My daughter was fourteen at the time, and was going through a "goth" phase. Her lifetime of battles left her scarred inside and out, making her feel like an outsider and in her words "wrong." She didn't believe her dad when I said that just about everybody feels wrong, and because of that, she should feel pretty normal.

On our daily commutes to and from the hospital, I began to spin a story to demonstrate this idea--a story about a Goth-elf at the North Pole, Jackie Rumpus, who was vaguely inspired by her. He hated The Pole. Hated making toys. Hated the cold. And Red. And green. And their stupid elf names. He just didn't fit in, and the harder he hid behind his makeup and attitude, the more he stood out. I brainstormed ideas and pitched them to her, and gauged what worked from her feedback. When she laughed and said "this is hysterical," I felt I was onto something special. She asked questions I had to find answers for and really helped shape the Goth kids that show up in Jackie's story.

When I sat down to write, I had intended this to be a true horror story. Krampus was going to be my Freddy Krueger. The Naughty Kids were going to get their due. And Santa? Well, he just wanted to focus on the Nice Kids, and leave Krampus to dole out the punishments. Kids would not like this story, and most adults would probably steer from it as it would be very niche. But the horror of Krampus is a very "real" holiday tradition--Krampus drags Naughty Kids to hell as punishment. I love that irony.

But as I sketched this out, the story became layered--softer, sweeter, and yet filled with dark and scary moments--and still it became funnier the more I leaned into the absurdity of the holiday and Jack's world. People who haven't read this story tend to think I hate Christmas. (I get hate comments, which amuse me.) Fact is, I love Christmas, but that doesn't make it any less absurd. As Jackie Rumpus would say...Christmas is just so extra. And that is the vibe that I tried to capture in Bad Elf and The Krampus.

Bad Elf and The Krampus is a novel based on the screenplay of the same name. Agents and Managers...I really could use some representation.

The screenplay has been optioned a couple times, and has gone through some big revisions over the years, and the novel has followed suit. The English edition of the novel is the third and final version as I switch gears to completing two sequels and bring the story to some of the cultures that have inspired it.

In 2024, the novel first became available in German.

Below are some of the accolades the screenplay has earned over the years.

• Show Low Film Festival (2023) - Best Holiday Feature
• Screencraft Family Screenplay Competition (2024) - Finalist
• Austin Film Festival (2024) - Second Rounder
• Screencraft Family-Friendly Screenplay Competition (2020) - Semifinalist
• Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition (2020) - Semifinalist

Bad Elf and The Krampus is very much a Christmas story...but it is packed full of dark humor, monsters, and Halloween-vibes. Fans say it's a perfect fit for both holidays, just like The Nightmare Before Christmas.