Category Archives: BIG E and the SANTA MAN

Some ElvisBlog Stuff

At the end of this month, ElvisBlog will enter its 15th year. That’s a long time, but I’m still posting every weekend.

 

I hope you’ll be happy to learn that I am committed to keep my blog going for three more years. That should give me enough time to reach 1000 posts. The tally now is 822, counting this one you are reading.

So, that’s my goal. Get to 1,000 posts (without padding the count too much with one-picture posts, like the last one on New Year’s Eve).

 

Here’s another stat for you. 393 people are now subscribers to ElvisBlog. 2018 was an active year for new people signing up.

My blog platform says 393 people are following ElvisBlog, utilizing the terminology seen on social media sites. I like the sound of that better than subscribers. I tend to think of these 393 folks as the most loyal readers, although I know they aren’t the only ones.

So, these subscribers/followers get a new post delivered to their email inbox every time I post one online.

It comes in like this:

The recipients can either scroll down and read it right there in email, or click to open it up in web view.

 

I am thinking about a change for ElvisBlog. No details now, but it might be a good idea for anyone who likes the blog, but  isn’t already following it, to go to the Subscriber box at the top right and sign up. Think about it.

 

I was very happy with the support I received last October when I did the first promotional post on my book BIG E and the SANTA MAN. I asked you to buy enough copies so I could use the profit to pay for my blog platform and URL. You did, and I thank those of you who bought books, either through Amazon or direct with me. There were two people who came through really big. Very special people. Thank you.

 

However, I must say I was disappointed by the minimal support I got in early December, the last promotion for BIG E and the SANTA MAN. I needed to sell seven more books to hit my Amazon royalty threshold. And it didn’t happen. I’m disappointed.

I even thought about buying the last two copies myself to get over the hump so I could get my royalties.

But, I decided, that’s stupid. I’ll bug the ElvisBlog readers one more time. So, here it is.

You have read all my promotional posts, all of the validation of this book’s quality. I won’t go through all that again. This is a great story, and if you are an Elvis fan, you will enjoy it. You will be reading about a man called Big E, but you’ll be visualizing Elvis in all the heroics and action. He is a perfect protagonist.

 

OK, here’s the Amazon page for BIG E and the SANTA MAN.

I’d like to point out two things. See the 5 star reviews. There’s more on Amazon UK and Amazon France.

And, finally… the price. Just $7.99. This is such an inexpensive treat.

So, would a few of you fine readers who didn’t get enough Elvis stuff for Christmas please click HERE and order a copy of my book.

Thank you,

Phil Arnold
Original ElvisBlogmeister (2005-2019)

Elvis, Santa, and Kurt Russell

Last week, I read a USA Today review of the new Netflix movie titled The Christmas Chronicles. It stars Kurt Russell, one of my favorites, as a wonderfully different Santa Claus.

Title - Christmas Chronicles

 

But I panicked when the review talked about him zooming around in muscle cars. I thought, “Ah, man, they’ve got Santa flying in something like the jet sled in my book BIG E and the SANTA MAN.”

Big E and Santa in Jet Sled

 

To my relief, Kurt Russell’s radical sleigh still had reindeer pulling it.

Christmas Chronicles Sleigh with Reindeer

Interesting design, but it can’t fly without reindeer like the Big E’s jet sled can.

 

Santa's Sleigh with Wings

The closest it comes is when the reindeer are accidentally untethered, and wings pop out to glide it down to safety. Unfortunately, one wing clips a water tower, and the sleigh crashes.

You might notice that the next picture shows a different design than the first one. When the sleigh crashed, the elves rebuilt it, and for some unexplained reason, it came out different. That’s why the USA Today writer referred to muscle cars, not just one.

Santa in front of Christmas Chronicles Sleigh

Yes, that’s Kurt Russell as Santa Claus

 

Santa’s sleigh also crashed in my book, and because the elves had just one hour, they did urgent repairs that got it flyable, but looking rather makeshift. After Christmas they rebuilt it just like it had been.

Another interesting comparison between The Christmas Chronicles and BIG E and the SANTA MAN is the people who got to ride in the sleighs/sled so central to the task of saving Christmas.

Santa with Kids on Christmas Chronicles Sleigh

Kurt Russell’s Santa sleigh carries a brother and sister who had discovered it unoccupied while Santa was depositing presents down local chimneys (He doesn’t go down chimneys in this fantasy, but the presents do). The kids climbed in the sleigh and hid in the back. Santa took off without realizing they were there.

In Part 2 of BIG E and the SANTA MAN, two elves get to pilot the jet sled; the oldest elf standing on the seat steering, and the head elf on the floor pushing the accelerator. Deeper into the plot, the old elf gets to fly Santa’s sleigh. One of the cool parts near the ending has him do a buzz dive directly at the bad guy and scare him and his henchmen so bad they run away from Santa’s castle in a frenzied retreat. After that, he was like a folk-hero to the young elves.

Santa's Sack of Presents

Santa’s sack of presents actually factors into the plot of both the movie and my book. When Kurt Russell’s Santa sleigh has its violent crash, the sack is tossed to some unseen place.

But in my story, Santa has lots of sacks of presents and is forced to throw them all out of his sleigh (it’s too long to explain why here). Then, Big E and Santa have to go back in the jet sled to rescue the presents in a race against the villain who’s trying to ruin Christmas.

 

That’s about it for comparisons between The Christmas Chronicles and BIG E and the SANTA MAN. So let’s talk about Kurt Russell as Santa Claus. This is a good photo of him.

Kurt Russell as Santa in The Christmas Chronicles

This is not the popular image of a chubby, ruby-cheeked old Santa. In fact, the USA Today review calls him a “real action hero,” and another review on Polygon.com says “Santa is hot.” They also say, “He’s styled as something of a bearded Elvis, introducing himself by saying, ‘Live and in person, one night only.’”

