Hello! I am so happy to bring you this update, which feels like it has been forever in the making. I am partnering with Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, to issue beautiful new editions of The Eventing Series and Briar Hill Farm – plus, an all-new novel planned for 2025!
Here is the deal announcement from Publisher’s Weekly:
Bringing the equestrian world to a new audience through the distribution power of a major publisher is a huge job that I couldn’t do on my own. And, working with Flatiron Books means that I have been able to revise these books with a fantastic editor to bring out the best versions of the stories – something else that’s very hard to do alone.
I have spent my summer so far on revisions, and there are more to come, so that I can bring you and readers everywhere an incredible new reading experience that stays true to the core personalities and horses in the books: Jules, Pete, Lacey, Becky – and of course, Mickey and Dynamo! Plus all the Alachua Eventing Co-op, Seabreeze Equestrian Center, and Briar Hill Farm characters, from Lindsay to Grace to Alex, who are so important to this journey.
Meanwhile, the creative team at Flatiron Books have been developing gorgeous new cover treatments that will bring the equestrian lifestyle to audiences everywhere from bookstores to airports. Can you imagine spotting one of these on your next flight?
Aren’t they spectacular?
The Eventing Series reissues will begin delivering in December (ebooks for Ambition and Pride) with paperback/ebook releases coming in January, March, and throughout 2025. Later, I’ll be able to share plans for Briar Hill Farm and that new book teased in the Publisher’s Weekly announcement!
If you’d like to preorder, you can find the new editions at your favorite bookstore or use my links below:
If you’d like a first edition paperback, you can order from Taborton Equine Books at https://readriderepeat.com/collections/eventing-series while supplies last. You can email me (natalie @ nataliekreinert .com) with your order confirmation to receive a signed bookplate – U.S. addresses only, please.
Thank you so much for being a reader! I hope you’re as excited as I am to see The Eventing Series grow. Horse Books for Everyone!!
The Eventing Series: my most popular series – and for that, readers, I thank you so much!
I wrote the first draft of AMBITION in 2011, and since then, The Eventing Series has grown from a book I wrote in the evenings after shifts at the Central Park mounted unit barn, to a series sensation with a prequel, a spin-off series, and fans numbering in the tens of thousands. I am amazed every day at the reach Jules and her horses have around the globe. It’s just incredible!
One thing that has become apparent to me over the past few years is that AMBITION, only the second or third novel I’d ever written, is not written to the same standards as my more recent additions to the series, like PROSPECT or FLIGHT. In fact, the first few books have some issues I’ve wanted to correct for a long time. I want readers to have the best possible experience with my books.
And so this year I began a long process of revising the books in The Eventing Series – a process that will improve the writing, enhance the stories, and create a better reading experience for everyone. Whether you’re a long-time fan or you’re just picking up AMBITION for the first time, this is going to be a plus for you – really!
I am thrilled with the way the new editions are turning out. And I really can’t wait for you to read them. But it’s going to take some time to get through all of the books and develop them in the way they – and you – deserve.
With this revision and the need for updated editions and covers in mind, I am taking the series off-sale for a temporary period of time.
They will go back on sale as preorders, with release dates to be announced.
I am staggering this hiatus period. Books 1-4 will go off-sale from Kobo and their distribution partners beginning Wednesday, August 3.
They will go off-sale from Amazon, Google, Apple, and other partners beginning July 6 at 5 PM EST.
Books 5-8 will go off-sale in late summer. Briar Hill Farm will also go off-sale for a period this fall to prepare new editions.
The books will all return! And when they do, you’ll love the updated covers, more cohesive storytelling, and all-around improvements you’ll experience within the pages of these beloved titles.
Here’s what that means for you:
If you’re just getting into The Eventing Series, and you do not want to wait on the new editions to finish reading Books 1-4, you will want to purchase those books by Saturday, July 6. I recommend getting them from my store, where you can find the books alone or in a bundle package and save 20% with THANKS20 at checkout. You can also use PAPERBACK20 to purchase four or more paperbacks at a discount. You’ll likely find this is the most cost-effective way to purchase the current editions of the books.
Because I have more control over the pages, sales can continue on this site through Sunday, July 7.
The ebooks and paperbacks are also available from all other retailers, from Amazon to Apple, Kobo, Google and more. Just search “natalie keller reinert” and they’ll pop up!
