Clancy is a heartwarming children’s Christmas story about an anxious camel who learns to face his insecurities, embrace his uniqueness, and discover the courage to take part in something special. What draws you to write children’s literature?

When I was young, my grandmother often read Dr. Seuss’ books aloud, and I found myself mesmerized by the melody of the words and the way they bounced off the page. I knew that if I ever wrote a children’s book, I would write in poetic meter and use words that were a little bit of a challenge for the intended age range. This approach naturally invites conversation between the reader and the child, just like Dr. Seuss’ books did for my grandmother and me. When I began writing Clancy, that famous anapestic tetrameter started to flow through me. (One of my favorite examples of this style is Dr. Seuss’ I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew). Advancing a story in twenty-four-syllable stanzas while sustaining the rhyme scheme brings me irrational levels of joy. If I hit a roadblock, I maneuver the words and count out the beats like solving some sort of musical jigsaw puzzle. Clancy and the cast of Cameltown’s characters wouldn’t be the same any other way.

Clancy worries about his crooked hump, awkward knees, unruly hair, and troublesome tooth. Why did you choose these specific insecurities to shape his character?

I wanted Clancy to struggle with characteristics that were common to all camels. If you look at a group of camels, you’ll notice they all have imperfect humps, knobby knees, wild tufts of hair on their heads, and not a single one of them has straight teeth. Yet Clancy was convinced that he was alone in his imperfections. In reality, we’re all a little bit like Clancy. None of us is perfect, but we tend to put our own flaws under the magnifying glass. Sadly, children begin to internalize their insecurities as early as age five. When focusing on their own perceived shortcomings, children tend to develop feelings of unworthiness, which can cause them to pull away and create a deeply ingrained negative self-image.

This is why the role of a trusted adult confidant is so important in a child’s life. This caring adult doesn’t “fix” the problem; they guide the child through it. In Clancy’s case, this adult confidant was Mayor Camello. The mayor gave Clancy his undivided attention, shared his vulnerability by disclosing his own past struggles, and encouraged Clancy to pray.

Christian faith plays a central role in the book. How did your own beliefs influence the story’s messages about worry, trust, and belonging?

As a Christian, when I feel overwhelmed, I’m reminded to cast my anxieties on God, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Clancy was so fixated on his own insecurities that anxiety took hold of him. He forgot that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) and if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). God loves us so dearly that He delights in using us, flaws and all, for things greater than we could ever imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9).

If readers take away one lasting message from Clancy’s Christmas journey, what would you most want it to be?

Christmas has become such a commercialized holiday that we often lose sight of why we’re even celebrating. The same reminder Clancy receives is the very one we all need: the true Gift of Christmas is Jesus. He was born, died, and, as evidenced by the hundreds of documented witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6), was resurrected to life as an eternal sacrifice for our sins. All He asks is that we believe.

​
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Instagram | Amazon