Category Archives: Behind the scenes with Lexi

Find out what Lexi is up to – writing, school visits, and snippets of her life.

Perfect for pony mad readers

A few years ago I had a mid-life crisis, and decided to learn how to ride. I’d ridden occasionally as a kid, and dreamt of having my own pony, but it never happened. So one day I came home and admitted to my other half that I’d “accidentally” bought a horse. It’s very easy to do, I promise! Anyway, I was looking through a collection of my favourite books from when I was young and, even though I didn’t ride regularly then, it turns out they all have a horse on the cover. I really was a pony-less pony-mad youngster.

Anyway, I’m now enjoying catching up on all those missed years of Pony Club. So when I saw Tabby’s Big Year, I was first in the queue for a copy and begging for an interview!

This is a properly horsey book. Lovely, kind, hard-working characters (with the exception of the baddie, of course), an idyllic setting and a classic horsey plot. There is a lot of information about horse care and exercising so it may bore a non-horsey youngster, but it was so carefully and accurately written that I devoured it and I bet any pony-mad youngster would too.

It is a sequel, but I read it as a stand-alone with no issues.

Here is my chat with the author, Hollie Anne Marsh. No surprises, but it’s about horses … and books … and more horses!

I see you’re now based in Barcelona. Have you tried riding in traditional Spanish tack?

No, I haven’t! I have been down to Seville in Andalucía a few times for dressage training and even here in Barcelona, I have ridden quite a few Spanish horses though – they are quite willing, comfortable to ride and have wonderful temperaments generally.

What’s your first horsey memory?

One of my first memories is riding my friend’s pony bareback and galloping him from the paddock gate to the feed shed. We would take turns and do this most days cheering each other on!

What are your top tips for parents of horse-mad children?

I think you shouldn’t force your children to ride. I was desperate to ride since the age of eight and I worked at the riding school to have weekly lessons. When I was fourteen, I got a part-time job so I could loan a pony. Since then horses were a motivation for me to be responsible and make a decent living. My friend that got me into horses, it was her mother that really wanted her to ride versus her… and my friend doesn’t ride now. I also think once kids are old enough, make sure they take some responsibility for their horses they ride eg grooming, cleaning the stable or paddock.

Have you sat your baby boy on a pony yet? We’d love a pic!

Yes. The first time he went alone he was scared and cried on my friends’ pony. The second time though he was smiling and looked quite proud of himself – probably after watching his mummy ride all the time. He also has had a sit on my horse Frieda once with me and another time tried to ride my instructor’s dog trying to imitate me!

Do you think there’s more we could we do to encourage boys into riding? (My son is the only boy in our Pony Club).

It’s funny in Spain there are loads of boys and men that ride. Riding is quite macho and different to the UK, or Australia where I am originally from. In the UK or Australia, the boys seem more interested in adrenalin or team/ball sports. I think the fun and exciting factor is a drawcard… also, team sports like horse ball could encourage them more. In Spain, they have a big horse ball scene actually.

Other than your own books, what are your top 3 books for horse-mad children?

I read Amanda Will’s Riverdale Story for the first time recently and I think it might just be my favourite modern pony book. She is a talented writer; her characters seem authentic and the story is a page-turner. I used to love Flambards when I was younger as it seemed so exotic and fascinating to me – the old English world of hunting (although also a bit cold and cruel). I was also was a bit obsessed with the Saddle Club series as it featured not only horses but ‘coming of age’ themes.

Which of your real horses inspired the horses in your books?

In Tabby’s Big Year, Tabby’s young horse Bliss is based on my horse now, Frieda. She is a 7-year-old, 16.2hand Oldenburg mare that I am training for dressage. I’ve used many names from horses I have known in Sweetbriars. Violet’s horse Spot is based on my last horse in Australia – although I made him Andalusian in the book, however, he has the same kind temperament and dark grey colour, with a peculiar white spot on his hindquarters.

I see a proportion of sales from the first book in the series goes to the RDA. That’s wonderful. Are you doing the same for the second book?

Well, the agreement was that I would contribute once I made a profit with the books, and despite it selling well on Amazon for its genre, I am still yet to make a profit. But I have made a personal donation to them. I hope that one day the series grows bigger (as it’s still in its infancy) then I can donate to the RDA in a bigger way.

