Everyday Magic behind the Village door

Why I wrote The Hidden Village of Mills Beary 

“Magic lives quietly in all corners of the world, if you know where to look.”

There’s a reason Mills Beary isn’t found on any map. It was a place never meant to be searched for, but rather, it was meant to whisper its way into your life..

I started writing The Hidden Village of Mills Beary many years ago with one quiet hope: to remind children (and the grownups who love them) that you don’t have to look perfect to belong. I wanted to create a place stitched together by kindness and gentle magic, a world where what made you different could also make you strong. Where grace was power, and where being imperfect didn’t mean being incomplete.

Mills Beary lives in my heart. I know every nook and cranny of Mills Beary.  It’s the place I go in my dreams when I need rest or renewal. Sometimes I walk the forest paths, speak with the SnipPets, or sit quietly beside Duffels in the stillness of the workshop. Often I have a cuppa tea with Little Red, I don’t just imagine this world, I visit it.  Each time I return, I learn something new.

The SnipPets were never supposed to match. They were stitched from scraps of fabric and a touch of magical silver thread we in Mills Beary call the Thredyl. Crooked seams, mismatched eyes, tumbled colors, and yet each one carries magic, kindness, and strength.

Duffels didn’t set out to make anything perfect. He made something true. He was guided by forces unseen, perhaps the quiet watch of those who came before him, their presence woven into every path, every rustle of the trees. The SnipPets are protectors, stitched from scraps of forgotten fabric, bound by the silver thread called Thredyl, and full of quiet courage.  Wonderfully mismatched, yet unmistakably whole.

This book began as a story. But it’s grown into a world. A place where legacy matters. Where kindness counts. Where someone like Duffels Bear can become a guardian. And where a girl like Lily can find where she belongs, not because she fits in perfectly, but because she matters.

The plush SnipPets are real, the book is done., and Mills Beary is ready to be discovered.

I hope you’ll walk through its hidden doorway with me and step into the magical world I’ve created.

Janis (and Duffels Bear)

Meet the SnipPets

Wonderfully Mismatched Unmistakably Whole, Stitched With Love

Stitched with Memory, Sealed by Love

The SnipPets were stitched from scraps, bits of leftover fabric, mismatched eyes, soft stuffing, and just enough Silver Thread to carry a little magic. No two are alike. Some are lopsided. Some have odd little noses or clashing colors. But every single one of them belongs.

In The Hidden Village of Mills Beary, the SnipPets live quietly in the Bear Mill, where they help keep the forest village stitched together. They don’t speak loudly. They don’t always match. But they show up, with kindness, with courage, and with love.

Each SnipPet is a reminder that being “different” isn’t a flaw, it’s where the magic begins.

They were created by a bear named Duffels, who never set out to make anything perfect. Only something true.

These aren’t just plush companions. They’re stitched with meaning. With memory. With messages, we all need to hear, especially children navigating a world that often feels too loud, too fast, too focused on perfection.

Each SnipPets is part of a greater story:
A story where grace is power.
Where legacy matters.
Where every crooked seam is proof that something was made with care.

And now, they’re stepping out of the pages of the book and into the real world, ready to sit beside a child, offer quiet comfort, or remind someone that they don’t have to look perfect to belong, because belonging isn’t about perfection. It’s about heart.

The SnipPets have a way of becoming what you need most, a quiet listener, a gentle reminder, or simply something to hold when the world feels heavy.

You can even bring one home, find them here.

Duffels Note:

And just beyond the mill walls…  A new generation is quietly being stitched together.

SnipPets Jnr  stories are coming soon, smaller, simpler, and made for even littler hands.
Because the magic of Mills Beary belongs to everyone, no matter how small.

So if you’re wondering whether this story is for you…

It might be…If you’ve ever felt a little different.
If you’ve ever wanted to belong somewhere soft and safe.
If you believe kindness matters more than perfection.
If you still believe in magic, even the quiet kind.

