Accidental author: Man’s speedy reindeer comes to the rescue in holiday tale

It arrived on a whim, the distillation of a dream that eventually spilled over onto the pages of a children’s Christmas storybook.

“It was never intended to be this,” said Jim Harkey, longtime adventurer, pilot, traveler and accidental author. “I had a dream but not the dream to have a book.”

The 72-year-old Auburn man’s imagination brought to life a swift-flying, rescue-mission-taking reindeer.

Meet Randall, the newest member of Santa’s sleigh-pulling team.

“As Santa’s No. 1 helper, he’s fast,” Harkey said. “He can go from there to here in a split second.”

Nearly overnight, Harkey’s idea appeared in the script of his recently released book, “Randall the Fastest Reindeer” (Peanut Butter Publishing). The book, graced by the remarkable work of Gig Harbor illustrator Pat Lucas-Morris, comes with a family-produced sing-along CD that follows the plot.

The project was challenging and rewarding for Harkey, a retired building developer who has lived in Auburn with his family since 1966.

“The story is the same as my dream,” Harkey said. “I had this dream about the shooting star. Is it where Randall got his speed and glow? I think so.

“And Randall is the name I came up with in my dream,” he added. “I got up in the morning and wrote down my dream, but I wasn’t thinking about doing a book.”

Harkey finished his tale after considerable travel and research. He has been to all the places described in the story. He and his wife, Brigitte, visited the geological North Pole in 1989, stopping by Greenland on the return trip.

Three years ago, the Harkeys went to Swaziland, a small country in southern Africa, to help a foundation distribute wheelchairs to children.

It also was there they saw the government-planted tree forest.

“We came away impressed,” Harkey said.

The different places became geographic points in the book, brought together after Harkey’s dream two years ago.

Randall, as Harkey writes, is a special reindeer and the fastest, but too small for Santa’s sleigh.

Through Randall, children embark on an encouraging adventure, proving that if they put their minds to it, they too can do wonderful things in their own way.

“I think the children will enjoy the new character because he goes so fast,” Brigitte added. “Randall’s not big, but that’s OK. He can do things another way.”

The book describes how Santa discovered one Christmas night that he had left behind a bag of trees intended for the children of Swaziland.

Randall, as it turns out, might be Santa’s only hope of getting the presents to the children on time.

In the story, Santa does his part to green the Earth and make the world a better place.

Harkey hopes Randall will take flight as a popular international character. He plans to distribute the book in Swaziland, where he hopes it will be well received.

Randall is much like Harkey, an adventurer at heart.

“That’s his forte, you might say,” Harkey added.

The Harkey family also intends to distribute copies to children’s hospitals. For now, the book has a regional reach with prospects of wider appeal. Holiday sales are available online.

“We’re doing this as it comes,” Harkey said. “I hope the children enjoy the book and enjoy my story.”

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A holiday book

• Book: Randall the Fastest Reindeer, Peanut Butter Publishing, Seattle ($12.95, plus shipping and handling through www.fastrandall.com). Book comes with family-produced sing-along CD).

• Author: Jim Harkey. (Illustrations by Pat Lucas-Morris).