Dianne KC, you are the winner of the ARC from Meg!
Jessie: Spending the lazy summer days thinking up my next novel and catching up on my to-be-read pile!
I am delighted to welcome Meg Mims to the Wickeds today! I’ve gotten to know her over the last couple of years as we both participate in the Sleuths in Time Facebook group. She is one of those people who seems to possess boundless energy writing both contemporary and historical mysteries and is a great deal of fun besides! Take it away, Meg!
A Teddy Bear Love Story
Given how I’m writing the fourth book in my Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mystery series with Kensington, one might assume that I once dragged around a teddy bear – a la Christopher Robin. Not so! Instead I had Jerry the Mouse. From the Tom and Jerry cartoons, which I loved. (I still love cartoons.) Teddy bears were not part of my childhood. But when I traveled to England as an adult, and spied a stuffed Paddington Bear at Harrods in London, I stopped cold.
Who wouldn’t fall in love? That soft, woolly, stuffed bear in his blue raincoat and red hat, had such an adorable and curious expression! The tag proclaimed, “Please look after this Bear Thank You” – which spoke to me. I plucked him up, bought him, and squeezed the toy into the last tiny bit of suitcase space left over before heading to Heathrow airport and home. Then I had to find and read the Michael Bond book to discover his adventures after leaving darkest Peru. And his love of marmalade sandwiches. How sweet! I was also pumped when they recently brought Paddington Bear to life in films. I loved both, and highly recommend them to children and adults.
I’m afraid buying the Paddington book started a dangerous trend – I had to add Corduroyto my bookshelf, along with Winnie the Pooh, several Maurice Sendak illustrated Little Bearbooks, plus others. I often took We’re Going on a Bear Huntwith me during my years of substitute teaching to read – and the lower elementary kids loved all the fun sound effects included in the story. Wish I’d written that book!
Once I started writing my adult cozy series, I decided to get serious about collecting teddy bears. I am the proud owner of “My Bear Lady” dressed in the black/white gown for Royal Ascot, “Beary” Poppins, and multiple Santa Bears, winter bears, an aviator bear, small vampire beanie babies, the purple Princess Diana beanie baby, plus other miniature bears. I’ve given several teddies away to charities and children in my family or to friends’ children. Having recently moved, I also plan to set up a new display – with the best of the best.
Long ago my mother also fell in love with teddy bears after seeing my Paddington Bear and started giving me little trinkets. A Christmas tree book ornament with several “Teddy Bears on a Lark” short stories; a small bear who looks half asleep (her favorite); ceramic bears; wooden teddy bears mounted on a wall hanging with hooks for coats; mugs with teddy bears, etc. I inherited several of Mom’s teddy bears when she died of cancer – a ballerina bear and two bears in lace dresses. I treasure all of these items and dedicate each of my cozy teddy bear books to her memory.
My daughter was given a Red Riding Hood teddy bear as a child, which is adorable, plus a Hudson’s Santa Bear, and she found a Teddy Roosevelt bear in South Dakota to add to my collection. I’m hoping she’ll treasure the bears in the years to come and keep the legacy alive.
Teddy bears still catch my eye wherever I go. I can’t help myself, and I love to see little kids hugging their bears. And for every baby shower I attend, I tuck a small soft teddy into the gift bag. To me, teddy bears represent love and comfort. And security, in a world that seems to get crazier every year. Cozy mysteries can also give readers comfort, since justice is always served in the end, and the fictional world is restored to normal. If only reality could be the same.
Don’t have a teddy bear? It’s not too late. It’s a proven fact that sleeping with a stuffed teddy reduces anxiety and gives a sense of security. Not convinced? Just put it on a nightstand near you. That might be close enough, after all.
My Paddington Bear approves, from his display shelf.
Readers, do you have a teddy bear story of your own? Leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC from Meg!
BIO: Award winning author Meg Macy writes the “Shamelessly Adorable” Teddy Bear cozy mystery series for Kensington, and is also one-half of the writing team for the Agatha Award-nominated historical mysteries featuring Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. As Meg Mims, she’s written award-winning western historical mysteries and sweet Christmas-themed romance novellas with rescue dogs and cats. Meg tackles her to-be-read pile between deadlines, and enjoys tearooms, flowers, and gardening. Visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or her website at www.megmacy.com
Grownup – love Bears and dogs
Aunt Dmitry ghost- Nancy Atherton- solves mysteries with a stuffie
Very relaxing. One of my faves bear got lost- Bellybutton bears – being for awhile another one
Something so relaxing with a Teddy Bear or dog
Very true! I loved relaxing with my dogs – one resembled a teddy bear.
