It's been a while...

Hello!

It's been a long while since I dropped by to say hello. I hope you're doing OK!

Since we last spoke, I've been busy with other writing projects (did you know I also write psychological thrillers under my maiden name, AJ McDine?) but I've also been able to fit in a few pony adventures.

I've now been riding Dobbie once a week for over seven years (time really does fly when you're having fun!) and one of my long-held dreams was to have a go at cross country.

Thanks to his owner, Abi, we did just that a couple of months ago, taking Dobbie and his big brother Lockie to a local cross country course that you can hire by the hour to practice over the fences without any of the stress of competing.

It was still completely nerve-wracking and I had to pull on my big girl's pants, but I had the best time. I think Dobbie did too!

I was also very pleased to get off at the end still in one piece!

Here are a few pictures of the day...

Dobbie was an angel and he looked after me brilliantly. I know there aren't any photos of us jumping, but we did jump lots, I promise!

Charlie the kitten isn't really a kitten anymore, although he still likes to think of himself as the baby of the house.

He's the cuddliest cat I have owned since my childhood cat Snoopy, and she was black and white too. It can't be a coincidence...

Here he is, pretending he's a panther in the middle of the jungle. I'm already starting to get slightly nervous about this year's Christmas tree. Never mind panther - can you imagine the chaos if he decides to pretend he's a pine martin?!

In book stuff, if you're in Kindle Unlimited, I have some great news: my author friend Tudor Robins has put together a one-stop shop where you can find some brilliant horse-themed reads that are all completely free to read with Kindle Unlimited.

The list includes the Riverdale stories, plus many other fantastic reads by some super-talented authors across the UK, the US and Canada including Tudor and my long-time writing buddy Cressida Burton.

Why not give a new-to-you author a try? You can check out all the books here.

I'm afraid there aren't any new Riverdale books to tell you about this time, but to celebrate Christmas, there's an offer on Poppy and Cloud's most festive adventure to date that you won't want to miss.

A Riverdale Christmas is just 99p/99c to download for the next seven days, a huge saving on the normal £2.99/$3.99 price.

Christmas is coming and life at Riverdale is as action-packed as ever...

Poppy’s school is holding tryouts for its first ever showjumping team, and she and her best friend Scarlett are determined to be picked.

But competition for places is fierce and the team coach – formidable Mrs Jackson – thinks Poppy’s flaky.

So when she has a chance to help Instagram star Gaz Winters with his fledgling Christmas charity, Poppy jumps at the chance.

Hoping it will impress the fearsome Mrs Jackson, she throws herself into helping Gaz and his team grant Christmas wishes for sick and disadvantaged children.

And when a young girl called Ella asks for the impossible, Poppy and Cloud must risk everything to make her Christmas dream come true.

You can download A Riverdale Christmas for 99p/99c here.

If you've read it already and are looking for a new story to dive into, my friend Cressida has just released a brand new book.

Against the Clock at Ravensbay is the sixth instalment in her brilliant horsey boarding school book series, the Ravensbay School Stories, which is enjoyed by pony-mad kids and grown-ups alike.

For Paige Buchanan, summer term is all about winning the lower school showjumping class at the Ravensbay School gymkhana - and reclaiming her spot in the alpha riding group.

But as the weeks fly by, everything from her pony Blue Angel’s fitness to the weather seems to conspire against her.

Worse still, rumours swirl that Blue Angel may not even belong to Ravensbay, and Paige could lose her precious pony.

Before she knows it, Paige finds herself racing against the clock, not, as she expected, in the showjumping arena, but to uncover the truth about Blue Angel’s past, and to stop her dreams for success from slipping through her fingers...

You can check out Against the Clock at Ravensbay here.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to check out A Riverdale Christmas if you haven't read it already, and if I don't speak to you before, Happy Christmas!

Amanda