My NaNoWriMo project is going well. I’m glad I decided to drag a novel into it again this year. I absolutely loathe NaNo, and how it makes me feel anxious and desperate to finish on time. On the other hand, I know perfectly well that I do perform well under deadlines, and NaNo’s a great way for me to get my rear in gear and just finish already. So. I’m a few thousand over where I absolutely have to be at present, yay.
Of course, November isn’t just the month to bully yourself into finishing a novel. It’s also time to think of Christmas, ha ha! (See what a great segue that was? Srsly.)
Some of my very favorite Oklahoma SCBWI members have books that are Christmas themed. If you’re looking to get in the holiday mood, it might do you well to check these out!
I’m gonna start with Tammi Sauer’s adorable holiday book The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma, with illustrations by Victoria Hutto. Tammi’s book takes readers on a trip all around the Sooner State, spotlighting some of the things that makes Oklahoma such an amazing place! From the description on Amazon: Are you ready for rodeos, road trips down Route 66, and more? That’s Christmas, Oklahoma-style, with magical crystal bridges, a cowboy (and girl) museum, reconstructed Native American dwellings, outlaw hideouts, and cool dune buggy rides. And don’t forget the mistletoe–Oklahoma’s floral emblem. What a happy way to spend a holiday!
And there’s several other Christmas books from Okie authors that you might enjoy.
Una Belle Townsend’s Racecar Driver’s Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Rick Anderson, is part of Pelican’s Night Before Christmas series, which brings new adventures of Santa Claus to eager readers each year. From Amazon’s description: After organizing a special Christmas Eve race in Daytona, drivers Junior and Michael are in for a holiday treat when a strange car pulls up on the track. It’s covered in blinking lights and tinsel and smells of green pine, and the driver is Santy Claus, who is ready to race. Racecar Driver’s Night Before Christmas is a holiday story unlike any other as Santy Claus competes for the gold in the Jingle Bell Jammer, outracing the best and leaving presents of pistons and brakes behind for the racecar drivers who have been good all year.
Carolyn Macy has two books she’s written and illustrated for the holidays. The first, Hawaiian Night Before Christmas, is also part of the Pelican line. From Amazon: It is Christmas Eve on the tropical isle of Hawaii, a holiday the locals refer to as Kalikimaka. As all of the little keiki (children) drift off to sleep, Santa surfs to the island on his outrigger canoe led by his majestic sea turtles. As he arrives at their homes, or hale, he listens as the holiday ornaments magically come to life. The decorations bob and dance all around, whispering to Santa what gifts he should leave for the children. When Santa begins to leave, mama and papa give him a lei and bid him farewell as he rides the waves out of sight.
Carolyn’s other holiday book is Oklahoma Night Before Christmas. From Amazon: Very seldom does Santa ever find snow covering the land in Oklahoma. This sometimes gives him problems getting all his presents to the sleeping children. In this version of the popular tale, Santa brings his gifts on a four-wheeling ATV as blasts of freezing cold sweep into the state, and even his cozy Santa suit can’t keep him warm. When radar signals pick up his flying machine, the airport controllers become concerned about the unidentified object in the sky. And then there’s that pesky raccoon that digs into Santa’s bag. Is Santa ever going to be able to complete this Christmas ride? Find out in Oklahoma Night Before Christmas.
Una Belle and Carolyn will be signing their books on Thursday, November 20 (2014) at Spanish Cove Retirement Village in Yukon, and at Full Circle Books, 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City, on Saturday, November 22. Una Belle will also be signing at Best of Books in Edmond on December 9!
Una Belle Townsend (left) and Carolyn Macy signing their books earlier this month. Carolyn has her turtle, for Hawaiian Night Before Christmas and her raccoon puppet, for Oklahoma Night Before Christmas. Una Belle’s holding the puppets (elephant and cow) that she uses with two of her non-seasonal books, Grady’s in the Silo and Great Elephant Escape.
Want some Christmas books by Oklahoma authors? Here’s links to order on Amazon:
Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma
Racecar Driver’s Night Before Christmas
Hawaiian Night Before Christmas
Oklahoma Night Before Christmas
Happy holidays!