loved it," he says. "We wanted to create something really different, and that's what we've tried to do."

And while he wasn't much of a horse person at the beginning of the book, Van Camp says he recently took his second horse ride ever while at a writer's festival in Saskatchewan.

"I got to ride an old racehorse named Mickey. We spent the whole day together."

Unlike the reaction to his first children's book, Van Camp says this latest publication is, for some strange reason, one people want to reach out and touch.

"I read the book to a group of students and their supervisors, and I found that they all wanted to touch the book," he says. "I've only done two readings, and the book is already showing sings of wear.

"And it wasn't only the students who needed to touch the book. The supervisors wanted to feel it as well."

Now finished his most recent publication, Van Camp has nothing but good things to say about his co-workers.

"I think this book is an award-winner. That's a tribute to George Littlechild and his art," he says. "What I also like is that this book is not just for children, but can be for everyone.

"I think this is George's funest work. I think it's the funest writing I've ever done."

And while the book is now completed, Van Camp says he is still getting answers to the question posed by his new book -- ones he wished he had heard while he was writing the book.

"When I was in Moosejaw, I met a farrier. I asked him: 'What's the best thing about horses?'

"He said: 'their innocence.' I then asked where he'd been when I was writing the book."

What's The Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses is published by Children's Book Press.