Blue butterflies are special. They carry wishes. It’s why I wanted a butterfly on the cover, not a bird. It’s also why the butterfly has vibrant shades of blue in it. Because it soaks in and then carries the wishes of those it lands fleetingly upon.

Yesterday, I shifted through outlines — old, old outlines from when I was much younger—some from when I was 12 or so. Outlines for books like Michael’s Lost Love, which was the first book I wrote about The Holocaust, and Me, which remains one of my favorite books.

Part of the original outline for the book “Me.” Handwritten, this book was over 2,000 pages long.

I found terrible query letters I wrote —and mailed!—at age 14 when I didn’t have the foggiest idea how to write a query letter.

And more outlines…

As I looked through the old outlines, the completely illegible outlines, what struck me the most was a sense of tenderness for the teenager who relied on writing for so much, for the girl who, though she was hurting, maintained a sense of hope for she believed publication was possible. Writing was my dream. I used to tell anyone I could that I didn’t dream of being famous… I just wanted the pages of one of my books to turn yellowed from age, preferably with that “old book” smell.

Today I see blue butterflies!

The story that I’ve worked really hard on, The Storyteller, is finally released! It’s been just at 2 years since Haven came out. The Storyteller is very different. It reads and feels more like a fairy tale. It tugs at my heart with meaningful questions, but also highlights the redemptive power of real love. The interior graphics follow a bird who starts out trapped in a box, breaks free, suffers a catastrophic injury, all the way through a metamorphosis to a Phoenix who rises from the ashes of her past to become stronger, healthier and more whole.

This story has my heart. And I am really excited, and proud and full of blue butterflies to see it finally released! As of today, you can purchase The Storyteller here . The e-book can be pre-ordered here : it will be available for download on Friday. You can find sneak peaks all over the blog, but a list of my favorite ones can be seen here.

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Writing is not just something I do; it is part of who I am. Writing allows me to dream, gives me faith in tomorrow and, most of all, allows me to connect with others. I would love to know what you think, and what the story means to you. Please feel free to comment or message me at tiffini johnson at storiesthatmatterblog dot com!