The next two weeks, I have an interview with author Andrew K. Johnston, author of chapter books that are Hank the Cowdog meets Narnia. Just that had me hooked! The more I’ve gotten to know Andrew, the more we have in common. So without further ado, let’s jump in.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thanks for asking, Kandi! Most importantly, I am a husband, a father, and a follower of Jesus. I currently have four thriving kids with another little one arriving this June! My wife, Erin, and I decided we wanted a basketball team, and the Lord has certainly granted that wish. As you can imagine, our days homeschooling and parenting our crew are full of adventure.

Prior to becoming a self-published author, my professional journey took me down several different avenues. My father was an NFL coach, and I was blessed to play D-1 football at Texas A&M University. After my athletic career ended, I went back to school to become an RN. That was a humbling season of obedience to the Lord, leading me down a path that wasn’t my initial passion but taught me so much.

Later, after earning my Master’s in Information Technology in 2017, I transitioned from bedside nursing to the corporate world. Looking back, I realize that the seeds for my author journey were actually planted in middle school. I remember spending hours on my parents’ old PC, using software to dream up worlds, people groups, and creations simply for the joy of it. Little did I know that God was using those moments to prepare me for authorship today.

Kandi: Wait a minute… You can’t just drop that your dad was a NFL coach and leave it at that! Okay, maybe you can, but are you free to tell us what team he coached for? I learned football in junior high when we went to church an hour away from home and the church people took turns having us over for dinner. The one family had a son who loved football, so I learned the game while becoming a Seahawks fan. That was in the time of John Elway and Joe Montana.

Andrew: I’m happy to share more details, and I loved your story about becoming a Seahawks fan. Interestingly, I lived in Seattle for five years while my dad coached there.

He served as a VP of Wellness and a Strength and Conditioning coach for over 30 years. His career included time with Tampa Bay, Green Bay (where he won a Super Bowl), the Seattle Seahawks, the Cleveland Browns, the San Diego Chargers, and the Carolina Panthers, as well as several college teams. We certainly did a lot of moving!

Kandi: Oh wow! Yeah! That’s so amazing about your dad’s career. I understand moving around; we moved from home to home in Tacoma while we were there, and went from Iowa to Washington to Oregon.

Why do you write stories for kids?

Before I began writing, I did quite a bit of narration work for other authors. During the COVID lockdown, I started making up a series of stories to act out for my kids. I did this for years, unaware that my wife was often behind the door recording them—she was sneaky!

During a season where we were crafting our family’s vision and mission statements, I felt a tug on my heart to build a business that I could eventually invite my children into—something focused on empowering the next generation. When I mentioned this to my wife, she calmly asked if I had ever considered authoring those stories I told the kids. At the time, I didn’t think I was cut out for it or had the time to devote to such sacred work.

However, that very night, my daughter walked out of her room and said, “Daddy, I think you need to tell other kids these stories. I think they need to know the lessons you have put in them.”

That moment moved my heart in the best of ways. I spent time praying on it and felt the Lord clearly say to move forward. My hope is to create a legacy for the next generation through these stories.

Kandi: Your path to publishing sounds much like S. D. Smith who writes the Green Ember series. It was stories he told his children that led to his publishing the series. While at Realm Makers this last year, I got to meet him and see his kids helping in the Green Ember Live show. It was a testament to his stories and his heart to see so many homeschool families there with their kids singing the songs from the stories.

Andrew: It’s wonderful that you met S.D. Smith. His journey is a HUGE source of inspiration for me when I first started researching this path; I was shocked by how much our stories overlapped. My kids absolutely love the Green Ember series, and I’m so thankful the Lord has blessed his work and established him.