Author, Juliana Hutchings - Recently Updated Pages

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julianahutchings — Mon, 12 May 2008 09:38:25 CDT

A Horse to Remember by Juliana Hutchings was written when she was just 14 years old. It is a story of love and respect between a girl and a horse, as they overcome all odds, through persistence and determination. Published by Raven Publishing, Inc. it is NOW available online or at your local bookstore.

CHAT ROOM!
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Go to the Chicory Hill Farm Site HERE

Upcoming Signings:

Fair Hill International Festival in the Country

October 20-21 2007

Saturday and Sunday from 10am-12pm at the Delaware Pony Club Booth. Hope to see you there!

Thursday November 8th at the Easttown Library

	7:00 PM	A Horse to Remember with author Juliana Hutchings
		Contact: (610) 644-0138
		Juliana Hutchings, a senior at Avon Grove High School and a resident of Landenberg, wrote A Horse to Remember, a novel for children and young adults, when she was just 14 years old. An avid rider, she has been teaching private and group lessons since she was 11. Juli will read from and discuss A Horse to Remember, and talk about being a teenage author. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Join us for a pizza party following the program. Registration begins Mon., Oct. 11. Visit Juliana Hutchings' Web site.
		Location: Easttown Library

Past Signings:

March 9, 2007

5-8 pm

The Seeds of Wisdom

The Shoppes at Jenner’s Village 833 West Baltimore Pike West Grove, PA 19390

Success! Over 50 books sold!

Avon Grove Library

April 23

6:30-8 PM

Visiting Author Juliana Hutchings

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Title:

Visiting Author Juliana Hutchings

Description:

Avon Grove Library is pleased to announce it will host visiting author, Juliana Hutchings on Saturday, April 28th. She will be signing copies of her novel, A Horse to Remember, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Copies of her novel will be available for purchase. Ms Hutchings, currently a junior at Avon Grove High School, has had horses all her life, and her wonderful experiences as a rider, trainer and instructor, inspired her to write A Horse to Remember, her first novel, at age fourteen. She lives with her family in Landenberg, Pennsylvania where she manages a horse farm and competes at the preliminary level in riding events.

Success!

Lexington, Kentucky!

Join me in partnership with Bit of Britain for a 3-day signing during the legendary, Rolex 3-day event--where the top horses and riders compete at the 4 star level. Books will be available and signings from the 27-29. Hope to see you there!

Sucess! 60 books sold!

Links

julianahutchings — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:30:25 CDT

Chicory Hill Farm (my home)

www.chicoryhillfarm.wetpaint.com

Raven Publishing, Inc:

www.ravenpublishing.net

Borders Books and Music

www.borders.com

All Book Stores

www.allbookstores.com

Best Web Buys

www.bestwebbuys.com

United States Eventing Association

www.useventing.com

Fox trotters (used some animations from this site)

www.foxtrotters.tripod.com

Chat Room NEW!

julianahutchings — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:33:40 CDT

Visit the forum below to discuss A Horse to Remember with other fans!
Talk about your favorite characters, scenes, and thoughts from the book.

http://julianahutchings.wetpaint.com/thread

Juli's Horses

julianahutchings — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:23:43 CST

At age 7 Juli joined the United States Pony Clubs, where her passion for eventing began. Her first competition pony, Shorty is who she learned to jump on and she rode him unitl she was eleven years old.

In loving memory of Shorty

The next horse she competed, and who helped her to develop her passion for eventing, was a horse she called Ri, a grey Irish sporthorse. This horse inspired her to begin another novel in January of 2005. See "Juli's Next Novel" on the navigation panel.

At 11 years old she began training a foal that was born on her farm--Promise. He is currently a 5 year old.

His half sister, Pye, also born and raised on Juli's farm, is an Oldenberg/Swedish Warmblood mare. She is also one of Juli's competition horses.

Fling is her Preliminary level event horse shown above. She began riding him in the fall of 2005. He is a thoroughbred gelding.

Juli's most recent project is a young Thoroughbred gelding named Older and Wiser, an ex-race horse. She calls him Liam. He is an upcoming eventer as well. Ironically, he is related to Fling through Native Dancer and Northern Dancer, two very famous race horses.

