The Story Behind My Story

I enjoy learning how people come up with their ideas. Where does that spark come from that causes someone invent something, or create something new? A couple of years back there was a movie called The Man Who Invented Christmas. It was a telling of Charles Dickens’ life and how he came to write the seminal Christmas story, A Christmas Carol, in 1843. It was an interesting movie that gave more context to the story of the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge.

As for my story, both Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch played a part in sparking an idea which resulted in my new novella. Both stories are about a Christmas-hating curmudgeon who eventually has a change of heart. I can’t fathom how many times I watched the Grinch.

I love both of them. (I must confess that my preferred A Christmas Carol is the Muppet’s version.)

These are deservedly classic stories that have not only endured but have been revisited time and again in film and television for generations. I think it is because we like knowing that people can change, and we personalize that hope. The story of their redemptions fits in well with Christmas.

However, both of those stories have a subtle lacking that has always bugged me. Both the Grinch and the Scrooge eventually have a “Come to Christmas moment.” But neither of them have a “Come to Jesus moment.”

I find it odd that in a story about men’s redemption and hearts softening, there is literally ZERO discussion of the Redeemer Himself and the role He plays in the changing of our hearts – or even a passing reference to the baby Jesus. Can we really embrace the true meaning of Christmas, yet ignore the very person that it is about?

This is not to say that A Christmas Carol, is fully secular. There are Christian threads woven throughout, and a subtle reference by Tiny Tim to “remember upon Christmas day who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.” But Christ is never directly referred to. Many would argue that Dickens left the “Christ” out of Christmas. He definitely left Jesus out of the narrative, but some of the Christian elements are quietly embedded.

The Grinch? Secular, but fun, and probably better that way–A Dr. Seuss version of Jesus would be, well, off-putting.

I decided to tackle writing a Christmas story, showing deference to the classics, but placing the setting in our day, and, more importantly, including the Savior’s role in the evolution of the protagonist.

It is a short novella, as I believe the old adage that says “a story should be exactly as long as it needs to be.” It’s a quick read. (62 pages, which is why it’s so inexpensive.)

For those of you who have followed me for years, this will feel comfortably familiar. I felt this was wise, because if my first fiction work were to be a serial killer novel, it could be a bit off-putting for my longtime readers.

If you like it, I would greatly appreciate if you could leave a review where you purchased it from or on GoodReads. (If you didn’t like it, remember what your mama said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”)

So, there’s the backstory of my story. I hope you enjoy it. I’ve listed below how you can get it.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas! (Even though it is two days early.)

If you already pre-purchased on Kindle, it should already be downloaded into your library.

For eBook and Paperback, click to visit:

Signed copy? Happy to do it.

(Sorry, but extra $1.00 for postage. Signed copies will take about two weeks to process and deliver.) Click here:

For eBook, click here: COMING SOON!

Any questions, give me a yell on Facebook or brad@thuswesee.com