Originally, Lee wrote the story as a Christmas keepsake for his two grade school children in 1992. Then, in Christmas of 1995, the book was self-published, with Lee and his wife Donna releasing it together—Donna adding her own illustrations. Distributed locally in their hometown of Richmond, the book quickly became exceptionally popular.

In Christmas of 1996, The Special Guest was nationally published with a 300,000-copy printing and was even optioned as a CBS “Movie of the Week.” Over the years, the book has become a perennial modern-day classic, touching the hearts of thousands of readers with its timeless lesson on the power of forgiveness—all told in a setting that captures the true magic of Christmas.