Third in a Series on Why I Wrote “Christmas on Pleasant Hill”
Christmas is magical and kids are adorable, so when I wanted to write a book and split profits with our local pre-school, what better than a book of Christmas short stories with plenty of children?
“Christmas on Pleasant Hill” isn’t a children’s book – a few of the stories, like “The Refuge” and “The Painting”, are more suited to teenagers and adults, but eight of the twelve stories do feature children.
From a three year old trying to figure out why he can’t see Jesus, to high schoolers angsting over a school dance, the stories give a compassionate snapshot of family life in its different stages, highlighting the sweetness and humor.
Only some of the stories are based on true incidents, but all of them involve real people. If the story wasn’t based on an incident that really happened, I used people in the neighborhood as inspiration, and imagined how they might interact with one another.
In “Kyle Helps Santa” I thought of the cute, sociable kid around the corner in the big house, and what might happen if he met one of my favorite students in our church’s tutoring program – a sweet, brave, loyal little boy named Andre. I love it when racial and socioeconomic worlds collide and people are richer for it.
Likewise in “Why the Bells Rang”, I riffed on an ancient Christmas legend using a man, an older student, and a little boy I knew from church. It may not have actually happened, but it could have….
“Christmas on Pleasant Hill” is available on Amazon. Half the profits go to 3Cs Nursery School.
Loved learning the background behind some of your Christmas stories, Colleen. I had no idea the two main characters of “Kyle Helps Santa” were based on young boys you actually knew. Your creative wonderings produced stellar results!
Nancy, thank you. Some kids just don’t fade from memory, right?
I remember these stories well! Happy New Year, Colleen!
And to you, noble writers group captain!