'Tennis Shoes' author jumps into filmmaking

Chris Heimerdinger actually wanted to be a filmmaker. "But when I got out of college, no one wanted to give me a million dollars to make a movie," he said. So, he decided to write a book instead.

"My first love is really storytelling," Heimerdinger said, and he decided he could do it with words as well as images.

His first book, a story of three young kids who are magically transported back to Book of Mormon times, was published in 1989. It was based on a dream he had while he was serving an LDS mission in Gainesville, Fla., he said. "I just decided to flesh it out."

And his wife suggested the title: "Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites."

Some 14 years and more than that many books later, Heimerdinger has developed a loyal following of readers young and old.

He's done eight more books in the "Tennis Shoes" series, has set three in New Testament times and has worked in some other historical settings.

His books have sold between 800,000 and 900,000 copies in all and have also been released in audio versions. (For more information, go online to www.cheimerdinger.com.)

And Heimerdinger's dream of a movie is going to come true, as well, he said. His latest book, "Passage to Zarahelma," is on its way to the screen.

He said he published that book himself so there would be no question about movie rights, and he plans to write and direct the film, as well. He already has some investors lined up. "We're still dotting i's and crossing t's and raising money. But I've filmed the first chapter to show people that I can direct."

Though he has done some documentaries and company videos, this will be Heimerdinger's first foray into dramatic directing. But his major at Brigham Young University was filmmaking, so he's looking forward to this new challenge. And he thinks this kind of movie has potential. "No one has made any LDS action-adventure-fantasy films."

But he is not abandoning novels, which will be good news for his fans who are pressuring him for another "Tennis Shoes" book. "I'll pursue that."

Heimerdinger has been writing full-time since 1990. There were some lean years at first, he said. "But I've been incredibly blessed to be able to write about subjects that I care about and still feed my family." He and his wife, Beth, have four children: Steven Teancum, Christopher Ammon, Alyssia Sariah and Elizabeth Liahona Cecelia. If it sounds as if they have Book of Mormon names, it's because they do.