Welcome, Meg! I haven’t had a teddy bear in years, but I loved the ones I had as a kid. And how wonderful that you inherited your mother’s bears. I agree they can be a great comfort.
Yes, I’m very grateful to have those bears. Mom died way too young!
I still have a teddy bear on our bed that I’ve had since before I can remember. (I’m 69 years old.). I also just received a couple of get well bears after my surgery. And I hug them all!
Awww! Teddies have NO age limits!! They love everyone!
I refuse to get rid of my collection of bears – and they all have names. For a while I would buy a Gund bear in whatever city I was visiting and named the bear after that city. I bought a bear several years ago that had a bee on its nose after I came back three times and the bear was still there. Meant to be mine.
My favorite stuffed animal as a child was my Henry dog. I loved the eyes and nose off of him (literally). Mom tried to sell him at a garage sale for a quarter once. I rescued him from a little boy who’d picked him up – before you think me heartless, I traded him an almost-new teddy bear for the same price. 🙂
HEY, I don’t blame you at all! I bet the kid still loved the bear. And what a great idea naming the bears after the cities you visited! I love the bee on the bear nose. LOL!
Such a fun post! I think we have all those teddy bear kids books on our shelves (family favorites here too!) and Dash sure loves his stuffies, which all have not only names but emotions and lives of their own. So much enjoyed this, and congrats again on the great series!
Thanks, Art! It’s fun to write – although they’re NOT for kids, as some people believe due to the teddy bears on the cover. LOL.
Welcome, Meg! I’ve loved a number of stuffed animals and teddy bears over the years.
Yes, they sure do deserve our love and loyalty. I wonder if you find any teddies at garage sales – I’ve only seen a few! Guess people really hang onto theirs.
During my life as a teacher, the staff dressed up on Halloween in well-known literary characters. One year I put a yellow mop on my head, along with a big blue apron, and I put three bears into the waistline of the apron. Voila! I was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We were all laughing so hard that we forgot to take pictures. lol
What a great idea!! I love it! Might have to steal it, in fact. LOL I dressed up once for a Halloween party in a flannel nightgown (with clothes under, of course), my teddy bear slippers, and carrying a bear. Fun!
Soooo much fun! lolol
I had a family of stuffed bears as a kid. Not real teddy bears because of dust allergies but stuffed bears without fur that could be washed. I have a couple now. They are cute, but I haven’t gotten into collecting them. I have enough that I am collecting.
Btw, Hallmark has a Mary Hamilton’s Bears ornament series right now.
(Already have the ARC so please don’t enter me.)
Oooh, will have to look up the Hallmark bears! Thanks for the tip.
I still have my first teddy bear and it looks like it’s brand new. I don’t think my Mom let me ever play with it.
Awww! but teddy bears are for playing! Tsk, tsk, Mom! Have a tea party with your teddy to make up for all that lost time.
Welcome Meg. I have saved a few special teddy bears. One is an astronaut bear and the others are a Winnie the Pooh and a Paddington bear. I think teddy bears are timeless and bring joy and comfort at times.
Indeed they do – and I emphasize the joy and comfort in my series. 🙂
My mother-in-law had a love for teddy bears that touched all of us.
Awww – teddies touch the heart, they’re so adorable!
I like to collect small teddy bears from my travels!
My Hubbie bought me a teddy bear 40 years ago when I had surgery and always had to cough afterwards to clear my lungs. It hurt to cough so he bought me a huge teddy bear to hug when I coughed so it wouldn’t hurt so much! He was so sweet and still is!!!
I had a Smokey the bear with the ranger hat and clothes. I loved that bear. My mom collects stuffed bears .Shes 89 this September.
August was Smokey Bear’s 75th birthday!
I love Teddy Bears even more now than when I was a child. They all have their own personalities and sweet faces. It’s amazing to see how their “styles” have changed over the years. I think you are one of the few that have more Bears than I do🐻