*My goodness, no one gives a gift to Santa Clause!* [*Michael Brown*](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7135012.Michael_Brown?utm_medium=email&utm_source=quote_of_the_day) December 25, 2015: On this day, Santa Mouse author Michael Brown and his wife gave a special gift to their friend Harper Lee—an envelope that contained this note: "You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. Merry Christmas." In the following months, Lee began the manuscript for what would become To Kill a Mockingbird.