Bianca with Richard Wagner on Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree

This episode is presented in partnership with Richard Wagner, and
we embark on a delightful journey behind the scenes of a
heartwarming picture book, Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree.
Richard, the creative mind who brought this enchanting story to
life, unravels the process of crafting this magical narrative,
exploring the themes of perseverance and discovering beauty in
the most unexpected places.





Richard Wagner grew up in Southern California. When he was
fourteen years old, a business friend of his father’s had a small
Christmas tree delivered as a thank-you. Their family already had
a large tree decorated in the house. Not being able to find
anyone who needed a tree, that small Christmas tree stood outside
by itself for the remainder of the Christmas
holiday. Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree is a
tribute to that little tree and what might have been, but more
importantly, to all the beauty, goodness, and hope that Christmas
brings to us all. Mr. Wagner continues to reside in Southern
California with his wife and two children.





Transcription:


⁠You can read the transcription on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠
(coming soon)⁠.





Order a Copy:


Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree on ⁠⁠⁠Amazon.





Resources:


For more information,
visit https://needlesthechristmastree.com.





Discussion Topics:


Richard Wagner talks about:




Ever wondered about the daily practices that fuel creativity?
Richard Wagner shares part of his daily routine, and you
won't believe the key to success – daily heart-to-hearts with
the spouse! Get the scoop on this surprising secret.




Get ready for a journey through the pages of a life-long love
affair with books! From childhood favorites to adult literary
adventures, discover how reading shaped Richard's world.




Curious about the nitty-gritty of writing a picture book?
Richard spills the beans on parts of the process – including
collaborating with an illustrator.




Uncover the enchanting origins of Needles, the Forgotten
Christmas Tree! Richard shares the spark that ignited this
festive tale.




Take a deep dive into the evolution of the story. Richard
unravels the threads of perseverance and unexpected beauty
woven into the narrative, offering a behind-the-scenes look
into the book's profound themes.




What life lessons does Richard hope young readers will carry
from Needles? Find out as he reflects on the inspiration
behind the story and the impact it could have on
impressionable minds.




Stick around as Richard drops a hint about future literary
adventures. Could there be more books in the pipeline?




Music Credits:


Paired with the book synopsis is Family
Tree by Jahzzar, licensed under
an Attribution-ShareAlike License.

The transition sound is Christmas Ident - FMA Podcast
Suggestion by Serge Quadrado, licensed under
an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.