From Middle Grade to Middle Heart – Who the Book Is Really For

When The Hidden Village of Mills Beary was first written. Originally written for ages 8-12, this story has quietly found its way into teens’, parents’, and grandparents’ hands, proof that it’s meant for every soft heart who believes belonging is where the magic begins!

But something unexpected happened…Adults began reading it too. Teens. Grandparents. Teachers. Parents. And they found something meaningful stitched between the lines.

Because this isn’t just a story for children.
It’s a story for anyone who has ever needed to be reminded that being different is not something to fix—it’s something to honor.

At its heart, this story is about loyalty, trust, and the small yet mighty acts that connect us. About kindness as a bonus, not an obligation, and the quiet ways we choose to care for one another.

Welcome to the Threaded Circle — where each story and soft stitch connects us.

“I walk the paths no one sees, but the village walks with me.”

Role: Observer, Accidental Resident, Quiet Advisor

Personality: Wary, clever, and unexpectedly tender. Henry is a loner by instinct, but fiercely loyal once trust is earned. He often speaks in brief phrases, letting his silences do much of the talking. Beneath his cautious demeanor is a heart full of quiet bravery.

Appearance: A small, wiry rat with storm-grey fur and a long tail. His ears twitch at every sound, and his black eyes never stop scanning his surroundings. He often carries a small pouch of found things—stones, string, tiny tools.

Strengths:

• Keen Observation: Henry notices what others overlook—shifts in energy, hidden movements, subtle changes in people and land.
• Survivor’s Instinct: He’s resourceful, adaptive, and skilled at navigating danger without being seen.
• Unshakable Loyalty: Though he rarely says so aloud, Henry would protect his few trusted friends with everything he has.

Role in the Story:
Henry arrived in Mills Beary by accident, curled up in a shipment of grain—but the magic of the village seemed to accept him without question. His backstory is slowly unfolding, and there are hints that he may have a deeper connection to the land than even he understands. He is often the first to sense when something is wrong and is a quiet companion to both Lily and Little Red.

Excerpt from the Book:
“It’s too quiet,” Lily whispered.
Henry gave the smallest of nods, his nose twitching toward the forest. “I agree,” he said. “Something isn’t finished. Rowan stirred things he didn’t understand.”

“The thread remembers, even when we choose to forget.”

Role: Little Red is the village’s quiet watchman and a former companion of Bobbins, the old guardian. Though he no longer lives at the heart of Mills Beary, he remains deeply connected to its fate and often appears when the balance of magic is shifting.

Personality: Mysterious, introspective, and intensely loyal. Little Red is the kind of soul who says little but sees much. He is slow to trust, but once his loyalty is earned, it is unwavering. His presence is grounding, like the hush before a storm or the whisper of trees at twilight.

Appearance: A fox with deep, thoughtful amber eyes and a coat of rich russet red, darkened slightly by the years. He wears a worn brown overcoat, sturdy forest boots, and a deep red scarf that’s been mended more than once. Always in his paw or tucked in a pocket is a piece of silver thread—something he studies, fingers, or tucks away without explanation.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Little Red’s greatest strength is his ability to sense things before they surface. He understands the forest’s moods, reads the signs in nature, and follows the Silver Thread’s pull with quiet certainty. He has an innate ability to appear exactly when he’s needed, no sooner, no later. But his strength is also his solitude. He walks a path no one else can, often alone, and carries knowledge that others may not be ready to hear. He offers guidance without explanation, and while he is never mistrusted, his silence sometimes leaves others wondering what more he knows.

Role in Mills Beary Village: Though he lives on the edge of the forest in a house he built himself.  Little Red is a quiet guardian in his own right. He keeps watch from the shadows, often walking paths no one else notices. He was once Bobbins’ closest confidant, and the Silver Thread still leads him back when the village needs him most. The new guardian, Duffels, senses Little Red knows more than he says about the past, about the silk worms, and the deeper magic threaded through the village.

“We do not guard the village by standing taller than others. We guard it by remembering.”

