As you may recall from the Breaking News announcement on Monday, the First Collection of short stories in “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” series was completed and sent out for beta reads a few days ago.  My plan was to take a couple months off from writing to focus on new creations and store work, but it seems like everyone else wants to keep it going and get started right away on developing new short stories for the Second Collection in “The Adventures of Little Red Bear”.

Little Red Bear already signed on four new story characters this week, and more seem to be banging on the door this morning!  So instead of giving everyone some time off, I decided to make it official and put out a Casting Call for new story characters, and had the receptionist start scheduling new character interviews.  Since everyone is on board with it, we’re just going to go ahead and get started right away on the next set of stories and adventures. As mentioned earlier in The Ozarks Ostrich Crisis events, my receptionist is an elderly bunny who needs her job to support her large family, so better for her to be able to keep working anyway.  Was going to pay her regardless, but don’t tell her that.

Interestingly, three little woodland fairies have turned in applications to appear in the next collection.  Rather unfairylike, the largest of the three is very, very muddy in her application head shot photo, lists under qualifications and experience- “working in a mud kitchen”- and goes on to mention something about a peculiar, one-legged duck on her application.  I was unable to read the rest because it was covered in mud.  Anxious to hear more about all that and I have put a star by her name on the interview list.  Sounds like a story there to me!

Little Red Bear isn’t quite so sure.  After his mixed experience with a domesticated animal character in the first story collection, he is a bit apprehensive about working with another in the second set of stories.  He intends to sit in on that interview, to determine if working with the mud-covered fairy also includes working with a one-legged duck.  Personally, I’m hoping it does.  Thinking it might be fun and have already jotted down some story notes!  To be determined, I suppose.   Not telling Red, but I requested she bring the duck along to the interview when it is scheduled.

And it just goes to demonstrate, Red and I never know who or what may show up at the door when we put out a Story Character Casting Call.  Brings to mind the Ostrich Crisis events from the last recruiting push, as a simple process spun wildly out of control last year.  So we’ll see who walks, hops, crawls or flies thru the door this time.

Speaking of which and since it is an open Casting Call, if you have a favorite animal, critter, bird, fish, wildflower, tree, agricultural crop, or whatever that you would like to have possibly appear in a future collection of stories, I invite you to mention it in the comments below.  No promises, but Little Red Bear is always eager to make new friends.  As you may recall, the stories are generally based in the Ozarks Mountain Country of Southeast Missouri, but we have worked with international story characters before too, once the Work Permit Visas are obtained.

Please stay tuned for more updates as the first story collection nears release, new work on the next Little Red Bear stories gets underway and new creations for the store are shared.  It’s turning into a very busy year!  I’m off now to interview a Porcupine.  I hear they can have a rather prickly personality at times.

Thanks as always for following!  — Jim (and Red!)

Waving Bear
(image found on Talking Bear, Facebook Community Page)