Rowe teacher to publish book series

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ON THE FARM — Norway author Sherry Lee Grant with her 21-year-old Arabian mare, Kia. 

NORWAY —  Local author Sherry Lee Grant is in the process of publishing her second book series for early readers, a set of six books about the life of a horse on a rural farm in Maine. 

They will compliment her first series which she published in September, she says.  

But the stories are not just about any old horse, Grant explains. 

Her first series features a beautiful mare named Midnight from Wales who now lives at Brightwood Farm in Greenwood with her baby horse Leroy, Grant says. 

Her second series will also feature Midnight, Grant says –  the books are geared toward horse-lovers. 

Her second book series is slated to be published in time for a  book signing at Books N Things on December 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

"This has been a three-year project," says Grant about her endeavors as an author.

"I started it three years ago, taking pictures of Midnight and ideas were being formed," she explains. 

According to Grant, she's become well-acquainted with Midnight over the years and has been good friends with her owner Shirley Foster for the past 20-plus years. 

"She is my farrier," says Grant, of Foster. "She trims my horse's feet." 

"I'd always take rides over to her farm every year to see her new babies [horses] and took my kids over to ride the ponies," remembers Grant. 

Three years ago Grant decided that Midnight is such a stunning horse that she couldn't help but write a book series about her. 

She says her new series will introduce Toby the dog, a Jack Russel Terrier who also lives on Brightwood Farm.

She is also working on a chapter book  she hopes to have published by Christmas, which features two fictional horses. 

Animal lover

Grant and her husband live on a small farm in the western Maine foothills with their 21-year-old Arabian mare, Kia, two dogs, three cats and 10 hens. 

Grant is a reading specialist and reading recovery teacher at Rowe Elementary School in Norway, where she grew up. 

She has been a teacher for 30 years. She has taught in Leeds, Turner, Greene, Poland, Minot, Mechanic Falls and, for the past 20 years, in Norway. 

Along with children, she has a passion for animals, especially horses. She's also had a passion for writing children's books "for as far back as she can remember." 

"I just didn't have enough life experience until about now," she explains. 

Grant also specializes in animal Reiki and animal communications, she says, and does her own photography for her books. She mainly takes photos of animals. 

"It's all about animals," she laughs. She also enjoys reading, walking, music, traveling and of course, riding her horse Kia. 

According to Grant, she's always had a love for animals. "Very early on, I rescued animals. I remember a kitten that had been left on the side of the road. It was the first animal I brought home," she remembers. 

"It's just something that I was born to do," she says, "to work and heal animals."  

And now, she says, it's time to share her passion through writing and publishing books.