When the world falls asleep, Caley Smith’s new story begins.
Smith, a Berkeley County resident, has released her debut children’s book, “Night Bears: A Starlit Adventure.” The book sold 50 copies in its first four days on Amazon and is also available on Kindle.
“As three bear cubs drift into dreamland, they are whisked away on a magical journey through the night sky! With Twinkle, a lost little star, as their guide, they soar past shimmering constellations, dance along the glowing river of the Milky Way, and meet celestial friends like Milo the Moon and Orion the Hunter,” the book’s description reads. “But when a swirling cosmic storm threatens to pull them apart, the cubs must stick together and shine their brightest to help Twinkle find her way home—before they wake up!”
Smith said the idea for the book came from a wordplay between “night bears” and “nightmares.”
“My husband pushed me and gave me the actual idea for Night Bears, a play on words ‘night bears’ like ‘nightmares,’ but cute. It is lighthearted but is a conflict resolution story for young children,” she said. “This is the first of the trilogy.”
The three cubs are based on Smith’s three children, Jace, Ellie and Colt. Each character’s clothing, favorite colors, eye color and even nicknames inspired their illustrations.
“The first book, this one, is Jace’s story. He loves the sky, and wonders what is up there, the clouds, birds, the night sky, the stars, planets, constellations,” Smith said. “The next book will be Ellie’s dream, and the third book will be Colt’s dream.”
Smith, a former editor at The Daniel Island News, began writing the book in March 2025 and finished it by April. She worked with illustrator Holly Orpin to bring the characters and celestial setting to life.
“The cover. This, to me, captures the reader,” she said. “If the cover is not appealing, what makes someone want to pick it up and, in turn, purchase it?”