Interview with David Fitz-Gerald

Author of  Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up in Rochester, New York, then migrated to the Adirondack Mountains. Now I live in Vermont, The Green Mountain state.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

My day job brought me to Vermont. I am very fortunate to work at a company I love, and the fact that it is a short drive to the Adirondacks from where I live makes it even better.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I didn’t set out to write a book. I discovered a website with historical newspapers. I was curious to read about my grandparents’ business. They built a resort, featuring a ski center, dude ranch, restaurant, motel, and pool and they ran it from 1961 to 1973. I clipped story after story, documenting that history for the sake of posterity. Then I began imagining those stories, and before I knew it, I was turning it into a historical novel. I discovered I loved everything about the creative writing process, and I especially enjoyed combining fictional elements with historical facts. The result was my first book, “In the Shadow of a Giant.” I was hooked. The moment I finished my first book, I felt compelled to begin another book. My second book, “Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey,” is set in the Adirondack Mountains also, about 800 years earlier.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

I like to refer to my book, “Wanders Far,” as a mystical adventure. It is set in the distant past. I built it around the legendary story of Hiawatha who unified the Iroquois tribes, hundreds of years before colonization. The main character of this story is a fictional messenger who becomes a seer. It is fun to intertwine fictional characters with historical figures. I love to add emotional, spiritual, and supernatural elements in my writing. Wanders Far is the first book in The Adirondack Spirit Series. There isn’t a genre for Supernatural Historical Fiction, but that is how I would like to describe it.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I think you might like my book if you like historical novels, westerns, supernatural thrillers, or books featuring distance hikers. If you appreciate all of those, hopefully, this book will be one of your favorites. Fortunately, early readers of the book have told me that this story transcends genres, and also appeals to readers of all ages, from young adults to seniors.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Finishing the book is perhaps half of the job. Helping a book find an audience is another matter entirely. I have so much to learn about both. The good news is it is a lot of fun. I’m not sure I was prepared for how much it would cost to be an amateur author, but it takes up so much time, perhaps it is saving my budget from other expensive hobbies. It has also been fun connecting with other indie authors.

If you could, what advice would you give to past self yourself before embarking on this journey?

I wish I had started this hobby many years earlier, so that’s the first part of my answer. The second part of my response would be about patience and perseverance. The world wasn’t sitting on the edge of its seat, waiting for my debut novel. Maybe a couple of people were looking forward to my second book. Recently I’ve read that on average, an author finds success after seven books. Finally, I would advise studying self-publishing and marketing sooner. Ultimately I would say, “Don’t wait,” which may be the secret of life, not just good self-publishing advice.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I’m focusing on trying to help my book find its audience, whatever that might come to mean. It would be nice to have my books support themselves, eventually. For starters, because it is good to have a goal, I am working on trying to reach 1,000 people within my current book’s first year. I might need to give myself more time than that.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Time management comes to mind, but it isn’t the biggest challenge. The hardest part for me is getting people to rate the book and leave a quick review. If I had known what a big difference that could mean to an author, I would have left a lot more reviews in the past. I haven’t gotten this challenge figured out yet. If you read my book, I humbly and respectfully request you leave feedback. Even a two-word review would be helpful, whether you loved it, hated it, or something in between.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I hope my biggest strength is writing with heart. I endeavor to put myself in the shoes of the historical figure or the fictional character whose story I’m telling.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I think my biggest weakness is a lack of experience, so I’ll continue to call myself an amateur author for a while longer.

When do you think you will you write your next book?

Always. I always used to say it was a good idea to plan the next vacation on the way back from the current vacation. You might feel the same way about reading; as an escape, it is always nice to have a book you are in the process of reading. If you have the writing bug, I guess you always want to be writing your next book. I think I’m about 40 percent done writing the second book in my series.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

My books are self-published through Outskirts Press, Inc.