“Rolfe the Fluffy Reindeer” by Heather Johnson

“You should write a book!”

It’s something that people tell me every now and again. And each time I hear it, I wonder if people know that writing and publishing books has actually been a dream of mine for quite some time! Usually, when people suggest that I write something, it’s safe to assume they are referring to me writing about my family and our story. And that is 100% the intent…someday! God is still crafting that story day by day while I take notes and wait patiently for his direction.

But in the meantime, I’ve still felt the metaphorical pen tugging at my hand. It’s a feeling that has gripped my heart and whisked me off to adventures in my mind since I was in the 4th grade, writing stories from the top bunk of my bed- stories that I bound in little three ring binders and made my teachers read. Writing fiction has always been a passion of mine and one that I had always hoped I’d be able to pursue more seriously someday. Well, with three crazy, amazing kids and a full time job, this totally seemed like the best time!

The truth is, over the last year or so, I’ve been chatting with God a bit about why he’s put this unquenchable thirst to write on my heart at this time, when he’s so clearly told me that the story most people want to hear isn’t quite ready to be told yet. And the more I prayed about it, the more I realized that my journey to writing successfully doesn’t have to start with our personal story. In fact, it’s probably best if I build a larger reader base before jumping right into that story. Fortunately, God has filled my daydreams and ponderings with a cast of characters and plot lines that are perfectly capable of starting me on the path of writing and publishing until God untangles the plot points of my family’s story and wraps them up in my mind in a pretty bow for me to record in words.

And so, that brings me to my upcoming mini-journey! I have finished writing my first children’s book and am planning to publish it before the end of this year! I have decided to self-publish this first go around, and I’ve hired an amazing illustrator to help my characters come to life! Woohoo! This is happening, people! So I’m officially asking you all to keep an eye out for an instagram account I will be making soon to promote this book and others down the line. Then, stay tuned and get excited to meet my very own “Rolfe the Fluffy Reindeer” very soon! He’s not that fast, and he sometimes trips on his curls, but he should be ready to find a place underneath your tree in time for Christmas!

Getting this accomplished will take some serious commitment from us, and that includes a small financial investment. If you would like to partner with me to make this dream become a reality, you can help lay the first stepping stone on my path toward writing all that the Lord has for me to write. And I would be forever grateful. Hopefully by building an audience of readers now with this first book, the impact of the story God is writing in our family, will be that much greater when God gives me the green light to write it.

If you would like to financially help me get this book to print, I’d greatly appreciate your donation to this Gofundme page.

- A financial donation of any amount will put your name on the guest list to a celebratory publishing party! I can’t wait to celebrate this book becoming a reality with you!

- A donation of $100 or more will put you on the list to the publishing party and will get you a signed copy of the book with a special thank you note for your support!

- A donation of $200 or more will put your name on the guest list to the publishing party, get you a signed copy of the book, and your name will be featured on the “Special Thanks” page of each copy sold.

Please know that your kind words, encouragement and prayers for this endeavor are of the most value to me while I take this scary leap into a new adventure! So even if you can’t donate financially, let me know if you’re excited by following my author page soon, by leaving a comment below, by sharing this post, or just by adding me (and Rolfe! ☺️) to your prayer list! With your help, we can finally send that little 4th grade girl on the top bunk, scratching ideas in her binder on the path to accomplishing a dream and following a calling! Thank you all so much! -Heather