Santa in Jail singing Santa Claus is Back in Town

In another twist that makes The Christmas Chronicles  unique holiday movie, here we have Santa singing while in a jail cell. You might recognize the tag line as a lyric from the terrific Elvis blues song, “Santa Clause is Back in Town.” The movie soundtrack also includes the Elvis’ classic “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

 

Kurt Russell is 67 years old, and he is terrific as a bearded older Elvis, but look at this:

Kurt Russel in Elvis the Movie

Here he is at 28 in front of Graceland in the 1979 made-for-TV movie that appeared on ABC.

Kurt Russell in Elvis the Movie

 

Kurt Russell Young Elvis

 

Elvis the Movie is available on YouTube if you don’t mind watching it in sections.

The Christmas Chronicles is available on Netflix any time you want to watch it, and I hope you do. It’s a lot of fun, and Kurt Russel is perfect as hot, action hero Santa.

And BIG E and the SANTA MAN is available at Amazon. In my stories Big E is the action hero, and Santa is the willing sidekick.

A strong case could be made that The Christmas Chronicles is the most unusual holiday movie ever made. Well, for three years I have been saying that my book is the most unusual Christmas novel ever written.

And, to make it especially good for you fans, Big E is in it to give you a huge booster shot of Elvis.

Big E Bust

If you have no trouble envisioning Elvis as a brave, daring and resourceful hero, then you will like following Big E in his adventures. This guy is cool, and he and Santa make a heck of a team.

 

Big E and the Santa Man Scroll

 

You also remember me asking for your help by buying copies of BIG E and the SANTA MAN. I’m happy to report your response was so good that the costs of my blog platform and URL have been covered. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

But I don’t see why I should stop promoting my book while there is still time for delivery before Christmas. For one thing, I need to sell seven more books to reach the Amazon threshold for withdrawing my royalty money.

So, could I ask a few more of you to get a copy of my book. It’s a great well-written story, Elvis fans have really liked it, and it costs only ten bucks.

OK, I’m going to do one more last thing about Kurt Russell and Elvis, then hit you with the closing pitch on BIG E and the SANTA MAN.


Many of you already know about this, but for the rest of you, this is young Kurt Russell kicking Elvis in the 1964 movie, It Happened at the World’s Fair.

Kurt-Russell Kicking Elvis in It Happened at the World's Fair

 


 

We’ll end with a pretty low-key final pitch for my book. Maybe just a few more tidbits about what makes BIG E and the SANTA MAN so interesting.

Elves Playing Guitars in Big E and the Santa Man

There are no pictures in my book, but this one comes pretty close to depicting the elves that Big E teaches how to play rock and roll. The four little guys form a tight back-up band and rock out with Big E. You’ll love the concert they put on for Santa and Mama Claus the night after Christmas.

 

Scrooge's Space Station in Big E and the Santa Man

The villain in my story resides in a space station hoovering over the North Pole. His henchmen are bad elves that Santa had kicked out for shoddy workmanship on the presents and constant trouble-making. They hold a grudge and are happy to help in a plot to ruin Christmas.

Big E Close-up

Here is Big E again. Look at his eyes. He’s sending you a telepathic message:

“Buy a copy of this book about me and Santa.
You’ll be glad you did.”

 

Here’s where to get them:

BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Amazon.com webpage

BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2: Amazon.com webpage

 

 

Thank you,

Phil Arnold
Original ElvisBlogmeister (2005-2013)

 

Note: If anyone knows Clay Kaytis, the director of The Christmas Chronicles, please email him a link to this post.

 

Will the Official Graceland Store have Anything Left to Sell on Black Friday?

If you’ve ever bought something from the Official Graceland Store, you are now on their email list. I’m betting it’s a very long list, and the marketing folks at EPE are certainly putting it to good use. Here are the promotions they have emailed me in the past two weeks.

 

Nov. 5 – Shop Elvis Bling:

Shop Elvis Bling 11-5

 

Nov. 8 – Deck the Halls in Elvis Style:

Deck the Halls in Elvis Style 11-8

 

Nov. 9 – Pre-Order Elvis New Releases:

Pre-Order Elvis New releases 11-9

 

Nov. 11 – Veteran’s Day Sale:

Elvis Veteran's Day Sale 11-11

 

Nov. 13 – Elvis Gifts for Her:

Elvis Gifts for Her 11- 13

 

Nov 16 – Elvis Apparel:

Elvis Apparel 11-16

 

That’s a pretty impressive run of sales promotions – six of them in twelve calendar days:

Elvis Bling
Elvis Christmas
Elvis New Releases
Veteran’s Day
Elvis Gifts for Her
Elvis Apparel

 

I’d like to talk about one of these promotions: Elvis Gifts for Her. Any man on the Graceland Store mailing list might find some welcome Christmas ideas for his wife (if she’s an Elvis fan, too).

But what about a female fan scrolling through the offerings, especially if she is the only Elvis fan in the family. If she looks through the choices in the Elvis Gifts for Her and finds something she likes, very possibly she hints to the hubby to get it for her for Christmas. Maybe he never knows what to buy her, anyway, so he’s happy to get the clue.

Which is the same pitch I have used for three years for my book, BIG E and the SANTA MAN.

My Book -- BIG E and the SANTA MAN

I figured, okay, it’s about Elvis and it’s a Christmas story. It’s the perfect Christmas present for Elvis fans.

So ladies, tell your man to go to Amazon.com and type in the book’s name in the search box. The page pops up, and in a couple of clicks, he can take care of a present for his sweetie.

 

My book is inexpensive, but it will get him major points because it’s a great story and you will love it.

And the editors of Santa’s World magazine love it, too. So much, in fact, that they ran a cover story feature about Big E.

