“About 10 years ago, I knew I wanted to write a children’s book. I just didn’t know where I wanted to go with it. I knew I wanted my children to be the characters but I didn’t have any other ideas about it. Then, several months ago, my husband and I were talking and I was telling him that I wanted to write a book but I didn’t know what I wanted to write about. He said, ‘Well, pray about it.’ So we joined hands right there and prayed,” recalls Brittany Purvis as she tells how her new children’s book, Finn Finds His Way, came to be. “I prayed, ‘Lord, You see my heart. I don’t want this to be just another book on a shelf collecting dust. I want it to be meaningful and to help somebody.”
The next day, she was flooded with ideas. Along with those ideas, her late father kept coming to her mind. On June 18, 2014, her father, Jimmy, took his own life at age 60. His death was a traumatic event for the entire family. “It was hard to understand it then and I still don’t understand it now, but I will say that this book has given me a little light while in these dark years,” she says.
Her mind raced. Book ideas intermingled with memories of her dad. Then she had it! Finn Finds His Way discusses feelings of loneliness and uncertainty from a child’s perspective. “I just want children to know that it’s okay to feel lonely. It’s okay to feel lost. It’s okay to have big feelings. I want them to understand that they can talk to someone about their thoughts. Brighter days are coming,” Brittany says.
The characters in the book and the setting all invoke Brittany’s life. The characters are three fish and a frog. The setting is on her family farm. Brittany grew up on Jimmy Junction Lane, which is pictured in the book as well. “Jimbo is the frog that is the inspirational character in the story. “He symbolizes my daddy. I feel so humbled because I know this is from God. It’s not a coincidence that I prayed and 24 hours later, I had a book written,” she says.
Finn Finds His Way is set for release on August 14. Brittany will host a book launch at The Blue Sage on Saturday, August 15, from 1-2 p.m. There will be a live book reading, signed copies, and refreshments.
“I believe God placed this story in my life to share with the world. Through love, loss, and healing, my hope is that every child who reads this book will discover courage, self-worth, and the reminder that hope is always within reach,” says Brittany.