Last q, and it’s really important! Who would you want to ride with – the Dothraki warriors in Game of Thrones or the Rohirrim in Lord of the Rings?

I think the Dothraki warriors – I just read that they have such a strong bond with horses, that they are born, fight, and die in the saddle. That sounds cool!

The blurb

After Tabby’s father vanishes, a deep rift develops in Tabby’s family. Tabby’s mother is focused on being a star performer in her pharmaceutical sales career, while Ava, Tabby’s older sister, is living with grandparents in Cornwall. Tabby feels neglected by her mother and jealous of Ava and although outwardly diligent and responsible, she’s like a kettle about to blow its top… bottling things up until it’s nearly impossible to keep a lid on her frustration and sadness.

Tabby finds solace with her best friends Cate and Violet at Sweetbriars Farm where she is nursing her dream horse Bliss back to peak performance, to be able to participate in the try-outs for the British Young Riders Squad.

Tabby also finds herself facing other challenges – saving her beloved horse Nancy from the knacker’s yard and finding the courage to tell her friends the truth about her family.
Will Tabby be able to save the horses she loves and be brave enough to tell people how she really feels?

Biography

Hollie Anne Marsh is an Australian author who lives in Barcelona, Spain with her partner, baby boy and horse Frieda.

Hollie has been horse riding since she was a little girl, enjoying activities such as Pony Club, showjumping, eventing, and trail-riding in the great Australian bush. Hollie lived in England for almost ten years where she had two horses and trained them for dressage.

The Sweetbriars series is inspired by all the special moments Hollie spent with horses – good, funny, and challenging moments!

Additionally the ‘coming of age’ and ‘growing up’ experiences that Hollie had.
Hollie hopes that readers will be able to identify with the characters, find the books fun to read, and they will help readers learn more about horses.

Website: www.sweetbriarsfarm.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellosweetbriars/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollieannemarsh/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/Hollieannemarsh

Purchase Links:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tabbys-Big-Year-Equestrian-Sweetbriars-ebook/dp/B07STMZZ9J/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Tabbys-Big-Year-Equestrian-Sweetbriars-ebook/dp/B07STMZZ9J/

Top secret stuff from the amazing Celine Kiernan

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to have the fabulous Celine Kiernan on my blog today. I read Begone The Raggedy Witches last year, and absolutely loved it. And the sequel, The Little Grey Girl, was published recently.

She gets described by the press as “Ireland’s answer to JK Rowling”, but I really don’t think this does her justice. She has a magical quality to her writing – I’m more in the world of CS Lewis and E Nesbit.

Anyway, we had a little chat, although she did have to vanish up into the attic for a while in the middle, and here it is. How she didn’t end up a crime writer is beyond me – you’ll see what I mean!

What kind of stories did you write as a child?

Weird, dark, spooky stories, such as the one about the murderously xenophobic astronaut trapped on a crippled ship with the ghosts of the crew they poisoned and the hapless alien hitchhiker who was their intended victim.
Could you share a childhood pic of yourself, or your early writing, if by some lucky chance they’re still shoved in your parent’s attic?

Oh boy…
Me as a kid:
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You just sent me off on a very dusty hunt to look for some school day’s writing (If I have an asthma attack, it’ll be your fault)
I had an idea that I might have had some old copybooks in a trunk in my husband’s office, but in fact I turned out to have a wee folder of typed stories! My mam and dad bought me a huge old second-hand dinosaur of a typewriter when I was about 12, and I used to tippy-tap away at the kitchen table almost every night. Here are sections from a few of my stories (including the murderous astronaut one!) It’s hard for me to believe I wrote these as a child. They seem far more mature than I recall myself being.
And a tough one: the Magic Faraway tree or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?

Alice in Wonderland every damned time (though I prefer Alice Through the Looking Glass!)
What are your top tips for children wanting to develop their writing skills?

Don’t worry about what you think other people want to read, find a story that you want to tell. Write that story without fear or worry or shyness. Be true to yourself and what you want to say. Everything else – spelling, grammar, punctuation, all that stuff – can be learned or fixed later: even if you’re dyslexic ( I know, because I am dyslexic)

 

Eternal Seas Audio book launch!

