Follow These Instructions:

1. On the far left side, click Text and click on a text box. Type "Dogs were on the beach".

2. Click Props. Click on dogs to add them.

3. Click Design Characters. Design a person. 

Click on it to add it.

4. Click Photos. Search for "beach". Pick a beach photo. Make it a Scene and add it. 

5. Click Voice. Record your voice narrating your story. 

6. At the top, click Save & Exit. Congratulations! You've created your first book.

Everything started in a tavern where two guys overheard a drunk woman telling a story to the server: “One day an old man spoke these words of true wisdom: “There's life, there's hope! There is nothing like looking if you want to find something; you certainly usually find something if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after” And if you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. And this one has  quite a strange beginning… 

“What has roots that nobody sees, 

is taller than trees,

up and up it goes,   

and yet never grows?"

When the server got back Balin and Dwalin, the guys, were talking at the table like old friends (as a matter of fact they were brothers). Bilbo, a friend of theirs, suddenly gobbled down the beer and the cake in front of them, when loud came a ring at the bell again, and then another ring. Many dwarfs started to appear just in time to hear Bilbo saying: “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone. You guys! Do any of you want to go on an adventure with me and my friends?” So one of the dwarfs answered: “We are plain quiet folks, and we have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner!” And another dwarf, a much more wise-looking one, intervened: “I imagine you know the answer, of course, or can guess it as easy as winking, since you are sitting comfortably at home and have not the danger of being eaten to disturb your thinking!”.

Only after a long chat did the dwarfs finally accept the adventure. So they started their journey. Days passed by, and miles were travelled...

They walked in single file. It would have been the time to flee for Bilbo. But then Bilbo saw it "Is that The Mountain?" he asked in a solemn voice, looking at it with round eyes. He had never seen a thing that looked so big before. It was the Lonely Mountain! Home was just behind them, but the world was ahead! And even if it was a dangerous business, walking out one’s front door, they had to reach that mountain.

 “I don't know half of you as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. And now that our journey is coming to the end I wish I had more time to know you better." said Bilbo.

The fellowship decided to rest. They built a little shelter for the night, but suddenly someone arrived.

‘’Who are you who are armed at the gates of Thorin, the son of Thrain, the son of Thror, kings under the mountains, and what do you want?’’ Thorin said.

In the meanwhile two figures were whispering. Frodo, one of the dwarfs, was scared.                                                                                                                           

 'I wish it need not have happened in my time' said Frodo. “So do I”, said Gandalf (a wizard who had departed with them) to console him. “And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'"

The dialogue was interrupted by someone who was singing nursery rhymes: “Clap! Snap! the black crack!

Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!

And down down to Goblin-town

You go, my lad!”

After hearing jingle for a while, it stopped. They commented on the song and then they said no more, and they ate in silence; but their eyes were ever upon Aragorn, and they all knew that they were in great torment of mind.

After lunch they wanted to discover who was singing, so they started to search in their surroundings. Because there is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. 

Someone decided that it was better to wait in the darkness of the night.

‘’We like the dark’’ one of the dwarfs said “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn. May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks. If more of us valued food and cheer and  song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings.”

There he saw nobody, but all the signs of a large and hurried breakfast. There was a fearful mess in the tent and piles of unwashed crocks. In fact the dwarfs spent all their time piling and ordering the treasure, so they didn’t have any time to clean; and now Thorin spoke of the Arkenstone of Thrain, and bade them eagerly to look for it in every corner. “Despite the pain in all my body and in my head, I know deep inside me that I will never give up the quest for the ring!” one of them said.

“We are met to discuss our plans, our ways, means, policy and devices. We shall soon before the break of day start on our long journey, a journey from which some of us, or perhaps all of us (except our friend and counsellor, the ingenious wizard Gandalf) may never return.” someone else added.

After that break they started their journey. Far over the misty mountains cold to dungeons deep and caverns old. They began to hear goblin noises and horrible cries far behind in the passages they had come through. Bilbo began to have fear so the dwarfs asked him if there was something wrong and he said “I wish now only to be in my own aem-chair” Despite that they continued on that way. “Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the last homely house”  someone said. After they reached the house they decided to rest. They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave.

