by Donna Lewis Stiles | Nov 23, 2025 | Beach Life, Holidays, Lifestyle
Welcome to Chez Stiles Books
A November Note: On Gratitude and New Beginnings
There’s something perfect about launching Chez Stiles Books during the season of Thanksgiving. As we gather around tables counting our blessings, I’m counting mine: a decade of teaching incredible children, a lifetime of adventures that shaped my stories, and now this—the chance to share tales of kindness and gratitude with a whole new generation of young readers.
If there’s one thing I’m thankful for this November, it’s the opportunity to do work that matters. Work that whispers to children, “Your kindness counts. Your differences are beautiful. Your grateful heart can change the world.”
So, here’s the thing about life—it rarely goes in a straight line. And honestly? That’s where all the good stories live.
My journey to becoming a children’s book author started with a crown (yes, really—Miss Delaware, circa way back when), wound through a decade of opening a dance studio and coaching tap, ballet, jazz, and baton, and then took a scenic detour through countless boating adventures with two Black Labs who thought they were pirates, and somehow landed me here: Chez Stiles Books. For those wondering, “Chez Stiles” is French for “House of Stiles.” I thought it sounded far more sophisticated than “Donna’s Book Situation,” which was the working title for approximately ten minutes.
From Studio to Coastline to Chapters—Here’s what many years of teaching children shows you: kids are the most honest audience you’ll ever have. They’ll tell you straight up what you’re doing is boring (usually by wandering away or making that face), and when they love something, their joy is contagious.
I learned that the lessons that stick aren’t about memorizing a routine; they’re about kindness, gratitude, and understanding that being different isn’t just okay, it’s what makes the world beautiful. Those classroom moments when a shy child stood up for someone, when children celebrated each other’s unique quirks, when they learned to say ‘thank you’ and actually mean it—those are the moments that changed me as much as them. And here’s the beautiful part: I still hear from many of those students as adults, some now parents themselves, and those connections remain some of my most precious treasures.”
Beach Girl – My years in Ocean City, Maryland, weren’t just about raising two amazing humans and perfecting my crab cake recipe. They were about understanding the rhythm of coastal living—those endless summer days, the way light dances on water, and the adventures that happen when you have a boat, two kids, and labs named Raven and Captain who were convinced they were part of the crew.
I’ve always been a beach girl at heart. Give me sandy toes, salt air, and a good book—preferably one about pirates and adventure—and I’m perfectly content. There’s something about the freedom of the ocean, the call of adventure on the open water, and yes, my lifelong love affair with pirate tales that shaped not just my lifestyle but also my storytelling voice. Those swashbuckling stories I devoured as a kid. They taught me that the best adventures often involve being brave enough to be different, kind enough to help your crew, and bold enough to chart your own course. The beach life shaped everything: my design aesthetic, my storytelling style, and my firm belief that the best childhood memories involve a little salt air and a lot of freedom.
The Tampa Chapter – These days, I’ve traded the Atlantic for the Gulf and the black labs for Hook—a French Bulldog with more personality than should be legal in one small, snorty package. He’s become my studio companion, occasional character inspiration, and the most honest critic of my lunch choices. (Still a beach girl, just with warmer winters and better sunsets.) Then there’s my grandson JJ and the grand-dogs, Tate and Camie, who remind me daily why I do this work. Watching JJ discover the world with fresh eyes, watching his contagious smile—that’s the stuff that fuels every whimsical tale and enchanting illustration I create.
Beautiful Living, One Story at a Time – Through all of life’s chapters—from pageant stages to dance studios, from boat decks to my Tampa writing nook—I’ve held onto one belief: beautiful living comes from embracing both elegance and authenticity. And you know what? That applies to people too. We’re all a little different, a little quirky, beautifully imperfect—and that’s exactly how we should be.
So that’s what you’ll find here: children’s books that are beautifully crafted but genuinely real. Stories with heart, humor, and messages about kindness, acceptance, and thankfulness woven so naturally into the adventure that kids don’t even realize they’re learning life’s most important lessons. Just enough magic to make bedtime the best time, and just enough truth to make little hearts a little kinder. Perfect for bedtime stories, classroom read-alouds, or any moment when you want to remind a child that being kind and being different are both beautiful things.
