I'm happy to announce that my latest book, 'Twas the Year Christ Left Christmas, is now available in both print and e-book from Guardian Angel Publishing. I expect that it will be available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble shortly.
I wrote this book two years ago during the Christmas season. It all came about one day when I just couldn't take any more of the commercialization of the holiday. On top of that, some friends of mine in New York had told me that saying "Merry Christmas" was actually prohibited at many schools and retailers. I felt inspired to write something about this sad state of affairs. I sat down in my parent's kitchen one afternoon and within a few hours I had come up with my own version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas -- only in this version, Christ is asked to leave Christmas so that people can celebrate without him.
I am very pleased with the fine illustrations done once again by Alex Morris. He is a talented illustrator who has brought the story to life with his images and captured the message through many unique little touches. Neither Alex nor I have ever even had a conversation about either of the books he has illustrated, so it's always been interesting when I receive the first galleys to go over. I open them up with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, but the trepidation always wanes as soon as I see the brilliance of his work!
I must say, I am still frustrated with the commercialization of this holiday. I walk into Best Buy and see the words "Give Joy" plastered across the door. Come on, does anyone really think that you can find joy in Best Buy? I think this is a good example of how we have lost the meaning of many words in our own language because of our careless use of them. I see a commercial for DSW in which one shoe shows up at another shoe's door and with some witty verbiage criticizes the gift that shoe has given her, saying that it actually repels her to think of the other shoe. Okay, I know it's shoes, but it's not really funny. We have even screwed up the whole message behind giving gifts.
At any rate, I see what Christmas has become -- something so far removed from what it purports to celebrate -- and it saddens me. I love the gifts and the celebrations just as much as the next person, but to me there is something much deeper, much more special, astounding and beautiful about Christmas. This is what I celebrate. If you're with me, I think you'll enjoy the new book.
Merry Christmas!