Santa's World

Only kidding. I used this picture in my second promotional post back in 2015. There’re a lot of new folks reading ElvisBlog now, so I thought I’d use it again.

But I’m not kidding about one other thing. You will like BIG E and the SANTA MAN if you get a copy. To get one for yourself, please click below.

Amazon page – BIG E and the SANTA MAN

Amazon page – BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2

philarnold@charter.net –  email to get an autographed copy directly from me for $10 (U.S. destinations, others are more).

 

Thanks a lot,

Phil Arnold

Original ElvisBlogmeister (2005 – 2018)

 

Hey, How About Giving Me A Hand Here

It’s time for me to fess up about something. I’m getting old, I’m running low on retirement money, and I’m cutting expenses wherever I can. My wife says if I stopped doing ElvisBlog, I’d save a lot there. She’s right; it costs me money to renew the blog platform and my URL each year.

A few friends have told me for years that I should monetize my blog, and I can’t tell you how many solicitations have come in wanting to advertise on ElvisBlog. But, I’ve been determined to keep it clean. I’m an Elvis fan that wants to do a blog that Elvis fans will enjoy.

And a big part of that has been keeping ElvisBlog free of bothersome ads like you see on Facebook and everywhere else.

I really dislike this stuff and don’t want it on my blog. So, I hope you’ll think of the old Original Blogmeister as a generous person who at his own expense has never diluted your ElvisBlog reading pleasure by clogging it up with ads.

 

Which brings me to the reason for this post. I’d like to ask you readers for a reciprocal favor. I don’t want you to send money, and I’m not starting a Go-Fund-Me page.

What I would really like is for you buy my book.

My Book -- BIG E and the SANTA MAN

I have promoted BIG E and the SANTA MAN here the past few Christmas seasons, and I appreciate all you readers who have ordered a copy. But ElvisBlog has thousands of readers, so I know I haven’t persuaded a whole lot of you yet.

Rather than give you a pitch, here’s an excerpt from a review on Amazon.co.uk.

“This funny, heart-warming and thought provoking story is skillfully written – the author has a way of painting vivid pictures with his words.”

BIG E and the SANTA MAN has many other terrific reviews, but I like this one because it mentions “skillfully written” and “painting vivid pictures with his words.” I want you to know this book is no amateur effort. I am a good writer, plus the story was critiqued by ten or so other writers, proofread by three of them, and finally edited by a pro (my wife will never know how much that cost me).

So, I state proudly, this is a really good book, and if you are an Elvis fan, you will like it, maybe love it. That’s the way it’s been since the beginning. No one who has ever read BIG E and the SANTA MAN has had a bad word to say about it. Just lots of good words.

So, I am making my request, confident that if you help me by buying my book, it will be a win-win for you. You will receive a wonderful rock & roll Christmas fantasy starring Elvis, and you will be contributing a little to keep ads off ElvisBlog.

 

Let’s look at the Amazon page for BIG E and the SANTA MAN.

BIG E and the SANTA MAN Amazon Page

You can see the price is only $7.99 – very affordable. I make $2.07 for each copy that sells. I make a little more if you deal directly with me and order an autographed copy using PayPal.

And there is also a Kindle option for $2.99. If you download this to your smartphone, you’ll never stop checking in – wanting to know what happens next with Big E.

I don’t make very much money on Kindle sales, but I’m plenty happy to have them.

 

Amazon Page. BIG E and the Santaman - Part 2

Here’s the Amazon page for BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2. If you really want to help out, you can buy both. The prices are the same.

Plus, Part 2 is a terrific story with two cool new characters, so you will be getting a double shot of good reading.

 

I plan to put out a couple more posts between now and Christmas staying on the theme of keeping ads off ElvisBlog.

 

Of course, I will again ask for your support to buy a copy of my book. But, I will also cover all sorts of fun things about BIG E and the SANTA MAN to encourage you.

 

I’ll start with one on this post. This is what Big E tools around in up there at the North Pole.

Big E's Flying Gold Cadillac

This is his jet sled. It goes on land… and in the air. You readers know all about Elvis’ love for hot cars. Can you imagine how thrilled he would have been to have a flying gold Cadillac? Do you think he would push it to the limit and perform all kinds of amazing maneuvers? Hmmmm. Sounds a lot like what Big E does in my story.

On Christmas Eve, Santa must ride with Big E in the jet sled because it will take both of them (and it) to save Christmas. You’ll love these guys together. Best buddies.

 

Oh, yes, the names in the title. BIG E is the name that Santa’s unexpected visitor wants to be known as. Santa Man is the playful nick-name Big E likes to call Santa once in a while.

 

So, here’s what I hope you will do. Click on one of these links and go to Amazon. Then buy a book or two.

BIG E and the SANTA MAN Amazon page

BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2  Amazon page

 

You Kindle folks can get your downloads right there, too.

 

Or, if you want an autographed copy for $10 delivered, send an email to:

philarnold@charter.net  . (Do not notify me of your interest on Comments.)

There are higher postage rates for destinations outside the U.S.  Please add $5 for Canada, and $15 for Europe. . I don’t know what the adders are to Japan and South America, but there are ElvisBlog readers there, so I guess I better find out. Amazon has really good shipping rates on the non-autographed books ordered there.

Be sure to  let me know what inscription you would like on your copy.

 

On these direct sales, I would prefer payment using PayPal, but checks will work, too. When I get your email, I will initiate billing on PayPal. You approve it and I send the book(s) right out to you.

Or, let me know you want use a check to purchase. I’ll put your name on a copy until the check gets in.

 

Can you handle another tease about the story?

Villain

There are no pictures in BIG E and the SANTA MAN, but this guy is exactly the way I envision the villain. A good story needs a good villain, and this guy gives our heroes all they can handle. Really good villain.

