I am currently retired from the public education system in North Carolina. My career spans nearly thirty years of teaching early childhood classes, working as a Home/School Coordinator, Arts Coordinator and elementary principal. My wife and I team-taught many of those years in early childhood classrooms while writing and developing curriculum utilizing original children’s music as a resource for enhancing literacy in young children. During those years, I developed some solid “creds” as an educator. I was a Finalist for Principal of the Year in North Carolina (1990); recognized for creating and establishing a model SERVing Young Children School for its innovative, non-graded, multi-age program in 1992; and creator/performer/presenter of a unique literacy resource for young children called: “Singing to Read.” My writing is reflective of the driving force behind these experiences and accomplishments, the privilege of being father to two wonderful daughters and the pure joy of watching my four young grandchildren delight in life.
Born in Winston-Salem, NC, I have lived in North Carolina all my life, except for a brief stint in the Navy. Stationed in San Diego, I had the opportunity to travel overseas to such exotic places as Japan, Hong Kong, and Hawaii. My families, on both sides, were all North Carolinians, several of whom were noted educators in the Tar Heel state.
My wife and I have two wonderful daughters and four grandchildren. Our “home away from home” and retreat from the world is a renovated beach house at Atlantic Beach, NC. There is nothing like watching and listening to the ocean or just sitting up late at night on the screened-in porch and feeling the ocean breezes blow in from off-shore.
I have created and developed a Podcast for parents and teachers entitled: Touch A Rainbow. Utilizing my original songs and stories for children, I share thoughts, experiences and dreams about and for our children and about how learning to “touch rainbows” will help us rediscover our “better angels” in this topsy-turvy world in which we live. https://www.anichentime.com/tarpodcast-1
Writing Honors/Completed Works
Adult novel SHOES (under original title, GIFT) was a Quarter-finalist in a past Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest and a Semi-Finalist in 2019 for an Elixer Press Award.
Featured Presenters of “Singing To Read,” our Literacy through Music program at various NCaeyc/Naeyc regional and national Conferences.
Sandcastle Magic(original working title: The Sandcastle Queen) Honorable Mention in 76th Annual Writer’s digest Writing Competition in the Children’s Fiction category.
Picture book manuscripts Santa Clothes and Granny Tickle’s Teeth received Honorable Mentions in the 85th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition in the Children’s/Young Adult Fiction Category.
I have completed twelve picture book manuscripts, a completed middle grade fantasy trilogy (RimBomBo), a middle grade contemporary (The Truth About Starfish), and an upper middle grade fantasy (Hope of Glimmer).
I am a member of SCBWI and have been a participant in Julie Hedlund’s 12 X 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge.
SANTA CLOTHES
It was two days before Christmas.
Santa and Mrs. Claus were inspecting the sleigh.
RRRip!
“Oh, no!”
“What is it?” Mrs. Claus asked.
“I’ve torn my suit.”
“Give it to me. I’ll patch it up.”
“These old red and whites aren’t just torn,” Santa said. “They’re covered with ashes and soot.”
“It’s still a splendid suit,” Mrs. Claus said.
“But I’ve been wearing it for years.”
“The children love you just the way you are.”
“I’m out of style,” Santa said. “I should wear something new.”
“My goodness, what do you have in mind?”
Santa tugged on his beard. He scratched his head.
“A fashion show!” He exclaimed.
“But Santa,” Mrs. Claus said, “are you sure there’s enough time?”
“Absolutely! This is the North Pole‒Christmas Magic is everywhere! Invite everyone to come to the show on Christmas Eve.”
“Yes, Dear,” Mrs. Claus said.
All the elves worked like crazy.
But they needed every bit of Christmas Magic they could use.
By noon on Christmas Eve, everything was as ready as it could be.
The crowd was buzzing.
“Welcome everyone!” Mrs. Claus announced. “This is the NEW SANTA CLOTHES FASHION SHOW!
“Whoo Hoo! Go Santa!” Everyone cheered.
“Our first creation is called…WE ALL LOVE SANTA,” Mrs. Claus announced. “Note this handsomely tailored suit of red hearts with dark chocolate accents.”
“Strange place for hearts!” hollered Roman A. Round, Head Elf of Naughty and Nice Lists.
“All right, everyone, settle down out there,” Mrs. Claus scolded.
Santa sighed and walked off.
“Next up for your enjoyment…SANTA IS KING OF THE ROAD,” Mrs. Claus announced. “Feast your eyes on this dashing leather jacket and polarized, yellow lens, wrap-a-round snow goggles.”
“We can’t hear you!” Prancer snorted. “The motorcycle is too loud!”
“It is a bit…noisy, Dear.”
Santa shrugged and drove off.
“Next, put your hands together for…GO TROPICAL WITH SANTA,” Mrs. Claus announced. “This suit’s crowning glory is the coconut and floral designed fabric.”
“You’re gonna get cold!” bellowed Tusker, the walrus.
Santa hurried off to get warm.
“Now, let’s hear it for…EVERYONE LOVES BALLOONS.” Mrs. Claus announced. “We can’t guarantee Santa won’t bump a bit while wearing this suit, so we added a built-in, non-spillable cup holder just for hot chocolate.”
“Watch out for pointy things!” roared Blizzard, the polar bear.
Santa rolled his eyes and bounced away.
“It’s time for our final and most spectacular selection…TOUCH A RAINBOW WITH SANTA,” Mrs. Claus announced. “Note how it looks like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow when you brush the sequins.”
“Santa sure has the pot-belly for it,” someone shouted. Everyone guffawed.
“Who said that?” Santa asked.
“Ignore them, Dearest,” Mrs. Claus said.
Santa hung his head and shuffled off.
Mrs. Claus looked at her watch.
“Well, Dear, have you decided?”
Santa tugged on his beard. He scratched his head.
“I don’t think any of these suits looks like the new, real me.” He sighed. “I’ll just wear my old, itchy long johns this year.”
“The children will be very disappointed. Why don’t you check on the sleigh one more time? When you come back maybe you’ll change your mind.
“Okay,” Santa mumbled.
When he returned, Santa opened his closet.
Suddenly, bells jingled. A warm breeze blew in. It smelled like warm gingerbread and hot chocolate full of melted marshmallows. All at once, every new suit floated up into the air. They swirled around the room and…
WHOOSH!
They disappeared out the window.
Santa’s old, torn and sooty red and whites was the only suit left. And as Santa
and Mrs. Claus watched…
The rip mended itself.
The red turned redder.
The white turned whiter.
The fur turned fluffier.
His old red and whites glistened like a shiny holiday candy cane.
And quicker than you could say Merry Christmas, it wrapped itself around Santa like a best friend’s hug.
In one pocket, he discovered polarized, yellow lens, wrap-a-round snow goggles. Attached to his belt was a non-spillable cup.
It was already full of steaming hot chocolate.
“I think Christmas Magic is trying to tell you something, Heart of my Heart,” said Mrs. Claus.
“So do I,” Santa whispered, and he laughed so hard, his little round belly shook like a bowl full of jelly.
Comments
It's adorable and funny!…
It's adorable and funny! Keep it up.
A great original concept,…
A great original concept, with lots of tongue-in-cheek humor for the parents too. Well done!