Karlie Lucas is a school crossing guard by day and a writer/artist by night.
A graduate of Southern Utah University, Karlie received a B.A. in Creative Writing, with a minor in art. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society, SCBWI, as well as ANWA, the American Night Writers Association.
Karlie is interested in all things magical and mysterious, especially elves and dragons. She is an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling.
When not writing, Karlie can often be found drawing, baking, watching her favorite old school shows, or just spending time with her family.
She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband and a cat named Kally.
1. What is your favorite Wintertime Activity?
Growing up, I would say snowball fights or tubing down tall hills. But, now that I live in the south, it’s just walking in the snow, if we ever have any, then drinking hot cocoa with my hubby.
2. How many unpublished / half-finished books do you have in progress?
Oh gosh. Um… more than I can remember off hand. I do have two childrens’ books waiting for me to illustrate them, a few short stories, an adult novel, a drawer full of various partial drafts of who knows how many stories, and a few new projects on the back burner.
3. What was the most surprising thing you learned when creating your book (in research or in yourself?)
I think the most surprising thing was how much I relate to the main character, especially at that time in my life when I wrote it. Like her, I’ve grown a lot over the years.
4. Tell us about the greatest Christmas gift you ever received.
I honestly couldn’t tell you what kind of gifts I’ve received over the years because it’s not the gifts that stand out to me, but I can tell you the most memorable Christmas was when Santa visited my childhood home. We didn’t expect him and he just came out of nowhere, though I seem to remember seeing what might have been a limo parked down the street. He came in, looking as legit as can be, gave us pre-filled stockings, visited for a bit, and then left. To this day, I don’t think even my parents know who he really was.
5. What did you edit out of your book? (Such as a cut scene or an idea that just wouldn’t fit?)
I actually didn’t edit anything out. It’s rather the reverse. I actually added a lot to it. When I originally wrote it, it was bare bones, though I did change a few scenes here and there to fit in with the more modern editions as I edited over the years.
6. What inspired you to write this novel?
I always have had a fascination with Santa Claus and the elves and was saddened who, at the time, a lot of the radio commentators (my mom’s programs) seemed to disparage how the elves were “overworked and underpaid” and I didn’t think it would be like that at all, so I set out to create a world that proved those claims false. It really started out as a daydream, a movie in my head, I guess, about the opening scene, and then it just went from there.