 

We’ll close with one more excerpt from an Amazon review:

“This lighthearted tale had me chuckling all through the book. Phil’s style and spot-on Elvis characterization made this quite an enjoyable read for all fans of Elvis – and Santa Claus.”

 

So, how about it? Can I get a hand here?

BIG E and the SANTA MAN Amazon page

BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2 Amazon page

philarnold@charter.net – Email for direct purchase

 

Thanks in advance for your support.

Phil Arnold

Original ElvisBlogmeister (2005 – 2018)

 

ElvisBlog Mini-Nuggets # 20

Hanging Elvis

I can’t believe it’s been three years since I last posted Elvis Mini-Nuggets. These are always kind of fun. Someday when I retire from ElvisBlog, I might get a Facebook page and do nothing but Elvis Mini-Nuggets. Maybe a new picture every day with comments. I’ve got like a million of them in my files. Anyway, here’s an extra-long mini-nugget post to make up for not having one last weekend.

 

Expressions of Sympathy and Encouragement for My Wife:

Get well wishes from Sweden

After posting a short message about my wife’s lung surgery, twenty-two kind comments came in from ElvisBlog readers. In addition to the one above from Maggie in Sweden, there were also messages from France, England and Canada. My wife and I appreciate all the concern and encouragement from you readers. She is doing okay in a long, slow recovery.

 

International Readers of ElvisBlog:

Top Ten ElvisBlog Countries

Speaking of ElvisBlog readers from different countries, here is the Top Ten. It still freaks me out to realize that only 57% of you readers are from the U.S. If you compare the relative populations of some of these other countries versus the U.S., ElvisBlog is doing really good there.

 

Where’s Elvis?

 

Elvis Army Haircut on Wall in George Jones' Home Barbershop

If you study this picture, you will probably recognize George Jones in the photo top right. This is the room in his Franklin, Tennessee home where he got his haircuts. Look closely at the framed photo to the right of the window. It is Elvis getting his Army haircut. Here’s a bigger view of it.

Elvis Getting His Army haircut.

Alert ElvisBlog reader Chris Iroler spotted the Elvis Army haircut picture while watching a uTube video on Jones’ house: (Click here to see). Chris told me about it in a blog Comment, and he advised to go to 5:56 on the video if I didn’t want to read the whole thing. When George Jones died five years ago, I did a post about the connection between him and Elvis. Click here to read it.

 

More Info on Elvis Birthday Cake Photos:

Elvis Birthday Cake During King Creole 1958

Two weeks ago, I posted six photos of Elvis eating cake. Alert ElvisBlog readers commented with more information on several of them. Like the one above where Diana from Long Island wrote:

“I enjoyed the birthday scrapbook! Re: the one with Dolores Hart- I too always thought it was a birthday cake but recently learned from an authority that it was a movie wrap party after King Creole to say goodbye to Elvis before the army, and the cake had a guitar and soldier peeling potatoes and said We Love Elvis on it.”

 

Elvis Cutting Cake at his 27th Birthday 1962

Sharys Wheeler wrote:

“The picture at the Sahara was of Elvis and Milton Prell, owner of the Sahara and a friend of the Colonel.”

 

Feeding Birthday cake to Priscilla in 1960

Sandy Van Horn wrote:

“About the picture of Elvis giving Priscilla a bite of birthday cake. If the year was 1960, and it was a birthday cake, think it had to be Elvis’ Jan. 8th birthday as he left active duty at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 5, 1960. Believe Priscilla’s birthday is May 24th.”

 

So, How Did the Elvis Auction Go?

You might remember that we looked at a dozen Elvis items that failed to sell in a 1999 auction and seemingly got stuck in storage until the January 6, 2018 Auction at Graceland. I compared the expected prices then and now, and made comments on several of the items. Here’s a look at how things went.

16mm Film and Acetates of Movie Songs from Love Me Tender:

Elvis Presley 16mm Film of Love Me Tender and Acetate

1999 estimate was $5,000-7,000; current was $1,500-2,500. It sold for $5,000. I wonder why it didn’t go the first time.

 

Original Screen Door from Graceland:

Original Screen Door from Gracelsnd

The 2018 estimate was $1,500 – $2,500, and I said, “Sorry, if I had that kind of money to spend on Elvis collectibles, I’d get something besides a screen door.” But my friend Troy Yeary from the eclectic blog pastimescapes.com had this comment:

“Interesting piece, Phil. Thanks! I don’t know, if I had money to blow, I would seriously consider buying something like a screen door from Graceland. Just think how many times Elvis walked through or slammed that door? He probably interacted with it more than just about any other item in the auction.

Well, lots of folks must have agreed with Troy. Elvis’ screen door had 18 bids and sold for $2,500. Good call, Troy.”

 

Elvis’ Massive Wooden Desk from His Home Office in Palm Springs:

Elvis Presley’s Personal Massive Wooden Desk from His Home Office in Palm Springs

1999 estimate was $40-50,000, no bidders. 2018 estimate was $10-20,000, and I said I thought they would get it. Well, not really, just $7,500.

 

Elvis’ Portable Sauna:

Elvis Presley’s “Scandinavian Products” Portable Sauna - Open

1999 estimate was $8-10,000. 2018 estimate was $3-5000. I said I thought it was weird. Bidders agreed, nobody would spring for the minimum bid of $1,500.

 

Elvis’ Globe-Shaped Wooden Bar from His Beverly Hills Home:

Elvis Presley’s Personal Globe-Shaped Free-Standing Wooden Bar from His Beverly Hills Home - Closed

1999 estimate was $4-5,000. 2018 estimate was $1,500 to $2,500. I predicted it would sell for a good bit more than that. Good call, Phil. It had 38 bids and went for $22,500. Wow.

 

Elvis’ Leather Rocking Chair from the Jungle Room:

Elvis Presley’s Leather Rocking Chair from the Jungle Room

999 estimate was $20-30,000. 2018 estimate was $10-15,000. I said I didn’t think it would sell. Bad call, Phil. It went for $17,500.

