When Bob Mackay retired he traded drafting legal briefs for crafting books. Soldier of the Horse, Mackay鈥檚 first fiction novel, arrived on his desk last week. The tale of  passion, war, camaraderie, bravery and history takes readers from love and legal wranglings in Manitoba to a young soldier鈥檚 Great War survival in France with the famous WW1 Canadian cavalry regiment, Lord Strathcona鈥檚 Horse. Based on the life of his dad, Tom Mackay, Bob not only dedicated years to researching the era, the cavalry and the art of writing, but made a pilgrimage with his wife, Pat, to France in 2008 for the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Moreuil Wood, where the Straths and their horses launched one of history鈥檚 last great cavalry charges on March 30, 1918. Weaving emotions generated by wind, rain and memories of scars (physical and emotional) left with his father and those who survived, Mackay ably translates his impressions into a period tale which returns the reader to a by-gone era.  No GPS, digital strategy, or satellite tracking, but simply the shock and awe of men, horses and brutal, unforgiving steel facing enemies and natural elements in the name of freedom, king and country. Mackay, a former rancher, teacher, submariner and lawyer, has plenty of material for his writing career. As president of the Vancouver branch of the Canadian Authors鈥� Association and a long time member of the Rain Writer鈥檚 group in 性视界传媒, his advice to new writers is: 鈥淛ust write. Every day. I must have written more than 350,000 words which have been condensed into 86,000 words for the novel.鈥� Beginning with a very rough draft, regular writing kept the flow going. 鈥淭he fun job was revising,鈥� recalls Mackay, who admits seeing the first draft was exciting as was finally holding the finished work published by Touch Wood Editions, a publishing house focusing on stories about Canada鈥檚 West. Confessing that he may dust off a long buried manuscript involving a lawyer tangling with terrorists, Mackay is content to leave his years of law behind him. Currently on his agenda are drafts of a Korean War and submarine stories. A book launch and signing for Soldier of the Horse will take place at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 6 (Cloverdale) on Wednesday, March 2 at 7 p.m.   The public is welcome to stop in and chat with Cloverdale鈥檚 newest author and retired lawyer Robert Mackay. 鈥� Ursula Maxwell-Lewis is a travel journalist, photographer and editor. She can be reached at utravel@shaw.ca Follow the Cloverdale Reporter on and . View our online.