Author Bio:
Michael Reisig has been writing professionally for 20 years. He is a former Caribbean adventurer, an award-winning newspaper columnist, and a best-selling novelist. His works have been optioned for motion pictures, sold to overseas publishers, and produced for ebooks and audio.
He attended high school and college in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. After two years of college, he relocated to the Florida Keys, established a commercial diving business, got his pilot’s license, and traveled extensively throughout the southern hemisphere, diving, treasure hunting, adventuring, and taking chances — squeezing all the juice out of the orange of life. (If you do any less you’re cheating yourself this time around).
Reisig claims he has been thrown out of more countries in the Caribbean Basin that most people ever visit, and he admits that a great many of the situations and the characters in his novels are authentic (at least the ones for which the Statue of Limitations has expired) — but nothing makes a great read like experience…
He now lives in the mountains of Arkansas, where he hunts and fishes, and writes. But he still escapes to the Caribbean occasionally…
What inspires you to write?
I have lived, without a doubt, an adventurous life, so in part I've had a desire to weave some of this into the novels I write — to tell my stories, my adventures/situations in a second person fashion. I would also say I've been gifted with a great imagination, and writing allows me to exercise that. But it isn't all imagination — writing for me is a connection to something greater than myself that makes the whole process such an exceptional experience…
Tell us about your writing process.
I generally try to form somewhat of an outline, and I make notes on clever ideas and overall plot. Sometimes I create charts and maps. But it all usually goes to hell after about two chapters, when whoever it is, shows up and decides to write with me, again… Ohh, I get to write some of the stuff — usually the connecting parts, conversations, and some of the overall plot, but… (and I don't give a rat's ass if you believe me or not), much of the best portions of my books are simply shoved into my brain — generally so fast that I can barely get them down. It's like someone on the other side saying "Pay attention! — yeah, now you're getting it…"
Beyond the fact that these "encounters" allow me to produce better books, and help pay my bills, the whole affair is an absolutely glorious experience, and there isn't much I would trade for it…
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Aside from numerous stand alone books, I have a a ten-book series called "The Road To Key West", and all my characters in that series have become old friends. Some have simply taken on a life of their own — their sayings, and idiosyncrasies, and personalities… It's a really cool experience…
Who are your favorite authors?
I like the old adventure novelists and the new humor adventure writers.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Early on I realized there was no control and very little money in working with standard/traditional publishers. I was a self publisher before it was popular. I wrote books on self-publishing.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It's just like everything else in our society. It's being taken over by a few giants. The work you have to do to make money is less, but the money you make is also less. Welcome to the new world.
What genres do you write?
Action Adventure, Adventure/Humor, Humor, Sea Stories
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Michael Reisig Home Page Link
Follow Michael Reisig On Amazon
All information is provided by the author and is presented as it was submitted so you the reader get to hear the author’s own “voice” in their interview.