Find all Chez Stiles books on Amazon or my website, ChezStilesBooks.com. Perfect for bedtime stories, classroom read-alouds, or any moment when you want to remind a child that being kind and being different are both beautiful things. 👉 Shop on Amazon | Browse Our Website Collection
You can follow me on Instagram [@chezstilesbooks] for behind-the-scenes peeks at new books and gentle reminders about kindness. Because we’re all in this beautiful, messy, wonderful journey together. Thank you for being here. Thank you for choosing stories that matter. And thank you for helping raise a generation of kinder, more grateful humans.
by Donna Lewis Stiles | Oct 5, 2021 | Beach Life, Foodie
The Art Of Wine Tasting
Even though many just assume that wine tasting is sipping, swishing, and swallowing – many are amazed to find that it’s actually a bit more. Wine tasting is more of an art, an art that is used to distinguish the taste of fine wines. Wine can be a tasty and refreshing drink – if the bottle was stored correctly and aged properly.
Wine tasting begins with the swishing. The reason why wine tasters swish the wine around in their mouths is to get the taste. Both the front and the back areas of the tongue contain taste buds, although neither one has any distinct sensation in taste. Taste buds can detect food and liquid that is bitter, salty or sweet, without a problem. To get the proper taste from wine however, you need to swish it around in your mouth and allow your taste buds and sense of smell to bring out the unique and fine flavors in the wine.
When you have a cold however, the wine can taste very different. When tasting your wine, your sense of smell has a major impact on the taste. What many fail to realize, is that over 75% of our taste is due to our sense of smell. When we have a cold, our sense of smell is affected. Therefore, when eating or tasting wine with a cold, the taste will appear different. Wine tasters all over the world will tell you that tasting wine is more about a sense of smell than the actual taste buds.
The art of wine tasting is indeed an art. Wine tasters do however, follow some general guidelines and rules that judge how great a wine is. These techniques can help you bring the most out of your wine, providing you follow them and know how to bring out the taste.
The first thing to do with wine is to look. With wine, you can tell quite a bit about it by looking at it. You should always start by pouring the wine into a clear glass, then taking a few minutes to look at the color. As far as the color goes, white whines aren’t white, but actually yellow, green, or brown. Red wines on the other hand are normally a pale red or dark brown color. Red wine gets better with age, while white whines get more stale with age.
Next, is the smell of the wine, which you should do in two steps. You should start with a brief smell to get a general idea of the wine, then take a deep, long smell. This deeper smell should allow you take the flavor of the wine in. The more experienced wine tasters prefer to sit back a bit and think about the smell before they actually taste the wine.
Last but not least, is to taste the wine. To properly taste the wine, you should first take a sip, swish it around in your mouth, and then swallow. Once you swish the wine around in your mouth, you’ll bring out the rich and bold flavors of the wine. After swallowing, you’ll be able to distinguish the after taste of the wine, and the overall flavor.
Once you have looked at the wine, smelled it, and finally tasted it, you’ll be able to evaluate the wine from a taster’s standpoint. This is the easiest way to determine the quality of the wine, and whether or not it has been properly stored and aged. As with all things in life – the more you taste wine – the better you will get at distinguishing the unique flavors.
by Donna Lewis Stiles | Jul 25, 2017 | Beach Life
Happy As You Want To Be
Almost everyone has heard the hit single ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. This simple message surely made a lot of people by telling them not to worry. Living a happy, resilient, and optimistic life is wonderful and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke. One of the better things ever said is – ‘The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change’, and in our life, we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation, we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.
Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along. Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also healthy. To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.
There are several ways by which you can attempt to do this.
Being grateful is a great attitude. We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also, thank the mailman for bringing you your mails, thank the policeman for making your place safe, and thank God for being alive.
News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can’t start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.
A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace.
Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine-tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.
Laugh and laugh heartily every day. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -‘Laughter is the best medicine. Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent-up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead, find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.
Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent-up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead, find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.
Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time. Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new every day. Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future.
Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Feel alive. Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places. These are the few simple things you can do every day to be happy.
Start a Journal, or Vision Book …
And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
by Donna Lewis Stiles | Apr 23, 2017 | Beach Life, Local News, Travel
Just west of Tampa in Pinellas County you will find Florida’s West Coast Barrier Islands. These islands have some of the most electric communities to be found among beach communities worldwide. They include Clearwater Beach, Island Estates, Sand Key, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, North Redington Beach, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach.
