I am pleased to have Author Barbara Ellin Fox on my blog for another guest post.
Barbara Ellin Fox writes clean, contemporary romance where the equestrian lifestyle isn’t just a backdrop—it’s the heart of the story. A certified riding instructor and lifelong horsewoman, she’s spent decades teaching riders, training horses, and mentoring instructors. Her deep knowledge of the horse world infuses every novel, from wild mustangs to off-track Thoroughbreds.
She is the author of five independently published novels, including the Amazon-bestselling For Love & Horses series, and has contributed to Second-Chance Horses, an anthology from Revell.
Barbara’s fiction explores healing, redemption, and second chances—for people and horses alike—through strong heroines, unforgettable horses, and happily-ever-afters grounded in grit, grace, and love.
She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband and her mustang, Reno.
Now for her post!
Why I Write for the General Market as a Christian Author
Reaching hearts through relatable stories, subtle faith, and a lifelong love of horses.
Having a love for creative teaching, I have always believed you can reach a person’s imagination, touch their needs and dreams, and gain their attention through a topic they are passionate about.
I also believe in reaching non-believers through my personality and attitude rather than with overt witnessing — unless the Holy Spirit indicates a person is ready.
I didn’t start out aiming for the general market. In my early years, I entered the inspirational category in contests for unpublished authors, slowly moving from clueless beginner to occasional winner. David Long at Bethany House — the editor I figured would never look twice at my work — surprised me by asking for a full manuscript, something that rarely happens. That request led to landing an agent and having my books sent to Christian publishers. The feedback was encouraging, but I also heard, “This isn’t what we’re looking for.” Horse stories were a hard sell in Christian fiction. Eventually, my agent suggested I try the general market.
Changing markets wasn’t easy. At the time, my agent believed every mention of God or prayer had to be stripped out. Eventually, when I went on my own, I began adding some back in — not as preaching, but as a natural part of my characters’ lives. I once had a Christian acquaintance who felt called to testify to anyone he met. When I explained that my place to reach people was among those who owned horses and had the means to show and compete, he brushed me off, as if wealth made them immune to deeper needs. I’ve always disagreed. I see these people, so wrapped up in competition and prestige, missing the deeper values of a Christian worldview — and maybe even missing salvation. I can identify with them more than I can with other types of backgrounds, and I believe they need the hope in my stories every bit as much as anyone else.
My books are not marketed as Christian or even as inspirational, although that’s where I began writing fiction. They are written from my believer’s worldview and principles without preaching, using themes of second chances, helping those who can’t help themselves, restoration, and emotional healing.
These are basic needs that humans share, and they are met by God, even when He is not visible. Sometimes they are met by human-to-human examples, but other times, in my stories, they are met by human-to-animal relationships. Most of my books have multiple second chances in them — with a variety of people, animals, and depth — because this is how I see God. He is the ultimate giver of second chances.
I write for the general market. That doesn’t mean my characters aren’t believers. Sometimes they pray. In emergencies, some of them call on God, and they live by basic Christian principles. I have read a lot in the general market, and I decided that if non-Christian authors can curse or use the Lord’s name in vain when they write, I can have characters who pray or refer to God correctly — and not be required to call my books Christian.
And I haven’t had any complaints from readers. I have had the opposite — people who saw my book as Christian or caught some Christian teaching and thanked me.
My characters live in the whole world and they do the things I see Christians do in real life. If you want readers to identify with your story people, they must be able to see themselves in the character and share their journey. Characters stumble, they do things they feel guilty about, they carry guilt that doesn’t belong to them. Some of my characters suffer from broken relationships and difficulties in families with less-than-perfect parents. I’m not writing to address the current human condition, but my characters are part of that because they live in the world, and we all experience brokenness.
Horses are my passion, and women who love them are my favorite readers. I have decades of experiences as a professional horsewoman and as a horse lover, and I’m not sure there will ever be a Barbara Ellin Fox book written without a horse.
My life experience has given me a window into many kinds of personalities, relationships, and lifestyles — both the affluent and those with hardships — and I’ve learned that money doesn’t solve the core problems people face. And let’s be real, horses cost a lot of money. Life in the horse world is not sustainable without it. This is why frequently one of my characters will have a bit of money. My stories aren’t about people who struggle to pay the bills. They are about people who struggle with identity, worth, and forgiveness.
I write because I believe stories can slip past defenses and touch the heart. Horses may bring readers to my books, but it’s the people — their struggles, hopes, and second chances — that keep them turning the pages. My goal is to show Christ through the way my characters live, love, and change, without turning them away with a heavy-handed salvation message. If my stories leave readers seeing the world, and maybe even the people and animals in it, with a little more care, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Here's about her book!
Kate Malloy never expected her dream job at Many Lives Ranch to bring her face-to-face with Blake Lightfeather—the boy she once loved and lost. Now an NFL star, Blake has built the ranch into a place where horses help heal broken lives, but seeing Kate again stirs an ache he’s never forgotten. Working side by side rekindles old feelings, yet the secret she’s carried for thirteen years stands between them. To claim a second chance at love, they’ll have to face the truth and trust their hearts one more time.
Barbara is offering Many Live Ranch as a free BookFunnel download for joining her newsletter until September 1, 2025.
Make sure to follow Barbara on Social Media:
Website: https://barbaraellinfox.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/barbaraellinfox
TikTok: tiktok.com/@barbaraellinfox
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/BarbaraEllinFoxAuthor/_saved/
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GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8017091.Barbara_Ellin_Fox
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-ellin-fox