They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up. They went into a strange house. It was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. Then the dwarfs and Bilbo asked “Well, are you alive or are you dead?” but there was no answer. Bilbo and the dwarfs had now plenty to think about, and they asked no more questions.

The wind came down from the mountains cold, and like a tide it roared and rolled; the branches groaned, the forest moaned, and leaves were laid upon the mould. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion during that night. Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway.

When they arrived far over the misty mountains cold and they walked through dungeons deep and caverns old they decided to rest until the next morning.

“Loyalty, honor, a willing heart, I can ask no more than that in a merrier place” another answered.

“The world is not your books and maps, it’s out there and you can't write it” Bilbo said sadly.

“What will we eat for breakfast?” someone asked.

Bilbo, drunk as usual, answered: “A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid.” After eating their delicious breakfast, they packed all their things and they carried on their journey. 

After walking for a while in the middle of nowhere, one said: “Well, I should say you ought to go east and have a look around. After all, there is the side-door and dragons must sleep sometimes I suppose. If you sit on the door-step long enough, I daresay you will think of something.” “And that's just what you wouldn't have got in any case. Anyhow, you are wasting time now!” Bilbo replied. He was so angry and tired that he stepped away and went to look for something to eat. But he lost track of time and, when it started raining, he couldn’t find where the others were.

In the lightning-flashes, he saw that across the valley the stone-giants were out. Besides these, he also saw two old men walking towards him. 

“I’m mister Bilbo Bagging. I have lost the dwarfs and I have lost the wizard and I don’t know where I am” he cried. One of the two replied to Bilbo saying where they were and also said: “We can help you search for the dwarfs but, in addition to this, we still mean to get back and to bring our curses home. If we can.” After this they started looking for the dwarfs and finally they found them; but now they had to solve another problem: helping the dwarfs. All of them started thinking and “How about a little light?” said Bilbo apologetically. “We like the dark” said all the dwarfs. “Dark works need darkness!..” One of the dwarfs said: “I’m like a burglar that can’t get away, but must go on miserably burgling the same house day after day.” Another one looking at the ground said: “‘Every worm has his weak spot’ as my father used to say, though I’m sure it wasn’t from personal experience”.

After noticing that all the members of the fellowship were cold and wet because of the rain, the two old men decided to bring them to a small village in the middle of nowhere. There, they had a meal like one of those they had at the pub back home and they decided to stay in the village for a few days. At first, the villagers seemed nice and welcoming, but after a short time the fellowship started to notice that something felt wrong. However, Bilbo thought nothing of it. But one day everything changed: Bilbo was pushed forward into the full blaze of the fire and torches. After fighting with some of the villagers they finally escaped and ran to the mountains.

After a long run, Dwalin said: “There is a dragon marked in red on the mountain, but it will be easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there."  The dwarfs immediately freaked out when they heard the word “dragon”. One of them cried: “Dragons are such scary creatures. Not useful at all!” Gandalf replied: "Dragons may not have much real use for all their wealth but they know it to an ounce as a rule, especially after long possession; and smaug was no exception. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters.”

So they started talking about all the magical creatures and Balin claimed: “Goblins are cruel, wicked and bad hearted. They make no good things but they make many clever ones.” 

They moved their camp to the western side of the mountains, where there were fewer signs of the dragon’s marauding feet, and there was some grass for their ponies. Those footprints were not so comforting. One the dwarfs said: “Dragons: nasty disgusting uncomfortable things!”

“Well, well it might be worse” Gandalf said reassuring them.

When suddenly they began to hear goblin noises and horrible cries far behind in the passages they had come through. That sent them on faster than ever. One suggested to escape from those ugly creatures: “Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the last homely house” So they went to Elrond and stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave.

The next morning when he awoke, Bilbo was really relieved to find the dwarfs had all gone on without him; and yet in a way he could not help feeling just a trifle disappointed. The feeling surprised him.