Reviews

julianahutchings — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:44:29 CDT

What is it with teenage girls and horses?, May 16, 2007

By	Reading It All (Woodland Hills, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a heart-warming story of love, acceptance and angst. The teenage heroine has been uprooted and moves to an environment that is foreign to her. At the same time a new horse arrives at the Stables next door...you guessed it...they become friends. The ease and flow of the words on these pages make it an enjoyable read. While this story has been told before I feel that the author's story plays heavily in to the very real - not patronizing - teenage feelings, because she is a teenager herself! Juliana Hutchings is "An Author To Remember"!

Realistic emotionally moving journey, May 15, 2007

By	Jennifer E. Binkley (Oskaloosa, Kansas) - See all my reviews

This is a great read for anyone. It flows easily giving depth to a realistic and moral story that is an honest delight. It will warm your heart and last long after the book has been read. Bravo!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

"I'm telling you now, that horse is C-R-A-Z-Y.", April 29, 2007

By	Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews

When Hilary Thompson's father announces that the family is moving to Tennessee, the thirteen-year-old is shocked. She has been expecting to attend high school with her friends in the city, but now she might as well be moving to a shack in Alaska. Instead, her parents are excited about horse country and never falling asleep to city noises again! Before she knows it, the family arrives in Tennessee and Hilary has a job working for Susan Collins at Millbrooke Stables. Although Hilary doesn't realize it at the time, what happens to her at these stables will change her life.

Susan's son, Jeremy, has an out-of-control horse, Satan, and no matter how he tries, Jeremy cannot subdue the feisty animal. Fearful that this beautiful horse will end up in a slaughterhouse, Hilary decides to tame Satan in secret, with little knowledge about horses or how to train them. When Hilary comes eye to eye with the stubborn mustang, sparks fly and she is challenged in unexpected ways. While attempting to hide her efforts from the others at the stables, Hilary learns about the special bonds that are formed between a girl and a wild animal, the level of trust they develop and the meaning of loyalty.

Written by the author at the age of fourteen, experienced rider and instructor Hutchings has beautifully captured the essence of adolescent angst, the emotional turmoil of change and the courage of commitment. As Hilary begins a completely different life than what she expected, she rises to the challenge, bonding with the mustang, training him for competition. In the process, she learns a painful lesson about love and loss; more importantly, Hilary experiences the value of friendship and the enduring memories forged with Satan as they begin to trust one another unconditionally. Written in the appealing prose of young teens, this endearing story is a beautiful reflection on coming of age. Luan Gaines/2007.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Determination, Persistence and a Dream, April 13, 2007

By	Richard R. Blake (San Leandro, CA) - See all my reviews

After a recent move to rural Tennessee, Hilary Thompson took a summer job at the Millbrooke Stables, adjacent to her new family home. A wild mustang stallion, Satan, had just arrived at the stables for training. Recognizing his loneliness and need for friendship, Hilary established a trust with Satan and worked to tame and train him for competition in jumping events.

This is a story of a bonding between animal and human. It is a heartwarming story of earning trust and finding friendship. Juliana Hutchings writes with maturity and insight. She has an amazing ability to use dialog to draw the reader into identifying with the emotions and feelings of her characters.

Photo silhouettes created by Isabelle Hutchings convey a feeling of warmth, trust, and devotion and bring the narrative to life.

This is a book that every young reader and rider will enjoy. Juliana communicates her own lifetime of experience and love for horses as she carefully takes the reader through the various steps of training, for both rider and horse. She includes a very helpful glossary of horse terms.

"A Horse to Remember" gives promise of more to come from this young gifted author. This is an amazingly well written first novel. I highly recommend it for pre-teens, teens, and the young adult reader.

A Horse to Remember
Juliana Hutchings
Raven Publishing, Inc
PO Box 2866, Norris, MT 59745
0977252575 $10.00

Courage, Resolution and Aspirations

Hilary Thompson took a summer job at the Millbrooke Stables, adjacent to her new family home in rural Tennessee, Satan, a wild mustang stallion, had just been left at the stables for training. Hilary recognized Satan’s loneliness, even as she felt a need for friendship. She soon established a trust with Satan and eventually became his trainer, preparing him for competition in jumping events.

“A Horse to Remember” is the story of bonding between Satan and Hilary. It is a touching story of trust friendship. Juliana Hutchings’ writing is insightful, informational, and moving. She uses dialog to draw the reader into the plot. I found myself identifying with the emotions and feelings of her characters.

Isabelle Hutchings’ photo silhouettes create a feeling of warmth, trust, and devotion that brings the narrative to life.