Not in a hurry? Not the world’s fastest reader? Or you’ve already got all of them, and just want to know what’s next? Well, the books will return! Stay connected with my newsletter (you can sign up here) and I’ll let you know when you can get your fabulous new editions of The Eventing Series!
Thank you so much for reading! I couldn’t do it without you.
I know lots of readers have Kindle Unlimited subscriptions – I do, too! So here’s a rundown of the Natalie Keller Reinert books currently available with your Kindle Unlimited subscription!
Catoctin Creek
If you haven’t yet visited Catoctin Creek, you’re missing out on relaxation, beauty, and romance in the heart of the Maryland mountains. Readers love the settings and characters in Catoctin Creek. This series of four novels follows a new main character in each of the first three books, and then brings multiple characters together in the final volume. I purposely wrote Catoctin Creek to have a gentle, anxiety-free pace, as I began writing this series during the lockdowns of 2020.
This year, I designed beautiful new ebook covers for Catoctin Creek!
Sea Horse Ranch and its follow-up, Sea Horse Lodge, are fan favorites for anyone who loves a unique, tropical setting! Years ago, I fell in love with the Florida Keys…and I’m hardly alone. In Sea Horse Ranch, I take readers off the beaten track, onto an out-island populated by a small group of islanders (lower Keys locals are called “Conchs” by the way) and a charming herd of horses. They’d love to offer beach rides with these horses…but the island doesn’t have a beach! That’s just the first hurdle towards keeping Sea Horse Ranch from falling into the hands of developers, as outside Katie will find after she ends up on the island.
There’s also a romance, a handsome musician, and a whole lot of island fun!
It’s called “relatable” for a reason…Grabbing Mane, and its follow-up, Flying Dismount, are two of my most popular books outside The Eventing Series! Casey’s grown-up life was perfectly fine. Great job, great boyfriend, great friends. But when she finds herself taking her first riding lesson since she gave up horses in high school, Casey’s life turns upside-down. Suddenly, she’s spending Saturdays at the barn instead of at brunch. Can Casey manage life, work, and horses? It’s the eternal question, now in novel form!
These titles are the current Kindle Unlimited ebooks from Natalie Keller Reinert. I hope you enjoy them! And if you did, please leave a review or tell a friend!
NOW IN KINDLE UNLIMITED: three romantic comedies with my signature writing style (slightly wordy is how I’d describe it, does that sound right to you?) with characters you’ll love rooting for!
Read them with your Kindle Unlimited subscription during this limited-time KU run!
THE WEEKEND WE MET: Book One of The Settle Down Society, featuring Insta-Love with a catch…only one of them remembers where they met.
THE SETTLE DOWN SUMMER: Book Two of The Settle Down Society, featuring The Wrong Guy, a crusty detective with a heart of gold, and New York City in every season (summer just sounded best as the title).
SORRY I KISSED YOU: My spiciest book yet, but it’s still closed-door (sorry again!) and featuring a fake dating rock-star romance that was my favorite writing experience of the entire year. They say you can tell when a writer was having a great time, so give this one a try and see what really makes me happy!
The best part about living on the farm is that every day is an opportunity for me to play with my horse. It’s so helpful for my writing, and something I didn’t get when I was keeping him a distance away from my apartment. I get to handle Ben every single day, and most days I ride him, too.
Now, Ben is very food-motivated, and I think it’s important to use what works for a horse to train him. But of course, training horses with treats can make them very mouthy and demanding. That’s why some people simply never give their horses treats at all.
I believe treats can be used positively and I make sure Ben gets them regularly. So that I don’t overfeed him or overload him with sugar, I use Buckeye Carrot Crunchers. I was very excited when I found these treats, because I’d been struggling to find treats both small enough to use regularly yet also not full of sweetener — and they’re the perfect size for my needs, but more on that below.
The thing is, the treats part of clicker training was really important. I knew I’d be giving up my most valuable motivator for Ben if I had to stop giving him treats. Food is his language. Some horses will work for pats, but he’s not one of them!
But of course, we had a problem. This horse was mugging me for treats constantly. Not just me–everyone who crossed his path. He was in pockets, tugging on shirts, running his lips along arms–basically a menace.
Then, I went to a clinic by Shawna Karrasch, who came up with clicker training for horses back in the 1990s. I was skeptical of clicker training for the longest time, but I saw her do a demo at Horse World Expo in PA and liked her explanation of how it was derived from training marine mammals. That miraculous connection we see between trainers and animals like dolphins or seals is created with clicker training.
