Horse SENSE
Horse obsessed SAC Dawn Danby is serving in the RAF and has just had her first horsey novel ‘Reality Cheque’ published. Somehow, she has managed to juggle working in the forces, and her passion for horses and writing novels. Dawn explains in her own words…
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omehow, I have managed to juggle all these things with the help of my husband Richard, who is also in the
forces. I originally joined the Army as a Telecommunications Engineer and served in Bosnia, Germany and several locations in the UK but left when I was offered a job with the telecommunication giant Marconi.
Over the next few years I went onto contract for the MoD working as a Design Engineer on the DII(F) which we are all now so familiar with and during this period also managed to establish a retail equestrian shop. This I eventually sold on to one of my customers.
Looking back, I can’t recall quite how I managed to juggle my time amongst all these things and looking after horses as well. It was also during this period that I found my wonderful husband. When I left the Army
Envoy Autumn 2012
I missed being part of the forces family, especially as Richard was still serving. And it was this, combined with working with the MoD, that pushed me to take the decision to re enlist at the age of 30. I have always wanted to learn and develop, so chose to instead join the RAF and take on the totally new challenge of catering.
I thoroughly enjoy life in the RAF and it was a good decision to rejoin. I would encourage anyone in a similar boat to do the same, whether to Regular or RAF Reserve service. Somehow, despite going through rigorous training, keeping my toe in with horses and leading the good life with my husband and dog, I managed to write and publish ‘Reality Cheque’.
I have written stories for as long as I can remember and recall that the main influence was my English teacher. He pushed and encouraged me and from just one comment he made in passing, I found my drive. He said:
‘You’ll get published one day’. And that was it. I was on the road and from that day on I have always wanted to prove him right. It just goes to show how much of an influence a teacher can have on a pupil. That one, perfectly timed comment, had such a profound influence on my future aspirations.
When talking about my writing, I am keen to regularly insist that ‘Reality Cheque’ is not autobiographical, but no one ever believes me! I do see and hear many dramas at work, at the stables and at home that would make for perfect reading. However, I would never write about particular people or events in that way, despite the huge temptation to!
My novel is described as an easy-to-read, light-hearted story with a large sprinkling of humour, a drop of a tear and a generous scoop of oooooh’s. It is available in all good, and bad, bookshops and via the internet. The book is about Kate, who dramatically decided to give up her well paid job in engineering
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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