Young readers, horse lovers and riders will enjoy this book. Juliana draws from her own lifetime of experience and her own love for horses to carefully lead the reader through the steps of training a horse for competitive events. Her glossary of horse terms is a helpful tool for understanding the background of training and the terms used throughout the book.

“A Horse to Remember” is Juliana’s first book. She is a gifted young author. Her writing and communication skills show promise of more to come. This is a book for pre-teens, teens, and the young adult reader. Well worth reading.

A Horse to Remember by Juliana Hutchings
Reviewed by Wanda Maynard

Publisher: Raven Publishing, inc.
http://www.ravenpublishing.net
ISBN: 0977252515
Genre: Children/Y-A
Subgenre: Pre-teen
Release date: Apr 2007
Format: trade
Pages: 180
Price: $10.00

From city life to country life became a giant move for Hilary Thompson. Three weeks prior she was living in Delaware, next door to a shopping center. Now she is in central horse country in Tennessee and living next door to a horse farm. No more watching people rushing in and out of the center and listening to the traffic on the busy road. No more visits with her friends. Will she make new ones?

Once the Thompsons settled into the new house, Hilary's dad began working at the hospital where he was transferred. Although Hilary didn't know much about horses and never worked on a farm before, after talking to her mom, she was willing to take a summer job at Millbrooke Stables next door.

Susan, the owner of Millbrooke Stables, saw some potential in Hilary and decided to give her a try. Once Hilary and the horses became friends, the job didn't seem as difficult as she expected.

One evening after Hilary finished cleaning the stables, she noticed the wild mustang behaving strangely. Could it be something that happened earlier in the horse's life? What was the meaning behind the talk she overheard about the horse and his former owner? Hilary, a little scared, was determined to learn more and try to become friends with the black stallion. Will she succeed? Can she train him?

Juliana Hutchings, a young budding author of, A Horse to Remember, her first novel, is an inspiration to all readers who love horses and love to ride them. Her research regarding horse terminology is excellent. Expect more novels due to her ingenuous writing.

Reviewed By Tracy Farnsworth

Overall, I have to say that I am very impressed with A HORSE TO REMEMBER. The author, Juliana Hutchings, was a young fourteen years of age when she wrote this novel. The high schooler plans to continue writing.

Hilary Thompson's world is pulled out from under her feet when her father receives a job offer in Tennessee. Moving to a new state is hard for this soon-to-be freshman, but living next door to a horse farm makes the transition a little easier. Hilary knows nothing about horses, but she takes a job at the farm and begins learning all she can.

Satan, an untamed mustang, quickly captures Hilary's attention. She realizes he is not wild, he's just scared and looking for friendship. To keep him from going to a slaughterhouse, Hilary decides to learn all that she can about training a horse without anyone catching on.

A HORSE TO REMEMBER is perfect for the late elementary, early middle school aged readers. The author clearly knows all about horses, and she even includes a glossary of terms for those who are unfamiliar with the world of horses. Fans of "Flicka" will enjoy this memorable story of Hilary and Satan.

Another Review at MyShelf.Com

A Horse To Remember
by Juliana Hutchings

Tennessee seems a world away from Hockessin, Delaware. Hilary's surgeon-father has been transferred from the hospital in the city where he worked to rural Tennessee. Their new home is adjacent to a horse farm, and thirteen-year-old Hilary, who is fascinated by a wild mustang that she sees running in the field next to their house, applies for a job at the stable, even though she knows nothing about horses.

The wild mustang stallion, Satan, had just arrived at the stables for training. Jeremy, the owner's son, is to train the aggressive and uncontrollable animal. Jeremy and the horse do not bond, and it looks like Satan is destined to be sent to a slaughterhouse. Recognizing the horse’s loneliness and need for friendship, Hilary befriends Satan and secretly begins training him. She finds that she is challenged in unexpected ways. Hilary and the horse form a close bond as their affection for each other grows. As Hilary is beginning to gain skill and confidence, Jeremy discovers what she is doing. Since he cannot manage the stallion, he blackmails Hilary into helping him. When he is hurt by the horse in a fall, Jeremy admits to his mother that Hilary is the one who's been training the horse all along.

Hilary is asked to ride Satan in a championship jumping competition. Her main competitor is the beautiful but haughty Elise, who also shares an interest in Jeremy. Hilary and Elise have an abrasive relationship that heightens their competitiveness.

