A new year and a new look for the Riverdale books!

Hello!

It feels a bit late to be wishing you a Happy New Year when February is just around the corner, but better late than never! I hope 2026 is one to remember for all the right reasons.

I think when I last wrote I promised you a look back at last year, but first, some very exciting Riverdale news!

As you probably remember, the first four books in the series have had brand-new covers for a while and I’ve been promising to do the same for the last seven books for… ahem… over a year.

Well, I am very happy to report that the glow-up is complete and every book in the series is now sporting a brand-new cover.

My very talented husband, Adrian, has transformed my clumsy initial concepts into polished covers befitting of Poppy, Cloud and all their two and four-legged friends.

Here they are in all their glory. I absolutely love them, and I hope you do too.

Let me know which one is your favourite!

Last year was pretty action-packed and highlights included amazing holidays to Mauritius and Switzerland, our son Thomas’s graduation and my brother-in-law’s wedding in beautiful Cornwall.

I was busy on the writing front and although I didn’t write any pony books, I did release two psychological thrillers under my pen name, A J McDine.

This year is shaping up to be a busy one too. Adrian and I are off to the Ashdown Forest (home of Winnie the Pooh) next month for a couple of days and in March we have something epic planned – a two-week holiday to Borneo.

We’ll be visiting sun bear and orangutan sanctuaries, going on wildlife-spotting boat trips along the Kinabatangan River and pulling on our leech socks (yes, they are a thing!) for a couple of jungle treks. Plus there’ll be a bit of lazing around on the beach at the end of the holiday. I can’t wait!

Writing-wise, I’ve just finished my next psych thriller, which is out in May, and am currently deciding what to write next. It probably won’t be a Riverdale book just yet, but I do have an idea for Book 12 up my sleeve, so you never know!

That’s all for me for now. Do let me know what you think about the new covers. I know many of you are very fond of the original black and white ones (also designed by Adrian), but I think these ones are fresh and modern and will hopefully appeal to a new generation of young, pony-mad readers.

Lots of love,

Amanda x