Tell us a little about you: I live in Reading PA along with
the real Quincy. I am a clinical social worker and equine assisted growth and
learning specialist. The real Quincy, who inspired the Quincy the Horse books
when he was 7 is now 24 years old. He is an American quarter horse who was a
trail riding horse for many years and is a mainstay of my equine therapy
program.
Tell us about your book: It is called Quincy and Buck. It is the
third book in the Quincy the Horse series. In this book I tackle the problems
of overcoming fear and dealing with a bully. Quincy dreams of trail riding in
the desert near his home but he is afraid of meeting wild animals out on the
trail. His friend, Beau, an old horse who has done everything, explains to him
that he will never become brave if he stays home, so he goes on his first trail
ride. He hopes to find a trail buddy who will guide him but the horse he
chooses turns out to be a bully. Over the course of the ride, he discovers that
he is more confident than he imagined and that Buck is afraid underneath his
façade of strength. The story of the day’s ride along with the illustrations
takes kids into the desert of the Southwest which has breathtaking scenery.
How did you find your publisher? I decided to self-publish
the Quincy the Horse series. I did this initially because I wanted to have
control over the entire project including the illustrations which were a very
important part of the vision that I had for the books.
What do you like about them? What I have liked about
self-publishing is the chance to have so much input into the creation of each
book. The illustrator Michelle Black was actually the one who encouraged me to
do it and we have had a close collaboration on all the aspects of the process.
Do you have
any advice for writers looking to get their first works published? Since I have
not worked with a traditional publisher, I cannot compare. Self-publishing
requires a huge commitment of energy. Over the 6 years that I have been doing
this I have seen a huge change in how small independent publishers are accepted
and there are many more resources for reviews and coop marketing. However the vertical integration of
publishing, sales and distribution makes it very hard for the independent on
the business side of the equation.
What is your
favorite type of book to read and why? I love British mysteries. I suppose
I love the puzzle and suspense but it is also fun when there are ongoing
characters to follow. I recently reread the entire series of mysteries written
by PD James.
When did you
first start writing? I have always loved writing and keeping a journal but
writing a set of children’s books is an entirely new venture which I started
about 6 years ago
What
inspired you to start writing? The year before I wrote the first of the Quincy
Books I participated in a training to learn how to do Equine Assisted
Psychotherapy. EAP works because the client observes, interacts and empathizes
with the horse/s. In the midst of the training program I had the idea of
creating a series of books for children about Quincy’s adventures because the
things he experienced were things that children also face. I thought they would
be able to identify with Quincy and therefore learn more about the world of relationships
and their own feelings and problems.
Have you
ever gotten writers block or gotten stuck while writing? Yes.
Do you have
any tips for overcoming this? I try not to force it but just get involved in
other activities until I reconnect with my writing voice. One activity that
helps is cleaning the stalls in my barn. If it works and I reconnect, I try to
sit and write things down asap.
How did you
come up with the title and the story idea of your book? The events recounted in
Quincy and Buck really happened and I always thought about using them for one
Quincy’s adventures. Originally I was focused on the problem of Quincy’s fears
and doubts which is a theme throughout the series. In the midst of writing the
story I saw more ways to highlight Buck as a character and explore the theme of
bullying and the fact that bullies are afraid underneath their façade of
strength. I thought the title would illustrate that the book was about their
relationship rather than just a story about Quincy.
What was your
favorite part to write and why? I loved writing about the desert and the
beginning of the trail ride. I am really happy with the way the description of
Quincy’s actual experience of walking in the sand wash and his tripping on the
rocks brings the trail ride alive for the reader. It also puts me back there
and brings back happy memories as that was one of my favorite trails in New
Mexico.
Describe
your favorite writing spot. I had a study in my home in New Mexico with a
picture window that looked out into the yard and the pasture where the horses
were. I had my computer and also an old photo printer. As Michelle Black would
send me photos of the paintings, I would print them out and then cut and tape
them together with the printed text to make a mock up of the finished book.
What made
you decide to write young/middle grade/YA readers? Having illustrations
that were beautiful paintings of the horses was a crucial part of my vision for
the series so that led to children’s picture books rather than chapter books.
Are you a
re-reader or do you normally just read a book one time through? My old
favorites are definitely re-read.
Besides
writing, what are some of your other hobbies? I love to garden and have spent
the last few years building an extensive organic garden and chicken keeping
area on my farm. I also love photography.
Do you have
any advice to give to aspiring writers? Write about what you know and love and
write down everything.
What would
be one thing you would be lost without? My animals and the joy and structure of
my daily life with them.
Describe
your idea of 'the best day ever: It would
be a fall day with cooler temps and I would harvest vegetables in the
morning, do some cooking and then ride. I would have everything on my to do
list caught up of course.
Is there
anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? I hope they enjoy
Quincy and Buck. It may be my favorite Quincy book and I am excited to share
it. I also hope that parents find that this book is a good way to start a
conversation about fears, bullies and problems and a chance to reinforce that
asking for help is always ok.
Where can readers find out more about you and your books? Our website is quincythehorse.com and my blog is pathfinderpursuits.com. I can be
reached directly through the contact form on our website if anyone has specific
questions or requests. We also have a great Facebook community at facebook.com/quincythehorse. Quincy’s
previous adventures are Quincy Finds A New Home and Quincy Moves to the Desert.
