Christmas Carol & the Shimmering Elf

The battle for Christmas, and the world itself, is about to begin.

When Christmas Carol, a Defender of Claus, is suddenly yanked into a portal by her Elven grandmother, she doesn’t immediately understand what’s happening.

But all becomes clear when she and the Ancient One emerge on the other side of the portal in what’s supposed to be the North Pole: everything’s changed.

Carol’s father is gone. The Defenders of Claus don’t exist. The Elf kingdom has been destroyed. And Santa’s a broken shell of himself.

The jolly world Carol knew has turned into a terrifying place, where the magic of Christmas has been eliminated and everyone lives in fear of the all-powerful Supreme Leader. Someone has traveled back in time to change history, and Carol’s pretty sure she knows the culprit.

Carol and her grandmother, with the help of two ragged boys who have lost everything in the rebellion against the Supreme Leader, track down the only Elf capable of helping their enemy travel through time. The bitter, shimmering creature reluctantly agrees to send Carol back, and she lands in the mid-1800s, when Santa was just getting started and the very first Defender of Claus was found. She must protect Santa and the original Defender and undo the damage her enemy has done or risk returning to a present day that has never known Christmas.

Robert L. Fouch is an author and journalist who grew up in the hills of West Virginia and now makes his home on Long Island in New York. He has worked in the newspaper business for longer than he cares to admit, including twenty-two years at Newsday as a copy editor, page designer, and occasional feature writer. He has a bachelor’s degree in editorial journalism from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and is married with a teenage son, who is his sounding board and toughest critic. He is a Browns and Cubs fan, which, before the end of the curse in 2016, was about as much misery as a sports fan could stand.

"Imagine Harry Potter riding The Polar Express, only it's a Back to the Future train on an adventure-filled roller-coaster ride. Who knew that the secret to getting in the Christmas spirit would be to imagine a world without Christmas?" —Michael Merschel, author of Revenge of the Star Survivors

“Robert Fouch is a gifted writer and his Christmas Carol books are presents worth giving all year 'round. He’s definitely not on the Naughty List!” —Jason Lethcoe, author of the Zoom’s Academy series

Praise for Christmas Carol & the Defenders of Claus

"A glittering sleigh-ride of a holiday tale! Fouch conjures an enchanting vision of what Christmas means, while giving us the perfect gift, a lively and hilarious new heroine—Christmas Carol!" —Tony Abbott, author of Kringle, on Christmas Carol & the Defender of Claus

"I really liked this book! . . . Girls and boys would enjoy reading this, especially during the Christmas season!" – Newsday’s Kidsday
 

"An action-packed Christmas story for young readers ages 8+! I loved Carol and I definitely could imagine myself in her shoes as I read along. Let your imagination ride in this Christmas tale! I think young readers will enjoy the Christmas adventure that author Robert L. Fouch has written." —Momee Friends of Long Island
 

"It was refreshing to read a story about Santa that wasn't geared toward very young children.  The plot was simple, but the author really engages the reader through the characters he created and his writing style.  The author writes in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is right there with Carol.  He adds details and descriptions that really add to the fantastic adventure.  The characters come to life and as you read, you see them in your head.  Most of the characters are odd, quirky, and interesting.  My son and I wanted to know more about the Masked Man and hope that there will be a sequel to this story so that we can find out more.  What a great book for older kids that believe in Santa!" —A Book and a Cup of Tea

"This book was really good!  I liked how the defenders could harness their powers to stop or slow time and send out North pulses which are basically waves of force. I loved the shocking twist at the end, and I hope they come out with a sequel. It would be cool how the story continues.  Even though this is a Christmas themed book, I think readers would enjoy it all year round." —A Boy’s Books