Christmas in July – Katie L. Carroll

There’s so much going on right now as I prepare for my two fall releases and work on revisions for my Hamlet-inspired YA psychological thriller that’s coming out next year! Plus, it’s summer, so that means adventures and vacations with the family.

Today, though, I’m focusing on my upcoming picture book MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Consider this a reason to have a Christmas in July celebration because I’m revealing the gorgeous cover and one of my favorite spreads in the book. There is something so magical about seeing the words come to life through illustrations!

I was so happy to work with illustrator Phoebe Cho. Her vision for the characters and setting matched up with mine and more. She brought a really beautiful mix of classic Christmas nostalgia and a modern, realistic twist. So here it is!

Do you love it as much as I do?

Some of you long-time readers may remember my take on Clement C. Moore’s classic poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” that I shared each year at Christmastime. This version is quite similar (I did make a few edits to the text), but the illustrations take it to a whole new level.

It definitely can be read to kids (I’ve read it to mine a bunch of times and it always makes them laugh), but it’s truly a picture book for parents. One of my favorite spreads really demonstrates the kind of humor I was going for and shows you Santa himself!

I hissed, “Get off my roof, your reindeer too.”
With a shake of my hands, waved off his crew.
He grinned. “Don’t end up on my naughty list.”
Clearly this guy wasn’t getting my gist.
Mommy’s night before christmas

I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the family! The book comes out October 25 and is starting to pop up on retailers for pre-order. I’m working with a marketing firm and am looking for a few published picture book authors to read it early and provide blurbs. If that’s you and you’re interested in MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, let me know at katielcarroll @ yahoo.com.

About MOMMY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS:

‘Twas the night before Christmas…

In this humorous take on the classic Christmas poem by Clement C. Moore, the concept of the serene night before Christmas is turned on its head. Instead of visions of sugar plums, the children are teething and playing loudly. There are presents to be wrapped and ornaments to be mended. Just when Mommy and Daddy take a moment to relax, a noise outside alerts them to a surprise visitor. But Mommy’s determined not to let anyone–not even Santa Claus himself–disturb the sleeping children on Christmas Eve.

Children and parents alike will be entertained and delighted by this new classic Christmas story! The perfect gift for all the moms who make Christmas so special.

Pre-order now from Bookshop, Amazon (hardcover or ebook), Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Book Depository (for international folks).

Today (ahem, on my birthday…and, yes, I’ve stopped counting how many I’ve celebrated) I have a unique poem from Beth Overmyer, author of the middle grade novella In a Pickle. Be prepared to laugh as Beth takes over the blog!

Just in time for Christmas in July…I present:

The Rewrite Before Christmas

(Parody of Clement C. Moore’s The Night Before Christmas)

‘Twas the first draft of my novel and all through the book

There were typos and blunders, not even a hook;

The scenes were all tied together by a hair,

All hoping the editors soon would repair;

The characters were voiceless, all bland and cardboard,

They talked and they rambled, no sense in their words;

And my alphas and my betas put on thinking caps,

“How do I keep reading? I want a long nap!”

And out of my prose there arose such a clutter

Of dialogue tags such as “murmured” and “muttered;”

“Away,” “through” and “of” all ended each sentence;

I misspelled all words without a hint of repentance;

All adverbs were abused shamelessly;

The luster and shine was very much lacking.

When pressing my brain on to make this thing better,

There appeared on my desk an over-sized shredder.

With a clunky old hard drive, so ancient and sick,

I rigged up old Bob with the help of a fork lift.

More vapid than prairies my stories I shredded,

Lit them with a match, doused with unleaded,

“Now burn, you! Now, die, you!

Now shred, burn and fry, you!

No ands ifs or buts:

I’ll burn short stories too!

To the top of the shredder, to the top of the wall!

No dashes, m-dashes, n-dashes; away, all!”

As dry as leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

I watched the smoke drifting up, up to the sky;

So shiny and lovely, the ashes, they flew,

With smell of burnt plastic and toxic waste too.

And then I’d an inkling, a nudge in my head,

The itching and clawing, as that of the undead.

And I drew in my head an outline so sound

For a shiny new novel, and then went to town!

So, hear me exclaim as I drop out of sight:

“A novel isn’t written; thou must rewrite!”

In a Pickle blurb:

Charlie Pickle can’t stay put in the year 1920, due to an annoying habit of time-traveling. On a trip back to 1910, he meets a man with a secret. Murder makes the headlines that day, and Charlie’s new friend knows who the guilty party is. Now, not only does Charlie have bullies and murderers to contend with, he’s got some history to fix.

Find In a Pickle at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, and other ebook retailers.

About the Author: CC Pic Beth Overmyer: writer of kidlit, penner of prose, petter of cats.