 

Original Acetate of Elvis Singing Beatles Songs “Hey Jude” and “Something”:

Elvis Presley Original Acetate of Beatles Songs “Hey Jude” and “Something”

1999 estimate was $650-750. 2018 estimate was $1-2,000. I predicted it would sell for that much or more. Another good call as it had 34 bids and went for $4,000.

 

Signed Title to Elvis’ Circle G Ranch:

Elvis Presley Signed Title to His Circle G Ranch

1999 estimate was $13-15,000. 2018 estimate was $10-20,000. I didn’t make a prediction, but hoped it would go high. It didn’t excite folks drawing just 2 bids and a final price of $6,250.

So, I blew it on the screen door, the desk, and the Jungle Room rocking chair. I had it right on the desk, the sauna, the globe-shaped bar, and the acetate of Beatles songs. I’ll take that.

 

Sincere Thanks for Your Support:

 

Big E and the SANTA MAN Part 2

This was the third year I’ve done pre-Christmas promotion of my book BIG E and the SANTA MAN. It was the best year yet, and I really thank you.

My one disappointment was that I didn’t get Part 2 ready to promote until late November. Next fall I will push it hard, just like the original. As a preview, here is a review by Memphis Music on Amazon:

“I enjoyed this book as it can be read by itself, or as the continuation of the first book. As a lifetime dog lover, I also enjoyed the addition of a good ole hound dog! Kids and adults will enjoy this tale of two beloved icons; Elvis and Santa and their group of special friends. Phil Arnold’s descriptive writing make you feel a part of this adventure where good versus evil comes alive again to save Christmas. At this great price go ahead and get the first book too!

The review gave the book five stars. Every review on both books has been five stars. I’ll be reminding of you about that again later in the year.

 

 

©  2018    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

LipLogo_thumbnail - Copy

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

Reindeer on TV Christmas Specials

Santa's Sleigh and full moon

Recently, the beloved Christmas animation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer took a hit on the Huffington-Post website.

 

HuffPost

Obviously they need to come up with a lot of new content every day, so at times stuff shows up that is really out there.  Like this.

Parable on racism & homaphobia

 

I’m not going to explain how the writer came up with that horrible notion.  It would just make you mad, like it did me.

But in reading it, I started thinking about the reindeer in my BIG E and the SANTA MAN book.  As I’ve told you, I’ve always visualized it as an animated Christmas special on TV.  Something that people watch year after year along with Rudolph, the Grinch, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

 

Then, I realized that I hadn’t explained much about the reindeer in my storiesI’ve told you about the key elves, the villain and his henchmen, Big E’s jetsled, the magic that comes from the North Pole, the four-man elf band called the ELVI’s, the Ghost of Christmas Future, and Big E’s hound dog Snorty.

But all I’ve told you about the reindeer is that they can talk, just like the reindeer in Rudolph.

Stop calling me names

From now on

 

However, I don’t visualize the reindeer in my books as fuzzy doll-like creatures.  Mine are like this.

Reindeer

These are strong, dedicated and focused guys with heroic scenes in both the original book and Part 2.

 

For example, here is a section from the first book when the villain has shot a tractor beam down from his space station, locked on Santa’s sleigh, and started pulling it up toward the craft.

Once the beam had locked on the sleigh, Santa was horrified.  He had no idea what to do.  In desperation, he yelled to the reindeer, “There’s no way we can break loose from this beam.”

Comet yelled back, “There might be one way, but you won’t like it.”

“What?  Tell me.”  Santa’s state of despair was such that he would listen to anything.

“Well, maybe we should dump the sacks of presents,” Comet said with a look of pain in his eyes.

“Oh, no.  No, we couldn’t do that.”

“Santa, I’m sorry, but I agree with Comet,” said Prancer.  “If we reduce our weight a lot, maybe then our reindeer power will be enough to break us away from the beam.”

“No, I just couldn’t do it.  There wouldn’t be any presents for the boys and girls this Christmas.”

Dasher turned his head and yelled from the front of the team back to Santa, “If Scrooge gets his clutches on you now, there won’t be Christmas any year.  You gotta dump the presents.”

Comet, Prancer and Dasher all had important speaking parts in that short scene.  And that reindeer power mentioned by Prancer turned out to be impressive, indeed.

 

Snorty Sniffing

In BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2, there’s a humorous scene when Big E takes his new hound dog Snorty over to the reindeer barn to meet everybody.

The visit had gone well for about fifteen minutes. Then, as he chatted with Dancer, Big E heard Donner yell, “Hey, cut that out!”

Big E rushed over and asked, “What happened?”

“He was sniffing my butt.”

Laughter erupted in the room, but Donner didn’t join in, a perturbed look frozen on his face.

Big E bent over, grabbed the dog’s collar, and made eye contact.  “No, Snorty, no.  Bad dog,” he said in a deep, serious voice.  Then he looked at Donner.  “I’m so sorry.  That’s kind of a dog thing, you know, but I’ll work on trainin’ him not to do it anymore.”

“You better.  If he ever tries that again, he’ll get a swift kick in the nose and won’t be smelling anything for a while.”

 

Reindeer

In addition, there are two dramatic action scenes with the reindeer in Part 2.  The grand final confrontation is a total team effort with all the key characters contributing, including the reindeer.

 

 

So, that’s it — the final pitch in 2017 for my books.  I’ve tried to make these posts as interesting as possible.  I guess they’re working because the sales through Amazon this year have far surpassed last year’s.  I really appreciate the support from all of you who have purchased the books.

 

Big E and the Santa Man Amazon Page

 

For those of you who haven’t bought a copy (or told a family member to give you one for Christmas), it’s not too late.

