Todd Burpo
Imperial, Nebraska
May 2010occasionally, but he hasn’t claimed to have gone on any more trips or to
have any kind of special, ongoing connection with eternity. And despite his
supernatural journey, his relationships with his siblings are as natural as
can be. Colby follows Colton around little-brother-style, and they fight over
who stole whose action figures. Cassie, meanwhile, is the long-suffering
older sister. This was demonstrated perfectly when we were all trying to
think up a good title for this book.
I suggested Heaven by Four.
Sonja suggested Heaven, According to Colton.
Cassie suggested He’s Back, but He’s No Angel.
In the end, though, it was Colton who inadvertently came up with the title.
Around Christmastime in 2009, we had taken a family trip down to Texas
and were sitting with our editor at a Starbucks in Dallas, discussing the
book. She looked across the table at our oldest son and said, “Colton,
what do you want people to know from your story?”
Without hesitation, he looked her in the eye and said, “I want them to
know that heaven is for real.”