Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas to You By: Chrysa Smith A little merry you say? Actually, the gray skies get me a little down, so alas, an appropriate greeting for you. So bright lights and colored packages are the order of the day. So today I’m doing a little ‘greening’ of the house and…
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What are Your Best Christmas Stocking Stuffers?
What kid doesn’t love to pull off the wrapping paper and bows to reveal their Christmas gift? There was such excitement on those mornings. I clearly remember getting a keyboard one year; a guitar another. Those snapshot moments are captured in my mind forever. But one of the things I found to be a great…
DetailsWhat’s Halloween All About Anyway?
‘Halloween isn’t about being pretty. It’s about being scary and creepy and fooling everyone. It’s about pretending to be someone you’re not. It’s about going to visit all of the neighbors and collecting as many treats as you can.’ Wise words from a wise sage—Woody, the Mini-Poodle, in Creepy Tails!, part of The Adventures of…
DetailsHowl-oween Fun!
View this post on Instagram ATTENTION: Dog Costume Contest! The Well Bred Book is proud to present our first dog costume contest. If you have a cute Halloween costume for your dog this year then take a photo, post it on Instagram, and use the hashtag #TheWellBredBookHalloweenContest Feel free to tag us as well! By…
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A Garden Grows in Brooklyn
by Chrysa Smith Everyone knows someone from Brooklyn. No matter where you go, you’re never many steps removed.There’s just something about the interactive, walkable, ethnic segments that are endearing. I should know. I was born there. So it’s not a surprise that I would eventually set a book there. The Upside-Down Gardener follows a young…
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A Career Gone Awry
I admit it. I’m a reformed tree fluffer. Now you might ask yourself what exactly is that. Am I someone who can’t pass a garden without propping up the leaves on a withering tree? Watering the drooping elms? Actually, it’s none of these. Turns out a tree fluffer is a legitimate job. Around September you’ll…
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Why Words Matter
Words matter. If you’ve never thought about it before, think about this: I have a dream. Four score and seven years ago. Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. These famous lines from speeches will live on forever. Just do it, the real…
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Advice and More Advice
I’m always thinking. For better or worse, I’m often in my head. And I come up with all sorts of explanations and thoughts on what makes for good writing–for me and others. So I once compiled a list that I believe, makes for better writing. I thought I’d share it here. So here goes. Use…
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Catching an Idea
You never know when inspiration is going to grab you and smack you right in the face. I was standing in a gift shop looking at silk flowers. I turned and walked toward the children’s section and it hit me. It was another ‘Once upon a something book.’ I don’t know just how many…
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The Road to a Calling is Rarely a Straight Line
You never know where writing is going to take you. This is what I tell students during my elementary school author visits. It might sound like some vague, empty-worded statement. But I can honestly say that it’s been tried and true for me as I’ve spent the better part of the past three decades just…
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