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Neela Sakaria: A LEGEND OF SANTA AND HIS BROTHER FRED is your first children's book, correct? What made you decide to write a children's story after having written your other works?
Donald G. Henkel: Yes, this is my first children's book. My other works were poetry, not made into books. I did not start writing until 1994, at age 63, when I wrote "Down Home" for a family reunion. It was then suggested that I had a talent and should continue writing. I never thought about printing a book until A LEGEND OF SANTA AND HIS BROTHER FRED came along and my fiancée, Jan Coyne, suggested it could be a great children's book.
Neela: Why a story about Santa?
DGH: I love the Christmas season and have great memories of Christmas. Over the years, I could see unanswered questions about Santa that I felt could be told in an understandable form.
Neela: Why is your book different than other Christmas books for children? What does it teach children?
DGH: As I mentioned, it answers questions about our dear Santa. How he started out as a child just like everyone else, working with reindeer, how he got started delivering gifts, where our giving gifts at Christmas first originated, and it gives a suggestion of how our fathers might be involved with Santa. It brings a bit of fun reality of Santa.
Neela: Can you talk a little bit about the illustrations and D.B Henkel's work? Describe the process. Does he illustrate after the story is written, during, before?
DGH: D.B. Henkel has great natural talent that was revealed before he started elementary school. He further developed his talent attending a few major colleges and art schools. He illustrated this book after it was written. D. B. Henkel advised me that drawing and painting is not hard to do. He said the hardest and most important part of illustrating is what to draw and how to relate the picture to the story.
Neela: How important is it to work with a good illustrator when publishing a book for children? Do you have any ideas for authors out there who may not know an artist - how can they find someone?
DGH: I selected D. B. Henkel because he was family and we could do exactly what we wanted with no conflict. I do not know how to seek another illustrator, but if I wanted to, I would most likely try to contact one that I liked after seeing what they have already done. I see many very beautifully illustrated books on the market.
Neela: What kind of role do you feel that children's books play these days, with technology so abundant? (video games, tv, internet, etc)?
DGH: We have been visiting schools around the country and feel that it will be a long time before books become old fashioned or obsolete.
Neela: Do you think that the significance of Christmas has changed over time? In a positive or negative way?
DGH: I think it has swayed a little off course, but hope our book will steer everyone back on line a bit.
Neela: Do you find that it is sometimes easier to make a meaningful point, when writing in the simple form that is used in children's books?
DGH: I think it may be easier using words along with illustration, because a picture is often more easily understood than words alone.
Neela: Anything else you'd like to share - are you working on any other projects?
DGH: I recently wrote a new story in verse that I am excited and anxious about, but it is on temporary hold until D. B. Henkel has time to illustrate it.
Neela: Thank you!
A Legend of Santa and His Brother Fred
ISBN: 0967350409
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