You may have spotted that Eternal Seas has been made into an audiobook narrated by the very talented Chris Dickins. If you haven’t seen it already, here is a taster for you …

It’s just been on tour and got so many amazing reviews that Chris and I have both been overwhelmed! A huge thanks to all the bloggers who participated 🙂

Here are just a few snippets, but if you’d like to read the full reviews, the links are below.

“Five stars from me – a thoroughly enjoyable story and a well written fantasy novel that suits an audio book perfectly – very highly recommended!!” Donna’s Book Blog

“I had thoroughly enjoyed reading the e-book version of this story and was intrigued to discover if I’d enjoy the audiobook version as much – and I did! … he is very talented at bringing the story to life in the imagination of his listeners. He uses his voice to make it clear just which character is talking and his use of expression, intonation and volume is exemplary. I can easily imagine children being as enthralled as I was by how he relates the story and events, capturing you and taking you into the heart of the action packed adventure.” Splashes Into Books

“I absolutely adored this audiobook for children aged 7-12 (ish).  I think it’s a brilliant introduction to fantasy writing for young children …. The audio itself was extremely well narrated, by Christopher Dickins, who did a brilliant job of using a range of voices so the characters can be distinguished between easily – I feel this is important for young children who find it more difficult to focus on audio. ” Like Herding Cats

“There is a an ease and sense of geniality to his voice that is extremely pleasant. His voice work is great, providing a nice cast of characters. His work is extremely similar to that of David Tennant. Tennant, often recognized for his work on Broadchurch or Doctor Who, is a truly wonderful narrator and voice actor. Dickens, at times, sounds eerily similar and with equal skill.” World Geekly News

“when the sleep timer kicked in, I was still wide awake and ended up just setting another timer so I could keep listening. The audiobook was as hard to turn off as the book was to put down when I read it. Chris Dickins was the perfect choice – he is certainly talented when it comes to different voices. He really injected the full sense of adventure into the story, and I just felt swept along with it.” Mai’s Musings

“The narrator was really great! He gave each character a really distinctive voice, which is an element of audiobook narrating that can be done really well or really… not. But this narrator got nicely into the heads of the characters, and portrayed their attitudes through their words. It builds up a lovely picture of the characters and scene when the narrator does their job well, and I’ll always be appreciative of a good narrator!” The Treasure Within

“a nice easy listen to fill a couple of hours. Something you can so easily lose yourself in, it brings a smile to your face as you are swept up along the way.” Zooloo’s Book Diary

“Christopher Dickens has a pleasant, easy to follow voice, perfect for this genre and age range. He conveys the change in characters and atmosphere well and does so in a way where you know which character is speaking before the speech tag comes – a fantastic quality in a narrator. I don’t have kids, but I found Mr Dickens relaxing, and a great storyteller.” Radzy Writes & Reviews

“the narrator is easy to listen to and his voice doesn’t sound too mature to be narrating from the point of view of a 12 year old boy.” Birdies Bibliotecha

“a brilliant book which is very well narrated” Black Books

“This is one of the best audiobook narraters I’ve come across. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more audiobooks from him, and of course for more books in this series.” This is my bookshelf

Here are the links to all the reviews.

Radzy Writes http://www.vainradical.co.uk/blogs/eternal-seas-blog-blitz/
Zooloo’s Book Diary http://zooloosbookdiary.co.uk/audiobookreview-of-eternal-seas-by-lexi-rees-rararesources
Herding Cats https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/eternal-seas-by-lexi-rees-audiobook-tour/
World Geekly News http://worldgeeklynews.com/books/eternal-seas-book-review
The Treasure Within https://thetreasurewithinblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/eternal-seas-a-sea-faring-adventure-story-blog-blitz/
donnasbookblog https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/blogtour-bookreview-for-eternal-seas-by-lexi-rees/
Birdie’s Bibliotheca https://birdiesbibliotheca.com/2019/04/23/eternal-seas-a-review/
Splashes Into Books https://splashesintobooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/eternal-seas/
Mai’s Musings https://maitaylor567291325.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/eternal-seas-lexi-rees-audiobook/
This Is My Bookshelf https://thisismybookshelfblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/blog-tour-eternal-seas/

 

Huge thanks again to everyone, and to Rachel’s Random Resources for hosting the tour!

