Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph A. Schiller.
Hi Joseph A., please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My writing journey began with a creative writing class in the 7th grade. For much of my life I wrote short stories. Nothing was ever shared or made public. Not even with family. Almost fourteen years ago, however, I began work on what was initially a short story that quickly morphed into a long format fantasy novel. That project, which became my debut novel, Upon the Arrival of Dawn, was my point of entry into the world of published literature, and was followed quickly with the addition of published short stories and poetry in various anthologies. This also marked the beginning of my public persona, with various book signing events and the launch of my own book festival, Tex-indie Author Book Fair.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I never felt that my literary journey was necessarily rough, but it has also never been smooth either. I suppose I never really stopped to linger of how I felt about it. I can say that it has been a tremendous learning experience, full of helpful missteps. Those missteps, as it turns out, have been the most enjoyable part of the process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
While I would love to discuss all of my creative pursuits, I believe the one thing that most readers in the Greater Houston area would appreciate the most are the broader contributions I feel that I am able to make to independent literature as a whole in Texas with the launch of Tex-indie Author Book Fair (formerly Author Indie Book Fair) three years ago. This event is something I’m particularly proud of. The genesis of the project began from my collective experiences with other similar author events I had been participating in myself. As a new author to the world of public events, I found myself frustrated with, for example, the excessive costs self-published authors had to fork out to promote themselves. My goal, therefore, with launching my event was to offer an opportunity for indie authors to showcase their work to the public that was genuinely affordable, but also brought in plenty of traffic. Tex-indie Author Book Fair, I am proud to say, has been the largest book festival of independent Texas-based authors in this great state. There is not another event like it. All genres are represented, we are family-friendly, and 100% indoors (at the British International School of Houston). It truly is a one-stop book shopping experience. My hope, long-term, is that Tex-indie Author Book Fair will become a powerful advocate for independently published voices in Texas.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I think my favorite childhood memory is being blessed by having my grandparents around frequently. My grandparents lived relatively close, and my brother and I spent quite a bit of time with them. I know that not every child grows up in such proximity to their grandparents, or may not have even had a chance of spending quality time with their grandparents, so I definitely place a premium on those memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://josephschiller.weebly.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosephASchillerAuthor
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joseph-A-Schiller/author/B0B48LK1FL?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1759155515&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=59e10c63-2404-4601-a611-de4da32ba8fc
