I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN

Dear Readers,
Sorry that I have not put up a blog post. I have been out of town. I took my horse, several friends and lots of books down to Tucson for several days of riding and to sign books at the Tucson Festival of Books. We had a great time and I loved signing books for kids and adults. Here are some pictures of our fun trip.


Signing North Mystic at the book festival:

 Signing The Mist Trilogy at the book festival:

Riding in Catalina State Park:

 Riding along the Arizona Trail:
The High Jinks was the old mine of Buffalo Bill Cody.

I'll put up a new post in a few days!!!

Meanwhile, Read The Mist Trilogy. Available in print or ebook. Autographed copies make great gifts and are available on the website:

www.themisttrilogy.com

FALL IN LOVE WITH FELL PONIES

Last year I was doing a book signing in Loveland Colorado. At that event, I met Jenifer Morrissey a fellow author and breeder of Fell Ponies. I had fun visiting with her about her love of Fell ponies. She breeds them at her home in the Colorado Mountains. She calls her home, Willowtrail Farm. She mentioned that she became interested in Fell ponies as a way to help with her husband's logging business. It turns out that at 9,000 feet and very rocky terrain, the ponies were perfect for pulling logs off the mountain in areas that trucks could not go.

I went to the Fell pony society website to learn more about these ponies that have so captured Jenifer's heart. I learned that these ponies are some of the ancient breeds that come from the north counties of England and have probably roamed through hill and dale in that area since pre-historic times. From the iron age, onward, Fell ponies have been work animals for mankind, hauling logs, mining materials, fabric and everything else from the north to the markets in the south. The vikings (that I wrote about in one of my fantasies North Mystic) used the ponies for draft horses as well as for riding. 

Since the 1950's when horses became primarily 'recreational vehicles' as I call them, the ponies have become increasingly popular for their dependability and sure footedness. That makes them great for trails on rough ground. They are also loved for driving and even jumping. 

Black is the predominate color for fell ponies but they also come in brown, bay or gray. They do not exceed 14 hands in height. 

If you would like to learn more about Jenifer Morrissey's breeding program, you can go to her website and see all the fun things she has to say about Fell Ponies. Click here: http://fellponiescolorado.com/html/contactus.html  The pictures are from her website.

Have fun reading the award winning series: The Mist Trilogy. It's about the noble and great horses that are chosen to become unicorns when they die.

YEAH FOR JAZZ-THE STAR OF THE MIST TRILOGY!

Saturday, Sept. 20th, Jazz and I competed in the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society Championships in the Level III class. Jazz was wonderful and we were excited to place third. Now it is back to work to get even better and work toward next year's show season!

Here is a picture of my wonderful husband of 42 years who always supports my horse addiction. He is the ultimate "Horse Husband!"

With show season over, it's time to read. If you need a good book, read Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness or The Rising Mist from The Mist Trilogy, or North Mystic. They are all 
available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere else. But the Best place is on the website where you can get the books autographed!
Click here: www.mjevansbooks.com

DENVER POST COVERS LITERARY AWARD

Most of the time, news is bad...sometimes VERY bad. However, the Denver Post included a good news article about the literary award I was given for my book: North Mystic.

The end of June, North Mystic was awarded first place in the Purple Dragon Fly award for outstanding children's literature in the sci fi/fantasy division! I am so excited!

You can read the article here:

http://yourhub.denverpost.com/blog/201407/local-author-awarded-prestigious-purple-dragonfly-award-for-outstanding-childrens-literature/52084/

 Now, I know there are no horses in this book but you would enjoy it anyway! It is a fun allegory of the revolutionary war but with trolls and leprechuans.

The best place to get it is on amazon or its website: www.northmystic.com  If your local library doesn't have it, just put in a request and they can get it. 

It is nice to read something good isn't it?

FROZEN'S FANTASTIC FJORDS

In December Tom and I had the fun opportunity to take several of our grandchildren to the new animated movie "Frozen." I loved it! I loved everything about it, especially the music. The animation was spectacular and the story was...well, it was a fantasy and you all know  how much I love fantasies! The Disney movies so often include horses. Usually the horses are big and white and carry a handsome prince. Their breed is unidentifiable. But this time, the horses were actually a fairly accurate portrayal of a true Scandinavian breed of horse: The Norwegian Fjord.

Fjords have long been bred throughout Scandinavia but principally in Norway. They were the favorite of the vikings and were taken to Scotland and Ireland in their longboats. You can read more about the Vikings in my new fantasy entitled "North Mystic." (North Mystic is a fun parody of the Revolutionary War but with Trolls and Leprechauns!) 

The Fjords are short and stocky, technically a pony. Ponies, by definition, are 14.2 hands high or less when measured at the withers. That is the one error Disney made. Their Fjords were much too big. But, regardless of their compact size, these ponies are powerful. They have long been used to pull farm equipment in place of the tractor on mountain fields. 

I first became acquainted with the fjord at a dressage show.

With the traditional black and white attire of a dressage rider, the fjords, with their unique markings, looked so darling! They have a pronounced dorsal stripe that runs the length of their mane, along their back and down their tail.

I remember seeing one pony with his mane trimmed like this:

I thought it was so cool! There is one short scene in the movie Frozen where you see an army of soldiers leaving the village to search for the queen and their manes are trimmed like the one above.

Fjord lovers will brag about their versatility. These ponies are used not only for working as plow horses and pack horses but they will drive and jump and perform in dressage.

