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An Interview With Alice J. Wisler

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

Next to being with people and enjoying a good conversation, I love to travel. I can't help it, I take pride in my Japan roots. I was born in Osaka in the sixties and grew up in the Kansai region as the daughter of American missionary parents. Acting, swimming, and cooking are things I enjoy as well.

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

To be a career novelist is my lofty goal. I have three kids, one college-bound and two in middle school. The beagle is in the house only because the kids agreed to feed her and take her on walks. Well, at least she gets fed. I've been divorced a year and am currently in a relationship with a man who was born in France and grew up in Europe. I work as a freelancer, writing for websites. I also sell sympathy/remembrance cards and teach Writing the Heartache workshops.

What is your favourite food?

Sushi, especially maguro (tuna). I also like eel and octopus. A bowl of hot steamed white rice with strips of nori (seaweed) is my all-time comfort food.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue, for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it was because older people called me Alice Blue Gown.

What is your favourite sound?

The spoken words, "I love you."

Who is your favourite person?

I don't think I have a favorite person, but I do have one who has inspired my writing tremendously.
My four-year-old son, Daniel, had cancer and after battling it for eight months, died. His life, his fight, and his death have all inspired me. He had the best sense of humor, was generous, and spoke often to God. I want to be like him when I grow up.

What is your favourite place?

The childhood memories of the mountains of Nojiri-ko, Japan are always welcome. Every summer my parents, brother and I would load up the Nissan and drive eight hours to escape Osaka's humidity. Other missionary families joined us in an area on the side of a mountain called "Gaijin Mura" (Foreigners' Village). The summers were always filled with sailing, swimming, hiking, dances, and nights of listening to Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water.".

What is your favourite memory?

I think of memories and like most, associate them with scents, sights, and sounds. I recall the day I had baby teeth pulled at the dentist in Awaji. I must have been about seven or eight. My dad carried me home on his back. I can still feel the softness of his thick overcoat and see the blood from my mouth near his shoulder. I was secure in spite of the pain.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

Jeans that fit! That means they have to be long enough in the legs. I'm five-feet-nine.

What is your favourite word?

Peace. I like to read all the passages in the Bible where the word is mentioned and what it implies to my life today.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

Alice Walker said, "Writing saved me." After the death of my son, writing kept me going. Pouring pain onto paper is therapeutic and healing. Besides, all you need is paper and pen and that's cheap therapy.

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

I am enthusiastic and eager to make others feel comfortable and appreciated.

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

I worry about having enough financially to take care of my kids on my own since I'm their only provider.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

Alice Springs, Australia because I think it sounds like a beautiful place. I have traveled to over 30 countries, but have yet to see Australia.

What inspires you to write and why?

Novel writing is my cup of tea. I'm inspired by the thrill I get in creating characters. I enjoy dressing them up and sending them out onto my pages to act, react, and make me smile.

What is your favourite book and why?

Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club for its perfection in writing and subject matter. Chinese culture has always fascinated me.

What is your favourite genre and why?

Women's fiction because it is so versatile.

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

Elizabeth Berg for her exciting story lines and realistic fiction writing, Anne Lamott for her down-to-earth realism and ability to make me laugh, and my uncle Eugene Peterson for his skill in making the Bible come alive in his translation called "The Message".

What do you think makes a writer successful?

Determination, willingness to improve at her craft, and the ability to laugh at her mistakes and the unfavorable reviews (I will not cry, I will not bawl), and keep plugging on.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

I refuse to give up, just like the dog with the chew toy.

What are your goals as a writer?

I want to continue to write women's fiction for as long as I live.

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

Sit down and write now.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

I want to entertain my readers. If I can keep them happily turning the pages, then that is success for me.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

I like Agent Query -- www.agentquery.com -- because it makes finding an agent easy, Writing for Dollars ---www.writingfordollars.com---- because of the many articles available and it was one of the first sites I came across ten years ago, and of course, Writer Gazette.

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

"Rain Song" is due in bookstores October 1.
It is already at your typical online bookstores (Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc.), ready to be ordered. Bethany House is the publisher and you can purchase it from them by going to their website.

A company in The Netherlands will publish "Rain Song" in Dutch within the next two years.

And I'm sure every Hollywood producer is rushing to make a movie of the book.

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

Bethany House signed me on with a two-book deal.
"Rain Song" took two years to write because I kept changing it as agents rejected the manuscript. Finally, I got the voice right, one that came to me when I was pulling weeds in my yard. From that moment on, I knew I could write a better story. "How Sweet It Is" (due out in 2009) took about three months because I knew where I was headed with it and knew more of what the publisher wanted.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

Believe in myself more and not waste time by envying others.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

Getting into the Elite Novelists Club is difficult, but if I can do it, others can. Bethany House, according to my agent, spends lots of money on marketing and publicity for their authors. This is something I am grateful for since most of the big-time publishers don't dish out the bucks for the little author.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

Let me hear from you! After reading "Rain Song", tell me which character you liked. Since the book has a theme of family reunions, share one of yours with me. There's pineapple chutney in the book and a recipe in the back. Serve it at your next reunion and tell me how that goes. Go to my website and sign up for my free newsletter, "Literary Lyrics".

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

I hope to write realistically, showing characters with all their quirky and beautiful traits. I also desire to weave biblical themes into the pages subtly. If I start to preach in my novels, I have missed my intention.

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