The Trusty Trucks Children's Book

 

LATEST BLOG POST 12/3/23

 

Hey yall, it's Candice Ballard here.

First I just want to say THANK YOU ALL for following my journey through this thing we call life. THANKS to all the parents at shows that allow their children and family to talk to me and be apart of Miss SquareBarbie.

I created [or I like to say God created] SquareBarbie and The Teal Wheel Project for the youth and young adults with hopes of embracing insecurities, differences, and uniqueness through the wonderful world of automotive. 

2023 has been nothing short of an amazing year and I am blessed to share my life and journey online and at shows and events. 

 

Most know me nowadays for my hot-rodding and C10 life but before I was BallardsC10 I actually worked in the school system specializing with special needs and elementary students. When I was not in the school system, I was a successful, professional horse trainer and instructor with, yet again, specializing with special needs children and emotional support. I loved touching lives through the wonderful gift of horses.

 

 

Horses and Horsepower...

I started working at age 8 at a local, large horse ranch because my parents gifted me the gift of a lifetime. A horse lesson which in turn created a life-long passion for all things equine. After my first horse lesson I was hooked and had to have my OWN show horse not my parents' hand-me-down mares. With having five children heavily involved in every sport and hobby and a stay-at-home mother; my daddy said I had to work and be responsible.

I started riding and racing dirt-bikes and go-carts at age 3 but once I had that initial horse lesson and laid eyes on the shining sorrel, white faced and blue-eyed horse; I immediately told my daddy I wanted to sell my dirt-bikes and work for this horse I soon named Junior [he looked just like his beautiful daddy]. 

 

[My sweet "Jr" in 1998 at the ranch I worked at when I was nine]

I went from an awkwardly, insecure, frail little child to the "only 9 years old and handling 1,200 pound stallions". We clicked. The horses knew my soul and I knew theirs. 

Fast forward through my years of horses, training, FFA and 4H of showing, competing, holding office titles, earning awards and certifications; I thrived with my business and experience of horses and breeding show pigs. I eventually sold my pig breeding business to purchase another horse after Jr passed away when I was 15 and I still own that sweet, feisty mare to this day. She is 22 years old, crippled yet still a spitfire. 

 

 

[Me and Lady in Dobson, North Carolina when I was 18.]

 

[Me and Lady winning championship title in showmanship class.]

When I was about 19 years old and on my summer breaks from college, I moved to North Carolina as a lead horse trainer and trained and cared for over 25 horses. Some of the horses I trained were owned by Richard Childress [racing], Dale Jr and of Rousch Racing. While in Oklahoma at a world show, I called my mom and told her "Rousch Racing just offered me a job, can I take it?". Of course my mother made me refuse and get my butt back to college.

Me and Lady while training and living in Dobson, North Carolina

C's Makes College Degrees...

I studied in pre-vet, early childhood education specializing in special needs, animal science with emphasis on equine, journalism and agricultural education.

[With one of my most influencial teachers, role model and FFA teacher and advisor Mr. Bruce "Gruff"]

Yes I had and still have too many passions and soon racked up my fair share of college debt because I could not pick one single thing to major in.

[And here I am, 37 years old and working for myself and our garage and nothing to do with my degrees and majors. Lawd help. ]

While in elementary school I struggled with reading, was held back, put in support classes and was several grades behind on reading. When I graduated college, I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Magna Cum Laude, Multiple Dean's List Awards, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and multiple scholarship awards.

To my high school counselor that told me I would never get accepted in to my favorite school of the University of Georgia, just an update miss priss, I did get accepted [multiple times for different majors] and attended and won scholarships for Kansas State University as well. In.Yo.Face.

 

 

After College and the 7-to-Five Grind...

When covid hit and schools shut down, I began working for myself as a professional automotive detailer and doing horse lessons full-time which I absolutely loved and I could work with smaller groups of kids and develop one-on-one interactions.

Since I always had my plate full and hands into multiple hobbies, I also dabbled for several years in the tv and movie industry meeting and working alongside some of the ones I grew up watching and loving. My fondest memory was when Clint Eastwood looked at me covered in "bomb residue and blood", chuckled and told me I looked like crap. We ended up talking for awhile, enjoyed some good laughs and before we parted he hugged my neck and told me to tell my mama hey. The next year I got to talk hot rods, our favorite muscle cars and back alley racing with Norman Reedus as we waited between scenes on TWD. It provided a great escape from, at the time, a stressful home life and good earnings for my next phase in life with two kids becoming a single, independent mom.

Fast forward to a few years ago, I wrapped up a client's car detail and was hunting for a car show to attend as usual. Nothing was interesting in Georgia so I hit the road to my favorite place of Tennessee. I ended up at THE Redneck Rumble show which also happens to be THE greatest place on Earth besides Montana. 

As I was cruising on my newly purchased kid's bike, I saw this big, bearded, tattooed, burly dude headed towards me in a black rat rod. But I was anti-men and dating so I eventually stopped blocking his path. I tried blocking him many more times both online and in real-life but I guess God had better plans and had to step in because me and Cooley were avoiding the obvious. Yep, we were made for each other. Frighteningly, we are too much alike which sometimes is a bad thing. 

Well, eventually we accepted the fact we were soul mates and best friends and to stop being stubborn and I took the crazy, scary leap of moving to his state of Tennessee.  

While I prepared to start a whole new journey and life in a whole new state, I sold all of my horses except for my 22 year old mare and best friend and ended my near 30 year professional horse career for a full-time life of hot-rodding and living in the wonderful state of Tennessee.

GROWING UP...

