A lot of equestrian literature is young adult or even middle grade, though there’s a growing market for adult equestrian literature. I’ve enjoyed writing adult equestrian literature, both as women’s equestrian lit under the pen name “Mary Kit Caelsto” and also the queer equestrian lit I write now as Kit Muse. However, I’ve always wanted to write young adult works, and in fact, have finished a couple of novellas that take place in the Pegasus Academy. (You can pick up the free story Winter Unicorn on my website.)
Although I grew up reading the Saddle Club and Thoroughbred series, along with other horse books, I admit to feeling a bit out of my element when writing young adult equestrian fiction. To be very honest and vulnerable I think a lot of that has to do with my childhood, never feeling like I fit in, and not really understanding why I was being bullied. There’s a lot of stuff wrapped up in my childhood and school, and frankly, a lot of it I don’t want to translate to the page.
However, a couple of years ago I was diagnosed as neurodivergent (multiply), and growing up unsupported, undiagnosed is a large part of why I feel the way I do about my childhood. Several people have told me to write the horse books that I loved to read, and to some extent I believe I’m doing that.
I have a story in mind, one that actually was prompted by a short story I wrote for my Muse Happens group, and it will be set at an academy for all sorts of magical and paranormal creatures, as well as humans who can use magic and maybe even a few who can’t. Right now I’m torn between writing about the adults involved in the academy or sticking with one cohort of characters through their entire tenure, then starting a new series with the next set when they graduate.
I also have books written set at the Pegasus Academy that are YA, but haven’t released yet, partially because of this concern about writing YA. I’d love to hear from readers. Do you read YA equestrian stories or would you prefer I focus on the faculty and support staff and leave the students as secondary characters?
