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Introducing Chris Moose

For more than 29 years was stuck away in one of Allen Northcutt’s drawer.

Allen, a 1963 graduate of Washington and Lee, had conceived of his character on Christmas Eve in 1982. Although he’d never written a book before, he was looking for a way to supplement his income and took just three hours to create “the Ugliest/Most Beautiful Moose in the World.”

Over the years Allen would pull the manuscript out of the drawer, dust it off and think about taking it to a publisher. Finally, two years ago, he actually did.

Published this month by Weber Publishing and illustrated by Christie Morris, the story of Chris Moose reflects Allen’s experiences as the father of a learning-disabled son, addressing issues of name-calling and exclusion while teaching a poignant lesson about the spirit of Christmas.

Allen’s day-job is as a senior vice president with Hilliard Lyons in Louisville, Ky. You can order The Legend of Chris Moose from AtlasBooks or Amazon.com.

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