WHEN local author and horse expert Tori Jeffress sat down to write her first book, she wasn’t thinking about children’s stories. She was trying to teach adults about horses.
After years of teaching equestrian clinics around Australia, Jeffress wanted to create an educational reference book that riders could return to after a lesson. But as the project dragged on, she decided to write something else while she waited.
“In the meantime, I’ll just write a kids book and then I’ll come back to the other one later,” she said.
It was supposed to be a temporary distraction. Instead, one children’s book became two, then three, with a fourth now waiting for illustrations.
Jeffress, who has spent much of her life working with horses, has found herself becoming a children’s author by accident.
“I like doing it,” she said. “It doesn’t necessarily make that much money.
“The first one’s just a little bit more than paid for itself. And if they paid for themselves, you know, because I enjoyed it, I’m happy to do it.”
The books are aimed at children aged roughly two to six and draw heavily on Jeffress’ lifelong love of animals and country life.
Her first book, Rocco and Friends, is particularly close to her heart because Rocco isn’t fictional. He is the horse who changed the direction of her life.
When she bought him, he was plagued by injuries and recurring soundness problems.
“From the moment I got him home, there were injuries,” she said.
“I’d go to take him out to a competition or something and he was sore again. And I’m like, ‘You know, I have no idea what’s going on’.”
Her search for answers led her into anatomy, biomechanics and finding a different approach to training, which would eventually become the foundation of the work she does today.
The horse reference book that started the whole writing journey is still nearly finished, although Jeffress said it has changed considerably from what she originally imagined.
And when it comes to other ideas, Jeffress said the stories don’t always arrive according to a schedule.
“I think the words for stuff seem to come to me when I’m out in the paddock,” she said.
“I usually just have my phone. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool phrase.’ Or, you know, ‘That’s a cool idea.’ So, I just jot it down in notes.”
Although the books are available online, Jeffress said some of her strongest sales have come through small regional businesses.
“The funny thing is where they seem to sell the most is places the butcher in Manildra,” she said.
“Just get your meat and then a present for your kids at the same time.”
The books have also created opportunities to work with other local creatives. One was illustrated by Sandra Strudwicke, who had never illustrated a children’s book before.
Jeffress said she enjoys seeing what artists do with her words, particularly when their interpretations differ from what she imagined.
“Everyone brings something different to the way they perceive the words,” she said.
“Sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh, wow.’ You know, it’s nothing like I imagined, but it’s actually heaps better.”
While her writing has remained rooted in the Central West, Jeffress’ work with horses has taken her much further afield.
She has taught and presented in New Zealand and the United Kingdom and plans to spend a year in Spain studying Spanish, with the longer-term goal of teaching in Europe.
“I think the more I travel, the more I fall in love with it,” she said.
“There’s so many things I actually want to do and places I want to see, horses to help around the world instead of just here.”
Ms Jeffress’ books are available through her online store at torijeffress.com.au/store, while the work of illustrator Sandra Strudwicke can be found on Facebook at Sandra Strudwicke Art and Design.