Interviews/ Reviews What Others are Saying.... A Feather in the Rain by Alex Cord Alex Cord's Semi-autobiographical Novel Exploring the Emotions Felt with the Loss of a Loved One By Susan Lambert, published Jul 18, 2008 Jesse Burrell is grieving for the loss of his son to drugs. Whilst in the midst of his grief he meets the beautiful Holly Marie who is mourning the murder of her brother. 'A Feather in the Rain' is a passionate story about the feelings of loss when someone dies tragically young. Alex Cord has written this book with a great deal of emotion, which is understandable as it is based on the death of his own son to drug addiction. This is an extremely easy novel to read and once you start to read this amazing story it is very hard to put the book down until you reach the end. Even though this book does have a happy ending you still get a sense of sadness to a point, at the end, as the birth of a new child does not replace those they have lost, it just helps them to move on. There are some incredibly dramatic scenes depicted in this book associated with the horses' element of the story, and you can easily picture the situations described in this novel. Anyone reading this book that has experienced the loss of someone young will empathise with the characters and will easily relate to their feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is also a tale of a May-December romance, and shows how life can move on in an unexpected way when you least expect it to. Anyone who has a deep rooted interest in horses would also love this book as the author brings vividly to life the world of a modern day ranch owning cowboy, with both its ups and downs, all of which is described in great detail. 'A Feather in the Rain' is a wonderful, powerful, and at times dramatic story, full of emotion, and at times erotic, which easily captures the readers' attention from the first word to the last. It is a tale of an extremely passionate love affair between two people from different age groups, but who share equally the feelings and emotions associated with grief following bereavement. Together the two central characters help each other to move on with their lives following their grief and shows how life can move on in a positive way, not just through their relationship, but also with the birth of their new child. "Cord has walked the proverbial mile in his main character's boots, and treats such grievous heartache with what can be only hard-won equanimity. Plus, Cord understands and describes the equine industry as only a longtime horseman can, which is obvious as Burrell chases the cutting-futurity dream. And although Burrell's female interest has also suffered a major loss, Cord displays a deft touch with romance, balancing and ultimately lightening the depressive, lonely burdens these two grieving souls share. In some respects, A Feather in the Rain is about finding the balance and regaining the equilibrium necessary to weather daily life once tragedy has struck. In other aspects, the book is as much about passion as anything, no matter if it's manifest in the drive to excel horseback, the intense pursuit of a woman or dealing with overwhelming grief. Although A Feather in Rain might seem a dark read, such passion creates light and liveliness." Bunkhouse Reviews Western Horseman March 2006 October 4, 2005 Dear Linda, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Alex Cord's "A Feather in the Rain". I found it to be a very moving, entertaining and enlightening book. The loss of a child is one of the worst thing that can happen to anyone. Life is not supposed to unfold that way. We are all expecting to bury our parents but no one expects to bury a child. When it happens to a friend we don't know what to say that could possibly be of help or comfort. When you lose a child yourself, the days and nights of your life stretch from one bleak horizon to the next until you think that nothing will ever heal your broken heart. My wife lost her youngest son, my stepson, age 42, in December of 2004. Alex has written a wonderful work of fiction that is heartrending in its pain and beautifully heartwarming and uplifting in its resolution. This is a love story of such elegance and grace as will resonate like distant thunder with anyone who has ever truly been in love. And it is a hope story. With a masterful use of language and brilliant imagery, he shows us the patience, thought and hardship that leads, once again, to hope and happiness. The light he shines on the world of horsemanship and cutting horse competition is bright and clear and will be a great delight to horse lovers everywhere. Alex has given my wife and me, and many more who have lost a child, some words of wisdom we can keep in our hearts that will. help and comfort us all in the years to come. He is an important voice. WE HOPE TO HEAR MORE. Bravo, James Drury First let me tell you I have never read a book so fast, it was a great book. My husband and I both currently show cutting horses in local weekend shows so when reading this book I felt like I was on those horses, what great detail. I related to much to this book, I lost my brother years ago, we lost our futurity prospect stallion to EPM last year, I could go on.... I have attached a picture from the 1989 NCHA Celebrity Cutting which Alex rode my husbands mare Misty Thermo Socks and had the highest score to win. We also have the video from the 1989 cutting with all the celebrities, he showed the mare very well. Thank you, and again I loved the book only wished it never had a ending. Stan and Linda Risetter www.srlcuttinghorses.com "I've had a sneak preview of A Feather in the Rain. Alex has written one of the finest love stories I've ever read. It's sure to make a great movie!" Ernest Borgnine, Academy Award-winning actor "Alex is an excellent horseman, an excellent actor, and as expected has come up with an excellent book." Sylvester Stallone, actor and writer "Alex Cord has combined love of a woman and love of horses into a moving, sexy, triumphant tale of passion, loss, and redemption." Jameson Parker, author of "An Accidental Cowboy" "Alex puts you right in the saddle. You feel his passion and the sensitive spirit of the horse and human coming together as one being. It's an intense, sexy ride. A great read." Larry Mahan, Six Times World Champion All-Around Cowboy and Cutting Horse Rider "There are several vivid worlds depicted here, often in ironic contrast and all part of a story that rolls along forcefully. An extremely readable story, no small feat." Thomas McGuane, author of Some Horses, Ninety-Two in the Shade, The Missouri Breaks, Sporting Club and The Cadence of Grass "The late Saul Bellow at one time was quoted as saying, 'When I sit at the typewriter, I open my heart.' I thought of Alex. In A Feather in the Rain Alex has opened up his heart." Timothy L. Parks, StarrBooks "Writers, said Anthony Burgess, must know about things as well as words. Alex Cord knows about cutting horses, love for a woman, and the long shadow cast by the headstone of a lost son. These he tells us about with true feeling." Thomas McIntyre, author of Seasons & Days: A Hunting Life "I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Feather in the Rain. I felt a real affinity with the characters and hope to one day see this book as a motion picture." Harrison Ford, actor Gainesville Daily Register Fri, 20 May 2005 2:09 PM PDT "Most people would know Alex Cord from his acting roles in movies and television shows. Others would know him as an accomplished horseman. Some may even know him as a published author." "I have attended many western festivals with Alex but never really knew the details of his remarkable achievements or the challenges that he faced. Until A Feather in the Rain, I wasn’t aware that, in addition to sharing a love of horses, that we also had a shared grief from the loss of a son. Alex has done a remarkable job with this book." Cheryl Rogers-Barnett, author of Cowboy Princess: Life with My Parents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Web site: http://www.FeatherintheRain.com ISBN 978-1-58985-011-8 $ 24.95 Published by Five Star Legends, a division of Five Star Publications Published 2005 Hardcover with Dust Jacket 6 x 9 Main   Author   News   Interview Questions/Fact Sheet   Interviews/ Reviews   Book Tour   Excerpt   © 1996-2009 Five Star Publications, Inc.. No portion of this website may be reprinted without express written consent of Five Star Publications, Inc.