Pepperoni fun

This week marks the release of a children’s story book titled Family Matters, which includes a fiction I wrote several years ago. I’m glad that my story, “The Big Pepperoni Problem,” will continue to reach kids with the message that being responsible is part of a Christian’s character. The story is about a boy who lost his soccer team pizza sale money in his messy room.

This story was originally published seven years ago in the now-defunct children’s magazine, My Friend. The partner book publishing wing, Pauline Books & Media, asked if they could include it along with other authors' stories in this collection.

Over the years I’ve had more than fifty children’s fiction stories published in twenty-plus Christian kid magazines across the denominational spectrum. One of them became a book about blended families, The Patchwork Family, now out of print but available through used book sellers. That book began as a submission to a contest sponsored by Pockets, a fine children’s magazine published by Upper Room ministries.

Stories for kids represent only about 5% of my writing, but some of my favorite pieces came as a result of letting my inner child come out. These include “Pinkytoes” (about helping), “Backwards Day” (respect), “The Great Garbage Bag Experiment” (friendship), and “Fried Octopus Brains” (comfort zones).

“The Big Pepperoni Problem” grew from the angst my children (along with their mother!) experienced when they faced school fund-raising projects (which included selling overpriced frozen pizzas and cookie dough). I could commiserate, remembering how I struggled to sell “season tickets” to my high school band and orchestra concerts. Nobody wanted to buy those!

The “Pepperoni” story does have an internet presence. Just search my name and the story title. If you do, hope you enjoy it.