Spotlight on local author Carol Thomas

I often spotlight books and authors, but they’re aways either children or adults, but Carol Thomas, from my local writing network Chindi, has published in both. So I thought we’d chat a bit about how she flips between genres.

Which came first, writing romance or writing for children?

Writing romance, and since gaining my publishing contract with Ruby fiction for my novel, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, it has been my main focus. However, I am a mum of four, I have two grandchildren, and I worked as a playgroup leader and primary school teacher for over fifteen years. Children are a very big part of my life and have a way of sneaking into my novels.

I often record the fabulous comments made by my own children. I love their inquisitive minds and how they look at the world. When the opportunity arises, I thread their words into my books. For me, this adds authenticity to the voices of the children I am portraying. In The Purrfect Pet Sitter, and its sequel Maybe Baby, the supporting cast of children (and pets) inspire some of my favourite comedic moments.

Regarding Finding a Friend, my first children’s book, the idea came to me in such a way that I couldn’t resist writing it. After reading a bedtime story to my then five-year-old son, I was looking at a photograph of him with our much-loved chocolate Labrador who had passed away at the grand old age of sixteen. The two of them shared a close bond, and I thought how lovely it would have been if they had grown up together. The first verse sprung to mind, and I said it aloud to my son. I kept going, hurriedly noting it down soon after.

thumbnail_edward imagine a puppy with him

Once I had the verses written, I worked on it, deploying my knowledge of developing early literacy skills to ensure the language was rhythmic, rhyming and repetitive. I wanted the text to inspire children to join in, anticipate and repeat words and phrases. It was a joy to write.

I have subsequently written two other children’s books that are awaiting illustrations. It is hard to balance the time, with the demands of writing and promoting my romance novels too, but I hope to get them out later this year.

What advice would you give to writers who are planning to write across genres?

If I could go back, I would put my children’s book out under a pen name and have separate social media pages in readiness for it. I didn’t, under the advice of my then publisher who quite rightly stated that as it is the adults who purchase children’s books, it would be them (the followers I had already gained from romance writing) who would be my target audience. However, in reality, this means that my children’s book doesn’t often get the attention it deserves.

I write romance, it is in no way explicit, but still, it is hard to balance posting about Chris Hemsworth inspiring my male lead in Maybe Baby, with posting about my cute picture book about a puppy! So watch this space, when my other books come out, I will endeavour to rectify this.

 

So since I’m getting into holiday mode, tell us about your latest romantic comedy novel:

thumbnail_Maybe Baby_High Res

Maybe Baby is the sequel to The Purrfect Pet Sitter (Lisa Blake book #1). While each book can be read as a standalone story, Maybe Baby revisits the characters from The Purrfect Pet Sitter as they move into the next phase of their lives. It is the book of what happens after the happy ever after.

And here’s the blurb:

Just when you thought you had it all worked out …

Best friends Lisa and Felicity think – maybe, just maybe – they finally have everything sorted out in their lives.

Lisa is in a happy relationship with her old flame, and busy mum Felicity has managed to reignite the passion with her husband, Pete, after a romantic getaway.

But when Lisa walks in on a half-naked woman in her boyfriend’s flat and Felicity is left reeling from a shocking discovery, it becomes clear that life is nothing but full of surprises!

Amazon Links:

Romance: Maybe Baby

Kids: Finding a Friend

About the author:

thumbnail_Carol Thomas headshot2

An active member of the Chindi Authors, Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children and lively Labrador. She has a passion for reading, writing and people watching and can often be found loitering in local cafes working on her next book.

Website and Social Media Links:

Home

http://facebook.com/carolthomasauthor

https://www.instagram.com/carol_thomas2/

 

Blog:

http://carol-thomas.co.uk/blog

Oooh a LoveReading4Kids badge!

OK, this is a brag post. I fully admit that. But please bear with me as I’m pretty excited! Eternal Seas just got this award from the awesome book review site LoveReading4Kids …

indie-books-we-love

If you’d like to check out their Ambassador review click here

Now, I guess I’d better get back to editing the sequel.

Thanks so so much to all my readers – you’re absolutely the best!

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