Chip Crockett's Christmas Carol

[cromag]

Chip Crockett's Christmas Carol, by Elizabeth Hand. This short novel (novella?) was first "published" online in 2000 and was short-listed for a World Fantasy Award.

It's not a retelling of the Dickens' story, but it does follow the formula of a Christmas "miracle" and enlightenment. The character of Chip Crockett is very, very closely modeled on Sandy Becker -- who hosted kids' TV shows in the New York City market in the 1950s and 60s. And, like Sandy Becker, almost nothing remains of his work -- in those early days of television local shows were either broadcast live, or taped and then erased so the valuable video tape could be reused. Like Sandy Becker, Chip produced a kids' version of A Christmas Carol with his puppets and live-action characters which is now lost. And, like Sandy Becker, Chip is now dead -- the book opens with his obituary. (I grew up in the NYC viewing area, and I loved Sandy Becker!)

The main characters in the book are Brendan, a lawyer, divorced, mostly-recovering alcoholic, and father to a 4 year old autistic son. Also, Tony Kemper, AKA Tony Maroni, an aging former punk rock star who briefly headed up a world famous band, but nows works day jobs and needs to crash at Brendan's place.

The internet being what it is, you can still probably find the original story online. It was recently released as an ebook, available at the usual places, priced at about $5 (US). If you buy it, the proceeds will go to Autism Speaks, a research and advocacy organization here in the states, in the name of Anne Marie Murphy, a classmate and friend of Hand’s younger sister, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings last year.


The ebook edition is new, but it has a 4 star average at Goodreads.

It's a quick read, but I liked it.

[Xanthe]

Thanks for this info. I grew up watching Sandy Becker too - Hambone, Norton Nork, and Geeba Geeba.