• Role: Former Guardian of Mills Beary, Keeper of the Hidden Book
• Personality: Reflective, gentle, and profoundly wise. Bobbins carried the weight of memory,of the village’s past, its hidden magic, and the choices that shaped it. He was not loud or commanding, but his quiet presence brought clarity and calm. A mentor by nature, he guided through subtlety and patience rather than direction.
• Appearance: A soft grey-brown bear with kind eyes that always seemed to be remembering something. His posture was slightly stooped with age, but never weary. He wore a satchel woven with old thread and often carried scrolls or small parcels wrapped in cloth.
• Strengths:
  • Keeper of Lore: Bobbins was entrusted with the Hidden Book, a magical record that reveals its secrets only to the true guardian. He understood its language and its silences.
  • Intuitive Insight: He often saw the heart of a problem before it was spoken. He knew when to act, and more importantly, when not to.
  • Subtle Magic: Though he did not wield the Silver Thread as others might, his presence was threaded into the fabric of the village—quietly protective, quietly powerful.

  Role in the Story:  Bobbins was the former guardian of Mills Beary, the one who held the village’s secrets in quiet stewardship. He knew his time was coming to an end and began preparing Duffels to take his place, not through instruction, but by offering him small moments of truth, trust, and test. Though Bobbins passes before the second book begins, his legacy is deeply felt through the Hidden Book, the tapestry, and the characters he quietly shaped.

“One day, the Silver Thread will answer to me.”  – Rowan

Character: The Threadbreaker

Personality: Charming on the surface, but calculating beneath. Rowan plays the part of an old friend, speaking with warmth and nostalgia, but there is always something behind his smile, something cold and watchful. He is patient, persuasive, and dangerously clever. Rowan doesn’t raise his voice or force his way in. He waits until you open the door.

Appearance: Sharp-eyed with dark, slick fur and a well-worn overcoat that once might have belonged to someone respectable. His scarf is always neatly knotted, and his boots never muddy. There’s a precision to his grooming, like everything is curated to put you at ease, right before the ground shifts under your feet. He carries a journal, but never lets anyone read it.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Rowan’s strength is his mind, he sees what others miss and has a gift for using words as weapons. But his greatest weakness is ambition. He believes he deserves a seat at the center of Mills Beary’s magic and is willing to manipulate, deceive, or endanger others to claim it. He underestimates the bonds between the SnipPets and the depth of the land’s memory.

Role in the Village: Rowan used to live in the Bear Mill and was once trusted, perhaps even admired. But he tried to bend the magic of the village for his personal gain, and the land does not forget. When he returns, it sends ripples through the thread. His presence is felt like a shadow in the weave, a warning. He is the reason the new guardian must rise. He is what the SnipPets were made to stand against.

The Hidden Village of Mills Beary is their story, and the SnipPets Originals plush animals bring these beloved characters to life, so you can carry a piece of the magic with you, wherever you go.

The Wooden Door in the Forest

“Magic lives quietly in all corners of the world, if you know where to look.”

In the woods, growing behind a field full of beautiful flowers, grows a dense hedge. If you were taking a stroll through the woods, you would not pay much attention to it. The bright bluebells, sunny yellow buttercups, and purple lavender flowers would catch your eye instead. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you look very hard at this hedge in the afternoon sun, something magical happens.

Within the hedge, a twinkle that looks like sunlight is magic from a special place called Mills Beary Village. Anyone with a kind heart can look past the rays of sunlight, and, right before their eyes, a heavy wooden door will appear.  That is, if you are invited or expected.

If you are one of the rare people who can see this door, you might ask yourself what a large wooden door is doing standing in the middle of the woods, but if you look closer, you will see a faded old sign under a green blanket of moss. Look closer still, and you will read the words that invite you to enter a world of wonder:

“Welcome to Mills Beary Village.”

SnipPets Originals Plush are available for sale in two sizes.  Don’t miss  this opportunity to collect all 6 characters.  Not available through any other sites.

Click Here to buy your own.

If you have  questions about Mills Bear Village and the SnipPets please email Duffels Bear.  Allow 24 hours for Duffels response.

duffelsbear@gmail.com