I am hard at working on the sequel to Gumboots, Gumshoes & Murder, which has proven to be a popular audio book this fall. The Dastardly Mr. Deeds is coming along nicely. I am about one-third of the way there. I find as a writer the first quarter of the book is the hardest to write. Because the clues to solving the mysteries of the feet in sneakers are within the pages of one of the character’s fictitious books of the name, I have to write two books in one. I am just starting to channel my inner, Tiffany. lol Hopefully, I shall complete the book before the end of January. That is my goal.

Sometime within the next couple of days, the new covers will appear on Amazon for Independence and One Frosty Christmas. I would have loved to have returned to One Frosty Christmas‘ original book cover, but due to the new specs on Amazon, it doesn’t meet their requirements and the artist has moved on. Thanks to my Facebook friends and readers I met at The Mane Event in Chilliwack and at my local farmer’s market in Qualicum Beach for taking the time to chat about everything horses and books. So….ta da!

NOTE TO LISTENERS OF THE AUDIO BOOKS: The Unicorn Daze Series is based on a series of short stories I performed at middle schools during school readings. I tried to capture the feel of my grandparents tall tales of storytelling when the whole family was gathered around the kitchen table playing cards at their summer cottage. I can still hear my grandfather’s voice in my head all these many, many years later reciting the tale of the Headless Horseman, Paul Bunyan, and his cavalry horse, Big Red.

The kids loved this series of short stories. The readings were made up of several classes from Grades 1 – 4, with special needs children also in attendance. This is what started me reading these stories in the play format so that the younger and older children as well as those with learning disabilities could follow along. It proved very successful and a couple of teachers urged me to publish them.

From some of my reviewers comments on Audible, children aged 3 – 5 are really hooked on this format, but adults may find it distracting. No problem though, just ask the kids to explain it. lol

I have been very humbled over the last few days with the many wonderful reviews left by readers and listeners alike. Your kind words have truly meant a lot to me, and to my narrators as well. A huge amount of time, anywhere from 2 months to two years went into the writing of my novels, depending on how much research was involved. Yes, I said, ‘research’. My narrators had to some research to pronounce names and prayers as well, not to mention the endless hours of editing on any given project.

I went to the Natural History Museum in Victoria and Vancouver and spoke to the gracious folks at the Heads Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre to make sure that I had the write details on the clothes worn by Cree, Blackfoot, and the Metis for my ghostly warriors in The Great Pumpkin Ride as well as to get more information on Medicine Wheels and Blackfoot ceremonial dances. I had visited there in the past, and recommend it to anyone passing through that area in Alberta. In Valentino, I had to not only interview folks about Will, the horse that got left behind, but visit Jedidiah Island and research the wild foods and heritage vegetables that were growing there or that could grow there in the winter.

So….in closing, thank you to all.

May all your mounts be swift and your trails be filled with beauty,

Laura Hesse

The King of Christmas – click here for a preview

When the three little pigs give Santa’s reindeer the Swine Flu the night before Christmas, it is up to Jessie and Gus to help Santa save Christmas.

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Amazon.com  Amazon.ca  Amazon.UK

Heading to Chilliwack with two other equine authors for the stupendous Mane Event. If you love horses, then this is the place to be! Amazing demos, clinicians, and of course, the trade show. We will be in the Equine Authors of Canada booth, #103. Come for a visit and lets chat horses and writing. See you there. https://chilliwack.maneeventexpo.com/

The Great Pumpkin Ride does!

Can’t be more happy than this. The Great Pumpkin Ride has soared to #1 on Amazon. Was there yesterday, and still there today.

The audio book for The Great Pumpkin Ride is now available around the world on Amazon and itunes:

Just Released: The Great Pumpkin Ride – click here for a preview

A mysterious ring of stones in a clearing…an abandoned old trapper’s cabin in the woods… Flickering lights in the forest…the sound of hoof beats in the night…go ahead, we dare you. Join The Great Pumpkin Ride for the ride of a lifetime. We dare you!

In print, e-book and now in audio book.

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Amazon.com  Amazon.ca  Amazon.UK

Fall is here, the leaves are turning. I have just downloaded some rainy night and blustery day reads into my kindle library and into my audiobook listen-to files. I was so excited when Carrie Burgess and Leslie Howard completed the audiobooks for Gumboots, Gumshoes & Murder and The Great Pumpkin Ride, not to mention Valerie Merarchie (Independence) and Shelley Reece (Valentino). These ladies are all so very talented and I am truly blessed to work with them. Gumboots, Gumshoes & Murder just went live on Audible and Amazon around the world this morning. The Great Pumpkin Ride should be out next week.

If you like listening to audiobooks, please don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon, itunes, or Audible. Word of mouth about their work is the best way for any artist to make a living, and that includes these marvelous ladies, not just little old me – the story teller.

Have a great day all…..stay warm, stay safe, and take an umbrella wherever you go these days, and perhaps a hurricane kit.

Laura

So I just checked out some of my new reviews on my books, and this review of Valentino brought tears to my eyes. This book, more than any other, was a labour of love. I am so grateful that this story has touched someones heart so profoundly.

“Maddie who is blind is not what I expected in character. She does not let her disability get in her way. The thing that brings her down is the situation she was in and even then it took a while before she started to have negative thoughts. August I liked as well, he was not what I expected a teenage boy to act like but then he did have a different up bringing so he acted mature yet he still had doubts. This is more due to the fact that he is only 16 and has not really experienced life.
I loved the book! It is based more on family, faith (no matter what that is), belief in yourself, never giving up and love for family, friends and animals. The author had me crying at times and my heart beating in anticipation.
I would highly recommend this to all since it is a clean read. “