Chris Heimerdinger

Chris Heimerdinger (born August 26, 1963, Bloomington, Indiana, USA) is an American author and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)^[1] who has written sixteen novels for young people and adults, the Tennis Shoes Adventure Series, most of which center on religious themes familiar to Latter-day Saints.

Early life

Heimerdinger's father was a professor in theatre at Indiana University. His parents divorced when he was four years old and his mother remarried. Heimerdinger has one older brother and two younger sisters.

Heimerdinger excelled in Wyoming High School competitions for three years in the categories of Humor, Oratory, and Drama.^[2] He began to write books at the age of 7, and continued through high school.^[3] He also began making super-8 films beginning in junior high, and showed these films to the scholarship committee of Brigham Young University in 1981, earning a full scholarship in 'Theatre and Cinematic Arts' ^[4] after receiving a Sundance Institute 'Most Promising Filmmaker' award for his film Night Meeting.^[5]

Heimerdinger read the Book of Mormon at age 18, during his first semester at college, and was converted to the Mormon faith on Oct. 10, 1981.^[4]

Books and films

Heimerdinger is the author of the Tennis Shoes Adventure Series. His first published work was Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites (1989), based on events in the Book of Mormon. Thus far ten books have followed in the series, the first of which features three children who discover a secret cave capable of transporting its visitors back in time. The following books continue with the original characters as they go to college, get married, and have kids. The characters also have to deal with death, parenting troubles and time travel. The first books in the series were intended to be a fictional account of the Book of Mormon, while later ones explore other historical eras, including Ancient Rome, Israel during the Roman destruction in A.D. 73, and the time period of the Tower of Babel. The last four novels in this series include research notes at the end of each chapter.^[6]

In 2005, Heimerdinger began production of Passage to Zarahemla.^[6] Originally written in 1999 as a screenplay entitled "Summer of the Nephite" it was published as a novel, Passage to Zarahemla in 2003. The film was released to cinemas in October 2007 and as of 2011 ranks in the top 100 for both Christian and Fantasy Live-Action films.^[7] It was released on DVD in June 2008. In August 2011, a book sequel to Passage to Zarahemla, entitled Escape From Zarahemla was announced for October release by Covenant Communications, Inc.

In 2008 Heimerdinger was among the top 10 list of LDS authors as chosen by Mormon Times readers.^[8]

Public service

Heimerdinger utilizes the title of his Tennis Shoes Adventure Series in helping around the world. In August 2005 Heimerdinger joined with Hearts and Hands for Humanity in American Fork, Utah to help collect tennis shoes for children 5 to 12 years old.^[9]

In 2007 Heimerdinger again joined with Hearts and Hands for Humanity to collect tennis shoes. This time it was in honor of a fallen soldier, Nathan Barnes, of American Fork, Utah. The goal this time was to collect and send thousands of tennis shoes to Iraq.^[10]

Works

Novels

Tennis Shoes Adventure Series Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites, 1989 (republished 1999), Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577344677 Gadiantons and the Silver Sword, 1990, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1555033903 Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent, part one, 1995, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577344871 Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent, part two, 1996, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577344898 The Sacred Quest (formerly Tennis Shoes and the Seven Churches), 1997, Covenant Communications, ISBN 157734491X The Lost Scrolls, 1998, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577344189 The Golden Crown, 1999, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577344987 Warriors of Cumorah, 2001, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1577349229 Tower of Thunder, 2003, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1591561779 Kingdoms and Conquerors, 2005, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1591567408 Sorcerers and Seers, 2010, Covenant Communications, ISBN 160861087X

Other books Eddie Fantastic, 1992, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1555034039 Daniel and Nephi, 1993, Covenant Communications, ISBN 1555035663 Ben Franklin and the Chamber of Time, 1995, Deseret Book Company, ISBN 0875798780 A Light in the Storm, 2000, Covenant Communications, ISBN 157734684X Passage to Zarahemla, 2003, Heimerdinger Entertainment and Covenant Communications, ISBN 0970834306 A Return to Christmas, 1996, multiple publishers, ISBN 0804118264 The Absurd Adventures of Elders Kurds and Way, (also Kurds and Way, A Missionary Epic), 1987, Heimerbooks Escape From Zarahemla (scheduled for release October, 2011, Covenant Communications)

Music CDs

• Whispered Visions—Original Songs From the Motion Picture Passage to Zarahemla ^[11]

Films

• The Wolves (1987): Drama about a grade-school boy's club. Produced, written, and directed by Chris while a student at Brigham Young University. Distributed by Phoenix Films, BFA.^[12]
• Lehi's Land of First Inheritance (2003): Documentary on Book of Mormon geography produced by Newlight Productions, Written by Chris Heimerdinger and Joseph Allen. Directed by Chris Heimerdinger (Dist. by Newlight Prod. and Sounds of Zion, Inc.) ASIN: B000N3WAFM ^[13]
• Passage to Zarahemla (2007), a feature-length action/adventure/fantasy movie Written and Directed by Heimerdinger. Released to theaters October 15, 2007.^[14]

See also

Novels portal

• LDS fiction

Notes

1. ^ Tyler Hinton, "LDS Author Writes, Directs Sci-Fi Film", BYU NewsNet, 2007-03-30, accessed 2008-05-12.
2. ^ "State Contest Winners", Cody Enterprise, 26 November 1980
3. ^ "Heimerdinger Aims for Film Career" Mark Marymee, Cody Enterprise, 12 March 1981
4. ^ ^{a b} BYU Daily Universe - Barney J, "Student loves direction: Hopes to help world with movies, mission". August 22, 1983
5. ^ Heimerdinger’s First Passion was Filmmaking. Meridian Magazine. 9 Oct 2007
6. ^ ^{a b} 'Tennis Shoes' author Chris Heimerdinger : embarks on a path to filmmaking. Daily Herald. 23 Sep 2005.
7. ^ "Passage to Zarahemla". Boxofficemojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=passagetozarahemla.htm. Retrieved October 22, 2011.  Note that this link is constantly updated the site is not archived
8. ^ Readers weigh in on favorite fiction writers Mormon Times. 26 Mar 2008.
9. ^ Jim Fellows, "Local author to save soles", Daily Herald, 2005-08-05, accessed 2009-01-10.
10. ^ "Passage to Zarahemla Shoe Drive to honor fallen soldier", Daily Herald, 2007-09-27, accessed 2009-01-10.
11. ^ "Salt Lake County Library", accessed 2009-04-20
12. ^ http://www.movierevie.ws/movies/1045633/The-Wolves.html
13. ^ http://www.ldsfilm.com/docu/LehisLand.html
14. ^ http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/417782/Passage-to-Zarahemla/overview

External links

• Chris Heimerdinger at the Internet Movie Database
• Book of Mormon Adventures: Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites: About the Author
• Brian Mickelsen, "Travellers' Inside Scoop: Sacred Sites - Land of Bountiful: Book of Mormon Symposium at Sea", Meridian Magazine, 2001, accessed 2008-05-12
• Richard H. Cracroft, "Through a Glass, Brightly: Happenings in Book of Mormon Fiction: Review of Daniel and Nephi; Samuel, Moroni's Young Warrior by Chris Heimerdinger & Clair Poulson", FARMS Review of Books, vol. 6, no. 2 (1994) pp. 118–121

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Name	Heimerdinger, Chris
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Date of birth	1963-08-26
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