Photo silhouettes created by Isabelle Hutchings add visual meaning to the story, and a glossary of horse terms is included at the end of the book. Though Juliana Hutchings was only fourteen years old when she wrote this story, she capably portrayed the emotional turmoil of change and the teen angst that Hilary experiences when she has to move away from her friends, as well as the courage of commitment to her new endeavors. The life-changing experiences teach Hilary about unconditional love in this heartbreaking and heartwarming story that is full of exciting characters. It’s a fast-moving story that is impossible to put down.

Write a Review

julianahutchings — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:54:44 CDT

Have you read A Horse to Remember????

Would you like to write a review on what you thought about the book?

Great!

If you want your review to appear on this site e-mail it to me.
If you want your review to appear on Amazon simply find A Horse to Remember and click write a review. You have to have an account with amazon. Then it's quite simple.

Have Fun!

In the News

julianahutchings — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 20:58:04 CST

Love of horses, childhood game spur novel

By KIM HOEY, Special to The News Journal

Wilmington news Journal

Seventeen-year-old Juliana Hutchings, of Landenberg, Pa., will soon have a novel, "A Horse to Remember," published by Raven Press. (Buy photo) The News Journal/MATTHEW JONAS

On a recent windy, freezing afternoon Juliana Hutchings was outside riding her horses as always. Many dedicated horse people would have taken a break on such a cold day, but Hutchings set a training schedule, and she adhered to it.

It was the kind of responsibility, determination and willpower that resulted in this high school junior having a book published this spring. The book, "A Horse to Remember" published by Raven Publishing Inc., is expected on the shelves this month or next. Hutchings wrote the book when she was 14 and by all accounts did everything by herself. As her mother said, this is not a parent-generated book or publishing.

Hutchings wrote the book over the course of three months when she was in eighth grade, writing every afternoon after school. She researched agents, editors and publishers online, eventually both hiring and firing an agent and submitting her book to publishers on her own. She was accepted by two publishers and chose Raven Publishing because of the style and type of books it publishes -- five a year, many with a horse theme, and all with uplifting storylines.

Her presentation was as notable as her writing, according to her publisher.

"I was very impressed with Juliana's professionalism for as young as she was -- is," said Janet Muirhead-Hill, founder and publisher of Raven Press. "She's a girl with a lot of promise and potential." More than the professionalism, Muirhead-Hill said the story itself is very good. The editor at the publishing house absolutely loved it and cried at its ending -- something this editor rarely does, said Muirhead-Hill.

The story is of a 13-year-old girl named Hilary who, after a lifetime in the city, moves to the country in Tennessee and starts working with horses. There she meets Satan, a wild mustang stallion who belongs to the son of the stable's owner. Satan seems as lonely and out-of-place in his new surroundings as the young girl is in hers. When the son fails to tame Satan, his mother threatens to sell the horse. Hilary resolves to tame him. The book is based on a game she and her sister played with toy horses when they were children, said Hutchings. It's the story of an underdog, said Hutchings, a junior at Avon Grove High School in West Grove, Pa. It is complete fiction.

The horse part, though, is truly based in fact. Hutchings is a horse trainer, competitive rider and instructor. She doesn't have much in common with the heroine of her story, but she can relate the message in it.

The lesson of the book is of persistence and determination, she said.

Hutchings knows about persistence and determination. After writing the book, it sat for a year because she wasn't sure what to do with it. Her family and friends all thought it was good enough to be published but didn't know how to go about it. It took hours of research for Hutchings to get where she is.

"The parents didn't do it," said Kate Hutchings, Juliana's mother. "When she puts her mind to something she is very persistent. She's a pretty amazing girl." A creative writing major in college, Kate Hutchings said she could not take credit for her daughter's talent. It was her daughter's drive and tenacity as much as anything else that got the first book written and published. The editors at Raven would send back pieces of the book with notes about possible changes, and Juliana would spend her evenings rewriting and resubmitting changes over a period of several months.

"It's been like a big school project," said Kate Hutchings.

At the request of the publisher, Juliana is working on a second novel, also a horse story. She said the writing's not going as smoothly as the first book, but she's enjoying the process. As for her current book, she said "I just want people to read it. I've already had three people call to reserve copies."

