Q&A with Author Laurie Berglie

DIANA: How did your career as an author begin? Did you choose to do self or traditional publishing, and why? 

LAURIE: I published my first book in 2016. Since that time, I have published four more novels with my sixth due out this summer! I started writing my first novel, Where the Bluegrass Grows, probably sometime in 2011 and worked on it here and there when I found time. When I first started writing, I didn’t know that it was going to become a novel; at the time, it was just a story I had in my head that I wanted to put down on paper. I honestly wasn’t sure what it was going to become as I just let the story write itself. But by 2013, I had completed the first draft and realized I had a full-length novel on my hands!

I chose to self-publish my work because it just seemed like less hassle. I don’t know much about the traditional publishing world, (though I would like to learn more), but I knew with self-publishing, I could finish my book and put it out into the world immediately. I also like having full creative control, which self-publishing allows for. 

DIANA: How do you make time for writing in addition to being a full-time horse mom and other responsibilities?

LAURIE: Making time is hard because we all know horse mom life can be all-consuming! But I find that certain times of the day seem to work best for me to write, so I try to stick to that schedule. When I get up in the morning, I take care of my horses, muck stalls, etc., and then I head back into the house to work. My husband and I own a travel agency, so that takes up the biggest chunk of my day. But, on a normal day, I can usually finish all my work for the agency by early afternoon. That leaves mid to late afternoon open to write before I start evening farm and horse “chores,” as I like to call them.

I will sometimes have time to write before bed as I wind down for the day. I’ll bring my laptop with me to the couch, get comfy with blankets and my dogs, and try to get a little more work done.

Of course, depending on riding and the weather and all that, there are days when everything needs to get shuffled around, but I really try to keep my afternoons open for writing. I have a home office where I normally work, but if the weather is nice, I’ll work outside under our covered back porch. I can see the horses from both my office window and the back porch, so it’s always nice to take a break and gaze at them for a few minutes while I’m gathering my thoughts. 

DIANA: For readers who may not be familiar with your books, how would you describe your writing style and the themes you tend to explore?

LAURIE: All of my books, (so far – more on that below!), have been equestrian romances. They are fun, easy beach reads, essentially. When I was working on my first novel, I never thought about writing a series. I figured Where the Bluegrass Grows would be a stand-alone, but after I finished it, I realized how much I loved my characters. I didn’t want to let them go, so I decided to create a series! My series is a little different because I alter the main characters for each book to keep things fun and fresh. So, for example, Molly is the main focus in Where the Bluegrass Grows, Macy is the main focus in Kicking On, Erin takes center stage for Taking Off, and it kind of rotates around from there. 

Initially I called my series the “Equestrian Romance Series,” but as the years wore on and I published additional books, that title started to feel too broad and general. My books are for sure romances, but I realized that one of the overarching themes of my books was the friendship between my three main characters. The romance aspect almost became secondary with the primary being about living life’s challenges with your best friends. 

And one thing that ties all my books together is that they, for the most part, take place in the characters’ hometown of Monkton, Maryland. So in late 2025, I changed the name of my series to “Maryland Manor Series.”

Love and friendship, heartbreak and hope – those are some of the main themes of my books – with plenty of horses laced in between! My three main characters are independent, hardworking, gritty, and determined – typical horse girls!

DIANA: What challenges did you face when publishing or promoting your books within the equestrian niche?

LAURIE: As someone who is self-published, I would say the biggest challenge is having to wear ALL the hats! I’m not just an author, but I’m an editor, a publisher, a designer, a marketer, and so on! It’s hard because I’m really good at some of those things but definitely not all of them! So the first challenge was recognizing the areas in which I needed help, (website, design, etc.), and partnering with people who could fill in the gaps. I work with a wonderful graphic designer who creates the most beautiful cover images for me. And, thankfully, my husband is super techy, as well as creative, and he helps with website development and some marketing and advertising.

Another challenge I face is that I am not very confident pushing my work out into the world. I have a hard time selling myself. I share my books semi-regularly on my Instagram accounts but most definitely not as often as I should. But I’ve been pushing myself outside of my comfort zone a bit more this year, and it’s been paying off! 

