Author Interview | Interview with Christy Award winner J.J. Fischer

Let’s welcome J.J. Fischer (Jasmine), a Christy award winner for her book Memoria, to our blog.

Can you tell us something about you we may not know?

Ooh, good question. You may not know that writing/editing is not my first career. Though English literature and creative writing was my first-ever degree, I originally trained in clinical psychology, though my work in that field was unfortunately disrupted due to the sudden onset of serious chronic illness. But that illness eventually led to me finishing my first book and diving into writing and freelance editing full-time, so I’m so grateful to God for the change of direction!

When you were a child did you have a favourite book?

I highly doubt I could have picked just one! As a child, I read anything and everything. Even as an adult, I read fantasy, historical fiction, suspense, comedy, romance, and mystery. Perhaps that’s why my books have hints and aspects of all those genres…

What inspired you to write fantasy?

I’ve always liked fantasy, and like many kids, I grew up on Narnia and Lord of the Rings and many other classic fantasy stories. I love the fantasy genre not just for its transporting worlds and interesting characters but for its timeless ability to reflect enduring truths and encourage readers to dream, hope, and persevere through trials. It essentially shows us the familiar made strange, which is a powerful medium for Gospel truth! I’ve written on that subject for The Gospel Coalition Australia here: https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/write-christian-fiction-specifically-fantasy/.

When I was fourteen, I had a dream for the beginning of a fantasy book that later turned into my debut novel, The Sword in His Hand, originally published in 2021. I worked on that book for 12.5 years before it was finally published!

After that series, a duology, was complete, I kept writing…all fantasy books. I love fantasy more than any other genre, and knowing how many secular fantasy offerings are now filled with inappropriate content, I want to be part of the movement of authors that are striving to provide quality but God-honouring fantasy stories. Many of my books are read by teens and young adults, and I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve heard them say how wonderful it is to find fantasy books that they don’t have to put down due to icky content…but the quality of the stories isn’t sacrificed, either.

Can you tell us about entering the Christy Awards?

Because Memoria is with a traditional publisher—Enclave Publishing (owned by Oasis Family Media)—the book was actually entered automatically along with their other titles. However, knowing the quality of Enclave books—and many other speculative works from numerous other publishers—finding out that one is a Christy Finalist is the most delightful surprise. The finalist announcement (a few months ago) was around 2am Australia time and I actually managed to forget it was happening, so it was incredible to wake up to the messages and emails from everyone.

How did you feel when they announced your name as the winner?

Honestly…completely shocked and stunned…and then extremely nervous that I had to deliver my speech in front of so many (hundreds!) of people. My heart must have been beating around 200 beats per minute!

What does being a Christy Award winner mean to you?

It is the most tremendous blessing and gift. The Christy Awards are like the Oscars of Christian fiction, so it’s the greatest honour a Christian author can receive. I was already blown away because Calor (Book 1) won Book of the Year and Best Fantasy at the Realm Awards in 2023, Lumen was a 2024 Christy Finalist, then Memoria won a Faith Hope Love Reader’s Choice Award earlier in the year… I honestly thought I couldn’t be any more blessed by the wider reaction to this series. My cup is overflowing. 😊

Can you tell us a little about the award-winning book?

Memoria is actually a Book 3, soto avoid spoilers, I’m going to tell you about Book 1, Calor, where you’ll need to start in order to best enjoy the adventure. 😉

The world of Calor is a pretty unusual one because it’s a little fantasy, a little dystopian, and a little post-apocalyptic all in one. The book is set sixty-two years after the apocalypse, and the world has come back to life again in what’s known as the Greening. The books all take place in a land known as Caldera (yes, named for the crater left behind after a volcanic eruption). Some people, called alters, are born with magical abilities, but they’re not your usual gifts—they are powers like the ability to edit memories (the FMC), to instill courage or peace, or to know when someone is lying to you. There are dark distortions of these gifts, too, such as the ability to change forms, instill fear, or produce different-colored fireballs. The mark of an alter is iridescence—whether hair, eyes, or even nails.

The FMC is a young slave woman named Sephone Winter who, despite not knowing much about her past, is forced to use her gift of memory editing to temporarily suppress the dark memories of the ruling aristocracy…and to help them revel in lost pleasurable memories belonging to the now-treasured past. However, Sephone’s life changes forever when she encounters Lord Adamo (Dorian Ashwood), a nobleman running from a horrific past where he watched his wife and young daughter be murdered in front of him. Together with his white wolf companion, Jewel, Dorian is on the hunt for an old-world artifact known as the Reliquary which can permanently delete memories…and would help Dorian to finally move on from his traumatic past. The three are also joined by the charming and hilarious but rather flawed Cassius (Cass) Vera, a type of alter known as a lumen who’s basically a walking lie-detector.

Do you have any more books coming out and if so can you tell us about them?

Absolutely! Following the release of Memoria, I’ve been very busy…in May, I released a sequel to The Nightingale Trilogy—Caligo—which finishes off the arcs of a few key characters, including a reader favourite. Then, in August, I celebrated the release of the first book in a new series (The Heart of the King, Painted Wind #1) with WhiteCrown Publishing (run by the amazing Roseanna White, whose books many of you would have read).

Then, just this month, I’ve released a short Christmas fantasy novel, Christmas on the Goblin Express, just in time for the holidays. Next year will see the release of two more books in the Painted Wind Series, and 2027 will see the finale published. Phew! When I see all that written out, I understand why I’m so tired of late 😀

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Nothing that I can think of! 😊

Where can we buy your books and where can we find you on the web?

You can visit me at my website, www.jjfischer.com, which has links to all my social media presences. Make sure you sign up for my newsletter (bottom of the Home page) for the latest updates!

Buy link for Memoria: https://books2read.com/u/mVPJ7P

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J-J-Fischer/e/B08P12SJ8W/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1