A Newcastle magician who lost virtually all his gigs for the year amid the Covid-19 pandemic has turned to writing a children’s book in a bid to “save Christmas” for himself.
‘The Geordie Santa’ was a lockdown project for 31-year-old Chris Cross after his business as a self-employed entertainer took a heavy hit.
In a bid to save his business and pay his bills, he wrote and self-published his debut Geordie Children’s Christmas book.
The Geordie Santa tells the story of Jacka the Geordie who helps Santa to save Christmas, and Chirs said he is relying on it to save his own Christmas “since there’s not much call for a magician during a pandemic”.
Since Covid-19 struck, the majority of Chris’s shows and gigs have been postponed until next year, so it’s the sales from the book that are paying his bills this December.
He said: “I’ve never written a story before and I’m excited to get my book out there into the world.
“I haven’t had very many live performances lately, for obvious reasons - however, this has been a lockdown project I’m really proud of.
“I used to love stories being read to me when I was a kid by my grandparents. I can’t wait to read this book to my own children, when I become a parent, that is.
“It’s rather ironic that in the storyline of my book, the Geordie Santa saves Christmas and in my own personal life The Geordie Santa has also saved Christmas for me.”
The book, which is available to order on Chris' website, has been illustrated by 19-year-old Northumbrian artist, Róisín Lyst, and it features well known Newcastle locations such as The Quayside, St. Thomas’s Crescent and Haymarket.
Chris recently staged the UK’s first drive-in magic show in Morpeth, Northumberland, and the follow-up, ‘Chriscrossmas,’ will take place on December 17 at Morpeth football ground.
