Christmas at Drummond Manor Q&A
Hey there! I hope you've been enjoying my Christmas novella. I've gotten a few questions about it and thought it might be fun to do a quick Q&A.
So where did the idea for this story come from?
Every year, growing up my parents took me to see the ballet The Nutcracker. Every. Year. And each year I endured many long minutes I thought were boring but I loved two parts of it and relished each of them: 1) The scene where the trees grow and inanimate things come to life, and 2) The dance fight with the mouse king.
So that's where the story started – with an image of a mechanical ballerina coming to life. Who made her? What happens next? What if that beautiful creature turned deadly? That's where I started.
What kind of story is it? How do I know if I will like it?
Whew. Hard to describe but I'll try: It's a Christmas mystery with some paranormal elements.
- It's one part Agatha Christie murder mystery
- It's one part Jane Austen who-will-the-young-lady-marry
- It's one part elegant Downton Abbey Christmas party with drama upstairs and downstairs
- It's one part The Invisible Man with some paranormal and macabre elements
- It's one part riff on The Nutcracker with a figure come to life
Why set this at Christmas? Why do a full-on Christmas story here?
I've always loved Christmas stories. I love everything from Dickens' A Christmas Carol to Grisham's Skipping Christmas to Elf to It's a Wonderful Life. I love it all. I think that's my dad's fault. Growing up I think he loved Christmas stories because they usually teach you to give your life away to others and have a happy ending. That, of course, is all inspired by the very first Christmas story in the manger.
This isn't a classic, but I do hope it brings you just a little of the magic of all the Christmas classics thrown into a blender. I tried to pack it with every bit of Christmas humanly possible. It's got a Christmas festival in a small village. It's got a fancy Christmas dinner party. It's got an expensive gift. It's got an old church. It's got a heartwarming ending. If I could have fit more Christmas into it I would have.
Is there any significance to the date of the story?
Well, yes. My dad created the holiday of "Christmas Adam" which, he always joked, was the day before "Christmas Eve." Ever since, our family has celebrated the day. For years we had a Christmas tradition with our friends going to see Christmas lights in the famous Eastridge neighborhood here. So, as an ode to my dad, all the action takes place on Christmas Adam.
Is this related to the Paranormal Dinner Club project I was posting earlier this year?
Yes! In fact, this is a prequel to that other story. If you followed any of that story where Cutter arrives on Dr. Moreau's island, you'll appreciate this even more. However, since it's a prequel if this is where you start, you'll be totally fine.
But I will say there are three things you'll love if you've ready any of the other work:
- You get a glimpse of Cutter's life before he arrives on the island and whether he's actually a good thief or not
- You'll find out why Cutter is so willing to help others if he can in PDC
- You'll get the origin story of a crucial character in PDC (and I wish I could say more!)
Was this always intended to be a Christmas giveaway?
Yes! It started because originally I wanted to give a short story to my family. It's so difficult to find gifts that really communicate love, care, and thoughtfulness. What better, than something handcrafted for them? I thought it would be a nice gift to print and give on Christmas.
But at some point I realized there were many friends and family that I wanted to give the book to as well. In fact, too many to print copies and mail. So we pivoted to print some for our immediate family, then send a download link with our Christmas card.
What if I want a printed copy?
I'm so sorry there wasn't a way to do that easily this year! However, based on the response to this giveaway I'd love to find a way to make printed copies available next year for those who want them. Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading! If you liked the story or have suggestions for next time let me know. I'd love to hear from you. You can get in touch at ricky.alcantar [at] gmail.com.