Behind the Story of A Retail Carol
A Retail Carol began not as a book, but as a Christmas production for my church. Back in 2016, I spent much of the year writing the script for what would become a heartfelt, funny, and reflective modern Christmas story about redemption, greed, and grace. The show premiered live in December 2016 and again in December 2017, reaching an audience of about 1,200 people over its two-year run.
In early 2025, I decided to adapt the Christmas play script into a novel, now titled A Retail Carol. As I wrote, I kept the original cast of actors and actresses in mind—many of whom had brought the characters to life on stage so vividly. Their performances helped me capture the warmth, humor, and humanity that make this holiday fiction so special.
One of the most memorable parts of the live Christmas show was creating Mr. Hensley’s portrait. In the stage version, the portrait was of Mr. Hensley himself, but in the A Retail Carol book, I changed it to depict his father—emphasizing the looming shadow that still influences Hensley’s life.
When we created the portrait for the play, we had a blast doing it. My talented friend Alvaro played Mr. Hensley, and he completely nailed the role. He understood the character’s mix of arrogance and insecurity and made Mr. Hensley leap right off the stage. To complete his look, I bought a “Hugh Hefner” costume from a Halloween store—complete with a smoking jacket, ascot, and pipe. We even used fake $100 bills and took inspiration from Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune album cover. Later, we added a subtle digital drift of smoke to the image for a finishing touch.
The final portrait was printed on a 36” x 48” canvas and framed in an ornate vintage gold frame to hang above Mr. Hensley’s office set. When the painting was revealed during the show, it always got big laughs—so much so that we had to pause for the audience to settle down.
For the novel version of A Retail Carol, I reimagined the portrait slightly, but I still kept Alvaro’s version in mind. Below, I’ve included the original photo for your viewing pleasure, especially for those who never got to see the live production.
Readers have described A Retail Carol as fun, sarcastic, and satirical, yet also heartfelt and full of meaning. It offers a clever twist on A Christmas Carol while speaking to our modern world of consumerism and chaos. Beneath the laughter and satire lies a genuine message about kindness, reflection, and what truly matters during the holidays.
By turning my original Christmas stage production into a Christmas novel, I hope to create a new holiday tradition—one that brings the same joy, laughter, and warmth to readers that our live audiences once experienced. My goal is for A Retail Carol to be a story families can enjoy year after year, a modern classic for those who love Christmas stories with heart, humor, and a touch of nostalgia.