Not only are all of those things true but they are also very easy keeps...that means they are easy to keep nice and round...unlike my thoroughbred!

To enjoy more fantasies: check out The Mist Trilogy books-the horse-lover's fantasy for ages 9 and up.

Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness and The Rising Mist (the latter currently out only in ebook at the moment.)

Or if you want another fun reading adventure, check out North Mystic.

Click here: 

www.behindthemist.com

or

www.northmystic.com

"Like" them on facebook: Behind the Mist and North Mystic

WINTER WONDERLAND????

Fall is my favorite season. Summer is second. Spring is third.....Yes...Winter comes in Dead LAST! As charming and romantic as all the winter scene pictures of sleigh rides may be, remember someone had to harness those horses and hitch up the sleigh! I thought about that this morning as I was feeding and cleaning stalls in -8 degree weather....YES! That's MINUS EIGHT! My nostrils were breathing in biting cold air, making my nose hairs freeze. My horses's eye lashes had tiny ice cycles on them! Now, I firmly believe that our ancestors were much, much tougher than we are but that doesn't mean they enjoyed freezing nearly to death.

So here is my "Rocky Mountain Horse Girl's Wish List!"
1. Manure that doesn't freeze to the ground
2. Gate latches that don't freeze closed
3. Gloves that actually keep your hands warm
4. Water heaters that don't pop the circuits
5. Blanket straps that don't break
6. It's only December 6th and I am already wishing for spring. I'm in trouble!
7. Oh...and enough money to have a heated barn and an indoor heated arena. (Yeah right...like that's going to happen!)

Guess I'll just go read a book!

Send me your Winter wish list!

Christmas shopping?

Order Behind the Mist (Print or ebook,) Mists of Darkness (Print or ebook,) The Rising Mist (currently in ebook only,) or North Mystic (Print or ebook) either on the website www.behindthemist.com or wherever books are sold. 

NORTH MYSTIC GIVE AWAY!

Leprechauns in running shoes, Trolls who are afraid of the sunlight and three children unwittingly prepared to lead a revolution! True, my new fantasy for ages 9 and up does not have a horse in it...oh yeah...at one point, one of the children is playing with a breyer horse...but that's it...but I assure you, you will love it anyway. To celebrate its recent release, you can sign up to win a free copy (that is FREE with no strings attached!) on Goodreads.com. Just click here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/56168-north-mystic


http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/56168-north-mystic

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          North Mystic
     
     

          by M J Evans
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends July 30, 2013.
         
         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
     
   
   

      Enter to win

RIDING THE TRAILS IN COLORADO

Most of you probably do not know that, in addition to my fantasy stories, "Behind the Mist," "Mists of Darkness," and "North Mystic," I also write equestrian trail guide books. The two that I have completed are titled: "Riding Colorado" and "Riding Colorado II."   Non-fiction books take a lot of research and the research for my trail guide books is truly grueling! Just imagine having to get up early to feed the horses and clean the stalls. Then pack a lunch, hook up the trailer to the back of the suburban, load the tack, being sure not to forget my helmet, putting on travel boots and loading my horse in the trailer. Then I have to brave the Denver traffic to get to one of the hundreds of trails within a two hour drive of Denver, find the trail head, unload my horse, groom, tack-up, then actually have to ride on the trails. I know, I know...you feel terribly sorry for me! However, remember, somebody had to go home and sit at the computer and write the evaluation and description of each trail. So, it isn't all just fun and games. My dear friend, Susan DeSilva of Prohorseproductions made this video for me. You are going to be really jealous that you don't live in Colorado after you watch it! Just click here:
http://youtu.be/FNIWI1sexos

I am currently working on "Riding Colorado III." The sub-title of the first two books is:"Day-Trips from Denver With Your Horse." I only sell those books through tack and feed stores from Colorado Springs to Longmont along the front range. However, the third book is sub-titled: "Over-night Trips From Denver With Your Horse." I am visiting cabins, bed and breakfasts, resorts and campgrounds where you can take your horse. I am trying to cover locations in all parts of the state. It has been so much fun and I still have several
places yet to visit.

Happy Trails to all of you!

Remember: When you are not riding, curl up with a great book. You will love my horse lover's fantasies: Behind the Mist and Mists of Darkness. Order them on the website: www.behindthemist.com to save $1 off the cover price AND get it autographed. 

CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF NORTH MYSTIC WITH A GIVE AWAY!

To celebrate the release of my new fantasy: North Mystic, my blogging daughter-in-law, Paige Evans is offering a give-away of an autographed copy of Behind the Mist. The drawing will be held on Friday, April 5, 2013. To enter, you must go to her blog: www.paigeandchris.com and leave a comment that you would like to win a free autographed copy of Behind the Mist. She will draw one  name on Friday. Here is your chance to read the first of the horse-lover's trilogy: Behind the Mist.

About North Mystic: This is the fanciful story of three children who find their way to a village of Leprechauns only to find out that the villagers have been expecting them for hundreds of years. Their unique skills and talents are needed to help the Leprechauns fight for their freedom from a grotesque and greedy band of trolls that have been taxing them 100% of all their gold for nearly a thousand years. North Mystic is currently available on its website: www.northmystic.com and will soon be available everywhere!

If you love to scrapbook, you will want to visit Paige's blog regularly!

ENTER NOW BY CLICKING HERE:

www.paigeandchris.com