The Santa Book: A True Story was the FIRST PLACE winner in the Non-Fiction category of the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Erin Eby.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Santa Book: A True Story was published in October of 2023
What are the book’s first lines?
Dear Child,
Maybe you have noticed this book resting on a shelf for years. Or perhaps your eyes are seeing it for the first time. The story within these pages must be remembered, and protected, so it can be passed on to a new group of children each year.
This is your year.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
The Santa Book addresses the truth about Santa in a way that respects the curiosity and intelligence of children. In an immersive, shared experience between parent and child, The Santa Book guides both through the challenging transition from one side of the Santa tradition to the other, allowing both to discover magic on “the other side.” It ritualizes and commemorates one of the first coming-of-age milestones, strengthens familial bonds, and builds lifelong memories.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Before The Santa Book was a book, it was a letter. When my oldest son was 9 years old he became skeptical about Santa Claus, and I agonized over how to tell him the truth in a way that was a gain rather than a loss. As writers do, I penned him a letter, and when it was “perfect,” I read it to him in a private moment. The experience was so meaningful for both of us, I wanted every family to have this framework as an option when it comes time for their child to know the truth. Thus began the process of translating the personal letter into a universal narrative.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The Santa Book is an interactive experience between parent and child. A distinctive thing about the book is that its only two “characters” are the reader (the parent) and the listener (the child). Even the illustrations are designed from a child’s perspective, allowing the listener to center him- or herself in the narrative.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
It’s a game-changer for parents in Christmas-celebrating households. The moment a child learns the truth about Santa is a delicate one… parents must sidestep the risks of disillusionment, cynicism, breaking trust, and more. It may seem silly, but it’s a critical moment in a child’s development, and The Santa Book gets it “right.” The book flips the moment of truth on its head by strengthening the family connection, celebrating the child’s maturation, and reinforcing important values such as community, generosity, and responsibility.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I’ve written for my own pleasure since I was a little girl, but my education and profession have been in the art and design world, so my identity was always that of artist rather than writer. It wasn’t until I had four children, and spent years consuming a lot of picture books, that I developed a desire to combine my passion for art and storytelling to create visually-driven narratives I’d want to read to my kids.
Is this the first you’ve written?
It’s my first published book, but I’ve published works of poetry and short fiction, mostly in online literary ‘zines.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I work in advertising as a Creative Director, managing teams of Art Directors, Designers, Copywriters, Developers, and other talented creatives. Similar to the process of creating picture books, my days are spent making words and images harmonize together.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Generally, I try to take Rick Rubin’s genius advice–when inspiration strikes, I prioritize writing over all else until the flow of ideas runs dry. That means sometimes I feel stuck and don’t write for days. While other times I sit down and write for 10 hours straight.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Being self-published isn’t just about writing a great book, it’s hard-core entrepreneurship. It’s very difficult (read: impossible) as a single individual to do all things as well as they could be done by a team of experts. Many times I wish I had 8 pairs of hands and 40 hours in the day!
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I would, for the right partnership. I’d love to see The Santa Book achieve global reach and mass popularity (what author wouldn’t?). Financial motivators are there, of course. But honestly the most rewarding part of this project has been the wonderful feedback from parents who use the book to guide their child through the transition. I’m deeply touched and gratified to be a small part of such a huge moment for their family.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I’d say I’m primarily intrinsically motivated. These stories swirl around in my head and make an awful lot of racket until I let them out. I’m also motivated by my 4 wonderful kids, and I want to bring the stories to life to put them into their hands and hearts.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Joyce Carol Oates. I really admire the quiet, elegant power of her voice. Of her vast body of work, I’ve enjoyed her short stories most of all… the impact she can deliver in the span of 1500 words is unbelievable.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
My favorite picture book at the moment: They All Saw A Cat, by Brendan Wenzel. I admire how it avoids “closing the loop” all the way, thus inviting discussion between reader and child to discuss and interpret what they’ve read together, igniting conversation beyond the seemingly simple subject matter of the book. In reading it to my own children, it has led to conversations about respecting different points of view, open-mindedness, and self-perception, among others. Wonderful!
