Write2Ignite

Dandi Daley Mackall has written fiction and nonfiction books for little ones all the way up to adults. But if you have young horse-crazy kids in your family, you may be most familiar with Dandi’s horse series for middle grade kids—the Backyard Horses series and the Winnie the Horse Gentler series. Both are super popular, and today, we’re going to talk with Dandi to learn a little about her and her newest book from Tyndale—Winnie the Horse Gentler Devotional.

Interview

Kathy: Please tell us a little about yourself and how you began writing.

Dandi: Thanks for asking! I grew up in a small Missouri town, where my best friends were my horses and my favorite words were “Remember when . . .?” I rode my first horse, Sugar, as a toddler, and I wrote stories in my head before I could hold a pencil. I grew up on Mom and Dad’s stories, many about WWII, where they both served (in different countries) as newlyweds, Army doctor and Army nurse.

I “remember when” my part in our first-grade Christmas play was a present with a bow on top of my head. Backstage, I made up stories for my buddies (trees, elves, etc.) and decided I’d be a writer and horse trainer instead of an actress. At the university, I found Christ and grace, and the whole world opened up. I wrote magazine articles and opinion pieces, and eventually became a missionary in Russia-controlled Poland. That’s where I wrote my first book. 512 books later, I’m still writing and loving it more each day, grateful God lets me write for ages zero to grown-ups—and for myself.

Kathy: What was your favorite thing to do as a child, and what were some of your favorite books?

Dandi: Ride horses—before school and after school. My favorite books were Black Beauty, Smoky the Cowhorse, Fury, and all how-to horse books.

Kathy: What is something not too many people know about you?

Dandi: Oooh—what a fun question! OK. The first year I became a Christian, I bought a New Testament in the Mizzou campus bookstore. As a Secret Service Christian, I hid the Bible under my pillow and sneaked it in my bookbag to the little Green Chapel. I pretended I had a 7:40 class and read the Bible for the first time during that “class.” If anyone had come in, they would have heard, “Wow!” “How did he do that?” “Oh, man! Far out!” “That is so groovy!”

Kathy: Can you tell us a little about Winnie the Horse Gentler Devotional and what was the inspiration for it?

Dandi: Inspiration: Horses and the Moon and Bible verses that jump out at me while I’m reading the Scripture each morning. It’s such an honor to write new stories about Winnie the Horse Gentler. Those original Winnie the Horse Gentler novels are still going strong, even after 25 years. I get to hear from readers who grew up on the Winnie series. Many now have kids who are also Winnie readers. Younger kids start with the spinoff, Winnie. . . The Younger Years. And Winnie shows up in Starlight Animal Rescue novels. God is so good!

If that weren’t enough, I’ve gotten to write this first volume of what I call the Winnie Story Devotional and Journal. Fortunately, Tyndale House chose a better title. But the 30 new stories are complete: Winnie needs to gentle a horse with a problem; and in the process, she turns to God and discovers the answer to her own problem.

What makes this book unique is that it’s not only the story, but a full devotional with the opportunity for the reader to write to God and to journal for a better relationship with Jesus and humans. Winnie uses a Treasure Box left to her by her mom, who filled the box with Bible verses organized by emotions: blue cards when you’re sad; red cards when you’re angry; green for joy, etc. By the time the reader finishes the devotional, she or he will have had the opportunity to create a Treasure Box too.

Kathy: I love the idea of a Treasure Box of verses to help readers deal with their emotions. The illustrations in the book are beautiful. Do you have a favorite?

Dandi: I have always been fascinated by the moon, which Psalm 89:37 calls, “God’s eternal witness in the sky.” Winnie and her friends have “Mooncheck Nights,” sitting in the pasture amazed at sunsets and moonrises. Several illustrations include the moon.

Kathy: What would you like children to take away from your books?

Dandi: My books aren’t preachy. What I pray is that God touches the hearts of each individual reader and draws each reader closer to himself. I want everyone to understand that Jesus fits in everyday life, always there, loving, smiling, forgiving, helping, listening. My characters, like me, are flawed. If they can have a relationship with God that’s real, so can any reader. I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath. . . . How kind the Lord is! How good is he!  So merciful, this God of ours! Psalm 116:1-5

Kathy: Thank you, Dandi, for this lovely interview!

To learn more about Dandi, you can visit her on her website, www.dandibooks.com, or follow her on Facebook.

Kathy O’Neill grew up in Maine. She loves the Lord and His gifts of family, friends, and pets. Today she lives in Colorado, exchanging walks on the beach for horseback riding in the Rockies, where the wind sings through the pines. As a teacher, writer, and speaker, she enjoys engaging children’s and adult’s hearts and hands to discover God and their own creativity through art, history, and nature. Kathy has written for The Quiet Hour, Light from the Word, Clubhouse Jr., DevoKids, Highlights, Starlight, and Appleseeds. She has a middle grade devotions book about horses coming out with Tyndale in 2026. Visit her website http://www.kathy-oneill.com/ to discover activities and workshops.