The thing I liked best about clicker training was one of the very first lessons Shawna teaches: the horse should turn his head AWAY from the trainer before getting a treat. What I found out was it was fairly quick and easy to click and give the horse a treat as soon as he made the try to turn his head away, and then, it was just a matter of time before the horse looked away completely in order to say he wanted a treat.
It’s also super cute when they do it.
I found everything I needed to clicker train was inexpensive: a container to hold treats (I use a Herschel hip-bag I found on clearance), a clicker (I grabbed a $7 dollar one from the dog aisle at Tractor Supply) and treats.
Now for treats, I wanted something decently sized because I use them while riding, and I wear gloves. So I need to be able to grasp it from the bag and hand it to Ben while wearing gloves. Forage pellets were a little too small for the job. I tried a couple different kinds of treats, but it was hard to find something the right size that was also low in sugar.
When I discovered these Buckeye Carrot Crunchers treatas, I was excited because they’re perfect: no sugar, small and round (easy to grasp in gloves), and really just made from carrots and wheat. There’s nothing in here to bother your average horse’s metabolism–or make him or her hot with extra sugar! And they’re also really reasonably priced.
I started with groundwork, teaching Ben to turn his head away from me by clicking and offering a treat every time he looked away from me (or the hip-bag with the treats in it). Once he started turning his head away, I did some more basic groundwork — clicking and treating for halting, or lifting his forelegs when I said leg. Super easy things.
What I find is that everything sticks really well, and that includes WHEN treats are on offer. Basically, Ben knows when I’m wearing the hip-bag and that we’re going to work (and he’s gonna get some treats). He knows that he’s not allowed to root in my hip-bag for treats, and if he does stick his nose on it and I push his nose away, he looks away quickly because he has remembered that he’s supposed to turn his head away before I give him a treat.
After I’ve untacked him from a ride and I’m going to give him a shower, the hip-bag comes off and he knows there won’t be any more treats until I’m done with him, which also stops the nosy, invasive behavior. He just stands still for his bath.
It has completely cured his mugging problem. Which is so great, because I love giving this horse treats. And yes, I do give him a cookie now and then without the hip-bag or the clicker, but it’s not enough to make him a mugger again. Since we reinforce with the hip-bag, the Carrot Crunchers, and the clicker 3-5 times per week, he retains the knowledge that he’s probably not getting anything unless all those items are in place.
Definitely give this a try if your horse is a mugger or nippy about treats, because it makes giving your horse treats fun again, and also teaches them boundaries. They like learning, so the whole process is great for them. Even if you don’t use clicker training for anything in the saddle, for groundwork games and teaching them not to mug for treats, it’s unbeatable!
Equestrian Life is part of writing Equestrian Fiction.
Keeping horses, especially keeping them at home with me, is such an important part of my writing. If you’re working to become an established author of equestrian-related fiction, be sure horses are as much a part of your life as they can be. Even if you can’t keep one at home to get hands-on training principles correct in your fiction, you might be able to go to horse shows or volunteer at equestrian events. Stay horsey. It really matters to your work!
Yes, it’s true! I’ve written a new book in The Eventing Series. Flight, which takes place after the action in Friends With Horses (Briar Hill Farm: Book Two) is coming out in July 2023 – in ebook and print.
Because the Eventing Series family has grown so much with the tie-in of characters from Alex & Alexander, Show Barn Blues, and Ocala Horse Girls, it felt like time to draw Jules and Pete (and their horses) out of the big group and really focus on them for a while. So Flight takes place not in Florida, but in Maryland!
Jules and Pete have come to Maryland for a six-week stay, during which time they’ll on-board two new horses for their farm and compete at several Maryland events before finishing the fall season at Chesapeake Three-Day Event on the Eastern Shores. Everything is not simple in Maryland — Jules thinks the eventing community is snobby and out to get her, and Pete’s new horses come with a big catch…their former trainer doesn’t really want to give them up.
While the eventing couple are trying to navigate conflict with their Maryland counterparts, they’re also just trying to survive as young parents on the road — not an easy thing to do!
With plenty of horses (old friends and new), lots of riding, and a level of Jules sass that should satisfy all her loyal fans, Flight is an adventure in eventing as only Jules and Pete could live it.
I think you’re going to love it!
