Books and Beyond

Alternatives in Motion is part of Tap Shoe Productions, named thus because, Johnnie Tuitel claims, the only thing he can’t do is tap dance. The company also includes Tuitel’s public speaking business and the Gun Lake Adventure Series, a book series for elementary and middle school students.

Co-written by Tuitel and Sharon Lamson, the books feature an 11-year-old main character (Johnnie) who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Johnnie’s adventures are “fiction wrapped around true things that have happened to Johnnie (Tuitel),” explains George Ranville, vice president and general manager of Tap Shoe Productions and executive director of Alternatives in Motion.

Ranville and Tuitel hit on the idea of the children’s books after noticing how responsive kids are to Tuitel’s speeches — middle school students are fond of giving Johnnie a standing ovation.

“Disability is a natural part of human existence. We want to convey the message that life is hard, challenging and sometimes hurts, but sometimes your life [as an abled person] is hard, difficult and hurts,” Tuitel says.

Despite keeping busy with the other components of Tap Shoe, Tuitel’s first love remains motivational speaking. “I am an expert in disabilities, but I am also an entertainer,” he says.