When I was a young boy growing up in a small town in
Pennsylvania, Christmas was a magical time. I know that is so cliché to say but
it was true. The looks, the smells, but most importantly the feelings of love
and warmth have all remained in my memories of those times. I have, unfairly,
judged every Christmas of my adult life by those childhood standards and of
course none could compare equally.
One of my favorite things, leading up to Christmas day, was
the holiday specials that were broadcast on TV each and every year. I can still
remember sitting in my mother’s big red chair searching through the TV guide to
find out when each show would be on and I would look forward to it for days in
advance. Luckily with the invention of video and DVD’s that is one small part
of my childhood that I can still relive every Christmas. My most beloved
specials were the stop motion films of Rankin and Bass. Rudolph, Santa Clause
is Coming to Town, and The Little Drummer Boy was just a few of my favorites.
When I started working on the photo illustrations for my
holiday book, Flight of the Christmas Witch, I used many of the techniques
employed in those classic films. Then on one particular Saturday afternoon I
was reviewing all the finished photographs and making the final selections for
which ones to include in my book, and in that quiet time I was surprised to
find that each one of the edited photographs seemed to summon up a different
Christmas memory or feeling. Without intending to I managed to capture the look
and feel of many of my childhood holiday memories.
This book has become very special to me in so many different
ways. While writing it I was in touch with my muse like never before, the
illustrations have brought back many distant memories, and the story itself is
based on a wonderfully imaginative folktale that I had only recently
discovered. My hope is that “Flight of the Christmas Witch” will become part of
your holiday traditions and memories, or at the very lest bring a smile to your
face this holiday season.
Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!
Good luck and keep writing.
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