Maggie Dana

Maggie Dana wrote the Best Friends series, and a standalone horse book, The Golden Horse of Willow Farm. She was born in England, and learned to ride at Pinewood Studios in Middlesex. The stables had a whole menagerie besides horses, including a Jersey cow called Maud. Maggie was asked to take Maud onto the set of a film set in wartime and starring David Niven and Glynis Johns - the film’s plot involved rescuing a valuable Jersey cow from the Channel Islands when they were occupied by the Nazis. Maud ruined her moment in the sun, however, by peeing all over the sound stage’s concrete floor, to Maggie’s intense embarrassment.

When she grew up, she worked as a flight attendant, model, and worked at Pinewood Studios and for commercial television. When she was in her early 20s she moved to the States, where she married and had three children. After she was divorced, she had to support herself and the children and started writing.

The Best Friends series is about Kerry and her adventures at Timber Ridge Stables, with her best friend Holly, and sworn enemy Whitney “Miss Perfect” Myers.

Finding the books: all the books are easy and cheap to find in America, and can be bought on Amazon in the UK, though you will have to wait as all the copies I could see would have to be shipped over from the States.

Sources
Maggie Dana’s website:

Many thanks to Danyele Foster for the bibliographical information.

Racing for the Stars
Troll Communications, New Jersey, 1988, pb

The blurb:
“A movie is being filmed at Timber Ridge Stables...and one lucky girl is actually going to be in it. Of course,
Whitney "Miss Perfect" Myers wants the part, but Kerry Logan wants it even more. With the money from the
movie, Kerry can make her special dream come true. She can buy a horse of her own. What will Whitney do
to stop her? She has tried all kinds of dirty tricks in the past, but now a beloved horse is missing. Would Whitney
go that far?”

No Time for Secrets
Troll Communications, New Jersey, 1988, pb

The blurb:
“A beautiful horse is dead, and its all her fault...which is why Kerry Logan has put riding and horses out of her life
forever. But her new job as a companion to Holly Chapman- confined to a wheelchair because of a tragic car
accident- may force Kerry to go to Timber Ridge Stables and confront her worst fear. Can Kerry keep her terrible
secret from Holly, who is becoming her best friend? And, more important, can she keep her secret from Whitney
"Miss Perfect" Myers, who lives only for two things- winning ribbons and causing trouble?”

The Golden Horse of Willow Farm
Weekly Reader, 1981

The blurb:
“When a foal is born at the farm next door, ten year old Kate Williams spends every spare minute with her.
She learns to feed and care for the horse and watches her grow into a beautiful golden mare called Nutmeg.
Then the farmer and his family fall on hard times, and he is forced to sell Nutmeg. But before the new owner
arrives to pick her up, kate steals the mare and together they disappear into the forest.”

If Wishes were Horses
Troll Communications, New Jersey, 1988, pb

The blurb:
“Kerry wants a horse of her own more than anything in the world, but the scruffy mud-covered mare she rescues
from starvation is hardly the horse of her dreams. Still Kerry believes that one day her scrawny horse will be a
champion, and together they'll win blue ribbons- and beat spiteful Whitney Myers once and for all. Can Kerry do it?
Even her best friend, Holly doesn't think so- especially since Whitney has vowed to get Kerry's horse kicked out
of the stables. But Kerry knows that sometimes dreams do come true.”

Jumping into Trouble
Troll Communications, New Jersey, 1988, pb

The blurb:
“Ever since Kerry arrived at Timber Ridge Stables, Whitney "Miss Perfect" Myers has been making trouble for her.
Maybe she's angry because Kerry is a better rider, or maybe she's jealous because Kerry is allowed to ride the
barn's wilful new horse, Buccaneer. Now all kinds of things are going wrong at the stables, and Kerry is being
blamed. is Whitney behind the trouble? Kerry and her best friend Holly can't be sure. But they do know one thing.
If Whitney is out to get Kerry, Kerry's jumping into trouble- and fast.”