We had hoped to have this Q&A ready to post with the release celebrations for Stacey Kennedy’s Three Chicks Brewery series starter, SASSY BLONDE. However, life happens (and doing a move during a book release makes ALL OF THE THINGS crazy!), so we’re adding it to our celebration for book two in the series, FEISTY RED! (With a wee mention about book three, DIRTY GINGER at the end!)
You can check out the promo post for FEISTY RED, HERE… and I’ll have my review ready later this weekend!
How did you, personally, get introduced to horses?
My aunt had a palomino she’d owned for years. I went out to visit her horse when I was seven years old and that was it for me. I started English riding lessons that next week and I haven’t looked back.
When did you become a horse owner, and how does your horse fit into your day/family?
Growing up, I took English riding lessons for a very long time. When I was in eighth grade, my parents bought me my first mare, Rico. She was an old camp horse who had a bad attitude, except with me. She was an awesome horse and a total blast to ride.
My next horse came when I began doing the hunters/jumpers more seriously and needed something a little fancier. Sampson was an off the track thoroughbred. We showed competitively for years. He jumped his heart out for me. Loved that guy!
I took a break from riding once I got into college and into the early years of my marriage and my kids’ lives. Once the kiddies got a bit older, I co-boarded horses for a while. Then just last year, we added Priya, another off the track thoroughbred into our family. She’s my total heart horse. We have so much fun together!
I try and ride Priya 4-5 times a week first thing in the morning. I can’t write in the mornings, so it’s a great time for me to do it. It’s my mental health break and probably therapy all rolled into one. Sometimes, my daughter rides Priya for fun, but neither of my kids picked up riding.
I know you’ve written cowboys before (I somehow managed to miss the Kinky Spurs series, but I’m heading there shortly, lol!!), have the horses made an appearance before now?
The Kinky Spurs series was my first-time writing about horses. I’d wanted to for a very long time, but for some reason, it just never happened. Now I’m addicted. I feel like horses are a part of me, so they’re very easy to write about. And, for me, horses bring something very special to my life. I enjoy showing that in my novels.
I love the pairing of Hayes with the gelding in SASSY BLONDE. They seem to need each other. Have you worked with struggling horses? How did you learn what Hayes would need to know in order to be effective.
Every horse I’ve owned has struggled one way or another. I enjoy that part of the relationship. I like the process of working together to overcome training obstacles.
I learned about Hayes during writing SASSY BLONDE was he choose horses that were dangerous, and he took risks, because he was punishing himself for the guilt riding him. Once that guilt was freed, he could think clearer about his training choices. Be smarter. Train better. Which always results in a solid horse.
Do you have plans (spoiler alert??) to bring Beckett and the horses back for their own story? (no… you don’t have to answer that, lol… but I’m hoping, lol.)
Yes, Beckett will get his story. He’s the third book in the series. And yes, absolutely, there will always be more horses!
About Stacey Kennedy
Stacey Kennedy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romances full of heat, heart, and happily ever afters. With over 50 titles published, her books have hit Amazon, B&N, and Apple Books bestseller lists.
Stacey lives with her husband and two children in southwestern Ontario—in a city that’s just as charming as any of the small towns she creates. Most days, you’ll find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or venturing into the forest with her horse, Priya. Stacey’s just as happy curled up indoors, where she writes surrounded by her lazy dogs. She believes that sexy books about hot cowboys or alpha heroes can fix any bad day. But wine and chocolate help too.
Connect with Stacey
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2GndEc8
Website: http://bit.ly/38IpidY
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/30UzJIw
Facebook: http://bit.ly/38IX6au
Twitter: http://bit.ly/38I0Zgc
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2sXZlYo
Stay up to date with Stacey by joining her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/38L2R7T
Funk-N-Fiction 