Christopher Meets Buddy

Debra Shiveley Welch, winner of a number of literary awards and also a best-selling author, is on In Good Company today to tell us about her new book Christopher Meets Buddy. Debra is also my cousin and my co-author of Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams, the first book for both of us, published in 2006. Since the day of her birth, Debra has been one of the most important people in my life, and it is a pleasure to welcome her today.

 

 

Christopher Meets Buddy is my latest book and second in the Christopher series.  The first, Christopher Bullfrog Catcher, was written by my son for a school project and was traditionally published when he was 11-years-old.  His interest has since veered toward digital photography, and he has, therefore, handed off the baton to me,and I will carry on with the series we envisioned when he was a young boy.

 

Christopher Meets Buddy serves a dual purpose.  When I first took a pet parrot into my home, I was appalled at how little I knew about caring for our avian brothers and sisters.  I was fortunate enough to find a group called Tielchatter, where the owner, Michael Burke, instructed all of the “newbies” in how to take proper care of our feathered friends, or as we like to say, feathered kids, or Fids.  I was a member of that group for 13 years until, tragically, we lost Michael to kidney failure.

 

I had been itching to write a book on the proper care of pet parrots for some years. Michael’s death spurred me on to complete it, and so Christopher Meets Buddy was born.

 

Going back over my notes, collected over a period of many years, I sat down, determined to do Michael justice: the main character, Christopher, wants a pet bird for his birthday.  He talks to his parents, and it is here that I have attempted to drive home the basis of what I am trying to convey: 

 

“Christopher,” Mom said, “calm down, honey.  We need to discuss this with our minds, not with our wants.  We have to make sure that we can take good care of any pet we bring into our family.”

 

Issues such as which parrot to choose, cage size, perches, toys, food, misting, vet care and bonding are discussed, accompanied by beautifully created illustrations.

 

Christopher Meets Buddy is also being used as a teaching guide for new parrot owners at the Black Hills Parrot Welfare and Education Center in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

 

Christopher Meets Buddy is dedicated to Michael Burke, with great affection and gratitude.  He was committed to the proper care of our winged companions, and I believe that his passion has helped many a new inductee into the world of avian adoption, not only succeed, but thrive in the raising, caring, loving and bonding with one of God’s most fascinating creations.

 

I’m Debra Shiveley Welch and am the author of A Very Special Child, a children’s book about adoption and winner of the Faithwriter’s Gold Seal of Approval – Outstanding Read award: Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams, co-authored with Linda Lee Greene,my memoir Son on of My Soul – The Adoption of Christopher, also a winner of the Faithwriters Award, of Books and Authors Best Non-Fiction 2008 and AllBooksReview’s Editor’s Choice 2010, soon to be available in audio format; Cedar Woman, the story of a woman of the Lakota Sioux and winner of Books and Authors Best Native American Fiction 2011. In addition, I have written many short stories, essays and poems.

 

I am now working on Spirit Woman, the sequel to Cedar Woman, Christopher’s Family Table, a collection of family recipes and Christopher Meets Emma, third in the Christopher series about the proper care of a pet cat.

 

Christopher has published a subsequent work, Just Chris, his memoir and companion book to Son of My Soul – The Adoption of Christopher.

 

I hope that you enjoy Christopher Meets Buddy, soon to be available in coloring book format.

 

 

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