This story was born out of a feeling of crippling emotional paralysis in the face of what seems to be total political inertia in our country surrounding the issue of gun violence.
Shana Hammaker – 4 November 2023
About the book
What is the book about?
I’m going to answer this a few ways. Let’s start with the blurb:
While home in Midland, Texas on a weekend visit with the eccentric uncle who raised him, Marion (‘Mary’) Waclawski discovers a long-forgotten letter Uncle Joe wrote to Santa Claus. Mary keeps it to share with his girlfriend Lindsay and best friend Tommy. At first they consider the letter to be nothing more than a silly lark—what kind of grown man would write a letter to Santa? But soon Mary and Lindsay find themselves caught up in a much larger mystery, concerning many, many more letters to Santa, all surrounding the crisis of gun violence in America.
It’s a problem bigger than Texas, and a mystery bigger than Mary and Lindsay can solve on their own. Thankfully they discover they have willing and eager partners at the North Pole: Sandra and Kris Kringle, better known around the world as Mr. and Mrs. Claus! But can the Texans and the Clauses solve a mystery and a crisis no one else seems able to?
So, to sum, the book is about gun violence and Santa Claus. That’s the short answer. But the longer, truer, answer is: the book is about frustration and hope. As are most of my books. LOL I’m something of a hope junkie.
When did you start writing the book?
I began the first draft on January 1, 2023.
How long did it take you to write it?
I finished the first draft on April 30th, 2023
Where did you get the idea from?
This story began with a writing challenge presented to me by my husband as we watched Violent Night on Christmas day, 2022. If you’re not familiar with the movie, it’s a fun take on the bad Santa trope that features an unambiguously righteous Santa taking violent revenge on a bunch of greedy adults on behalf of a good little girl. If you like slasher flicks, it makes for a good holiday movie. Anyhow, halfway through, my husband Brandon pushed pause and said to me:
“You should write a book where Santa gets angry about gun violence.”
I was immediately intrigued and said I would. And I was serious. I began writing the first draft of this book on New Years Day 2023. I completed that draft on April 30th. According to the website Mass Shooting Tracker, by April 30th of 2023 there had already been 222 mass shootings in the U.S.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
No, I really didn’t. This story was born out of a feeling of crippling emotional paralysis in the face of what seems to be total political inertia in our country surrounding the issue of gun violence. Writing The Santa Strike was the first time I have ever felt like I could fully express that. So the story just came pouring out of me.
What came easily?
What came most easily was writing every scene in which Santa Claus gets to really show his righteous anger.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
It was important to me that this story be set in an America that feels REALLY real. Thus, there are a number of politicians and media personalities in the story who are named.
Because I want the setting to feel familiar and provoke emotions, I don’t shy away from naming names and pointing fingers. All media personalities who appear in The Santa Strike are named after their real-life counterparts, as are all political figures. In one particularly emotional scene, Santa Claus spars with Texas Senator Ted Cruz on Tucker Carlson’s now-canceled Fox News show, debating the merits of taking bold action on gun violence while the story’s main characters live tweet the action and play a quite memorable drinking game.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I have been influenced by a number of authors, most of whom are way more articulate than me. I’ll say this: Anne Lamott taught me to bare my soul unflinchingly. Stephen King taught me that being verbose isn’t always necessary or even preferable. Countless others have pitched in over the years as well. I read widely with an unquenchable thirst.
Do you have a target reader?
Generally speaking, no. But with The Santa Strike, I hope to touch the hearts of people who are as frustrated with the status quo with regard to gun violence as I am. I don’t expect Ted Cruz to read the novel and have a change of heart, but that would be amazing!
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Yes. I start with an idea and keep writing until I finish it.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Nope! I’m an unapologetic, absolute chaos-monster of a pantser.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I do a minimal amount of editing as I write.
Did you hire a professional editor?
No. But I go through many, many drafts and revisions with a whole team of beta readers.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I don’t listen to music literally as I am typing. But what music I am drawn to is intrinsically connected to the state of mind my WIP has me in. The music and the WIP sort of feed off one another’s energies in a way. I made a playlist for The Santa Strike. Some selections from it:
Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt
Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton
Peng! 33 by Stereolab
Wrestling by Cartalk
Mrs. Claus by the Dan Band
I Don’t Know What Christmas Is by Old 97s
For What it’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
Shut Up and Smile by Bowling for Soup
Anthem for a Seventeen Year Old Girl by Broken Social Scene
Candyland Part 1 by Soul Position
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I have always been self-published. I have always been attracted to the punk, DIY spirit of it. But now more than ever, it feels like the future of publishing is uncertain. Hell, it feels like the future of books is uncertain. The Santa Strike deals with a politically controversial topic. I don’t think the “traditional” route would be appropriate for this particular tale.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I commissioned my cover from James at Go On Write. The Pre-made Kindle / eBook Book Cover Depository.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I don’t have a marketing plan so much as marketing hopes and dreams.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I feel like anyone else who is doing this is doing it for the same reasons I am: because we grew up with stories and characters in our heads that demanded to be brought to life. It would be lovely to earn fame and fortune from my stories. But whether or not that is in the cards is kind of beside the point. I need to write. It’s that simple.
About You
Where did you grow up?
California
Where do you live now?
Texas
What would you like readers to know about you?
I write to make sense of the world and this life that I’m living.
What are you working on now?
To be determined
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of The Santa Strike from Amazon US or Amazon UK.