Elf Dust
Living in Hong Kong, one of the densest cities in the world, was the catalyst for a family Christmas tradition and now a children’s book called Elf Dust by local author Nancy Merrill.
Calling Hong Kong home was an important element in the creation of Elf Dust. High-rise apartment life meant there were no chimneys and Santa was not going to land on the roof. For Merrill, something had to be found to ignite imagination and magic for her kids. Elf Dust did not disappoint.
The premise? Elves visit children throughout the month of December to complete Santa’s “naughty and nice” list. The book is a charming and captivating look into the world of elves, their visits to see children, and how they magically evade humans and pets and always leave their glittering calling card.
To create the story, Merrill placed a small spray of the dust in a few spots where an elf would hide to see her children at play. Three-year-old son Rob’s first discovery produced the kind of excitement she hoped for. “He was wide-eyed and blurted out questions like, ‘Mommy, when were they here, what did they look like, and the classic question ─ was I being good?’” she said.
Rob immediately alerted friends to the discovery, resulting in a group of children in their living room examining the Elf Dust.
“They looked like archaeologists at a dig examining a specimen, full of excitement,” said Merrill.
One special moment happened two years later when Rob introduced his younger sister Emily to Elf Dust. “She went to touch the dust, and he pulled her back saying, “No, no ─ You can’t touch it, or you’ll become an elf, “said Merrill.
The personal journey in taking this family tradition to a book, Merrill believes, was touched by synchronicity and ultimately revealed an ancestral family connection.
It started when friends in Hong Kong encouraged Merrill, with a broadcast news and marketing background, to create a kid’s book about Elf Dust. “I dismissed the idea immediately. That skill was not in my wheelhouse. But the suggestions planted a seed that morphed into a nagging voice I could not ignore,” she said.
To stop the voice, she attempted to write the story to prove she did not have the skill. “But, with the first sentence written, the rest of the story was created in under an hour – to my great surprise,” she said.
From there, a publisher was found, but the illustrator proved more problematic. Many dead ends and rabbit holes nearly ended the project. “But the voice prevailed saying, ‘Try just a few more illustrators.’”
The final list of illustrators did not produce any candidates until the last interview with Colleen Sgroi. “Within minutes, Colleen could articulate the essence and spirit of the story in a way I had not heard before. And her masterful artistry made the book what it is,“ she said.
As for the synchronicity of that stubborn voice, a cousin’s recollection of family history pointed to the source. Merrill was reminded their grandmother and Great Aunt Linda, children’s book collaborators, tried but were never able to publish one of their books.
“My cousin thanked me for publishing my book and closing the circle for two wonderful women in our family. That’s when I knew that insistent voice was my grandmother and Aunt Linda urging me forward. A true goose-bumps moment,” she said.
The book, released in October, is in bookstores across the County. It will be featured at St Mark’s “Homes for the Holidays,” Pat Conroy Literary Center book signing and Open Mic event, and many gift bazaars.
Elf Dust is a 32-page hard cover book also available at elfdustbook.com.
