Claire the Bear with the Barely-There Hair

Book excerpt: Several years ago, the power went out in my home, stranding my family in the dark with only one flashlight. When I held the flashlight under my bushy beard to talk to the children, the tangled mess of my beard was broadcast over the ceiling, prompting my children to laugh and say that a bear had snuck into our house. Then they wanted to hear “scary stories,” but I was at a loss to come up with any, so I said the first thing I could think of, “Claire was a bear with barely -there hair who became aware that others would stare.” I stopped, surprised by my moment of creative clarity, and immediately knew that I needed to write the story down. Thirty minutes later, the story was complete. I’m so grateful the power went out that night. This story once produced a moment of light for my family, and I hope it will be a light for yours as well.