You Have To Leave
If You Want To Come Back

Some lessons only make sense after you've had a little distance from them. You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back is a collection of stories about the people, places, and moments that reveal their true meaning over time.With warmth, humor, and heartfelt reflection, Tom Brand revisits gravel roads, family traditions, lifelong friendships, church pews, the Missouri State fair, and the ordinary experiences that quietly shaped a life. Along the way, he discovers that the things that mattered most were often the things he understood least while living them.These are stories of faith, family, community, gratitude, and perspective. Whether you grew up in a small town or simply know what it means to look back and appreciate the people who helped shape your journey, you'll find something here that feels familiar.Because sometimes you have to leave before you truly understand what it means to come back.

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Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck

In the quiet margins of farm chores and Sunday gatherings, a thousand stories took root. Some made us laugh. Some made us stronger. Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck is a collection of memories about work, wonder, and the stubborn joy of growing up under wide skies and gravel roads.With humor, heart, and a few unforgettable turns of phrase, Tom Brand captures a way of life that still echoes across the Midwest — a place where Kool-Aid had to be sweet, fences had to be straight, and every chore carried a lesson bigger than the job itself.These are stories of faith, family, and the everyday grit that shapes a life. Whether you grew up with chores or city streets, there's something here that feels like coming home.

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I Never Heard of Johnny Fry

“I never heard of Johnny Fry,” my grandpa said to me…
And just like that, a curious boy takes the reins of the story — whisking readers onto a rhyming ride through wild weather, flying donuts, and the untamed trails of the Pony Express.With bright illustrations and a rhythm that begs to be read aloud, I Never Heard of Johnny Fry brings history galloping to life. Here, a modern-day kid schools his grandpa on the daring adventures of Johnny Fry, the first Pony Express rider — proving that imagination, storytelling, and learning something new can happen at any age.Perfect for young readers, classrooms, and curious minds everywhere, this playful picture book is more than history on a page. It’s a celebration of wonder, wit, and the joy of discovering heroes who ride right out of legend.

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Tom Brand

Tom Brand is a speaker, storyteller, former farm broadcaster, and community leader whose life and work have always revolved around one thing: connecting people through stories. Born and raised outside Hopkins in Northwest Missouri, Tom grew up in the rhythms of farm life—chores at dawn, gravel roads stretching toward the horizon, and lessons learned in the quiet margins of small-town living. Those early years planted the seeds for the reflections, humor, and heart that shape his writing today.For more than three decades, Tom worked in farm broadcasting, bringing news, markets, and rural voices to families across the Midwest. His career included leadership roles with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, where he built lifelong relationships with broadcasters, farmers, and agricultural leaders while championing the importance of rural communities and the stories they have to tell.In 2025, Tom and his wife, Beth, founded Richardson & Company Press to publish books rooted in faith, family, community, and the enduring values of the Midwest. His first book, Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck, blends humor and nostalgia in stories from a Missouri farm childhood. His second book, I Never Heard of Johnny Fry, introduces young readers to Pony Express history through an engaging adventure inspired by one of America's most enduring legends. His third book, You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back, reflects on family, faith, loss, friendship, and the people and places that shape who we become.Today, Tom serves as Director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance, where he works alongside leaders from education, healthcare, business, government, and nonprofit organizations to help strengthen Northwest Missouri. He is also a syndicated newspaper columnist, sharing weekly reflections through his A Little Bit Like Home column, which appears in newspapers across Missouri.Tom speaks regularly to civic groups, churches, schools, and community organizations, weaving together stories of small towns, agriculture, family life, and personal experiences with the same warmth and authenticity found in his books.At home, Tom finds his greatest joy with Beth, their children, and grandchildren. Whether sharing stories around a table, exploring a new place, or reading a favorite book aloud, he believes the best stories are the ones that bring people closer together.Through Richardson & Company Press, Tom continues his mission of preserving memories, celebrating community, and sharing stories that remind readers where they came from—and why home still matters.Richardson & Company Press is more than a publishing imprint — it’s Tom’s way of passing along the stories, voices, and values that echo across generations.

Thank You

Thank you for visiting — and for supporting independent storytelling.Every story shared keeps a little more light in the world, and a little more laughter on the gravel roads.