However at about midday the banners of the Forest and the Lake were seen to be borne forth again and they were walking towards the fellowship. Bilbo joked: “If ever you are passing my way, don’t wait to knock! Tea is at four! But any of you are welcome at any time!”. But then they were scared and Thorin cried: “So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings!” Dwalin said selfishly: “I wish now only to be in my own aem-chair”.

But then a man arrived to save them and introduced himself. After chatting for a while he bursted into tears and said: “I’m the last man under value Bard the bowman, but why do people? Why do I get all your blame? Who aroused the dragon from this slumber, I might ask? Who obtained of us rich gifts and ample help, and led us to believe that old songs could come true?” They decided to follow the madman and when they arrived at his house they met two young men that wanted to go to the mountains where the dragon was. Their names were Fili and Kili. 

They would have been surprised, if they could have seen what happened down by the shore, after they had gone and the shades of night had fallen; first of all a barrel was cut loose by Bilbo and pushed to the shore and opened. Then they heard the voice of a woman shouting in the woods: “Revenge!Revenge!” she cried “The king under the mountain is dead and where are his kin that dare seek revenge? I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. But in the ends it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.” So they started running as fast as they could and they stopped only when they found a house which looked safe enough to have some hours of rest without getting killed by some scary creature.

Even though they finally had some time to sleep, Dwalin and Balin were two of the most unhappy, and it was no good asking them to help. These were unpacked and helped ashore where they sat or lay muttering and moaning; they were so soaked and bruised and cramped that they could hardly yet realize their release or be properly thankful for it.

The following day, they woke up past midday. The clouds were torn by the wind, and a red sunset slashed the West. Seeing the sudden gleam in the gloom Bilbo looked around. Bilbo was happy that morning and was going around shouting “Good morning!”  but Thorin said angrily to him:  “What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”

 After having breakfast, Thorin, Fili and Kili went along the shore to a great bridge. When they arrived,  there were guards at the head of it, but they were not keeping very careful watch, for it was so long since there had been any real need. They had a really good time there and, after a few hours, they decided to go back to where the others were. Only when they arrived Thorin noticed that the stars were out in a dark sky above the trees. Everything was so peaceful, but all of a sudden they heard the two brothers arguing about something. "Beg your pardon, I haven't asked for anything!" Dwalin said. And Balin answered: "Yes, you have!" 

 They slept there only another night and then they left to go somewhere else to continue their mission. They started chatting when Dwalin mentioned the stone. So Bilbo said "worth more than a river of gold in itself, and to me it is beyond price. That stone of all the treasure I name unto myself, and I will be avenged on anyone who finds it and withholds it. " Finally they reached the destination, but Bilbo noticed  a dragon who looked  like he was protecting something precious. Undoubtedly, that was what brought the dragon. Dragons steal gold and jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarfs, wherever they can find them; and they guard their plunder as long as they live, and never enjoy a brass ring of it.  After the initial shock “A hunk isn’t he?” Bilbo suddenly asked. “Who?”  Fili and Kili asked, confused. Bilbo didn’t have the time to answer that the dragon saw them and they had to run away. 

But then he came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. They ran so fast that in a short time they arrived in a city (only after they discovered that it was called Dale) by that time all the bells were ringing and the warriors were arming. It looked like a nightmare. At some point they even heard someone saying: ”Leave the bones in the bedroom. Splash wine on every door.”

       During the fire one of them got burnt and most of the others had really painful wounds and so they decided to look for a house to sleep in and to cure the wounds. Bilbo, the most injured one, woke up to find himself in a white bed, and the moon shining through an open window.

Below it many elves were singing loud and clear on the banks of the stream. Then he fell flat on the floor, and kept on calling out "struck by lightning, struck by lightning!" over and over again; and that was all they could get out of him for a long time. So they took him and laid him out of the way on the drawing-room sofa with a drink at his elbow, and they went back to their dark business.

"Ever since the 'incident'. He's a saint, perfect in almost every way” Thorin said to the others. They all started laughing and they all lived happily ever after.