Please click here and go to Amazon and get the best in Elvis fiction and the wildest Christmas fantasies ever written.

BIG E and the SANTA MAN

BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 .

and

 .

THANK YOU.  THANKYOUVERYMUCH

 

 

Phil Arnold

Original ElvisBlogmeister

Today is Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday

 

It is reported that Amazon.com will account for 43% of all on-line purchases today. So, as long as you’re going to be on there, anyway, how about typing Big E and the Santa Man in the search box? It will take you to my book’s Amazon page, and you can get a copy for just $7.99. You won’t be sorry.

BIG E and the SANTA MAN 2017 Front Cover

The best bargain you will find on Cyber Monday.

 

Phil Arnold, Original ElvisBlogmeister

Oh, no. Now there’s a part 2.

Big E and the Santa Man - Part 2

Yes, now that Big E and the SANTA MAN has successfully sold in the US, Canada, England and two European countries, of course a sequel was inevitable. To write a good one, I knew I’d have to maintain the same level of conflict, unexpected twists, and exciting action as the original.

Could I think up another plot evil enough to fit the villain’s obsession with ruining Christmas? Actually that turned out to be easier than expected, so our villain has three this time. The main plan, the backup, and even an improvised one after Santa and Big E outsmart and overcome the first two.

Of course I wanted Big E’s jetsled to again be a big factor in saving Christmas. It certainly does that. In a little twist, two elves, Gears and Geezer, also get to fly the jetsled on a rescue mission. Lucky old Geezer also gets to fly Santa’s sleigh during the final exciting confrontation.

And I needed to continue the rock & roll shows staged by Big E, the attractive female elf Corky, and the four-man elf band, the ELVI’s.

George and Paul

As I told you last year, I modeled the ELVI’s after the Beatles. Just for kicks, I played around with Microsoft Paint and merged some images together to get these two guys. That’s GH on the left and Mac on the right. Now, if you have a sharp eye, you will notice I made a mistake. Paul McCartney played a left-handed bass and George Harrison played a right-handed guitar. I’ve got them reversed, but it was so much work that I’m not starting over to get it right.

All of you who have read the original book will remember that it ended with a Christmas Day concert in Santa’s workshop. I was particularly proud that I took a visual event with music and made it exciting in written form. That’s not easy to do. Now, in Part 2, there is another Christmas Day show with a surprise guest performer. Plus, the ELVI’s  – Jonel and Sunny and the two guys above  – join Corky to do a show for Big E on his birthday.

 

Tease on back of Part 2

This is the tease on the back cover of Part 2. The Ghost of Christmas Future is an interesting addition to the characters. The villain goes after him as a way to lure Santa into a trap. But the fun new character is Snorty the hound dog. Elvis had a lot of dogs, but never a hound dog. You will love the way these two become best buddies. Snorty may do a lot of silly dog things, but he’s right there helping his master during the huge final confrontation.

 

Snorty

I searched for drawings of hound dogs to see if one captured the essence of Snorty. This one comes pretty close, particularly the long ears. They play an important part in foiling the villain’s back-up plan to ruin Christmas.

 

Cover BIG E and the SANTA MAN - Part 2

Here’s the cover for Part 2. I know it isn’t much different from the original, but I’m way over budget for graphic design expenses this year.

 

 

Part 2 Amazon Page

Same as with the original, Part 2 is available on Amazon for $7.99. However, both books aren’t on the same page, so…

Click here for:

BIG E and the SANTA MAN
BIG E and the SANTA MAN – Part 2

And for you readers who like eBooks, the Kindle version is available for just $2.99.

 

Well, how about it you folks who purchased the original? I know you liked it because I have a folder full of emails, letters, and Amazon comments that are 100% positive. Why not get a copy of this second installment of my unique Rock & Roll Christmas fantasy?

 

And to you ElvisBlog readers who still haven’t experienced BIG E and the SANTA MAN, it’s time to let someone you love know that you want the book for Christmas. Make it easy for him. He never knows what to buy for you, anyway. (just kidding)

 

Thank you. Thankyouverymuch,

Phil Arnold, Original ElvisBlogmeister

 

Take a Peek inside BIG E and the SANTA MAN

Customer Reading Book

When you’re in a bookstore, you read the first few pages of a book to see if you like it before purchasing. You have a similar option at Amazon.com, too. If you click on a book’s cover image, a Look Inside link appears.

Look Inside Amazon Book

If you click on Look Inside, you can read the first seven pages of my rock & roll Christmas fantasy.

I’d like to make it even easier for you to do that right here, so you can see what the story is like, how Elvis is portrayed, how well the writing is done, etc. Please read following Chapter 1 of the book. I’m confident you will enjoy it a lot, and maybe you will be motivated to click on this Amazon link to buy a copy. [Note: the illustrations are not in the book, but it is a blogger axiom that you must break up large chunks of text with pictures.]

 

Harsh and Desolate Frozen Landscape

 

– Chapter 1 –

A Trek to the North Pole

 

Late September, 1977…

The relentless arctic wind swirled over a harsh and desolate world. Glacial fields, broken by jagged ice outcroppings, stretched between ridges of foreboding mountains. A solitary figure, with a backpack and guitar case slung over his shoulders, climbed up one of the lower slopes. He slipped and stumbled, beaten by wind-driven snow, as he fought to reach the top of the ridge.

Without warning, his footing gave way and he slid downward at a frightening speed. His shoulder bounced off a large crag, slowing him down. He flailed wildly with both hands, and grabbed an outcropping to stop his fall. The man clung there, panting, and shifted his feet around until he found a solid foothold. He pulled himself together, checked to see that the guitar case was undamaged, then struggled on.

He clawed himself to the top and saw the object of his incredible trek – an inviting valley, bathed in sunlight, with beautiful evergreen trees and holly bushes all around.