No agreements have yet been made with bookstores to carry Hutchings' work, but Muirhead-Hill said she expects it to be carried in independent bookstores and some chains. For details, go to www.ravenpublishing.net.

EXCERPT FROM "A HORSE TO REMEMBER" Suddenly, Satan skidded to a halt and wheeled his muscular body around. He stampeded back to the far end of the paddock, Hilary hanging on.
It was just like the dreams she had experienced.
Thoughts whirled through her brain with a mixture of pictures and sounds. Could those dreams have forecast Hilary's future? Would Satan jump the fence? Would she fall? The terrifying thoughts vanished when she realized the horse had stopped. He backed up a few steps and raised his head high in the air. Hilary followed the startled horse's gaze and gasped, horrified at what she saw.

PROFILE Juliana Hutchings
HOMETOWN: Landenberg, Pa.
AGE: 17, junior at Avon Grove High School, West Grove, Pa.
FAMILY: Father, William; mother Kate; older sister, Isabelle, who illustrated the book.
HOBBIES: Cross country running; writing; horse training; riding; caring.
IN THE NEWS: Writer of a novel, "A Horse to Remember"

An article published in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Written by Will Hobson

Posted on Sun, Jan. 21, 2007

Student Spotlight

Suddenly, Satan skidded to a halt and wheeled his muscular body around. He stampeded back to the far end of the paddock, Hilary hanging on. It was just like the dreams she had experienced. Thoughts whirled through her brain with a mixture of pictures and sounds. Could those dreams have forecast Hilary's future? Would Satan jump the fence? Would she fall? The terrifying thoughts vanished when she realized the horse had stopped. He backed up a few steps and raised his head high in the air. Hilary followed the startled horse's gaze and gasped, horrified at what she saw.

- From A Horse to Remember

"Satan" here is a mustang horse, not a demon, and this heart-pacing excerpt is from the soon-to-be-released young adult novel A Horse to Remember by Juliana Hutchings, a 17-year-old junior at Avon Grove High School. Hutchings wrote the bulk of the novel three years ago, when she was 14.
Janet Hill, president of Raven Publishing Inc., a small, Montana publisher that is printing and distributing the book, had nothing but good things to say about working with the teenager.
"Juliana is the first really young writer that I've worked with, and it's been delightful. She's very intelligent and open to suggestions, but she's also able to hold her own," Hill said.
Hutchings, who lives on a farm with her family in Landenberg, took some time out of her busy schedule to talk about her life as a student/author/horse enthusiast.
Question: Tell us about A Horse to Remember. Where did your ideas for the novel come from?
A:It's based off a game my sister and I played when we were younger, with dolls and toy horses. It's about a girl who tames a mustang, and no one thought she could because she knows nothing about horses. I wrote it in about three months, during the winter of my eighth-grade year.
Q: Take us through the process of getting A Horse to Remember into the hands of a publisher.
A: It sat for a year, because we really didn't know any editors, or what to do with it. It was even more difficult to get a literary agent. I finally found one that seemed good, I sent them the manuscript; they liked it and accepted it. They had it for about four months, but didn't do anything with it, so I decided that I'd had enough with them, and started looking elsewhere.
I looked at self-publishing, but I didn't want to go that way; I wanted a real publisher. A lot of companies wouldn't read it because it was unsolicited. Finally, two publishers accepted it to read, and both said that they'd like to publish it. In December of 2005 I picked Raven.
Q: What is your experience with horses and riding?
A: I compete right now, and I've ridden all of my life. We live on a farm with 15 horses, and I personally ride four horses. We breed them, so I work a lot with the babies.
Q: Any other interests?
A: I ran cross-country as a freshman. I liked it, but due to horses I couldn't keep running. I like to draw and paint, mostly just horses.
Q: Ever write about something not horse-related?
A: Maybe not horses, but I will probably always write about animals of some kind. I think you should write about your passions, what you know best.
Q: Do you want to be a writer when you get done school?
A: Definitely, I want to hopefully go to a good writing college, and major in English. I'd still like to keep writing, possibly part-time. I'm also interested in graphic designing. I might want to write for a horse magazine, or maybe even do some editing of design for one.
A Horse to Remember will be in local bookstores later this spring. For more information, visit www.ravenpublishing.net.

