The Santa Claus Agreement
A Holiday Fable of Magic, Whimsy, and Heart
by Derek McFadden
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Pub Date Nov 01 2022 | Archive Date Nov 01 2023
ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Papillon du Père Publishing
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Description
An agreement 40 years in the waiting…
What’s a boy to do when Santa Claus lets him down? He strikes an agreement.
When he was seven, Davey Boyd asked Santa for just one Christmas present: “Please make me normal.”
Because Davey had always believed—always known—Santa could do anything.
Until Santa didn’t. Because even Santa couldn’t. Instead, Santa and Davey struck an agreement.
Now, forty-eight-year-old David Boyd’s time as a mall Santa Claus ends tonight. He loves the kids, the magic, the season. But it’s time. It’s not the cerebral palsy he has learned to live with bringing this time to a close; it’s not the heartbreaking ending of his relationship.
No, it’s time to begin the agreement he made forty years before.
So, tonight, Davey is going to tell the kids who’ve gathered what happened that night, forty years ago, when he was whisked away to the North Pole. It’s his last chance before the agreement is due to come into effect. Well, that is if one small detail doesn’t void the whole thing. But there might be an elf—a cute one—who can help, if only Davey can truly see her before it’s too late…
A holiday fable chock full of magic, whimsy, and heart, The Santa Claus Agreement chronicles the adventures of a boy destined for a magical experience… if, all grown up, he can keep his end of the bargain.
From Derek McFadden, award-winning author of What Death Taught Terrence, comes this enchanting novel about what it means to love and believe with your whole heart, even when your whole heart is shattered. Perfect for fans of Richard Paul Evans, Donna VanLiere, Julie Salamon, and Mitch Alborn.
“Derek McFadden’s The Santa Claus Agreement, is a holiday story about the search for love and acceptance. Love must begin within, but no one is better equipped to show you how than McFadden’s Santa. As a writer and working Santa myself, I can vouch that this story will warm your heart like hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies beside the fire.”
– Bradley Harper
Author of A Knife in the Fog
Winner, Silver Falchion, 2019 & 2020
Edgar Finalist
Ten-year Santa Veteran at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia
A Note From the Publisher
https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Agreement-Holiday-Whimsy/dp/B0C9DW48LL/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YJFHKEY0LLVN&keywords=Papillon+du+Pere+Publishing&qid=1696333027&s=books&sprefix=papillon+du+pere+publishing%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C239&sr=1-3
Find the book at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64405761-the-santa-claus-agreement?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=DGzSTrLJ8F&rank=1
Advance Praise
“Derek McFadden’s The Santa Claus Agreement, is a holiday story about the search for love and acceptance. Love must begin within, but no one is better equipped to show you how than McFadden’s Santa. As a writer and working Santa myself, I can vouch that this story will warm your heart like hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies beside the fire.”
– Bradley Harper, author of A Knife in the Fog
A highly original Christmas story with a thought-provoking plot. Highly recommended!
– ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Reviews
A must-read for everyone... When your heart is broken and you feel disheartened enter the magical, whimsical and heartfelt, and imaginative world of Davey Boyd and know you can! Never give up on yourself!
– Amazon Vine Voice 5 Stars
The spirit of Christmas is in all of us and each year all the memories take us back to our childhood and that wonderful time when our imagination was in full bloom and wishes were meant to come true. The story of Davey Boyd encapsulates the wonder of the Christmas season... teaches us that we all have the potential to be great, but greatness is different for different people. Believe in yourself. Lots of truth and life lessons here. I highly recommend this book!!
– Sandra Montanino, author of The Weight of Salt
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781915221056 |
| PRICE | $13.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 285 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Tierney M, Reviewer
One of the most exceptional Christmas stories you’ll likely ever unwrap!
Derek McFadden is perhaps the best writer you don’t know yet! His stunning, award-winning novel What Death Taught Terrence is as a good a study on life—particularly in terms of love, wishing, regret, and hope—that you’ll likely ever read. In The Santa Claus Agreement, McFadden deals with many of the same themes, although this time with a lightness of touch to bounce atop, as befits a Holiday/Christmas story.
Young Davey Boyd has to get over the crushing disappointment of Santa letting him down on his 7th Christmas. The next season, who should visit but Santa! He whisks Davey and baby brother Brendan away for a magical North Pole adventure. Or is it more than that?
Forty years later, and Davey is about to wrap up his time as a mall Santa Claus. Well, he hopes so. A very special agreement is due to come in to effect, but it’s supposed to include his partner. Trouble is, they just broke up. Is there some-elf else perhaps that’s better suited to and keen on the role…?
Told in an engaging (and easy to follow) dual timeline McFadden’s tale is the most original Christmas story you’ll read this (or possibly any other) year. His strength of pure emotional truth is balanced by familiar and welcome tropes for the season, combining to deliver the most exceptional of Christmas stories you’ll likely ever unwrap. I can hear Netflix knocking…
Anne Marie B, Reviewer
What a lovely, magical, important story about accepting ourselves as we are! I loved reading Davey’s story and found it enchanting in many ways and on many different levels. About halfway through, once the scenes turned toward Santa in the North Pole, I found myself wishing to see this story as a children’s book with beautiful illustrations… Because, while I understand that this book really is meant for adults, there is a message here also for children, and I wish that the author would consider finding a children’s book publisher to work the story into that form that also.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Educator 985113
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.
If you looking for a story to get you into the Christmas story, The Santa Claus Agreement should do nicely. I went into the book not ready for the Holiday season and quite blah. I'm still a bit blah, but with over half of my Christmas shopping done.
As someone with a neurological disability, I loved Davey being an awesome lead who just happened to have cerebral palsy
Good Christmas book that I hope gets turned into a just as good Christmas movie.
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