Santa's Castle at the North Pole

And, right in the middle, stood Santa’s castle. Not far from it, a tall red and white object stood by like a sentinel. Even from this distance, the traveler felt certain it was the North Pole.

He took a deep breath and started down the incline toward the castle with new resolve.  Suddenly, a shaft of energy shot down from the sky, locked onto his body, and lifted him three feet in the air.

“What the heck!”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Weasel, put that man down immediately.” The thin old man’s outburst shattered the quiet hum of the spacecraft’s command bridge. He managed to get his anger under control, but his disposition remained as dark and grim as his soiled black lab coat and tangle of unkempt hair.

Weasel jutted out his chin, flashing his displeasure with the command, but he grumbled, “Yes, sir,” and moved a lever on his control panel.

The old man continued his rant. “You need to get over this idea that I’m merely a brilliant scientist. I’m also the commander of this spacecraft, and you guys don’t make the decisions. I do. Sometimes you Humbahs are so stupid.”

Weasel headed a group known as the Humbahs, four elves who had washed out with Santa a few years earlier. They were all surly and stubborn, especially Weasel. He had purple spiked hair, and wore a heavily studded, sleeveless black leather jacket. His face sported several piercings, and numerous tats covered his little arms.

The commander turned back to his telescope monitor screen and watched as the traveler settled slowly back to the mountainside. Dammit, I really have to keep these Humbahs under tighter control, he thought. Evil elves with no qualms about ruining Christmas ought to make the right crew for my plot, but sometimes that independent streak of theirs drives me crazy.

Scrooge the Villain

Then the old man twisted to face the elf again. “Weasel, what the hell did you think you were doing?”

“Just having a little fun,” he said with a tone of insolence. “I wasn’t going to hurt the man – just shake him up.”

“We’re not here to have fun. We’re here to complete a mission.”

Weasel straightened up in his chair and puffed out his chest. “Well, we’ve tested our prototype transporter beam on big rocks and stuff, so why not on a person? It didn’t do any harm.”

The scientist snorted at Weasel’s continued defiant attitude. “You better hope there’s no harm. That man is obviously going to Santa’s castle. Suppose he tells what happened to him, and Santa gets suspicious and figures out we’re back with another plot this year to ruin Christmas.”

Weasel shot back, “Even if he does, there’s nothing Santa can do about it.”

