....from an idea to a novella

by Kathleen Clauson

A few years ago, I was in a a Creative Writing workshop, in search of a storyline that could become a novella.

My ideas for stories and characters come from the experiences I have had, people I've met, places I've lived...and my never-ending research about topics I  find interesting.  Most of my stories are character driven, but I always strive to weave ethnic customs, superstititions, and  folkore into my stories, the kinds of everyday practices that people accept without question and that they do unconsciously in real life.

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year for three--my birthday is three days before Christmas, my grandparents owned a Christmas tree farm, and to me, there is nothing more beautiful than Christmas lights.  As a child I thought we played a magical role in Christmas as important as Santa, the reindeers, and the elves who make toys because Christmas is not the same without a Christmas tree.  It was so fun watching people find the "perfect" Christmas tree.  I loved the smell of the pinetrees and the beautiful dark green of my grandpa's Christmas trees.  And as children, we always had two trees.  Grandpa usually cut off the tops of trees that couldn't be sold and gave us a tiny tree for our room or sometimes we put it next to the big tree in the living room.  it's a tradition I still practice.  I was amazed at how a string or two of Christmas lights changes the appearances of everything.  

One day, as I was flipping through a Wall Street Journal I noticed an article about Eastern Europe.  People were protesting in Poland about the tradition of keeping carp alive until time to prepare the Christmas Eve dinner.  I learned that in some places in Poland, people still buy carp from the local fish market or grocer and they keep them in tubs of water or their bath tubs until Christmas Eve. 

That gave me an idea.  I had often been amazed how desperately some of my cousins from Chicago wanted pets, to the point that almost every creature could become a pet to them.  Every summer when they came to visit, they always packed up frogs in boxes or lightning bugs in jars to keep as pets.  And when wwe went fishing I knew what they were thinking--that catfish could be pets.  It occurred to me how easy it would be for a kid from the city to become attached to a carp in their bath tub in just a few days.  And the story was born.

Eva Galuska is a fictional character.  However, long ago when I was in college, I had a good friend named Eva.  her last name was NOT Galuska.  And she was NOTHING like my character in the story, but there was one thing about her I always found mysterious--when she did her eye make-up, she would sit at her dressing table, flick a Bic lighter and heat up the end of an ordinary eyeliner pencil.  With steady hand, she would outline her eyes as perfectly as an artist.  I remeber watching her in awe. Wherever you are, thanks Eva!

From those ideas, I started to weave together a story of a young man's self discovery, the paradox of hidden secrets, and how the dedication to his family and their holiday customs influenced his life.

Eva Galuska and the Christmas Carp is a celebration of  the languages and rich traditions of Eastern Europe, the holiday foods and customs, and the people who left their homelands and forged new lives in Chicago.   

Eva Galuska and the Christmas Carp can be purchased from Xlibris publishing or, if you are interested in a personally autographed copy, it can be ordered from the Author's Den..