Shahron has worked in the horse industry both in Australia and internationally all her working life and is an accomplished horsewoman herself. As an entrepreneur, Shahron is used to writing technical and business documents however Moonbeam is her first foray into picture book literature.
The release of the Moonbeam series has been a dream of Shahron’s for many years. She’d been cooking up the concept for a while before the first few books were written in 2016, however, the first six Moonbeam books have only been published this year as it took all that time for Shahron to find the right illustrator. “I wanted the illustrations to be done by a horse person – to be done by hand and preferably with watercolours – and the artists needed to understand horses – how they move, how they look in different circumstances and while doing different things – and most importantly, the illustrator needed to have a great sense of humour,” explains Shahron.
“We’ve all seen books with illustrated horses and wondered, ‘What on earth is that gait?’” Well, Shahron was having none of that – the illustrations had to be authentic as the books are as much about learning about horse sports as being entertaining.
The book is inspired by Moonbeam, the 14.1hh Haflinger. Image: Rachel Flynn Photography
After years of searching, she managed to connect with British-born, Indonesian-based artist Caroline Webb. “Caroline has been brilliant. She rides regularly; she is a horseperson in her own right and we have developed a wonderful working relationship” explains Shahron.
For ages three to ninety-three!
As it turns out, it’s the illustrations that have helped classify Moonbeam into a children’s series – originally, the tales were aimed towards an older audience as a funny ‘over wine’ way of having a laugh. That appeal certainly hasn’t waned, and Shahron says around 30% of sales to date are to adults – in particular adult horse lovers who are looking for a light read and the very mature who appreciate the larger print!
Shahron says many adults who have read the stories are quick to identify with them and will often have a laugh when they recognise their own horses and equine experiences reflected in the pages: “Oh my god, that’s exactly what my horse does!” is a reaction she regularly receives.
One of Shahron’s aims with the series is to also help children learn more about horses and the realities of horse ownership. “If you’re an eight-year-old horse lover reading Moonbeam, you’ll also learn that not every competition goes to plan, that there’s no giving up, that courage and belief are important factors in life and that horses have quirky personalities that we love,” she explains.
It’s the authentic ‘horse language’ in Moonbeam that appeals to adults as well as entertains children – and it’s also what ultimately led Shahron having to self-publish. Commercial publishers did not understand some of the equestrian references and were keen to change language to include more ‘mainstream language’; of course, this would have defeated the purpose of the series and so she’s undertaken the mammoth investment of going it alone.
“I’m also all about getting children hooked on horses,” says Shahron of the drive behind the Moonbeam Series. “When I was growing up, there weren’t a lot of stories about the things I did as a kid… growing up a on a farm and riding horses. I wanted to create something for the young horse lovers of today that they could relate and learn from. In addition, positive stories will hopefully keep our industry flourishing by creating new, young horse addicts!”
The uniqueness in the Moonbeam series is also that they are the experiences of Moonbeam, not the rider. This way of looking at the horse world, from a horse’s point of view is new in equestrian literature and creates wonderful, funny moments that every horse or pony owner will relish.
The real Moonbeam
Like many good characters, Moonbeam is very much based around a real-life personality. “Moonbeam was my schoolmaster pony for many years. She’s now 19 years old and mostly retired. She’s a gorgeous 14.1hh Haflinger horse and has an extraordinary personality (like all Haffies). Every book includes some snippet of actual truth about life with Moonbeam – she’s always up to some malarky and is greatly loved,” explains Shahron of the inspiration behind the equine protagonist.
The first book in the series, Moonbeam Saves The Day involves a great day hacking out and covers the theme of not wanting to join in, but then finding it’s the best thing ever when you do. It’s Show Day Moonbeam! features frustrating things that can go wrong at a competition – and not surprisingly, this one has garnered plenty of laughs from adult riders with a glass of wine in hand. Dedicated to Mary Longden – a coach who has long been associated with Riding for the Disabled, Para Equestrian and Virtus Equestrian – as well as all the volunteers who assist RDA riders, Moonbeam & The Magic Whisper follows an RDA rider who gets a ‘ring in’ ride at the last minute and has the huge challenge to get his team a qualifying score. It also celebrates those special horses that become foot-perfect angels for their rider in need of support and then revert to their normal lunatic self later on. The theme of believing in yourself and ignoring naysayers is explored in No Chance, Moonbeam! – a story that recently received an international Five-Star Reader Review award – while equestrians’ love of extreme sports and the thrill that goes with it is front and centre in Moonbeam Joins The Hunt. Hitting the shelves in November will be the latest book showcasing Rodeo life with the twist of a case of mistaken identity.
Discover Moonbeam at EQUITANA Melbourne
These beautifully illustrated, funny and heartwarming story books can be read stand-alone or as a series and make excellent gifts with prices starting at just $10.
Shahron is looking forward to connecting with readers at EQUITANA Melbourne next month (14-17 November), where the paperback books, compilation books, colouring books and limited-edition hardcover books will be available alongside gorgeous Moonbeam merchandise – perfect for Christmas!
“I hope these books bring joy to horse and pony lovers and help develop our future riders,” she says. Looking ahead, Shahron is excited to publish the remainer of the series next year. Sales are so far being led by the UK and US markets and four books should be available in German by Christmas, with other translations planned for 2025.
Shahron also hopes that one day her beloved Moonbeam could be brought to life on the silver screen. “It would be marvellous for Moonbeam to be a cartoon television series… watch out Bluey!”
If you can’t wait for EQUITANA, you can find out more about The Adventures of Moonbeam via the website, Facebook, or Instagram.