The commander shook his head in exasperation and turned back to the monitor screen.

~~~~~~~~~~

The traveler settled gently onto the mountain slope. He sat there for a moment, unhurt, wondering what just happened. Then, he looked ahead and locked his eyes on Santa’s castle. His mind spun back to the task at hand, and he stood up, shrugged, and continued his journey.

About halfway down the mountain, the traveler realized it was getting warmer – but the snow was not melting. The lower he went, the warmer it got. When the slope leveled off, he thought, it feels like a gorgeous spring day, but there’s snow on the ground. This is pretty cool. He unzipped his heavy parka and pulled back the hood.

Soon he reached a point where he could make out the details of the North Pole. It looked to be almost two feet in diameter and over thirty feet tall. The traveler hadn’t known what to expect, but its massive size surprised him.

The traveler spotted two young elves ahead playing in the snow. They looked up and stared at him, then scurried off around the corner of Santa’s castle and out of sight.

As the traveler passed the North Pole, he noticed a small compartment door about three feet off the ground. It looked like it might cover some sort of control panel and had a combination lock securing it. He wondered why it was so low, then smiled when he realized the answer. That door is set for elf height. I’ll bet one of them opens it up and works some kind of switches or dials. Wonder what it does?

He trudged forward to Santa’s castle, a sprawling stone structure with multiple turrets and Tudor-style wood trim on the gables. The snow on the roof made it a picture-perfect image, and it beckoned him with an irresistible pull.

The traveler reached the steps, climbed up to the porch, and paused in front of the door. Well, this is it. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

In a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a familiar face. Santa smiled broadly when he saw his new visitor, and said, “Welcome to the North Pole. We don’t get many visitors here, but we’re real glad to see you, Mister….“ Santa paused.

He didn’t greet me with ‘Hello Elvis,’ so I guess he doesn’t know, or else he’s cuttin’ me some slack. Yeah, that’s probably it. “Well, sir, aaah, aaah…you can call me… aaah….Big E.”

Santa reached out and shook his hand. “Well, Big E, won’t you come on in?”

“Thank you, Santa,” he said as he passed through the door. “I’m really sorry to show up unannounced like this, but I’m hopin’ I might be able to stay here for a while. There’s some stuff goin’ on with my life, and I need to get away, you know?”

“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like, Big E.” Santa looked at the guitar case. “I presume you can play that guitar or you wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble to lug it up here.”

Big E laughed. “There’s some debate about that, but I can hit a few licks.”
“Well, four of the elves entertain us with music occasionally,” Santa said. “They would like to play rock and roll, but it’s not going so well. Maybe you could work with them and help them along.”

“Oh, I’d love to. It would be great to get back to makin’ music again, just for fun.”

“Excellent. Say, can I help you get that heavy parka off?”

After Big E shed his gloves and coat, he tugged on his loose pants and shirt. “I guess I lost about fifty pounds making this trek. It’s been years since I’ve been this trim.”

“That’s nothing,” Santa said. “It’s been centuries since I’ve been trim.” They both laughed.

Big E looked around and took in the grandeur of Santa’s living room. Massive beams and sturdy wood decking towered over rough-sawn walls and a dark-pegged hardwood floor. A huge couch and two overstuffed armchairs formed a semi-circle facing the massive stone fireplace. Christmas decorations adorned the tables and walls, and a sturdy Christmas tree somehow supported an extensive display of ornaments.

“Oh, wow,” Big E said. “This is some place you’ve got here.”

Santa nodded. “It suits Mama Claus and me quite well. Say, let’s go out to the kitchen and I’ll introduce you to her.”

As they headed across the room, Big E asked, “I noticed the temperature around your castle is quite mild, but the snow doesn’t melt. Why is that?”

Santa stroked his chin. “For now, let’s just say that it’s one of the many magical properties of the North Pole. I’ll explain it all to you later, but you’ll be happy to know that anyone living at the North Pole never gets any older.”

Big E smiled but did not reply. Oh, man, this is going to be even better than I thought.

 

Big E and the Santa Man

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of BIG E and the SANTA MAN. Like any good writer, I tried to work in as many things as possible to hook the readers. There’s our two iconic title characters, an evil villain and his bad-elf henchman, hints about all the magical properties of the North Pole, and mention of the four musically-inclined elves who will pair up with Big E to play some serious rock & roll.

Of course, the whole idea is total fantasy, but it sure makes for a fun story. I say this every year: BIG E and the SANTA MAN is the perfect Christmas present for Elvis fans. Please click here to go to the Amazon page, then email the link to your sweetie with this in the subject box: I want this book for Christmas.

 

PayPal

Or. if you live in the U.S. and want a signed copy, and you have a PayPal account, send an email to philarnold@charter.net.  Tell me what inscription you want on your book, and I’ll take care of the rest.

 

Santa's World Cover

I would like to end by paraphrasing the message on the above magazine cover.

Who is this Big E guy?

And will he be under your Christmas tree?

 

Thankyouverymuch,

Phil Arnold, Original Elvisblogmeister

 

Who Are These Two Guys

Santa and Big E in Jet Sled

Even if you are just reading ElvisBlog for the first time, I’m sure you recognized them as Santa Claus and Elvis Presley. However, if you’ve been a reader for the past two years, then you know them as Santa Man and Big E, the characters in my rock & roll Christmas fantasy.

Why do they have different names? In my story, Big E is how Elvis introduced himself to Santa when he first arrived at the North Pole. Santa Man is simply a playful nickname that Big E gave Santa once they became good friends.

OK, so what is the strange-looking thing they are flying around in? Again, first-time visitors to this blog might say: “Looks like a gold Caddy convertible with runners instead of wheels and some kind of red propulsion flame coming out the back. Long-time blog readers know this is Big E’s jet sled. It was specially made for him by Santa’s elves, and it plays a significant part in their teaming up to save Christmas in my book BIG E and the SANTA MAN.

 

Big E and Santa in Jet Sled

This sorry-looking drawing was the jet sled image on the first printing two years ago. I traced the lines of a 1959 Cadillac and drew the runners. I was trying to keep the costs down because graphic artists are expensive. I did have to pay for her to add flames and sky background and to cut and paste Santa and Big E into the jet sled.

I knew it was pretty amateurish, so I put it on the back cover. I spent the real money getting the designer to make a professional-looking front cover. Then, last year, I saw this picture.

Runners to put on Jet sled

I was like “Wow,” that’s the kind of runners I want on Big E’s jet sled. More to the point, they would be the kind of sharp, stylish accessories Elvis would want on a prized vehicle. I had made a little money on book sales, so I forked out some of it to have the designer put them on my so-so drawing.

Jet Sled Picture to use in Promotion

The shiny metal runners look so much better, and the red flames were an improvement, so this image went on the back cover last year. Still, I wasn’t really happy with it. Then I found this picture on the internet:

Caddy Convertible front view

I sent the picture to the graphic artist an asked, “Can you change it to gold, and replace the wheels with runners, and put Santa and Big E in it?” She said, “Sure, but it will take some time and cost you some real money.” I swallowed hard and said, “Yes, do it, but be gentle with your bill.” What she produced was outstanding, so it was time for a new cover.

2017 New Front Cover - Big

The title font is the same as on the first printing, and two weeks ago I explained about the change in the tag line.

Coming up with a book cover is a learning experience. Several folks suggested that because there are two title characters, they should both be on the cover. This was not the case on the first printing, and I could see their point.

Big E and the Santa Man Final Cover

Some observers said the first cover was too busy, too much stuff. I could see that, too. But, another thing surprised me. Half of the folks I asked had no idea what the building was. This was in spite of the presence of Santa in the title, the North Pole nearby, and the word Claus over the front door. One non-Elvis fan even asked, “Is it Graceland?” Give me a break.

As I mentioned two weeks ago, the tag line in the red ornament didn’t give any clue what the story was about. So, once I had the new jet sled picture, it was time for a complete front cover redesign. I’m really happy with it.

And you will be happy, too, if you get a copy of this book. It is available on Amazon.com. Click here to go to the book’s page where you can get it for $7.99 or the Kindle eBook for $2.99.

Amazon Page - Big E and the Santa Man

 

There is also one thing I failed to mention in the first two Christmas season promotional pitches. Although I wrote the book to appeal to Elvis fans, it can be enjoyed by adolescent or young adult readers. The story is squeaky clean. I want to get Graceland to buy my book and make it into a one hour animated Christmas special, which would be watched by all ages. Plus my chances with Graceland will be enhanced if Big E is portrayed as straight-arrow kind of guy. We all know he used some saucy language in real life, but not in my story.

The phenomenon of Elvis’ continued popularity is because new generations of fans keep coming along. Where do they get this inclination from? Mostly their parents or even their grandparents.

So, if you have a young family member who doesn’t know about Elvis like you do, give them my nifty Christmas fantasy. Once they’ve read BIG E and the SANTA MAN, they will like this Big E guy, and you’ll have an opening to tell them all about Elvis.

But don’t forget to get a copy for yourself or copies to give to others. The record for books purchased by one person to give to others is eleven. Like I’ve said before, this is the perfect Christmas present for all Elvis fans. So, how about clicking on this Amazon link and getting a copy?

 

Thankyouverymuch,

Phil Arnold