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A TALK WITH BRAD HAYNES, AUTHOR OF THE SADDLE BUM
What was your inspiration for The Saddle Bum?
I wanted to write a short romantic novel that would be relatively easy to film. Much of the story came from background experiences with horses, music, and women.
What was so special about Mary Anne and Steve’s relationship?
Longfellow described it as “The twilight that surrounds the border-land of an old romance.” Here we have an illicit love affair between people from two different worlds that lasted just four days; yet their love story spans 30 years.
What does this story teach us about love?
A simple lesson from the story is that we can be happily married, while still clinging to an old romance. We may carry the romance in our minds as a fairy tale but, in essence, it is real love.
Much of your story takes place in the Shenandoah Valley and BlueRidge Mountains of Virginia. Why is this setting important to you?
I have lived and worked in the region most of my life and know it well. The book did not require a lot of time and research.
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