Will Hobson

PENNSYLVANIA

Avon Grove

Junior Juliana Hutchings is a horse trainer, competitive rider, instructor and soon-to-be published author. A resident of Landenberg, Pa., Juli wrote her first novel, “A Horse to Remember,” when she was a freshman. Raven Publishing will publish it this spring. Her sister, Isabelle, a 2006 Avon Grove graduate, is the book’s illustrator.

The 172-page book is aimed at for readers ages 8-16.

Lauren McCloskey

Wild Wind Art:
Raven Publishing, Inc.~ (one book, a novel, Absaroka, by Joan Bochmann, deals with the plight of a wild horse herd in southern Montana. An upcoming novel, A Horse to Remember, by Juliana Hutchings, features a mustang.) Our children's books are about horses and the bond of love between the wild spirits of a girl and a horse.

By Carla Lucas of the Chester County Press:

Book Signing Events

julianahutchings — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:14:13 CST

March 9, 2007

5-8 pm

The Seeds of Wisdom

The Shoppes at Jenner’s Village 833 West Baltimore Pike West Grove, PA 19390 Hope to see YOU there!

About the Cover

julianahutchings — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 11:28:31 CST

The cover photograph, and additional photos, for A Horse to Remember were taken by Isabelle Hutchings.

The cover photograph is of Juli, with Hanovarian gelding, Spirit, a homebred at her farm in PA.

Get a FREE bookmark

julianahutchings — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:06:13 CST

For a free bookmark click unipeg3919@aol.com and send your name and address.

The bookmark includes:

High Quality Images
Novel Description
Author Description
Publisher Information

Photo Gallery

julianahutchings — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 08:59:54 CST

About Juli

julianahutchings — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 08:58:56 CST

Juli is a Junior at Avon Grove High School, and lives with her family in Landenberg, Pennsylvania.

She competes at the preliminary level of eventing but also events younger horses, moving up the levels. She is also a riding instructor and has been teaching private and groups lessons since she was eleven years old.

Juli in 1994

She has ridden horses all her life and her wonderful experiences as a rider, trainer and instructor, inspired her to write her first novel, A Horse to Remember, at age 14.

Interesting Facts!

julianahutchings — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:24:52 CST

Juli became a vegitarian when she was ten years old, due to her great love and respect for animals.
She, her sister, and friend created an organization, CFA (Caring For Animals) in which they raised money and awareness for animal shelters and zoos.
As a freshman, Juli ran cross country for school. She was the number one girl runner and went to state championships.
Along with her family, Juli has travelled to Australia, Canada, France, Florida, California....
Juli has 15 horses, 2 goats, 3 dogs, 2 rabbits, and 7 cats between her two farms in Landenberg, PA.

Synopsis of A Horse to Remember

julianahutchings — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:30:36 CST

After her family relocates to the small country town of Lewisberg, Tennessee, Hilary Thompson, who has lived and thrived in the city the whole 13 years of her life, feels as if her world has stopped turning. When she begins working at the local stables owned by Susan Collins, she meets Satan, a wild mustang stallion who belongs to Susan's rebellious son Jeremy. Satan seems as lonely and out-of-place in his new surroundings as she is in hers. When Jeremy fails to tame Satan, and his mother threatens to sell the horse, Hilary resolves to tame him.
But can a girl who knows nothing about horses gain the trust of an aggressive mustang? And will she be able to keep her efforts a secret? Encouraged by a new friendship and suffering the aggravation of a new rival, Hilary spends increasingly more time with the stallion. As her affection for the mustang grows, Hilary learns about horses, people, and the greatest lesson of all, unconditional love.

Order A Horse to Remember

julianahutchings — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:29:56 CST

To click:

Contact Juliana Hutchings

julianahutchings — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:33:13 CST

To contact:

unipeg3919@aol.com

Please be patient for a response.

An Interview with Juliana Hutchings

julianahutchings — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 18:20:37 CST

1) What made you decide to write a novel? Were you inspired by someone?

My ideas for A Horse to Remember began as a child when my sister and I would play with model horses, known as Breyers. The Breyers had many accessories, most of which we made, but also things like riders and saddles. With them we made up many scenarios to form our play around, one of which inspired me to write my novel. I wanted to preserve our childhood game, along with our many fond memories together, and, although the ideas are all my own, I would have never written this book without my sister.

2) When did you write it? I understand you were 14?

Yes, I was in 8th grade and I wrote it during the winter (January-March) of 2004.

3) When did you decide to get it published?

