Kaylene Johnson is a freelance writer and the author of "Sarah: How A Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down," a biography of Gov. Sarah Palin. She shared with wsbtv.com some thoughts on Gov. Palin as she begins her run for vice president.

Last October, I was approached by Epicenter Press, asking if I would write a biography of Governor Sarah Palin. I had watched Palin’s rise to the state’s highest office with interest. Jaded as I was about politics in general, the notion that people could take government back into their own hands renewed my faith in the democratic process. It was an opportunity to learn and write about a fascinating woman who made Alaskan history by being the first woman and the youngest governor ever elected.

My first task was to gain an audience with the Governor. Neither Palin nor her staff knew me and demands for the Governor’s time are enormous. The response to a letter asking for an interview was slow. Reminiscing about her childhood was a small blip on the big screen of her priorities.

So I started by talking to her brother and sisters and parents. I spoke with friends and colleagues and coaches. And in learning more about our governor, I discovered a treasure trove of people whose stories make up the fabric of a large and colorful community.

There was Kerm Ketchum, who sat at his kitchen table paging through the well-worn Bible of his late wife, Gina. He told rich stories about coming to Alaska, his now-grown daughters, his grandchildren, and how much he misses his wife. The Governor, who was known at the time as Sarah Heath, played basketball on the same “Little Dribbler” team as his daughter, Kim. Ketchum worked tirelessly as a volunteer on Sarah’s campaign.

There was Amy McCorkel who described her job as an investigator for Alaska’s public defender agency. She talked about her work with young offenders and how too many have never had a caring word spoken to them. Amy began as Sarah’s aerobics instructor and they struck up a friendship. Even though she’s a democrat, she said she voted for Sarah.

There were Rev. Paul and Helen Riley, who are at that comfortable place in their marriage where they can finish each other’s sentences. Sarah grew up in the Wasilla Assembly of God church that they founded in 1951. With warmth and humor, they pointed out that many people from Sarah’s youth group grew up to become successful adults. Today Paul works as a prison chaplain and Helen keeps him organized by helping with phone calls and correspondence.

The first time I talked to Sarah Palin’s brother, Chuck Heath Jr., he was busy replacing a broken toilet – the result of his toddler’s experiment with a toy. After fixing the plumbing problem, Chuck divulged how he enjoyed teasing his younger sisters – Heather, Sarah, and Molly – and although he tormented the girls, he always felt fiercely protective of them.

Sarah’s sister, Heather Heath Bruce, remembered the road trip in the family’s blue station wagon to the Lower 48. She recalled how as Alaska kids, they marveled at 4th of July fireworks going off in a starlit summer sky.

Sarah’s other sister, Molly Heath McCann, told the story about how someone called from the Governor’s mansion in Juneau asking their mother, Sally Heath, if the family had any favorite dishes that the cook could prepare for Sarah’s inaugural dinner. Sally responded with unpretentious grace: “Oh, just make it something easy; spaghetti or chicken would be fine.” As the formal state dinner drew to a close, Sally rose to help clear the dishes. “Its fine, Mom,” Molly said. “Let the staff do it.”

And Sarah’s dad, Chuck Heath, pulled out the photo albums. Along with anecdotes about his daughter, he told of his and Sally’s adventures in their work as trappers for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program. They’ve traveled all over the world trapping fox, eradicating rats, and keeping birds off runways.

These and many other recollections didn’t make it into the book. There just wasn’t time. Eventually I did have two interviews with the Governor and she was both gracious and attentive.

Governor Palin would be the first to acknowledge that she could not have succeeded in her bid for the governor’s office without the support and help of this richly textured community. People like Kerm and Amy and Paul and Helen and dozens of others who shared their joys, their aspirations, and even their heartbreak. The stories these folks told from their kitchen tables offered moments of laughter and grace. They were moments worth holding in the place we keep the things we don’t forget