We were lucky to catch up with Carly Kade recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Being an equestrian is a lifestyle. It inhabits everything you do. It starts in childhood and grows throughout life. I know I will pick up anything with a horse on it, especially a book. The link between horses and my writing is because loving horses is a lifestyle.

I remember how much I loved horse stories when I was a little cowgirl, but I grew up. In my adulthood, I am just as horse-obsessed as I was as a child. I think the equestrian fiction and equestrian romance genres are the books young horse lovers can grow into, in order to feed that need to read about their passion for horses.

However, I didn’t set out to publish a novel until McKennon Kelly, the leading man from In the Reins, came to me like lightning one day as a poem. I vividly remember the day I furiously scrawled him in my journal. That poem ended up being the introduction to the first book.

From there, I just wrote the novels that I wanted to read. Beverly Cleary once said, “If you don’t see the book you want on the shelves, write it.”

I’ve always loved reading and have been riding horses since I was seven. I know that I sure wouldn’t be able to resist reading about a handsome horse trainer who knows his way around horses, so I wrote about what I knew — horses and the equestrian culture.

The inspiration for my equestrian novels comes from time spent at the barn riding my horse, Sissy. After my rides, I often have to scurry to capture the words in my journal. I scribble down my thoughts while perched on hay bales, listening to the sounds of the horses rustling in their stalls.

My history with (and knowledge of) horses is definitely a reason readers enjoy the books. I know what it feels like to enter a show pen and be nervous. I know what it feels like to feel stuck with my horse’s training. I know what it feels like to swoon over a cute cowboy. I hope that sort of authenticity comes through in my writing.

I’m a horse owner. I’ve shown horses competitively most of my life. I write about my lifestyle, not something I’ve researched, but what I do.

Some of the best feedback I’ve gotten has been from readers who say that one doesn’t have to love horses, or have knowledge about them, to enjoy my stories or fall in love with the characters. Many readers are actually enjoying the fact that they are learning so much about the human-horse connection because of my books.

My dream is to keep writing equestrian stories that make people feel. I want to write novels that give people escape. I want to write stories that people don’t want to put down. I want to get lost in my imagination and bring stories to life for others because so many wonderful authors have given that gift to me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an award-winning author, horse owner, creativity coach, and the host of the Equestrian Author Spotlight Podcast. Creative writing makes my spurs jingle!

I write my novels with horse lovers in mind, no matter which discipline they ride. The horses are as vital to moving the story forward as the human characters are.

Currently, I am working on the first draft of the fifth book in the In the Reins series. I never know what I am going to name my books until the story tells me what it wants the title to be. I didn’t name In the Reins until the moment those three words left my fingertips toward the end of the novel. It was the same with Cowboy Away. I instantly knew what the title to the third installment would be when I typed show pen promise.

The fourth book, Beyond Eight Seconds, follows my bull-riding heartthrob because eaders shared with me that they love JD McCall and wanted more of him. That makes my spurs jingle because I was hoping it would be difficult for readers to choose between JD and McKennon Kelly. I think the combination of these two very different men is the perfect storm when it comes to handsome cowboys.

Passionate, captivating, and full of equine epiphanies, this romance series of four books and counting is sure to touch your inner cowgirl. Start at the beginning and read them all:

Book 1: In the Reins
Book 2: Cowboy Away
Book 3: Show Pen Promise
Book 4: Beyond Eight Seconds

I think it is important to note that before I did anything as an author, I read a lot and listened to podcasts. I learned from other authors, marketing experts, as well as from my own corporate jobs. If you want to take on a big dream, you have to be responsible for educating yourself.

That’s why I started the Equestrian Author Spotlight Podcast. It is the resource I wish I had when I was first exploring writing my own book series. It’s a monthly podcast featuring interviews with equine authors who love all things horses and writing about them. In each episode, listeners hear inspirational stories from horse book authors, including writing advice and marketing tips to help them write their own horse book. It’s a place for authors, aspiring authors, or people who simply love horse books.

I think it is so important for authors and creatives to unite. We are stronger when we work together. I am grateful to the authors who I learned from when I first started out. This is my way of giving back to my community. I want to help fellow writers start, grow, and expand their author careers.

How did you build your audience on social media?

There is so much competition for people’s attention online. I try to keep in mind that when I am promoting my work on social media, I’m not writing, so there is a delicate balance to both sides of the coin. It is very easy to go down a social media rabbit hole. I try to do what I need to do or am called to do, and then move back to activities that last a little longer than a social media post, like finishing a chapter in my next novel.

I have a presence in a lot of places online, but I don’t pressure myself to be in all places every day. I actually follow what is calling me forward creatively. One day it might be a blog post that wants to be written. Another day, it might be a YouTube video that wants to be filmed.

Each piece of creative content I generate comes from what the muse wants me to do that day, and the ripple effect is that I have something to share on each of my social media channels. I don’t force anything or stick to rules about how often to post.

I’ve had a lot of fun with my “Meet the Characters” video series on YouTube. As I prepare to publish a book, I introduce readers to short video intros debuting the newest additions to my cast of characters and launch a book trailer. My videos then become content that feeds my other social channels and my website and blog. I enjoy creating videos, so I’ve leaned into that enjoyment when creating content for social.

I work on my novels first thing in the morning because that is when my mind is most fresh. I keep lists of what I want to do and what I have to do. I plan each day the night before and if I don’t get to something; I move it to the next day. I make a rule to stop at a certain time each night to be with my horses and family. It is really important to take a break from the screen to recharge for the next day.

My advice is to choose the channels/platforms that speak to you. You don’t have to be everywhere. It is better to choose a couple that you know you will want to keep up with. There is nothing worse than learning about someone and going to one of their channels, say Twitter, and seeing that their channel hasn’t been updated in months or years. Also, you don’t have to post every day. Post when inspiration strikes you.

When you create content, look at ways that you can repurpose it across all of your channels. Are you giving a presentation? Record it. Share it on YouTube. Take a piece of advice from that presentation and make a quote graphic to share on Facebook and then link to the video presentation on YouTube or create a blog post featuring the video and link to that to send people directly to your website. Take a picture of yourself giving the presentation and share it on Instagram. Look for ways to share your content in creative ways on each channel. Don’t just post the same thing, every time, on every channel. Change it up a little for each channel, but ultimately that one experience or piece of content can serve all of your channels.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

So many books have deeply impacted my approach to managing my time and developing my entrepreneurial thinking, but I highly recommend Cal Newport’s books Deep Work, So Good They Can’t Ignore You, and Digital Minimalism.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carlykadecreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlykadecreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlykadecreative
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlyKade
• Other: https://www.carlykadecreative.com/podcast.html

Image Credits
@MelanieElisePhotography @ShelleyPaulsonPhotography