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McPherson publishes fifth Christmas book

Dan McPherson shows the cover of his latest Christmas book “Buddy Bunny and Mac Moose,” and stuffed animals of the main characters. McPherson will sign copies of his books from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Grand Central Mall near Santa Claus. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

PARKERSBURG — An unlikely friendship between a moose and rabbit is the latest Christmas story from a local author who has written five fiction books about the Christmas season.

Dan McPherson, of Washington, W.Va., and a local State Farm agent, has written five books and the latest is “Buddy Bunny and Mac Moose.”

McPherson said it’s natural for him to write books with Christmas themes since he has a passion for the holiday.

“I’m a Christmas fanatic,” he said. “At my house, many years ago, I used to decorate outside. We had a one lane road in and a one lane out and it was bumper to bumper.”

McPherson said all the decorations in the display were not bought, but made by him.

He had more than 130 decorations and many lights in his Christmas display. It inspired people to come from all over to see, he said. “But my youngest son went off to college and I couldn’t do it all by myself. I went to Mayor Colombo and asked if we could do more in City Park.”

McPherson said the last year he did the decorating at home was the year a storm swept through the valley and almost destroyed the display, just a few days before Christmas.

“It took me five days to put them all back up,” he said.

In addition to the decorating, McPherson has written children’s books about the Christmas season. He said the fifth book, “Buddy Bunny and Mac Moose,” is about the friendship between a rabbit and a moose.

He has written four other children’s books for Christmas: “Sara Touched the Child,” “Santa’s Best Friend,” “Santa’s TLC” and “Santa’s 3 D’s.”

“It happens at the North Pole and Mac the Moose is a resident of the North Pole,” he said. “One day he was walking a trail he always walked and noticed a fallen tree.”

As he moved the tree with his antlers he hears something and stopped.

“He saw a rabbit under the branch and he picked it up so it would not be hurt,” McPherson said. “The rabbit looked up at him and jumped up in the space between Mac’s antlers and they became best of friends.”

Many times the two would go to see Santa’s reindeer playing games.

“One day they asked Mac if he would play with them to even up the teams since there were nine reindeer,” he said. “Everybody began to be friends during games and Santa gave Mac and Buddy a place among the reindeer.”

McPherson said the way he tells the story the reindeer just don’t have the ability to fly without a special food.

“He gave the food to Mac and taught him to fly,” McPherson said. “He told Mac he would use him as a backup in the event of an illness of one of the other reindeer.”

McPherson said Mac gets his first flight, but not for Santa.

“Mrs. Claus came out and asked Mac if he would fly her somewhere to get something for Santa outside of the North Pole,” he said. “This was all planned by the elves.”

McPherson said there will be a sequel to this book.

“It’s done; it just needs to be edited and have artwork done,” he said.

McPherson will have a book signing for “Buddy Bunny and Mac Moose” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Grand Central Mall near Santa Claus.

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