Did you ever ask yourself, is there really a God? Is Heaven for Real? Is there life after death? Just ask 4-year-old Colton Burpo from Imperial, Nebraska, who emerged from life-threatening surgery with astounding details about his near death experience.
This is a true story of Colton’s account as told by his father, Todd Burpo, to Lynn Vincent. Colton describes floating away, looking down on his dad praying in the hospital, and seeing God’s throne. Colton told about meeting his grandfather who had passed long before he was born and his sister who died through miscarriage (A sister his parents never told him about.)
Todd Burpo, Colton’s father is also the pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan, a wrestling coach, a volunteer fireman, and he operates a garage door company with his wife, Sonja. She is also a children’s minister, busy pastor’s wife, and mom. Colton, now an active 11-year-old, has an older sister Cassie and a younger brother Colby. The family recalled the scriptures from the bible each time Colton described another piece of his puzzling recollections during surgery.
This story comes to us through the eyes of an innocent child as Colton tells his story with honesty and no understanding of the magnitude of his experience. Heaven is for Real is a feel-good affirming story for anyone that carries some doubts and needs their faith restored or renewed. This story is written for both believers and non-believers.
In 2010 Lynn Vincent co-authored Heaven is for Real. She is a bestselling conservative American writer, journalist, and author or co-author of 10 books. Vincent’s work focuses on memoirs, politics and current events. She co-wrote Sarah Palin’s 2009 bestselling memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life.
Vincent’s best-known solo work is Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together.
She is a U.S. Navy Veteran who spent 11 years as an investigative reporter and feature writer for USA World Magazine. She has lectured on writing at the World Journalism Institute, and at the King’s College in New York City. During her 11 years as a senior writer and features editor for World magazine, Vincent covered politics, culture, and hot-button social issues.
Heaven Is for Real has sold 5.6 million copies. It’s been number one on the USA Today best-selling book list eight times and has remained in the top 10 since February of 2011.
Thomas Nelson, the book’s publisher reported this book broke company sales records. The Nashville based publisher started with an initial print run of 40,000 copies, according to the New York Times. Since the book came out in November 2010, it has gone back to press 22 times. It has been on the New York Times best-seller list for paperback nonfiction for its’ entire first year.
The book’s success can be attributed to strong word of mouth advertising. There has been no elaborate book tour, big-name publisher or brand-name author. The Burpos made a handful of appearances on “Fox & Friends,” “The 700 Club,” and CNN. Its’ success came from people reading it and sharing their recommendations with friends. This is an example of the power of social media marketing.
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