The Well Bred Book
If you love dogs, a good laugh and some twists and turns, you’re going to love
THE ADVENTURES OF THE POODLE POSSE
Canine Kicks for Young Readers
(suggested for grades 2-4, as a read-aloud for younger children and for dog lovers of all ages)
_______________________________________
About The Well Bred Book
The Publishing Industry has changed dramatically. Corporate mergers, acquisitions, downsizing and a squeeze for profits have caused shifts in product selection and quantity, talent levels and author income (for newer talent) to decrease rapidly---making it increasingly more difficult for those who have chosen writing as their career path.
Luckily, technology has also changed quickly, allowing books to be published in new ways that forgo the lengthy (months, years, decades) process that authorship once required, and allowing authors to make a better living on their work. And that is how The Well Bred Book was born.
Before writing these tales, I was published in print for two decades. I knew I could write. But I also knew that it takes a great deal of time, effort and help to produce a quality product on your own---one that I was lucky enough to have experience with, thanks to my corporate publishing, communications and PR background, courses in children’s writing, an illustrator with a background in children’s books plus a lot of help from educators, librarians, bookstore folks and young readers.
By being author and publisher, I’ve not only learned a lot more than I ever thought I would, I am able to offer such interactive programs with students as described above (manuscript editing, decision-making), workshops, special promotions and support causes that are near and dear to my heart. To date, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of books has helped support animal rescue & welfare associations in Pennsylvania & elsewhere, including the Bucks County SPCA, Animal Lifeline, Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue, Best Friends, Cancer charity fundraisers, dog park fundraisers,the annual TODAY SHOW toy drive, classroom requests from www.Iloveschools.com, the Bucks County Children & Youth Social Services Agency holiday giving program, Tree House Books and Mighty Writers in Center City, Philadelphia.
First book contains two tales:
The Case of the Missing Steak Bone/Who Let the Dogs Out?
winner of silver Mom’s Choice Award, Juvenile Fiction, 2009; Midwest Book Review, Bookwatch, 2009.
Book #2 in the series contains two tales: The Princess & the Frenchmen/No Dogs Allowed! It was edited/previewed by students in two elementary schools. One of the tales takes place in a favorite vacation hotspot: The Jersey Shore.
Book #3 in the series is a Halloween tale & activity book. About ten elementary schools in or near the Greater Philadelphia Area participated in the preview, edit, creative process. Release scheduled for late summer 2010.
The Well Bred Book: The first book in the series began as a diversion from writing lifestyle magazine features--a 20 year career writing about everything from celebrity chefs to pot-bellied pigs. Always seeking a new challenge, I turned my attention to a series of children’s writing classes, where encouragement, research and some determination led me to publish my first book in late 2007. The Adventures of the Poodle Posse (book 1) was received well by reviewers, readers and educators and was granted a silver award for juvenile fiction from The Mom’s Choice Awards (A Virginia based organization dedicated to promoting excellence in family-friendly media --www.momschoiceawards.com). The ideas for new adventures have kept coming to me and I’m currently prepping to release book 3.
Through it all, I have spent a great deal of time in elementary schools, talking with students about my love for writing and encouraging them to develop their own. Educators became engaged in the interactive nature of my programs and shortly thereafter, I began inviting elementary students to participate in the editorial process during the manuscript stage. The results have been heart-warming.
Book 2 was written and produced with help from students in two elementary schools. And the upcoming Halloween adventure and activity book engaged hundreds of students from 10 elementary schools. They not only did a little copy editing, but suggested some great activities for the back of the book as well as a few of the Halloween costumes for the characters. In return for their help, their school name appears on the thanks page in the book, they receive a couple of copies for their school library and a complimentary author visit for the next school year.
All of this has led to even more new adventures this fall----creative writing workshops that further encourage students to take something fun, add what they know and let their imaginations soar. Please browse the sight, learn more about workshops on the opportunities page, check if I will be in your area on the author visit page and if you’d like to know more, please drop me a line at chrysasmith@verizon.net.
I always knew writing was fun.
Now, with a close bond with readers, it is also extremely rewarding.
Chrysa Smith, Author/Publisher
COMING IN SEPTEMBER