The Adventures of Cocoa and Cream – Remarkable Twin Ponies follows the experiences of two ponies who discover their forever home with two young girls. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

My family owned a riding school when I was a child so I wanted that setting. Riding horses changed my life. My objective was to emphasize that horses can have a huge impact on a child’s life. Also, there is a scene in the book where Mama makes stew with dumplings. She encourages the dumplings to puff up because the stew is depending on them. My mom did that, so it was a way to honor her.

What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?

I hoped to introduce children to some of the aspects of the care of ponies. If the young readers were familiar with riding, they may have known some of the details, but if not, I wanted them to learn more about what is involved with life on a farm.

The illustrations in this book are breathtaking. The realistic drawings definitely appeal to older elementary readers. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mirjana Buveska?

I loved working with Mirjana. I interviewed several artists to illustrate this book, and I felt Mirjana had exceptional talent. She captured the personalities of the animals and people in the story perfectly.

Do you have more adventures planned for Cocoa and Cream?

Yes, I plan to create a series about them. I don’t have a time frame yet.

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