Our family's story of adventure, mysteries, and tragedy
Date Published: November 4, 2025
Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing
This book is for anyone who has stood at the edge of heartbreak and wondered if joy could still be real. Through lyrical storytelling and honest reflection, My Mountains offers hope without platitudes and peace without pretending. It reminds us that we’re not alone on the trail—and that sometimes, the steepest paths lead to the most beautiful views.
Whether you are grieving, searching, or simply longing for beauty again, this book will walk beside you—and leave you changed.
Can you tell us a little about
the process of getting this book published? How did you come up with the idea
and how did you start?
My late wife bought me a ticket to
a mini conference put on by a successful Christian author, Bob Goff. It was called The School of Whimsy. It was to motivate people to get out and do
the one thing in life you really wanted to.
Out of the 30 participants, a few wanted to publish a book. I had no idea of my big goal, but I went to
please my wife. On the way to the second
morning, I ran into the host, Bob Goff and his wife at a local coffee shop on
the way to the seminar. He said I really
should write my story. My late wife died
2 weeks later, so I began writing about her story. I intended to tell her story to my kids and
grandkids, but I kept inserting myself into her story and confusing what person
I was writing in. I found it easier to
write in the first person and tell “my” story.
Then I could express my feelings more accurately as I remembered them,
not guessing at what she felt. I hired a
structural editor who gave me a lot of good ideas and coached me to express
myself more fully. I think that gave the
book the polish it needed for Lucid publishing to accept it without changes.
What surprised you most about
getting your book published?
There were so many small decisions
like where the title should be displayed, with the number above or below the
title name. Or where the page number
should be printed. So many technical
decisions. I kept wanting to know if my
story was any good, but we spent most to the time with the details of printing.
Tell us a little about what you
do when you aren’t writing
I own 12 businesses which keeps me
engaged in work. I coach Olympic
weightlifting and am active in CrossFit.
One of the businesses is a CrossFit gym I own. I have 22 grandchildren. When they reach 10 years old, my wife and I
take them on a grand adventure to discover something in this world. It’s our retirement travel agenda probably
for the rest of our lives. I lead a
mastermind group for some younger up and coming entrepreneurs. I am active in a men’s
lifestyle/accountability group called GoBundance. We mastermind about business, relationships,
adventure, and health.
As a published author, what
would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?
After I wrote most of the original
draft, I was petrified thinking other people would read what I wrote. It was one thing in school to have a teacher
grade your essay, but to have family members, friends, strangers and publishers
reading it was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done. I also thought nobody would spend money to
read what I wrote, and that rejection would be very painful. Many times I considered quitting
entirely. I worried someone close to me
wasn’t portrayed properly and would feel slighted. I worried some would judge me as not adequate
to write about the life of someone they loved too. I remembered what Bob Goff said at the school
of Whimsy, that I should tell my story.
So I did.
Where do you get your best
ideas and why do you think that is?
For this book, all of the scenes
came from the real life of my family. I
have good recall and tell many of these stories to friends and family. When I read a book or watch a movie, I don’t
need to see it or read it again. I
remember almost every detail. So,
recalling events in my life is pretty easy and accurate. I really enjoyed describing how I felt losing
my oldest son and losing my late wife.
It was extremely cathartic, and has helped me get through the grief.
What is the toughest criticism
given to you as an author?
When I let my (new) wife read my
manuscript for the first time, she was very quiet for a couple of days
afterwards. I was worried she didn’t
like it and would tell me I wasted all that time writing. When I finally asked her what she thought,
she started crying and asked why I didn’t use such nice words when I talked to
her in daily life. I told her it took me
2 and ½ years to come up with all those “nice” words. I made her watch the movie Cirano de Bergerac
and told her I was the handsome dud with no wit. I told her I was not the Cirano character who
spun prose on the fly.
What has been your best
accomplishment as a writer?
My Mountains was a legacy project
for my late wife and my eldest son. I
feel like I have now left a legacy for their lives. One that is in print, digital and audio. When I get ‘real’ old, my kids won’t have to
go through the exercise of asking me to document my life for them. It’s already done!
How many unpublished and
half-finished books do you have?
No manuscripts, but several ideas. One is I have remarried
and feel as though I started a whole 2nd life. It is full of love, new families but still
beautiful memories with old family members.
I would love to describe the transition from years of trials and loss to
beautiful new horizons and abundance.
About the Author
Chris Smith is an entrepreneur and owner of multiple healthcare businesses across five states. He’s a father of six, grandfather of fifteen, and a natural leader who inspires others to pursue meaningful missions.
He feels closest to God in the mountains—hiking, paddleboarding, camping, and finding peace in wild places. My Mountains is his invitation to walk through hardship, hope, and the sacred beauty of life.
Chris loves people (but not crowds), old books, big views, and a life that’s honest, hard, and full of purpose.
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