Another Christmas Carol!

Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Piece of Advice Newsletter!

Good morning! Today we are looking into a really cool book which happens to be a modern day sequel of “A Christmas Carol” called “Another Christmas Carol”! It’s a great read and I was lucky enough to ask author John Derr a few questions!

John C. Derr is a Western Pennsylvania writer who spent much of his career in advertising and newspaper management before turning to fiction. After decades in publishing, he shifted his focus to storytelling, bringing a seasoned sense of character and structure to his work. In 2021, he completed his first novel, exploring a modern twist on one of literature’s most enduring holiday tales.

“Another Christmas Carol” reimagines the spirit of Dickens for a contemporary audience. Instead of revisiting Scrooge’s Victorian world, Derr introduces Ellie Printh, a powerful and emotionally distant woman whose success has come at the expense of meaningful connection. By choosing a modern setting and a new type of protagonist, the story invites readers to consider how the themes of selfishness, loss, and redemption play out in today’s world.

Ellie’s journey begins on the anniversary of her heart transplant, which took place on a past Christmas Eve. She’s visited by the spirit of the woman whose heart now beats in her chest; a striking departure from Dickens’s original ghosts. This encounter sets off a familiar but refreshed structure, as Ellie faces the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future and confronts the choices that shaped her life and the path she’s heading toward.

Derr’s version stands out for the way it blends a timeless message with modern emotional challenges, including medical trauma, grief, and the isolating nature of ambition. “Another Christmas Carol” stays faithful to the core idea that transformation is always possible, but it does so through a story rooted in contemporary struggles.

Bonus Questions:

Giancarlo: Who was your favorite author growing up?

John: As you might guess, my favorite author was, and is, Charles Dickens.

Giancarlo: What first inspired the story of “Another Christmas Carol”?

John:  I always loved the Dickens story and it always occurred to me that Scrooge was probably not the only person ever visited by the three ghosts and that likely it would be something that happened every year. The Ghost of Christmas Present suggests that when he talks about his brothers (nearly 1800 of them). Of course, A Christmas Carol was written in 1843, so it would follow that there might have been one Ghost of Christmas Present for every Christmas since the birth of Christ.

Giancarlo: Do you have a particular favorite Christmas movie, book, or special?

John: My favorite Christmastime movie is "The Homecoming."  It is an early pilot of the TV series "The Waltons."  I also enjoy many movie versions of "A Christmas Carol," particularly the Patrick Stewart version, the Alistair Sim version, and the musical "Scrooge" with Albert Finney in the titular role.

Giancarlo: What is your favorite aspect of “Another Christmas Carol”?

John: My favorite aspect of my book is that it is a completely new and fresh story. Some people likely won't pick it up because they think it is about Scrooge. Of course, it is not.  It's built on the premise that the three ghosts visit a mean soul every year. There are references to the original -- there would have to be since it is so well known -- but it is an entirely new story with some unexpected twists. I think people assume they know how it will end, but that may not be the case.

Piece Of Advice:

Giancarlo: What is this best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

John:  "No matter how far you've gone down the wrong road, turn back."

Check out his work: https://johncderr.com/

Thank you for reading! Have an amazing day and we will catch you again soon!

-Giancarlo