Nattie’s mouth was a little crooked. Her legs were a bit shorter than usual, and one horn was too
straight, like a unicorn’s horn. But Mia thought Nattie was perfect.
In a read-aloud picture book for children who love animals, award-winning writer and sheep
breeder Marlene M. Bell presents Nattie the lamb’s true story.
MIA AND NATTIE is a heartwarming book that teaches readers about problem-solving,
teamwork, and love.
On a visit to her grandma’s farm, eight-year-old Mia discovers a newborn, orphaned lamb
outside in the cold and takes her to the laundry room, naming her Nattie. As she tries to nurse
the lamb back to health, Mia discovers that Nattie is different from the other lambs and struggles
to fit in with them like Mia does with other kids her age. When her grandmother says she will sell
Nattie to a neighbor, Mia must come up with a plan to keep

Interview

How do you research your books?
I rarely use the internet for book information unless I find a picture of the place I’m writing
about. In most cases, I purchase coffee table travel books from people who have actually been to
the location, and read their accounts to help with my writing.
Was Nattie a hard character to write about?
Because Natalie lived with us both inside and outside the house, I knew her character well prior
to starting the children’s book. She was a sheep, yet she thought she was a person because I
raised her, not her natural mother. This made it difficult for Natalie to blend in with the other
sheep, just like in the book. She never felt like she belonged with her own kind.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
My stories come from personal experiences. Whether it’s raising sheep, or the people I’ve met
along the way, the most interesting occurrences might become an anecdote or a subplot in one of
my books or novels. In the case of Mia and Nattie, I used myself as the Mia character, Grandma
characterized my husband, and Nattie played herself!
How long have you been writing?
My writing journey began in 2007 when I wrote a non-fiction book about raising sheep for our
4H club. That first book was more of an experiment to see if I enjoyed writing. In 2010 I decided
to jump in with both feet to learn how to write fiction. I found fiction much harder because my
imagination had to work overtime, and readers expect certain things from the romance and
mystery genres. By the time I had the idea to create a children’s book and had located an
illustrator for the job, I had to learn children’s writing all over again.
What is your next writing project?
I have some ideas for new children’s books that feature our Nattie because Mia and Nattie One
Great Team! has become a popular gift for parents, grandparents and kids too! I’m having
trouble choosing children’s themes to write about because I don’t have kids of my own to teach
me the subject matter. I’d love to hear from you if there’s a favorite subject that should be
written about to help children grow in their teenage years to adulthood. There are many books
that fall short when it comes to right and wrong and learning solid life lessons. I grew up with
moral-to-the-story books with happy endings, and these kinds of books seem to be lacking in the
current marketplace. Send me your kids’ book ideas in the comments section for this post.

About Author

Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning mystery writer and acclaimed artist as well as a photographer.
She and her husband, Gregg, reside in beautiful East Texas on a wooded ranch with their dreadfully
spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, and Hollywood, Leo, and
Squeaks, the cats that rule the household.
Websites: http://marlenembell.com and http://texassheep.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ewephoric
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlenemysteries
Author Marketing Experts tags for social media:
Twitter: @Bookgal
Instagram: @therealbookgal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/44KIlCf
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55848637-mia-and-nattie
Praise:
“With each turn of the page, my kids and I fell more and more in love with this beautiful story. This is
a story of friendship, inclusivity, and confidence. This is a story of not giving up on friends, and
believing in the power of helpfulness. This is a BEAUTIFUL story. I had tears in my eyes as I was
reading this aloud to my kids and it led to a really powerful discussion once we had turned the last