Kristi Reads: Feature and follow Friday!

Welcome again to Follow friday!

This week's feature: Owl Tell you About it. (I get the features from Alison, primarily. Parajunkee has her own feature.)

And this week's question....*drumroll*

(To paraphrase)

What book would you love to see made into a movie or TV series, and do you have actors in mind for the characters?

Wow. I'm just going through my list of awesome action books, here...But I'm going to be selfish, just a little. I'm working on a novel called 'Sarah Claus'--I think it would make the most adorable christmas movie ever. I don't actually have actors in mind, yet. I know what I want them to generally look like, but casting is best left to the professionals.

I posted the prologue to the novel Here, and I suppose I'll post another excerpt just for you guys!

Here we go....

“Jason? I’m about to leave but I thought I’d check up on you.”
“I’m sorry for being mean. I didn’t get to make a Christmas card, but I have this.” Sarah waited while Jason dug under his pillow for a worn out envelope. “I made this in April. It’s a letter to Santa. Do… do people really send them in November?”
Sarah smiled and knelt down so she could talk to Jason. She understood better than most that having someone taller than you made them seem intimidating. Being eye to eye with a child was sometimes just the thing they needed.
“People send letters to Santa all year round, Jason. Not just November and December. Sometimes I start as early as January, to say thank you, and then I keep sending lots of letters to him over the year.”
Jason scrunched up his nose, looking skeptical. “Doesn’t that get on his nerves?”
Sarah made a move to tuck her hair behind her ear out of habit, unknowingly knocking the hood off her head. “From a nice kid like you, Jason, Santa could only love every single letter he gets.”
“Your hair is white.”
“What?”
“Your hair. It’s white.”
“Oh…I was recruited to be Santa…s helper. An elf came into the kitchen while I was on my break and told me I was now Santa’s helper. The white hair is just a side effect.”
“Really.”
“Um… yes?”
“You want to know what I think?”
“Can you think it using only good words?” Jason had a habit of expressing his thoughts with a lot of colorful words for his age.
“I think if you’re really Santa’s helper, you can get this letter to him just fine.”
Sarah smiled. Jason was smart for his age, the perfect age. Young enough to believe her, kind of, but old enough to just go along with it even if he was skeptical. She held out her hand, gently took the envelope, and tucked it in her pocket.
“I will definitely do that. I’ll even see to it that Santa does everything he can to get you what you want for Christmas.” She hugged Jason, and stood to leave.
“Miss Sarah.”
“Yes?”
“Your hair is still white. I think I’m the only one who’s going to believe you, so you should cover it up again.”
“Right.” Sarah brought the hood up again and turned to leave. “Thank you, Jason. Good night.”
Jason put one hand up in acknowledgment before Sarah crossed the threshold. Making sure no one was there to see, he got on his knees in front of his cot and started a small prayer.
“Dear God. I’m not sure if I should trust Sarah. Becoming Santa’s helper doesn’t happen just like that, does it? He has his elves. But please make sure that Santa gets my letter. And if he can’t give me what I want, I hope you can. Even though you’re busy with wars and death and other things like that, if you ever have time please remember to take care of my family. Amen.”
Meanwhile, Sarah was jumping inside as she walked up to Jordan, who already had her coat and bag ready to hand to her. She tried her best to make a sly, flirting smile towards him, but the one she received was a friendly one, not flirty at all.
“So everything’s cool?”
“Yeah. Cool. The coolest.”
“With Jason?”
“Yeah. Oh, yeah. Jason. You’ll get used to him. We don’t get many details, but things seem to be a bit rough at home. He’s a…”
“Sweetheart, I know. According to you, every kid is a sweetheart.”
“Well, they are.” By now they were outside, and Jordan was staring at Sarah. “You’re staring… do I have glitter everywhere?”
“No!” Jordan started, “I mean, yes, but… why do you have your hood up? It’s not that cold out today.”
“Oh, it’s—” Sarah wasn’t paying attention and didn’t get to finish her sentence as the ever curious Jordan pulled back her hood, revealing her white hair.
“Your hair is white.”
“Um…”
“Your hair. It’s white.”
“Yes, I know. Gosh, you sound just like Jason.”
“Why? How? When? Did I completely miss that when we came in?”
“No, no, it’s really recent. I… would you believe I’m Santa’s helper?”
“No. Santa’s not real.”
That made Sarah stop and her shoulders lower a few inches. It always pained her to hear someone say they didn’t believe in Santa. Now more than ever, seeing as Sarah was Santa.
“But hey, I admire your Christmas spirit.”
“Yeah. Why are you in trouble, anyway? What did you do?”
“A harmless prank.”
“Yeah? How harmless?”
“I just used duct tape to tie a new guy to the flag pole.”
“That’s hazing! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
“Hey, it was my idea to keep his clothes on, at least.” Jordan looked away, and did actually look ashamed. Sarah shook her head in shock, reminding her once again about her hair color. Pulling up the hood, she realized she had nothing more to say.
This is my moment, she thought, I should flirt with him. Or ask what his favorite color is. Or… oh, here comes my house. Think, Sarah, think!
“So… Sarah.”
“Yeah!” Sarah covered her mouth and blushed as she realized that came out a little too enthusiastically. “I mean… yes?”
Jordan chuckled. “You know I like you, right? Ever since middle school. You’re always happy and never in trouble, and that makes you really special. I… I don’t know, I feel some sort of connection with you.”
“Really? Me? Why?”
“I don’t know. I never really know. I’m not smart like you. Or… well, like anyone. But I do know I think we should be really good friends.”
“Friends…”
“Yeah!”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that. Friends, then. This is my house. Thanks for walking me.”
“No problem! Come here!” Without warning, Jordan pulled Sarah into a great bear hug, and suddenly she felt the connection he was talking about. It wasn’t puppy love, it was something much older than that. Or more mature. It felt as if they had known each other forever, even if this was the first time since the eighth grade Halloween disaster that they had hugged.