Jason Fisher, a 2007 graduate of the Clinton School of Public Service, has authored a memoir, “To Where You Are,” set to be released on Valentine’s Day 2022 through Warren Publishing.
The memoir tells the story of his life with his wife, Mandi, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in June 2012 when she was 30 years old. Their daughter, Mackenzie, who has a rare chromosomal deletion and subsequent cognitive disability, was just two years old when Mandi passed away.
“I spent several years after Mandi’s untimely death getting my feet back on solid ground, taking care of Mackenzie’s medical and therapy needs, and dealing with the expected grief that comes along with losing such an important person in your life,” Fisher said.
Fisher said that it took him time to begin writing the memoir. He first started to consider writing the book in 2015, in part to memorialize his wife, and in part to tell the couple’s story.
“From there, it took about 18 months of writing before I sent my finished manuscript to four targeted publishers for consideration,” Fisher said. “I received contracts from all four, ultimately choosing Warren Publishing in South Carolina to help bring my manuscript to life.”
“I started slowly at first,” Fisher said of his writing process for the memoir. “After several weeks, I began to gain momentum with my writing and started building in consistent, regular time. I would often secure childcare on a weekend and lock myself away in my office, framing the story and looking through old photos, calendars, and appointment books to refresh my memory on the details. As the project began to really take shape, I also found myself writing during short breaks or late at night. I would jot down notes as I thought of them and later turned them into stories within the book.”
Fisher’s professional life has created its share of writing experience. He was written one other book – a fundraising book for the higher education industry in 2008 – and many articles for his work in marketing. However, this process of writing a deeply personal memoir was something completely new for him.
“This was a completely different style of writing; an emotional memoir is much different than a trade or industry publication,” Fisher said. “From that perspective, it was a new experience for me.”
Fisher will soon begin a new position as Executive Director of the Elevator and Escalator Safety Foundation, located in Mobile, Ala. He continues to do work through his LLC, Jason Fisher Consulting Group, in the areas of nonprofit fundraising and marketing consulting. He previously served as Vice President and Senior Consultant for the Fundraising Management division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a nationwide marketing company serving nonprofits and higher education. In addition to his Master of Public Service from the Clinton School, Fisher has earned degrees from Coe College and Mississippi State University.
Fisher said that one of his hopes for this book is that its readers will gain a helpful perspective during times of struggle.
“For those moments that are heartbreaking and beyond their control, there can be ways of overcoming the grief to find peace and comfort,” Fisher said. “And while the road to healing can be long and sometimes challenging, memories can be soothing and through those reflections one can find the strength to rebuild their life with a renewed spirit and purpose.”
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