Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I absolutely LOVE books about horses and today's guest has a doozy for us!
Good Morning, Friends and welcome to the last edition of Saturday Spotlight before we get into our "All Christmas thru Christmas" Feature beginning next weekend.
Hwyela Lyn is brand new to our blog (don't know how that happened as I've known her for years!) with her book, The Matchmaker's Mare, so tighten your cinch and let's get a peek into this novel.
Thanks for joining us Hywela, tell us why you wrote The Matchmaker's Mare and what makes it special...
My previous books for the Wild Rose Press, who have published all my books to date, are fantasy and futuristic romances, so this story, set in my native Wales, mainly in the present time, is a little different. As a Christian, I try to incorporate Christian values into my stories, hopefully without being ‘preachy’, but I do think love and marriage, honesty and fidelity are qualities to be valued in an ever-changing world, and I’ve tried to incorporate all these in this little tale of friendship, love and second chances.
I’ve had a passion for horses for as long as I can remember. The Matchmaker’s Mare evolved from a short story I wrote years ago, although it has changed considerably from the original. I usually manage to sneak a horse or pony into all my stories somewhere, and this one allowed me to indulge my love of horses more fully.
When I left school, I saved up for five years to purchase Flicka, my first horse, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge several years ago and is also featured in The Matchmaker’s Mare, along with Flying T’pau (aka TipTop) although the actual ‘Star’ (Seren) was a gentle 15.2 hands high bay mare I bred myself from Flicka, rather than a feisty little chestnut pony, but she did have a perfect star in the middle of her face! Although horses are important in this story, I hope it will appeal not only to horse lovers, but to anyone who enjoys a gentle, uplifting romance with a touch of mystery – not to mention a couple of friendly ‘otherworldly’ spirits.
Oh wow, what a beautiful reason to write this one, Hywela. Give us more please...
Blurb: When Megan Johnson inherits an old cottage in the Welsh countryside, she seizes the opportunity to cut ties with her past life, after a broken romance. Her nearest neighbour, a horse trainer, is also something of an enigma. Single dad Glyn Phillips does his best to balance his love of horses and hard work, with his devotion to his son. When he meets his new neighbour, he knows he should resist any attraction. A feisty pony mare which mysteriously appears on his land adds to his problems, but another, larger problem lies ahead. Two matchmaking spirits find their carefully laid plans may not go as smoothly as they hope.
Excerpt: The memory of Glyn Phillips’ smile stayed with Megan all the way home. The handsome, quietly spoken horse trainer she’d just met was so charismatic. He obviously doted on his son, and she could understand him being worried about him handling the wild little mare, even though she’d seemed to calm down for the boy.
She could not help wondering about the boy’s mother. The village shopkeeper had informed her Glyn Phillips and his son moved into the farm about three years ago, but made no mention of anyone else. Well, it wasn’t really any of her business. She would hate to be thought of as a typical ‘nosy neighbour.’ Still, it was difficult not to feel a bit curious.
By the time she drew up outside Ty Gwyn, the daylight had faded, and a young moon filtered through the grove of trees next to the cottage. The newly whitewashed walls which gave the cottage its name, reflected back the gentle moonlight. She couldn’t help a little rush of pride. All the time and effort she’d spent on the cottage over the last weeks had been worth it!
She gave a sudden start. Was that a shadow moving in the darkened window of the kitchen? She left the car and fumbled in her bag for her keys, her hands shaking a little. She needed to invest in a sensor light. Apart from the practicality of having such a light, she always felt a little nervous in the dark. Of course the moonlight played funny tricks sometimes, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling of someone watching her.
THANK YOU! Now tell us more about yourself and where we can find you AND get a copy of The Matchmaker's Mare...
Sure, Pam, below are my official bio and social media links...
Award-winning U.K. author, Hywela Lyn spent most of her life in Wales, whose beautiful landscapes and wealth of myths and legends inspired her to write. A horse and dog lover, she weaves fantasy romances set in her native Wales, and romantic Science Fiction adventures set in the future. She loves dreaming up characters who overcome the odds, and go on to find deep and enduring love. However difficult the journey, in the end love will always win. She hopes her stories will truly take you 'out of this world' and beyond.
She is a member of The Romantic Novelists' Association and her local writing group, Chiltern Writers. Beloved Enemy, the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, was shortlisted in the Paranormal category of the prestigious Romantic Novelists Association RoNA awards and was a Runner up in the U.S. RONE Awards in 2017. Circumstances prevented her writing since the Release of Beloved Enemy and she is excited to now be able to announce the release of her new novel The Matchmaker’s Mare, featuring her other great love, horses, and the area in Wales where she grew up.
When she is not writing or reading, she can usually be found enjoying the outdoors with her rescue dog Choccy, who rules the house and keeps her sane (nearly) anything involving horses or dogs, or just eating chocolate!
Website: https://Hywelalyn.co.uk
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I do, Friends! This book is definitely on my wish list!
Until next week, take care, God Bless and...
PamT
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