In 2013 I was interviewed by a branding consultant who was helping me about how I came to discover the incredible ability of horses to help us heal and learn. I began talking and four hours, several pots of tea and a pack of Kleenex later, we finished. ‘You should write a book’ he said. I laughed.
But over the months the seed which he had sewn put down some roots and the following summer, falteringly, I began. I got so far, though, and then could get no further. The chapter which loomed was a painful abyss into which I knew I could fall and get lost. So My Book (still untitled) lay in the shadows for another year. Grief, as well as a paralysing fear of failure, kept me from bringing it out again into the daylight.
But healing came gradually, and in the summer of 2015 the chapter which had been my nemesis wrote itself, through a film of tears. The remaining 30,000 words tumbled like a waterfall after a rainstorm. And I began daring to believe in my book, and in my ability to write it. I decided to call it The Spell of the Horse.
I hope that the spirit of the horses will rise from the pages to meet you, that you will feel supported by the stories which I share, including my own; and that my book will help you to find the things, if you need them, which the writing of it brought to me: healing, joy, self-belief, purpose and love.
The Spell of the Horse is published by Blackbird Books and can be purchased from Amazon or ordered through any good bookshop.
I welcome invitations to speak at events, conferences, seminars and literary festivals.
‘The Spell of the Horse is a very special book. I shall be revisiting the pages of The Spell of the Horse many times and if you’re feeling lost in your life I urge you to read it too.’ Linda’s Book Bag
‘Beautifully written’. Mrs Blogg’s Books
‘What an amazing book. It’s more than a memoir. More than an accounting of what happened. It’s more than a reference or self-help book.’ Judi Easley – Blue Cat Review.
Read a selection of reviews here or #horsespell to find full reviews of The Spell of the Horse on Twitter.