Wyckoff resident and author Robert Skead has released two new children’s eBooks just in time for the holidays.
“Elves Can’t Tackle” features Santa’s elves in a football adventure and “ Elves Can’t Kick” is about the elves in a soccer adventure.
Skead, who was raised in Wyckoff and currently lives there with his wife and children, is the author of several popular children’s books, including Something to Prove—the Great Satchel Paige versus the Rookie Joe DiMaggio; Mighty Mike Bounces Back, Elves Can’t Dunk, Safe at Home-a baseball card mystery, Hitting Glory—a baseball bat adventure and The Turkey Bowl.
Skead attended Coolidge Elementary School, Eisenhower Middle School and Ramapo High School, and said he discovered his ”talent for writing while at Coolidge.”
“It was a skill my mom noticed and later encouraged me to develop,” Skead said. ”I wouldn’t have pursued writing if it wasn’t for my mom--and a special ‘calling’ to also do so from God.”
But Skead didn’t have an easy start.
“I was getting all these ideas for stories during a time when I was searching for what to do with my life,” Skead said. “I knew the ideas were a gift, but I had no idea what to do with them.”
Skead then attended graduate school at Regent University in Virginia “to develop the craft of writing.”
And after a few years of finishing grad school and “going through a ton of rejections from publishers,” his first book was published: “Safe at Home,” a baseball card mystery. Since then, Skead has been published by a total of five different publishes.
Skead’s latest eBook, “Elves Can’t Tackle,” tells the story of Sebastian the elf and his friends, who are on a mission to give Jack Fabulous, professional football’s most famous quarterback, a little Christmas spirit. In the process, Sebastian ends up on the team for the Christmas Eve “Sandwich Bowl” game. But there is a huge problem: Sebastian is an elf – and Elves Can’t Tackle! This gridiron adventure about friendship and loyalty is all wrapped up with an important Christmas message.
In “Elves Can’t Kick,” Sebastian and his friends are on a secret mission to get back Mrs. Claus’s famous baking recipes, stolen by the world-renowned Domestic Diva Bertha Hayworth (she has more spunk and gadgets than even Martha Stewart), who is jealous of Mrs. Claus’s sudden success in the Christmas treats business. In the process, Sebastian and the gang help teach a losing soccer team, owned by Hayworth, the recipe for success— teamwork, and impart an important lesson that stealing is wrong to “Big Bertha.”
The idea for ”Elves Can’t Kick” was born when Skead became friends with two MLS goalkeepers—Tim Howard, who now plays for Everton in the Premiere League, and Paul Grafer, now a soccer coach for Chivas. Both men played for the New York MetroStars, now known as the New York Red Bulls, when Skead served as the chaplain for the team. Skead included his friends’ names in the story with a goalkeeper named Paul Howard.
“The Paul Howard character is fictional of course,” Skead said. “He does many off-the-wall things, like constantly banging his head into the goalpost when making saves. And he really wants to be a chef instead of a goalie (a trait inspired by Grafer who loves to cook). The goalie also falls in love with the bad girl in the story - the mean-spirited cooking and craft business queen, Bertha Hayworth.”
But even after being published, Skead isn’t stopping there.
“My dream is for the ’Elves’ series to become animated Christmas specials someday,” Skead said.
Parents can download the $5.99 eBook from the Apple iBookstore, Kindle store or NOOK Bookstore®.
For more information, visit www.robertskead.com.