These areas are blessed with sandy beaches and natural unspoiled landscapes with clear, sparkling Gulf waters, a subtropical climate, and an abundance of glorious Florida sunshine — 365 days a year!
Pinellas County’s barrier islands are accessed via causeways and bridges and each community has its own unique flavor. Because of the mix of many different cultures, foods, music, and entertainment, life on these islands varies from one island to the next. You can find everything from a relaxing escape from the usual rat race of everyday life, to the exhilarating hip-grinding beats of the live music being played at the clubs.
The island of Sand Key is just one of the many different communities you will find here. Sand Key is mostly a residential location of townhouses, homes, and luxury high-rise condominiums. This island community does offer shopping and restaurants as well, housing two major hotels on its north end. This is a place to slow down and take the time to truly enjoy the simpler things in life. For the more adventurous, there is the Sand Key County Park, and nearby Clearwater Sailing center that provides for various recreational activities.
Clearwater Beach is another of Florida’s Barrier Islands. Clearwater Beach is 4 miles of pristine sandy beach, and supplies visitors and residents with plenty of water and beach activities including parasailing, fishing, swimming, jet-skiing and volleyball to name just a few. Clearwater’s infamous “Pier 60” has music, arts and crafts, and a daily celebration of the spectacular sunsets viewed from the pier. This community is alive with activity. They have hotels, shopping, and fine dining. Waterfront homes and condominiums are what residents can find for quality housing. A trolley is used to transport people between Clearwater beach and the mainland and also for trips to nearby Sand Key. You will find plenty of venues providing live music and you are only a short-trolley trip away from the city of Clearwater’s many music and dance nightclubs.
Madeira Beach is yet another island community just off Florida’s western coast. As a direct-entry point to the Gulf, you will find daily fishing, and cruising charters. This community has plenty of waterfront shops and fine dining restaurants. Residents are found living in various dwellings such as condos, apartments, and luxurious waterfront single-family homes.
Belleair Shores is a private community island with million-dollar waterfront homes. Access to this area’s beach is restricted to use by residents only. There are no public access beaches in Belleair Shores. This is a community for those who desire to live in an area removed from the common everyday life found in other communities.
So if you’re looking to relocate to the sunny Pinellas West Coast of Florida, and would like to move away from ordinary living, consider contacting a Tampa Bay area real estate agent to discuss the different island communities. Your real estate agent can arrange for you to tour the different Barrier Islands that populate Pinellas County Florida’s West Coast so that you can discover the community that offers the lifestyle and housing options that are right for you. Your real estate representative can assist you in finding the financing to buy your new property as well. These friendly, knowledgeable real estate agents are also a good resource for all of the information that you will need in order to make your transition to becoming a Florida resident a smooth as possible.
by Donna Lewis Stiles | Mar 20, 2017 | Beach Life, Travel
Do you desire a lifestyle of easy navigation? or do you like to aimlessly drift, and be tossed around on the sea of life at the whim of the waves? Living a great lifestyle ” is everything you think, say, and do!
Live Your Best Life
Every vessel needs a Captain on the lookout for achieving smoother waters ahead. Whether your vessel is a rowboat or a luxurious yacht with its very own film theater and helipad, be the captain of your very own vessel. Smooth navigation comes from the picks you make and the way of life you live, not the measurement of your vessel.
Chart Your Own Course
Once you recognize that you create your tomorrows by using your thoughts, phrases and deeds, you will recognize that it was once your thoughts, phrases and moves from the remaining week, final 12 months, or 5 years in the past that created today. If you targeted poor wonderings and matters in the past, they have materialized in the present.
To format your lifestyles and appeal to what you want, no longer what you do not want, can be referred to as the “secret,” the regulation of appeal or charting your personal course. You, the Captain, can’t steer your ship of lifestyles unless you have a clear route set to your ultimate destination.
- Make room for new tremendous strength to enter via uncluttering your world.
- Set dreams to chart your new direction and format the existence you want.
- Stay targeted on your new lifestyle and dreams through the use of superb energy.
You are in command of your very own vessel. You have the capability to create your personal navigation for subsequent week, subsequent 12 months, and 5 years from now by being positive in that “everything you think, say and do!
SEAS THE DAY and chart your own personal path for smooth sailing.