I think that everyone hopes right from the beginning that the book they've begun will one day be published. It was always in the back of my mind at least. The decision to actually pursue finding a publisher came of course after I'd finished writing. However there was a lot that still had to be done.

3) Tell us what the process was like? You're 17 now so we know it wasn't easy. What kinds of things did you encounter?

Oh my! It was by no means an easy or quick process. After writing the manuscript it sat on my desk for a year because I didn't know how to go about finding an editor; the first process on my to-do-list. But every time I picked up the pages and read through what I'd written, I became motivated once again to get on it. The following winter my work really began. I started looking for editors on my own, instead of hoping that someone would magically come along and save the day. After a couple of months I found a company, Five Star Publications, and had them edit it. After editing for about two months I went onto the next step which was to find a literary agent. This was the second big challenge as very few of the agents accepted unsolicited manuscripts. Finally I found a company and signed a contract with them in April of 2005. I was with them through fall but I began to grow impatient during the summer months. I had enough confidence in my story that I knew it could find a publisher. And since my work was done over the internet I had no way of knowing how hard they were trying to publicize my book. So I went onto my third challenge--the most difficult dilemma: Finding a publisher on my own. Again, unsolicited manuscripts weren't accepted by most companies and those that did accept them were too busy to read my manuscript. I looked at self-publishing when I began to get really discouraged but I didn't want to go that route. After nearly five months two companies said that they would read my manuscript--the only two companies who read it. Each accepted it for publication and after more research on each, I signed with Raven Publishing, Inc, on December 6 of 2005. The work did not end there. For all of 2006 we worked on more editing and designing for the actual book, along with page layout and word count.

4) Is it true that your sister, Isabelle, took the photographs inside the book as well as on the cover?

Yes! We did many photo shoots, me with the horses on our farm, hoping that one day when I did get it published we could use them. Raven liked them a lot and agreed to use our photographs.

5) What advice would you give to other aspiring novelists? What did you learn from this experience?

Don't give up. It can be really discouraging through the early stages, but if you stay persistent and determined you really will get there. Dreams do come true! I learned so much about writing and about life, through the wonderful people I have met along the way, and worked so closely with.

6) What message can readers gain from your novel?

The same message I described above. The book follows two characters in which no one believes in, but through their determination they triumph together in the end. They never gave up on their dream.

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Juli's next novel

julianahutchings — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:22:22 CST

Juli began another novel in Januaray of 2005. It was inspired by her riding horse, Ri, and is told through the horse's point of view. It follows two characters, Sky and Emma, as they mature through competing.

Upcoming events

julianahutchings — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:05:28 CST

Check frequently for updated events:

Scheduled Book Signings:
none at this time

Future Book Signings:

The Seeds of Wisdom
Jennersville, PA

Beresford Galley
Unionville, PA

More Info on A Horse to Remember

julianahutchings — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:50:06 CST

	A Horse to Remember by Juliana Hutchings	Reviewed by Wanda Maynard

	Publisher: Raven Publishing, inc. http://www.ravenpublishing.net ISBN: 0977252515 Genre: Children/Y-A Subgenre: Pre-teen Release date: Apr 2007 Format: trade Pages: 180 Price: $10.00
From city life to country life became a giant move for Hilary Thompson. Three weeks prior she was living in Delaware, next door to a shopping center. Now she is in central horse country in Tennessee and living next door to a horse farm. No more watching people rushing in and out of the center and listening to the traffic on the busy road. No more visits with her friends. Will she make new ones? Once the Thompsons settled into the new house, Hilary's dad began working at the hospital where he was transferred. Although Hilary didn't know much about horses and never worked on a farm before, after talking to her mom, she was willing to take a summer job at Millbrooke Stables next door. Susan, the owner of Millbrooke Stables, saw some potential in Hilary and decided to give her a try. Once Hilary and the horses became friends, the job didn't seem as difficult as she expected. One evening after Hilary finished cleaning the stables, she noticed the wild mustang behaving strangely. Could it be something that happened earlier in the horse's life? What was the meaning behind the talk she overheard about the horse and his former owner? Hilary, a little scared, was determined to learn more and try to become friends with the black stallion. Will she succeed? Can she train him? Juliana Hutchings, a young budding author of, A Horse to Remember, her first novel, is an inspiration to all readers who love horses and love to ride them. Her research regarding horse terminology is excellent. Expect more novels due to her ingenuous writing.