Growing up, the only girl in a family of four brothers in a small town surrounded by boys playing football in our big front yard, my granddaddy's large auto body shop at arm's reach and 13 acres of woods, creeks and kid built tree houses; it was only fitting that God created me as a tomboy. 

As a child and still to this day, my 91 year old Heaven sent granddaddy and my hard-working daddy are my role models and idols. I loved them growing up and watching them work every single day, 9 days a week and I love them even more now as an adult, gearhead and parent.

As a kid and teenager, my brothers and friends would always ask, what Candice are you today? One day I would be dressed like the normal cowgirl Candice in my size 00 Wranglers, ugly bottle cap glasses and shirts headed to the barn while other days you could find me in my skater attire, baggy basketball clothes or full on retro gear. 

One of my favorite quotes is "never filter your soul to fit a mold". I have NEVER EVER fit any type of mold. Sometimes I did try my best in order to fit in and be "accepted" instead of made fun of or criticized. But that always hindered me and my personality. 

I am a firm believer that God created Candice Ballard as the one and only "Candice Ballard". I am different, I am eccentric, I am unique and I am who I am.

As a kid I was told I could not be a cowgirl, softball player, dancer, beauty pageant contestant, tomboy, truck loving, model, tree climbing, horse training girl.

I had to pick one thing and also dress accordingly.

But I never asked the important question of "WHY?".

WHY does a child or person have to choose one style of clothing or hobby?

WHY does a person have to fit certain stereotypes in order for YOU to be happy or for them to fit in and be accepted?

With the rates of insecurities, bullying, self-harm and suicide; it is my goal and mission to spread awareness that it is OKAY to be different. It is OKAY to not fit a mold and to stand out in a sea of catfish.

Be the SILLY SALMON that swims upstream while the crowd of catfish follows the leader.  

God created EACH and EVERY one of us to His own special recipe and design.

Have you ever thought how boring the world would be if we were all the same color, style, height, weight and personality? 

[Voted Most Spirited, Class Clown and Most Likely to Become a College Mascot]

In today's time and generations with the rising of social media and the younger ages being accessible to online apps and hindering face-to-face actual interactions and raw communicating and friendship; it is becoming painfully common to ridicule, demolish, insult, bully and judge people from behind a keyboard with no proper repercussions. 

Do you know how damaging words and insults can be for someone struggling with their own insecurities and path through life? Their own battles at home? 

NOBODY is perfect. NOBODY has a perfect life.

The most successful people who seem to have their life in order, deep down has many insecurities. 

EMBRACE who you ARE! 

While you're driving to town and pass the field of sheep or the flock of crows, do they all look the same? You probably always just notice the sheep or crows, never one specific animal or bird of the bunch.

But imagine the same field with a spotted sheep or colorful crow. I bet those two would stand out and be remembered.

Be unique. Be yourself. Be who YOU are and stop worrying about the others. 

We cannot make everyone happy nor please everyone. Life will never be smooth rolling and easy. 

There are only two people that you should worry about pleasing, the good Lord above and yourself. 

Love and hugs to you all!

-Candice

 

 

 

.... >>

THE TRUSTY TRUCKS: with the REALLY BAD LUCK

Series 1

Embark on a remarkable voyage with five trucks who become fast friends,

distinct in both color and character.

What obstacles and adventures await them this week?

Pay attention to the vivid illustrations in the paperback,

which offer clues to the trucks' bad luck.

Who is the funny and mischievous one of the bunch?

Who is the kind, gentle, yet strong trusty truck?

The most outstanding feature of the Trusty Trucks series is that these

five trucks are actual vehicles owned by author Candice Ballard.

Each truck even has the exact same name and they also look the same.

Thank you for joining alongside the journey of the five Trusty Trucks crafted

by Candice Ballard, owner of SquareBarbie, The Teal Wheel Project, and BallardsC10.

 

Please be sure to recommend this delightful children's book to your child's

school and library. This book would also make a perfect gift for any child, young and old. 

  

BOOK DETAILS:

The Trusty Trucks: with the Really Bad Luck: Series 1

PAPERBACK VERSION

[Hardback coming soon]

eBook Kindle https://amzn.to/3T37Qes

Written and illustrated by Candice Ballard / BallardsC10

Independently published

Publication date December 2 of 2023 in honor of Candice's

late grandmother's birthday [Betty Joyce 12/5]

Dimensions 8 x 0.09 x 10 inches

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CPCJP4FW

Dedicated to Easton, Jase, daddy, granddaddy, mama and to all the kids out there that get picked on for being different. Remember kids, only the most special flowers are the ones picked for bouquets and the only the brightest stars light up the sky. Never change who you are!

Copyright © 2023 by Candice Ballard / BallardsC10 / ChopD Ratz Garage / SquareBarbie

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

BallardsC10 / ChopD Ratz Garage
P.O. BOX 506

Burns, TN 37029
www.chopdratzgarage.com

ISBN: 9798859325672

eBook: B0CPB5XFS9

Ordering Information:
Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address above.
Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact BallardsC10 / ChopD Ratz Garage:

Email BallardBusinessCo@gmail.com or CRG@chopdratzgarage.com or visit www.chopdratzgarage.com.

Printed in the United States of America

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data
Ballard, Candice.
The Trusty Trucks: with the Really Bad Luck 1st Series / Candice Ballard
ISBN 9798859325672

Juvenile fiction — Children’s Series —Sports — Imagination — Tutus (Ballet skirts) — Automobiles — Humor —Intriguing — Creative — Social themes — Ballard, Candice. The Trusty Trucks: with the Really Bad Luck.
First Edition / First Series

 

 

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