What would you look for?

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Hovis_and_SidsMum

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If you were going to spend some of your hard earned cash on a fiction horse related book what would you be looking for?
What kind of things would make you buy it?
What kind of topics interest you?
What would make you pick it up off the shelf?
What was / is your favourite horse related book?
Does it make you laugh / cry / relate to it?

And yes this is going somewhere I promise..................!
 
I would look for a kind of diary that maybe a Horse called Hovis would write!!!!
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I like an interesting story line that isn't too easy to second guess but doesn't get too complicated, characters I can relate to/are realistic and funny (Hovis' diaries have me in stitches each week, I love them!)
A good synopsis on the back cover of the book and interesting first few pages usually means I go and buy a book because I'm interested in reading more, it's caught my attention. If the first few pages are unimaginative/not compelling reading, it doesn't get a second chance from me I'm afraid.
The Jenny Pitman books are some of my favourites
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On some level alot of people can relate to them, it's a world I don't know much about (racing) written by some-one who did very well in that world so the knowledge comes through too.
But 'In the Pink' by Molly Watson (semi-fictional diary style book based on a real life experience) is fantastic! A real laugh a minute book where you can fully sympathise with the two main 'characters'.
 
I love mysteries, and I'm a huge Dick Francis fan---snappily written, heroes you can really like, clever plotting. I adored The Black Stallion as a kid, and the sorts of books where some girl overcomes adversity in order to win something fabulous with her horse, e.g. National Velvet or decades' worth of lighter-minded successors.

I suppose if I'm looking for horse-related fiction I'd want:

Genuinely likeable protagonists
Lots of stuff about the horses
Something fairly easily digested (though if it's serious literature, horses in it certainly don't go amiss!)
Not too much drippy sentiment---can't stand most romantic comedies; have no patience for gushing
 
I dont like books where a 13 year old girl who's never had lessons and doesn't konw anything about horses goes and buys and unbroken 3 year old colt at the local sales, strugles to pay for it (gets a paper round etc etc) and then at the end of the book comes 1st in a hunter trial!
lol, I used to love books like these (like fly by night) but now am a little cynical but child would enjoy
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I dont like books where a 13 year old girl who's never had lessons and doesn't konw anything about horses goes and buys and unbroken 3 year old colt at the local sales, strugles to pay for it (gets a paper round etc etc) and then at the end of the book comes 1st in a hunter trial!
lol, I used to love books like these (like fly by night) but now am a little cynical but child would enjoy
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Hah, yes, I remember books like those! They stretched my credibility quite a lot even as a 13-year-old, I have to say. But ones where the horse dies or something are much worse.

There was one where the girl was at a hunter/jumper stable, and some nasty rival was trying to discredit the instructor or the riding school by sabotaging everything---something about a bridge set up to break, and all the plaits on the show horses being undone in the morning...no idea what it was called.
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I think it needs to be something that a horse person can relate to, the problems, emotitions, expense etc

Everyone loves a tear jerker, a baddy and happy ending oh and we bit of romance, god loves a tryer, stories of the no hopers achieving their dreams, guess it depends on what age range your writing for though, sorry not much help am I.
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Jilly Cooper- Riders
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something people can relate to but with an element of fantasy and what people would like to be able to relate to
 
I love all the old pony books and still have a huge collection lol

But adult type Horse stories would be great.


Something horsey people relate to, have a yard trollop (we all know one) exciting and funny. Write it Hovis'd diaries are fab you should publish them.
 
well the diaries would make a great collection.

The other adult horsey book I have loved I think was written by Christine pullein thompson but I can't find it so think I have wrong author It was a collection of mostly daft horsey encounters over the years and very funny.

I cannot remember what it is called though and can't find it online. - will keep looking!
 
I would definitely vote for a Hovis Diary - its the highlight of my week!!

Other than that, something that will keep me entertained, a bit funny but maybe with some serious bits, a good solid story line with credibility (like someone said above the 13yr old who knows nothing then wins the local HT is a stretching it a tad) and some decent info about the horses featuring in it!

I like Dick Francis and Caroline Akrill's Not quite a Horsewoman is a classic! There's also a guy who's the horse equivalent of James Herriot - can't remember his name but one of the books was called Vet in Downland and another Vet in the Vale, there is a third but can't remember what it is. They were really good too, oh and I love Jilly Coopers Riders...:-0
 
Completely un-fiction related but racegoers and people watchers among you might like Kate Fox's book called "watching the horsewatchers" (or something along those lines). Its a very easy read and has that alarming ability to make you think "but I do that(!)"

Other non-fiction thoughts, I remember reading a book called "Where Rivers Change Direction" by Mark Spragg which was a series of linked stories by a boy growing up on a ranch which was very moving and agian easy to read (all but the last chapter which was frankly a bit odd - not selling this one so well am I?)

Fiction-wise (as a kids book at least) you still can't beat Black Beauty.
I had an obsession with Dick Francis books, and a one off a book called Nightmares which was based at Glasgow University vet school and I thought was rather enthralling, but uselessly I cant remember the author.

Good luck with the reading list


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If tea doesn't solve the problem, tea and toast will
 
Oooh I used to love the Ginny books.
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I admit to loving the Jilly Cooper books too, something else along those lines would be fab x
 
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