DIANA: How has your background in horses influenced the stories you tell and the perspective you bring as an author?

LAURIE: I think it takes a true horse girl to write true horse girls. Horse people are…unique! There’s something about us that makes us a little hard to understand. In order to create an accurate horse girl character, you need to be a horse girl. In order to write about that horse life, you have to live that life. I think my life with horses, (and yes, it has been my entire life – I grew up on a horse farm and was always horse obsessed), has allowed me to create real, authentic characters who don’t just talk the talk – they walk the walk. And I think my readers can feel that. 

I’ve also experienced a lot of what I write about. All of my hunter pace scenes are pulled from real life experiences I’ve had galloping through the countryside alongside some of my very best friends. The horse shows, the early mornings, the colicky horses, retraining the off-the-track Thoroughbreds, the winters in Ocala – I have lived all of those scenes myself. And horse people – we demand accuracy, don’t we?! So hopefully my readers can feel my lived experiences and my genuine horse life in my books. 

DIANA: What are you currently working on? What can readers look forward to next?

LAURIE: I am in the final editing phase of my sixth book, which is the latest novel in my “Maryland Manor Series.” It’s called Letting Go, and features Erin Sorrenson as she takes her horses to Ocala, Florida, for the winter season. I’m hoping to publish it in late spring or early summer.

I’m also working on a book about Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. I’ll be taking a break from my standard equestrian romance as this will be my first non-fiction book. It will be part biography, part historical non-fiction, and part memoir. I’ll dive into Anna’s background, her love of horses, and the writing of Black Beauty, but then I’ll talk about the book’s ripple effect. What most people don’t realize is that Black Beauty, quite simply, changed the world. It is categorized as a “children’s book,” but it really isn’t – it’s a book about animal welfare that was basically the catalyst for early animal reform. Laws were changed because of this book! So of course I’ll cover that.

And I’m calling it part memoir because I’ll be taking a “Black Beauty Pilgrimage” this summer and traveling to England on a research trip! So part of the book will feature my experience as I roam around London and the English countryside in search of all things Anna Sewell and Black Beauty! I’m really excited for this one and hope to publish it sometime in early 2027. (If you’d like to follow along with my travels to England, I’ll be sharing everything on my Instagram accounts, @marylandequestrian and @authorlaurieberglie).

DIANA: What advice would you give to aspiring equestrian authors?

LAURIE: There’s so much to tell! So much, in fact, that I wrote an article about it that’s also in this month’s issue! Head to “So You Want to Be An Equestrian Author?” to learn a bit more, but the short answer is to do what works for you in terms of your writing style and structure. Also, start building your social media/internet presence now. Even if you’re not finished with your book yet, start building your audience today! 

DIANA: Where can readers purchase your books?

LAURIE: There are two main places where readers can purchase my books! 

The first is through Amazon where all of my novels are available in paperback and ebook. The second is directly through me at my website, themarylandequestrian.com. All paperbacks are personally signed by me – and I include some extra “swag” as I like to call it – bookmarks, stickers, and magnets, with each order. I do a happy dance every time I see an order come in! 

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Laurie Berglie

Laurie Berglie

Author

Laurie Berglie lives in the Maryland countryside where she enjoys renovating her fixer-upper farm, reading horse books, and competing in the hunters. Laurie is also an author of equestrian fiction and maintains her lifestyle blog and Instagram, “Maryland Equestrian.” She has a BA in English from Stevenson University and an MA in Humanities from Towson University.

Laurie Berglie can be found at themarylandequestrian.com or on Instagram @marylandequestrian or @authorlaurieberglie.

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Diana Bezdedeanu

Written by Diana Bezdedeanu

A native of Westwood, Massachusetts, Diana Bezdedeanu is the founder and lead practitioner at Horses Offering People Education (HOPE in MA), an unmounted equine-assisted learning program. She has written for Sidelines Magazine, Community Horse, and Westwood Living. Diana is the proud owner of two retired bay off-the-track Thoroughbred mares, Coffee and London.

This article is from the April 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine