TOP CHOICE BOOK AWARD 2012 - FLAMINGNET.COM - OFFICIAL AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH AWARD 2012 Top 1,000 FINALISTS.
"Santa Claus and Little Sister"
http://tosantaclaus.net
INTERVIEW WITH INDIE SPOTLIGHT:
Tell us about your book:
“Santa Claus and Little Sister” is autobiographical in nature, selfishly therapeutic in design, and hard proof that fate does exist.
This is my personal, and often private journey when I was in my 20′s and recently graduated. I was a young optimistic teacher who traveled from East to West to teach at a Los Angeles placement home for at-risk, gang, abused and seriously emotionally disturbed girls.
I discovered that truths often become lies, moral transforms into immoral, and fear truly builds knowledge.
How long did it take to write the book?
I originally started working on the in the early 90′s when I was having difficulty dealing with the loss of one of my favorite students to teenage suicide. Writing became my therapy, of sorts. It was rejected by literary agents back then because they thought they subject matter was too sensitive and that teenage suicide was not a universal problem. I decided to resurrect the book last year, develop some of my characters more, and remove over 13 chapters that I deemed too private.
What inspired you to write the book?
The loss of my favorite student and the frustration that I did not recognize the warning signs of teeange suicide.
Talk about the writing process. Did you have a writing routine? Did you do any research, and if so, what did that involve?
Because the book involves gang lifestyles, drug use, prison scenes, and special educational settings, I had to compliment my writings with extensive research. The subject is serious, and therefore I wanted the facts presented accurately and informative, and yet integrated smoothly with the story.
What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?
Just not to judge anyone else until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes….
Where can we go to buy your book?
Dr. Brian G Snow
“Santa Claus and Little Sister”. Released Nov. 24, 2011 ISBN: 978-1467971942
Original Unedited Version Available now in Paperback and Ebook on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Apple’s IBookstore, and Sony Reader. Now Available in 38 Countries. Weekly Internet TV Series, Free ITunes downloads, Blogtalkradio show, Song, 78 Worldwide Websites, six videos, and original screenplay.
Any other links or info you’d like to share?
Excerpt from book:
The novel was inspired by:
“To Santa Claus and Little Sisters”
- A Poem by Anonymous.
Once
on yellow paper, with green lines, he wrote a
poem and called it “Chops”
because that was the name of his dog and
that’s what it was all about,
and the teacher gave him an “A”
and a gold star
and his mother hung it on the kitchen door and
read it to all his aunts
That was the year his little sister was born
with tiny toenails and no hair, and Father
Tracey took them to the zoo
and let them sing on the bus,
and his father and mother kissed a lot
and the girl around the corner sent him a
Christmas card signed with a
row of kisses
and his father always tucked him in at night
and he was always there to do it.
Once
on white paper, with blue lines, he wrote
another poem
and he called it “Autumn”
because that was the name of the season
and that’s what it was about
and the teacher gave him an “A”
and told him to write more clearly
and his mother didn’t hang it on the kitchen
door because the door had
just been painted.
That was the year that his sister got glasses
with black frames and thick lenses
and the kids told him why his mother and
father kissed a lot
and that Father Tracy smoked cigars and left
the butts on the pews
and the girl round the corner laughed when he
went to see Santa Claus
at Woolworths
and his father stopped tucking him in at bed
at night and got mad when he
cried for him to
Once
on paper torn from his notebook, he wrote
another poem
and he called it “Question Marked Innocence”
because that was the name of his grief and
that’s what it was all about
and the professor gave him an “A”
and a strange and steady look
and his mother never hung it in the kitchen
door because he never let her see it
That was the year he found his sister necking
in the back room
and his parents never kissed or even smiled
and he forgot the end of the Apostles Creed
and Father Tracey
died
and the girl around the corner wore too much
make up
and made him cough
when he kissed her, but he kissed her anyway
Once
at 3am he tucked himself in bed, his father
snoring loudly
he tried another poem on the back of a pack
of matches
and called it absolutely nothing, because that’s
what it was all about
and he gave himself an “A”
and a slash on each damp wrist
and hung it on the bathroom door because
he couldn’t reach the kitchen.
Anon
The Journey:
Lupe, a petit beautiful Mexican 12-year-old girl, identified only by the alias assigned to her by the FBI, is suddenly missing from the Los Angeles placement center, leaving only her most cherished possession behind, a self-made book of poems, photography and artwork entitled “To Santa Claus and Little Sisters”.
Lupe’s confidential file reveals that has she been struggling with suicidal thoughts and attempts for years. Little Lupe also has a contract on her life placed by her own incarcerated parents. Her brother is an active gang member with the notorious Mexican Espinoza cartel from Tijuana that specializes in child trafficking and ransom kidnappings.
Refusing to accept the hypothesis that Lupe ran away on her own free will, risks would have to be taken by a young naive Boston-born teacher - including the recruitment of his most dangerous student, Chata.
Seventeen-year-old Chata, a bold and controlling overweight active member of the Baby Locas Division of the 18th Street Gang in South LA, struggles between two opposing worlds and purposely brings both together in the back alleys of Los Angeles one moonless night.
Both would have to question their belief system many times in order to survive when circumstances were not in their favor.
To these young catalysts, Chata and Lupe, I am forever grateful for the spark that you ignited in me, for any real survivor characteristics that I possess are due to you.
And lastly, to all the young girls that I have had the honor to work with, who like Anonymous, unfortunately committed suicide - I want you to know that you are dearly loved and missed.
You changed my life.
Thank you girls.
In your honor, I have shared our story in “Santa Claus and Little Sister”
Dr. Brian G Snow
- "Santa Claus and Little Sister". Released Nov. 24, 2011 ISBN: 978-1467971942
- Available in over 200 countries. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, etc.
- Top 1,000 Finalists in The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2012.
- Internet TV Series, SCreenplay, CD Music Compilation, over 97 worldwide websites
and over 127 social networks.