You can preorder Flight from my store right now — don’t forget to use promo code THANKS20 at checkout to save 20% on your order. Ebooks will deliver in mid-July from BookFunnel, allowing you to read on your preferred digital device or the BookFunnel app and browser. Signed Paperbacks will deliver in late July/early August, with a free ebook delivery included. Sorry, Signed Paperbacks are currently U.S. only, but watch for international options coming very soon!
I’m very proud of my first Ocala Horse Girl today. Posey Malone, take a bow! The first of my equestrian romance series, The Project Horse, takes a finalist spot in the American Horse Publications’ 2023 awards. The category is best Equine-Related Fiction. In 2020, my novel The Hidden Horses of New York took this prize!
I think The Project Horse has what it takes to go all the way! In this novel, horse country ex-pat Posey Malone comes home again after spending ten years as a struggling copywriter in New York City…and finds out a few things have changed while she’s been gone. Thrust into the equestrian world so quickly she practically gets whiplash, Posey finds herself working alongside her ex-boyfriend Adam Salazar at his family’s Thoroughbred breeding and training farm. He’s the guy that pushed her out of horses a decade before, but Adam seems different now.
Different…and eager to make up for his past transgressions, although she’s not sure she wants to trust him. But when Posey bets him he can’t retrain a project horse to win a horse show class as quickly as she can, their uneasy relationship charges out of the gate!
Along with the fun and horsey romance taking place, readers also get to know Posey’s friends Evie Ballenger and Kayla Moore, who become the stars of their own stories in The Regift Horse and The Sweetheart Horse.
Now available in ebook from my store at NatalieKReinert.shop, as well as the Amazon Kindle store: The Regift Horse, Book 3 of Ocala Horse Girls!
Evie has struggled to find meaning in her equestrian life after retiring her heart horse. So when her cousin concocts a plan to regift her Christmas horse to Evie, she’s on board with the idea…although she’s less certain when she finds out it comes with a boarding and training contract.
Malcolm Horsham is a notorious terror on the eventing circuit, especially where his staff is concerned. But when he offers Evie a shot at training with him for six months, she goes against the gossip and gives him a chance.
Is Malcolm going to grind his new working student into the ground? Or will Evie take every chance he gives her to pull aside his tough armor and find the nice guy within?
It’s a romance – take a guess. But the fun is definitely in the journey!
Have an amazing time with The Regift Horse…I know I had an amazing time writing it!
Where to find it:
My store – ebooks you can read on any device, including Kindles: nataliekreinert.shop
Fulfilling a dream for a friend? That’s all in a day’s work for Katie, who (almost) single-handedly saved Sea Horse Ranch and Hell and Dammit Cay from ruination. So when the island’s resident old salt, Marchant, has a brush with death that leaves him longing to satisfy some of his long-deferred desires, Katie is on the job.
It’s just one more thing on her plate, but Katie is pretty sure she can keep all her plates spinning. Add in a new friend, a long-lost relative, and some stormy weather, and you’re in for a fabulous beach read in this second installment of Sea Horse Ranch.
What an awesome launch of my first Kickstarter! 73% funded in the first two days…which means the audiobook of FOALING SEASON is close to getting produced. I’m so (cautiously) thrilled with the early response to this project.
It’s time to admit that producing books of any kind is not free. Whether an author is working on a publisher advance or an Amazon preorder system (which was my previous method of funding), the basic principles remain: electricity has to keep running, groceries have to be purchased, editing and design programs have to be paid for, and the rent must be paid. All while the book is in production!
If you preordered Book 2 of Briar Hill Farm, FRIENDS WITH HORSES, from Amazon, you got an email telling you the preorder was cancelled. That was Amazon’s call, not mine. But it’s okay, because I’m moving away from the Amazon preorder model to fund my books. Instead, I’m going to work with some new techniques…including Kickstarter.
And so it’s really important to know that a Kickstarter is not a donation – it’s a prepurchase with some great perks attached to thank you for jumping in before the product is complete. Even at the $5 backer level, you’ll get an exclusive short story written in the Briar Hill Farm world.
There are also exclusive digital and physical media packages, with perks like adding yourself to the books, or even adding your business!
So, please consider joining me in a better way to fund book production. And get some audiobooks produced, so more people can enjoy reading! Visit Kickstarter and check out the Briar Hill Farm page. Find the reward level that’s right for you. And share with friends who might love reading or giving the gift of fiction.
