Hey all,
Today we have an author, Amy Schisler, joining us. Welcome. She’s got a new book that just released December 1st. Congrats on that. I’m told the audio will be ready sometime in January. You won’t wanna miss that.
About you:
Tell me a little about your background.
I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with my husband and two daughters—when they aren’t away at school. Our oldest daughter got married in September, and that was such a special day for all of us. I’ve lived in Maryland my entire life, but our family has a home in the Rocky Mountains, and we try to get there as much as possible. I was a librarian for fifteen years, shelving other people’s books, and then decided it was time to add my own stories to libraries around the world! I’ve been writing full-time for the past twelve years.
What do you do for fun?
Living on Maryland’s Eastern Shore provides endless ways to have fun, and I try to take advantage of them all! I love to take long walks or hikes in the country, go on boat rides, fish and crab, and spend time lying in our hammock with a good book. We love to go to the Rockies where we hike, ride horses, and climb mountains. I can never get enough of traveling, and my adventures across the US and around the world provide many of the inspirations for my books.
Who or what inspires you the most?
What most inspires me is God and His creations. I love watching the sunrise and the sunset, rocking to the gentle waves of the Chesapeake Bay, and scanning the horizon from the top of a mountain. I also love watching people try and learn new things. Often, it’s seeing how people experience the world that leads me to a good story. From listening to a vintner extol his love for his vineyard to seeing someone ride a horse for the first time, my books and the people in them stem from real life and the highs and lows that we all go through.
About your writing:
What other writers/people do you consider inspirational? If they’re authors, what about their work captures your interest?
I have always devoured every book Mary Higgins Clark wrote, beginning with her first book which I read in middle school. In fact, I can still remember reading that very first MHC book and thinking, I want to be just like her. She told stories that make you feel like you know the people in the books and feel for them. You root for them and want them to make it to the end unscathed. There was always the perfect blend of romance and intrigue. The nature of her stories is exactly what I reach for in my books, and whenever someone compares my books to hers, it’s like I’m coming home, being greeted by my mother or grandmother, and being welcomed into the fold of the family. It’s an almost indescribable joy.
About your books:
Are there any deep themes or messages in the book the readers should be aware of?
All of my books have a deeper meaning, a quest to discover one’s self, one’s purpose, and God. In each person’s own way, they are all searching, all trying to find their places in the world. It’s usually in finding God that they find themselves and develop an understanding of what they are meant to do with their lives. The message is there, but in a subtle way, as is typically the case in real life. In Desert Fire, Mountain Rain, Andi has given up on God. It takes an entire community and the love of a special man to bring her to the realization that God has not given up on her.
What gave you the idea for this book?
Almost all of my books have a central character who is former or current military. Sometimes this is one of the main characters, and other times, it’s someone who has great influence over the main characters. It occurred to me, about a year ago, that there are few if any books about former women in the military. I talked to a good friend who just retired from the Navy, and she agreed that she has never read a book about someone like her. There’s a really interesting difference between men and women in high-ranking military positions because women are expected to act like men while in uniform but like women when at home or play. Creating Andi in Desert Fire, Mountain Rain, a woman who is returning to civilian life, learning to live a life where she doesn’t have to walk that line, was a wonderful and challenging experience for me. I wanted to get it just right and do justice to all women in that position. I’m so grateful to my friend for her help in doing that.
How long did the book take to write?
I wrote the first draft in just a few weeks, which is pretty typical for me at this stage of my writing. However, it takes several more weeks, usually two to three months, before I feel like the book is ready for beta readers, and that’s when the final proofreading takes place. It takes about nine months before the book is ready to be released to the reading public. As many people have pointed out to me, I’m putting in the time and labor to create a book that I hope feels like a living, breathing thing. My goal isn’t just to write a story, it’s to create a life—a realistic community with people that readers want to call their friends.
Me: Cool. That’s a decent pace.
Who designed the cover?
My covers are designed by graphic designer, Patrick Woods, of Woods Graphics in Baltimore. He is wonderful to work with, and I love seeing how he takes the bits and pieces I tell him about the book and my ideas for covers and turns them into something really special.
Do you write in other genres?
Besides my inspirational novels, I have released two children’s books and two devotionals.
Tell us about one other book or series and why it’s important to you.
My Chincoteague Island Trilogy is so special to me. I’ve sold more copies of those books than anything I’ve written, and I’ve developed a real bond with the people of Chincoteague Island. The books tell the stories of families by blood, by marriage, and by community. The series really showed me how books can be embraced by strangers, and how those strangers become part of me and the stories I tell.
What animal do you most relate to?
The animal I most relate to is my favorite animal, the shark. They are so misunderstood! People assume that sharks are solitary, vengeful, and just looking for their next meal, but marine biologists have learned so much about the ocean, its ecosystem, and how animals live and work together through their studies of sharks. They are the perfect example that living beings are so much more than meets the eye!
Me: Yup. They certainly have a different reputation.
Me: Now we reach the ultimate question …
What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Anything with peanut butter! I love the combination of ice cream and peanut butter. Whether it’s peanut butter swirl (vanilla), peanut butter cup (chocolate), or moose tracks (chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge and mini peanut butter cups), ice cream with peanut butter is almost always my go-to choice.
Me: Ohhh, Moose Tracks is amazing.
Website:
Social Media Links:
Instagram – AmySchislerAuthor
Twitter – @AmySchislerAuth
Audiobook Promotions …
Many of my 42 audible titles are listed on Audiobooks Unleashed.
Whether you’re looking for mystery or suspense or fantasy, I’ve got a title for you. Free codes are probably on audiobooks unleashed.
Normal links go to audible. *The Amazon labeled links are affiliate links. That means I get a very small payment from Amazon if you go through with a purchase.*
Note: Filter by US if you’re looking for those codes as many titles are out.
Ones I think may still have US codes: Innova, The Golden City Captives, The Dark Side of Science, Malia’s Miracles, and Varick’s Quest.
There are plenty of UK codes, but not many US ones left.
Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)
Awakening – Redeemer Chronicles Book 1, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
The Holy War – Redeemer Chronicles Book 2, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
Reclaim the Darklands – Redeemer Chronicles Book 3, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
River’s Edge Ransom – Prequel to Redeemer Chronicles (Amazon) (email devyaschildren @ gmail.com for free codes)
Devya’s Children Series Links:
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – short stories featuring Jillian. (Amazon) (free codes)
The Dark Side of Science – official prequel to Devya’s Children; Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live. (Amazon) (Please email devyaschildren @ gmail.com for free codes)
Ashlynn’s Dreams – Genetically altered Dream Shaper learns her gift. (Amazon) (free codes)
Nadia’s Tears – Jillian tries to awaken her sister, Nadia, from a coma. (Amazon) (free codes)
Malia’s Miracles – Jillian and her siblings try to save a friend’s mother. (Amazon) (free codes)
Varick’s Quest – Jillian and Danielle get kidnapped. Nadia’s also in trouble. (Amazon) (free codes)
More Scifi:
Reshner’s Royal Ranger (epic sci-fi) just made it there. (Amazon) (free codes)
Guardian Angel Files:
Spirit’s Bane – Allister and Mina are training to be Guardians. Satan’s out to get them. (Amazon) (free codes)
Kindred Spirits – Mina’s exiled to Earth. Allister’s stuck in the Heavens. (Amazon) (free codes)
