I’ve been blessed. My five children have blessed me with 18 grandchildren, who in turn have blessed me with four great-granddaughters. That’s a lot of little ones floating around. Keeping track of them all is, well, challenging.

Most of the grandkids felt at one time or another that I was Santa. My jolly belly and snow white hair and beard coupled with a hearty laugh tipped them in that direction. I always vehemently denied the alter ego.

Last year, while embarked on my five-state tour to visit as many of the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids as I could squeeze in {missed a few who live in other states further west}, I had an idea. It germinated during the hours on the road from Maine to Massachusetts to New York to Ohio to Kentucky to South Carolina. During my stops and access to the computer, the ideas were transferred into words as I crafted a special story for them and read it to them next to roaring fireplace. While I was in South Carolina, I read the original Christmas Eve fireside story to them as my Christmas gift.

The crux of the story was simple … I was not Santa Claus, but I did encounter him many times throughout my life. This turned into a first person account of those interactions.

BELIEVE

It was fun writing the story. The younger ones were fascinated by the fables. One of my older ones suggested writing it for a broader audience. And so, with the confinement of covid, I whittled the tale, polished it here and there, and Yes, There Is a Santa … and I’ve Met Him Personally Many Times was born. I submitted it to my publisher, Rebecca Benston of Higher Ground Books & Media. She took over with final editing, finding the right illustrator — Jasmine Ogletree — creating the cover, and doing the grunt work to publish. The book is now available in both a paperback and e-book format. Links are through the HGBM Store, or Amazon,  or Kindle. I have ordered my copies and signed copies will be available by contacting me directly.

I do have to add, writing a children’s book — for me — was difficult. I came away from the experience with a new-found appreciation for writers in the genre. I did a lot of reading trying to determine what words to use to keep the younger ones engaged while still try to deliver a message. My journey included reducing the page count by about 40% and rediscovering simple words. My hat goes off to those who specialize in children’s writing.

Higher Ground has a few children’s specialists — Mya C. Benston, Rebecca Benston, Yasmin S. Brown, Chuck David, Gabriella Granovitz, Charlotte Hopkins, Amy Land, Will O’Toole, and Linda Phillipson. My Five Minute Friday writing group also features some classy children’s writers — Renee Joiner, Debra Manning-Holloman, Trillia Newbell, and Sandra Kovacs Stein among others. Check them out.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: There is nothing wrong with being wrong.