Their story was so amazing. I wrote a song for them and sang it on stage that night. There they were in their matching wheelchairs with a spotlight on them. All of the other Vets were cheering for them. Man, we were all crying.
Interviewer: What happened next?
Joseph: Well, I wrote a short story based on the song. I thought it might end up in a Chicken Soup book or something. Everyone loved the little story.
In the meantime, the Oaks recorded the song for an up and coming American music project, so now I had the song and the short story.
I asked my long time associate Kathy Harris to act as my agent and try to find a place for the story. I thought it might end up as an inspiring little gift book.
Then New Leaf Press happened.
Interviewer: They liked the book?
Joseph: Yes, they did. Kathy had talked to them and sent them a manuscript as well as a CD copy of the song. One thing led to another and eventually I met with Roger Howerton and Jim Fletcher at New Leaf, and they thought that the gift book idea was a good one and that it could happen. Hey, I was thrilled.
Interviewer: So, because I am holding much more than a gift book in my hand, what happened next?
Joseph: An e-mail from the head of the company, Tim Dudley. He indicated that he had some expanded thoughts on the possibilities and within a week I found myself meeting with him.
Tim felt that G.I. Joe and Lillie should be a much bigger story. Maybe a small novel. He said that dedication and love like this just didn’t come along very often and that America was ready for a book like this. He challenged me to make a real book out of my short story, and he provided some guidelines and ideas.
He said, “A gift book is nice. Oaks’ fans will like it and it will do well, I think. But I want a book for the masses. Can you give me that book?”
My insides were jumping up and down but I told him that I thought I could. I had a lot of work ahead of me. I visualized many different directions that the book could take. A story of war and heroism, a romance, a story of one American family, a book of faith, love, and dedication set against some very tough times. I decided that the book should be all of that. I didn’t limit myself in any way. I just started doing my research and started to write.
Interviewer: What happened next?
Joseph: Well, I wrote a short story based on the song. I thought it might end up in a Chicken Soup book or something. Everyone loved the little story.
In the meantime, the Oaks recorded the song for an up and coming American music project, so now I had the song and the short story.
I asked my long time associate Kathy Harris to act as my agent and try to find a place for the story. I thought it might end up as an inspiring little gift book.
Then New Leaf Press happened.
Interviewer: They liked the book?
Joseph: Yes, they did. Kathy had talked to them and sent them a manuscript as well as a CD copy of the song. One thing led to another and eventually I met with Roger Howerton and Jim Fletcher at New Leaf, and they thought that the gift book idea was a good one and that it could happen. Hey, I was thrilled.
Interviewer: So, because I am holding much more than a gift book in my hand, what happened next?
Joseph: An e-mail from the head of the company, Tim Dudley. He indicated that he had some expanded thoughts on the possibilities and within a week I found myself meeting with him.
Tim felt that G.I. Joe and Lillie should be a much bigger story. Maybe a small novel. He said that dedication and love like this just didn’t come along very often and that America was ready for a book like this. He challenged me to make a real book out of my short story, and he provided some guidelines and ideas.
He said, “A gift book is nice. Oaks’ fans will like it and it will do well, I think. But I want a book for the masses. Can you give me that book?”
My insides were jumping up and down but I told him that I thought I could. I had a lot of work ahead of me. I visualized many different directions that the book could take. A story of war and heroism, a romance, a story of one American family, a book of faith, love, and dedication set against some very tough times. I decided that the book should be all of that. I didn’t limit myself in any way. I just started doing my research and started to write.
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