Author Spotlight

Alison Bellringer

My main focus as an author is to create engaging chapter books for children who are able to read simple plotlines on their own, continuing to help them grow in confidence and learn about real-life issues, even within fictional settings. Similarly, a long-term goal for my writing is to present younger readers with a wider range of material which illustrate high moral standards and assist those children to personally embrace these traits in their own day-to-day lives. It has never been about the number of sales made, but rather, how many people I can reach in a positive way who will then come away from their reading experience feeling encouraged or more inspired by the underlying messages of hope found in most of my books. Children's middle-grade fiction is still one of my favorite genres to read, even though I'm no longer in that age group, and my stories are probably a tangible reflection of that. I especially enjoy ones about animals, so it seemed perfectly natural for me to adopt a similar sort of approach with my own writing. Some general keywords that describe my writing style could include immersive, uplifting, wholesome, relatable, or educational.

l read so many middle-grade horse books throughout my childhood, and still enjoy a great many of them today, that I often wondered what it would be like to craft my own series, set either on a ranch or at a riding stables. Popular titles such as Chestnut Hill by Lauren Brooke, The Palomino Pony by Olivia Tuffin, Black Pearl Ponies and Half Moon Ranch by Jenny Oldfield, among others, were extremely well-read books and likely paved the way for The Horses of Saddlers Ranch first being realized so much later on, even if that outcome was completely unintentional at the time.

At the moment, I'm still working with my publisher on further titles in my new series, which will likely consist of several consecutive stories each featuring the same central characters. The Horses of Saddlers Ranch is my take on the classic 'horse-loving, pony-mad teenager concept' and the bonds that they form with these majestic, four-legged animals. Each subsequent book will be named after a different horse, and centers around the lives of Coral Johnson and her two best friends as they have various adventures on her family's ranch and discover the unique personalities of each animal. Cloud came out in mid-2025 and kicks-off the series, and the second book, Golden Haze, was released during October 2025. As the third instalment, Black Knight is much more recent, and I am hopeful that there will be a few more upcoming titles before the series will be fully complete. Once this objective has been attained, I have plenty of other drafts almost ready for publication that are just waiting for their own chance to shine, so those should keep me busy for quite some time.

While my books are not usually based on real people or specific true-to-life scenarios, on a foundational level they are depicted quite strongly in realism rather than overly steeped in fantasy or make-believe. They provide a fleeting glimpse into the somewhat realistic daily lives of different characters, as each exemplify familiar strengths or weaknesses or are faced with unexpected situations, causing the reader to more easily relate to the varied array of emotions being shown, including common issues such as fear, anxiety, confusion, hope, compassion, and more. Examples of some recurring themes in my books are those of friendship or family bonds, survival, redemption or forgiveness, extending kindness or empathy toward others, accepting responsibility for different kinds of behavior or actions, caring well for animals, problem-solving, and not judging others merely by appearance. So far, reviewers have likened my work to the following titles - The Famous Five, The Brady Bunch, The Swiss Family Robinson, The Secret Garden, and The Chronicles of Narnia (regarding The Bronson Escapades). Charlotte's Web and The Fox and the Hound (regarding The Wolf Cub). And the Heartland, Canterwood Crest, and Chestnut Hill series (regarding The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Cloud). Readers who enjoyed any of the aforementioned titles would also be more inclined to genuinely like the books that bear some resemblance to those they've already loved.

The US Review of Books is a great place for authors to check out if they are wanting to reach a wider audience for any of their books or have the opportunity to connect with more readers. I was quite encouraged with my review for The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Cloud, and the team were always happy to help if I had any questions or concerns about the process.

About the Author: Alison Bellringer has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to get any opportunity to share her love of writing with others. The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom's Choice Awards honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2nd place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the Education and Coffee Table & Gift Books categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children's Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets. More recently, The Wolf Cub received the Bronze Medal for the EBook Pre-Teen Fiction category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards. Alison's 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal. Her books include My Dog, Moss; Surprise at the Beach; The Bronson Escapades; The Wolf Cub; Whisper (Book One); Lucas (Book Two); Escape (Book Three); Footprints in the Snow; and The Horses of Saddlers Ranch series: Cloud (1), Golden Haze (2), Black Knight (3), with more in the works.

Author Spotlight is an author interview exclusively for The US Review of Books and available through the Platinum Plus Review service. Author Spotlight interviews may be reprinted with full attribution to "The US Review of Books."