The Christmas Light By C. Dian Cooper

The Author Dian Cooper is an American freelance writer and illustrator from Tomball in Texas USA. She is the author and illustrator of fiction children’s books, not only of The Christmas Light, which is the subject matter of this podcast, but also of the following books.  Welcome Blessing
Welcome Christmas
Let’s Play Ball
The King Meets Blessing
The Adventures of Blessing part I, II, III and IV Dian’s books reflect her love for both Children and God, something she imbues throughout all her writing. Having talked to Dian you get a real sense that God inspires her zeal to nurture in all children that they are imaginatively created by God’s own love and affection. Her dream/prayer is that ‘The Christmas Light’ becomes an annual book that kids of all generation enjoy at Christmas time and may be, just maybe that the Character Bright and all the other Christmas lights in the box become endearing animated characters on TV telling the simple message to kids and adults alike that Jesus’ love for them is real. Dian grew up in the small town of Humble, on the outskirts of Houston Texas. She thrived in her English classes in school and remembers her teachers telling her your talents lie in writing and artistry. Her career and being a mother put her dream of writing on the back boiler so to speak but, now she is retired she devotes much of her time illustrating and writing her books. The walls of her house are adorned with her wonderful creative artwork. Today writing and illustrating as well as her passion to saving and protecting endangered wildlife in South Africa are her main purposes in life, her reason to get up in the morning, her way of inspiring young minds to enjoy what God has given simply told though magically creative stories backed up with breath-taking artistry. Check out our video chat here! The Book This spellbinding Children’s book for me is aimed at preschool years, the illustrations are beautifully drawn in bright vivid colours as they should be for this age group. The Character ‘Bright’ is a Christmas light bulb that has been put away in a box with mum and dad, his friends as well as aunts and uncles since 1976. Every Christmas Bright and all the Christmas lights would eagerly wait for Mrs Smith to return to the attic to fetch them out. Bright knew it was Christmas as he could see the snowflakes falling though the stain class attic window that had a cross at its centre, he could hear Mrs Smith singing her favourite Christmas songs downstairs as she made the festive treats in preparation for her family’s arrival. However, every year he could hear the family leaving and he would often think maybe next year he and all the other lights in the box would be remembered, but for the time being they lay there forgotten in a box unopened since 1976, only the attic mouse knew they existed. Yet Bright and his friends could hear Mrs Smith’s Granddaughter Allie singing, ’HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS.’   The story talks about Bright’s dream as he reflects upon the true meaning of Christmas, the author takes us to the bible quotation John 3:16 “God so loved the world that he sent his only son, Jesus, to die for us so that we may have eternal life.” So, while the book has cute Christmas undertones with fabulous illustrations there is an underlying