Alex Brown is well-known for his Snoozlewhoosh children’s series of books, about a soft toy owl that takes children on adventures in the Magical World of Dreams.
Although his focus is always on children at Christmas, Alex is also offering copies of two of his fiction Hit Me novels to pensioners this year.
He is donating copies of his books and soft toy owls for distribution to recipients including the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, Lee Rollo at Co-op Funeralcare Tranent for the toy drive which will distribute toys and gifts to less fortunate children in East Lothian and also pensioners, Prestonpans-based Pennypit Trust, Roots and Fruits at Elphinstone, the community kitchen at Tranent Store Club, Women’s Aid, a parents’ council in Musselburgh, Venchie Children & Young People’s Project and St Teresa of Lisieux RC Church, both Niddrie, the arts centre at Newcraighall, and Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal.
Businessman and fundraiser Alex, of Ideal Flooring Solutions in Musselburgh, said: “I have never seen Christmas as a time for receiving but for giving.
“Since I was a young child, at least as far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to give to others.
“My Granny Brown would always call me a ‘McGee’, meaning a giver. I can still recall giving my own Christmas presents to my siblings – I wanted to share with my younger brothers and sister. That feeling has never left me.”
Alex now has 15 published Snoozlewhoosh books, which he first started writing for his grandchildren, all available in paperback and as ebooks on Amazon – Jude’s Jurassic Journey, Evie’s Excellent Adventure, Kayen’s Kenyan Safari, Luna’s Moon Landing, Kody’s Underwater Kingdom, Ralph the Red Raptor, Charlotte and the Wonderful World of Dolls, Luna, Bennett and Moon Memees, The Magical Forest Friends: Sophie the Shooting Star, Kayen and Myla’s Safari Adventure, Kody and Mason’s Arctic Sleepover, The Magical Birthday on Mars, The T-Rex with Toothache, Evie’s Christmas Adventure, and The Pink and Purple Kingdom.
He is planning to repeat his children’s cinema shows at The Fraser Centre in Tranent this year next Saturday (December 13), between 9.30am and noon.
To book a space, parents or groups should visit the Snoozlewhoosh Facebook page and send a message to ask for their children to attend. There will be a post to say when it is fully booked.
Councillor Kenny McLeod, Tranent, Macmerry and Wallyford ward member, has kindly offered to be Santa again for the third year.
Each child who attends will meet Santa, receive a soft toy owl and a selection box, and then choose a book to take home.
More information can be obtained from the Snoozlewhoosh Facebook page, including the chance for people to win a copy of all 15 titles when they follow the page.
Hit Me is Alex’s first novel – a dark comic thriller about an ex-boxer who is wrongly diagnosed with cancer and ends up in the fight of his life.
Described as “a shocking and darkly comic crime thriller”, Hit Me: Rise of the Bingham Butcher, the second in the trilogy, is “a brutal tale of power, greed and survival in the heart of Scotland’s criminal underworld”.
The third book in the series, Hit Me: Revenge of the Niddrie Warriors, will be out next year.
Alex, who was the recipient of the Heart of Gold award at this year’s East Lothian Courier Community Champion Awards, said: “Supporting older people has always been important to me as well.
“If any nursing homes or community groups would like copies or would like to help distribute them to pensioners, I would be grateful if they reached out to me.”
He paid tribute to wife Monica and the rest of his family for their support with his giving and fundraising initiatives.