Nicola Jane Swinney is a former newspaper journalist and editor for the equestrian publication Horse & Hound . She is the author of more than fifteen equestrian and canine titles and the coauthor of the best-selling Spirit of the Horse . Nicola Jane Swinney lives in London. Romy Blümel is a German illustrator whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, books, and more. She graduated with a degree in design and illustration from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in 2008. She is a member of the female art collective Spring, and her art has been exhibited all over the world. Romy Blümel lives in Berlin.