As we reach the proverbial age of "sweet sixteen" (young for a woman, but old indeed for a book series), it is appropriate to ask, "Why?" Today, when almost nothing lasts and fame itself supposedly expires in 15 minutes, here we have this simple little series of Christmas story anthologies that perversely refuses to die. Like the timeless Velveteen Rabbit, it becomes but more cherished as the years go by. If the formula could be bottled, it would be priceless. In essence, it would be an indefinable mixture of stories--new, recent, old, and very old--by authors famous and never-heard-of-before; stories that deeply touch the heartstrings, unlock the tear ducts, make you laugh, yet retain the spiritual dimension of Christmas. Joe Wheeler's writing career started in the fall of 1992 with a collection of heart-tugging stories called Christmas in My Heart, a series that he has become well-known for. Joe Wheeler has been called everything from "Keeper of the Story" to "Father Christmas." He has been a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson's radio show "Focus on the Family", and today is considered to be one of America's leading story anthologizers, editing collections for nine publishers: Doubleday/Random House, WaterBrook/Random House, Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Tyndale House, Harvest House, Review and Herald Publishing Association, RiverOak Publishing, and Pacific Press Publishing Association. When asked how he got started, Wheeler tells interviewers that it all dates back to being home-schooled by a remarkable woman, Barbara Leininger Wheeler, his mother (both a teacher and a missionary) in Latin America. His mother, an elocutionist of the old school, memorized thousands of pages of stories, readings, and poetry, and frequently recited in public. But her specialty was the old-time, sentimental, Judeo-Christian short stories. And his mother poured herself - and her stories - into her son, inoculating him with a terminal case of the `storyitis virus.' Wheeler has a bachelor's degree in both history and English from Pacific Union College, a master's degree in history, a master's degree in English from California State University, and a Ph.D. in English from Vanderbilt University. Today, Wheeler is senior fellow for cultural studies at the Center for the New West in Denver, Colorado, and professor emeritus of Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland. Wheeler and his wife, Connie, make their home in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where they receive 200 inches of snow a year. Joe Wheeler's writing career started in the fall of 1992 with a collection of heart-tugging stories called Christmas in My Heart, a series that he has become well-known for. Joe Wheeler has been called everything from "Keeper of the Story" to "Father Christmas." He has been a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson's radio show "Focus on the Family", and today is considered to be one of America's leading story anthologizers, editing collections for nine publishers: Doubleday/Random House, WaterBrook/Random House, Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Tyndale House, Harvest House, Review and Herald Publishing Association, RiverOak Publishing, and Pacific Press Publishing Association. When asked how he got started, Wheeler tells interviewers that it all dates back to being home-schooled by a remarkable woman, Barbara Leininger Wheeler, his mother (both a teacher and a missionary) in Latin America. His mother, an elocutionist of the old school, memorized thousands of pages of stories, readings, and poetry, and frequently recited in public. But her specialty was the old-time, sentimental, Judeo-Christian short stories. And his mother poured herself - and her stories - into her son, inoculating him with a terminal case of the `storyitis virus.' Wheeler has a bachelor's degree in both history and English from Pacific Union College, a master's degree in history, a master's degree in English from California State University, and a Ph.D. in English from Vanderbilt University. Today, Wheeler is senior fellow for cultural studies at the Center for the New West in Denver, Colorado, and professor emeritus of Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland. Used Book in Good Condition