Employee: Jason Fisher
Title: Operations Crew Supervisor
Location: Mill Creek Generating Station
Years of service: 18
What's your special off-the-clock pursuit?
My latest special off-the-clock pursuit is publishing a children's book titled You Are Wanted. You Are Loved. It's a beautiful story of affirmations and heart expressions to children. It's wonderfully illustrated by Olivia Jenkins, a local young woman of color. The book features a father figure expressing his hopes for a child and the emotions behind it.
What I love most about the story is it is intentionally written to find space in the hearts of every family structure, dynamic, religion and belief system. The words and illustrations are powerful statements every child needs to hear from the people who love them. I am exceptionally proud of this book and hope it finds its way into the homes and hearts of people.
Mill Creek Operations Crew Supervisor Jason Fisher recently published a children's book: You Are Wanted. You are Loved.
When did you start writing?
This is my first venture into writing a book and something I never saw myself doing! I started writing what would eventually become You Are Wanted. You Are Loved. in 2021. Writing has always been a strength of mine, while music has always been one of the greatest loves in my life – listening, singing, performing, creating, recording -- it doesn't matter. I have written many songs over the years, so pivoting from songwriting to writing a children's book was relatively easy. In fact, as you read it, you can hear the melodic flow of the lines.
Why did you decide to write a children's book?
I never set out with the intention of writing a book of any kind, let alone a children's book. My journey into writing this book began with a conversation with my wife. We are a blended family and have five sons between us, though no children together. I had always been resistant to having another, but my stance has softened as our kids have gotten older and I've witnessed the joy of being around the children of family, friends, and some of my wife's photography clients. Now, the idea of starting over doesn't seem burdensome. Instead, it has elements of excitement and opportunity.
Fisher credits his family for helping prompt the idea of writing.
A few years ago, she and I had a conversation of what it would look like for us to have baby together, especially with our youngest kids all in high school. Having the chance to start fresh at parenting gave me a moment to think about what would be important to share with a child. So, I sat down and wrote a letter to this baby, expressing some things I would want him/her to know. The main idea of the letter was simple: I need you to know that you've been wanted and loved from the very beginning! A bit later, I re-read the letter and noticed some of the lyrical language I had already used and realized it could easily be changed from a letter to a children's story. The illustrations would help hold their attention, and the brevity of a children's book would allow it to be easily read time and again.
When and how was the book published?
You Are Wanted. You Are Loved. was published and available for retail April 23, 2023. I chose to self-publish through Lulu Press. Publishing was definitely the hardest part of the journey! Leading up to the book release, so many details needed to be refined. Designing, editing and marketing were all parts of the experience I had no idea would be such a challenge, which are all aspects that would have been completed by a publishing house had I chosen traditional publishing instead of self-publishing. However, the final product validated the entire process. The book is available at wantedandlovedbook.com.
Do you have any future stories in mind or books you plan to write?
I do have a couple of more ideas I'd love to flesh out and see where they take me! Some ideas I hope to explore include confidence, character and expressions of love. You can follow along with this book's journey and any future works by checking us out on the web at wantedandlovedbook.com, or on Instagram and Facebook at @wantedandlovedbook.
Are there ways you incorporate your skills from this endeavor into your work life at LG&E and KU?
In the power industry in general, and specifically within the power plants, there is little room for creative writing. However, being a leader provides me with the chance to pour into others and encourage them as they develop. And similar to being a parent, you don't always get it right, but it's important to show up each day, hold yourself accountable and be present.
