Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

Congratulations to Nathan Christopher on the release of When Santa Wrote Back!

You're an engineer by day and a children's book writer by night. What inspired you to write for children?

Engineering is a very creative profession (which surprises some people!) and I’ve always been a creative person. I love solving interesting problems in my work, and I look for additional creative outlets in my personal time. Like many children’s authors, I was inspired to write picture books after having my own kids and becoming immersed in kids’ books for the first time in years. I was struck (and inspired) by some amazing picture books—my favorites being those with humor that appeals to both kids and adult readers.

Is this your debut book? What was the inspiration and tell us a bit about your path to getting published.

Yes! When Santa Wrote Back! is my debut picture book. I wrote it to celebrate everything I love about Christmas: the magic, the lore of Santa, and the off-the-charts excitement for kids. The idea came to me after a kidlit author posted her kid’s letter to Santa on social media. I found something so deeply funny about a kid trying to make the bare minimum amount of “small talk” required to avoid being rude (“How's the North Pole? Has the weather been nice?”) before diving into the real purpose of the letter: the outrageously long wish list.

I had been querying agents and submitting manuscripts for years before the stars aligned. I learned from friends on the ‘PB Workshop’ Discord community that an editor at Sourcebooks was open to un-agented submissions, and I sent in this manuscript. Luckily, it was a great match for what he was looking for: a character-driven, rhyming, holiday book with series potential.

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I hope kids find the book fun, their grown-ups find it funny, and that it leaves them all with a warm, Christmassy feeling.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

Luckily, I’m working with an amazing team at my publisher (Sourcebooks Wonderland). They’re leading all the critical marketing activities, and I’m happily chronicling my journey on social media (find me on Instagram or Bluesky!). Readers can find the book wherever good books are sold, or head to hellonathan.ca for direct purchase links.

What's next for you?

When Santa Wrote Back! is the first book in a three-book holiday series starring Jake, the mischievous but lovable main character. The next two installments (coming in 2026) will focus on Halloween and Easter. After that, I’m looking forward to future unannounced projects and continuing to write and create fun things for kids.

More about the book . . .

Deck the halls and get ready for hilarious holiday hijinks with this funny and heartwarming Christmas picture book for kids!

It's the holiday season, and Jake is determined to have the best, most present-filled Christmas ever! When he writes letters to Santa that include his never-ending gift requests, some speedy shipping suggestions, and a reminder for St. Nick to kindly reply, will Jake get all that he hopes for? Or will Santa teach him a valuable lesson in this delightfully charming story about the Christmas...when Santa wrote back!

Published by: Sourcebooks Wonderland

More about the author . . .

Nathan Christopher is a former child and aspiring adult who enjoys spreadsheets and—far more useful for his writing—making people laugh. He works as an engineer in Michigan and lives just across the river in Windsor, Ontario, with his wife and children (who ensure endless material and a conveniently sleepless schedule for writing).

Website: https://hellonathan.ca/

Instagram: @HelloNathanC

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/hellonathanc.bsky.social

'PB Workshop' community on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/KSYfkNg