Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Reading Habits

When is your optimal time to read?

At night. My habit is to head to bed an hour or so before I turn off the light.

Are you faithful to a genre, an author, or simply quality writing?

All three! But here’s something odd about me…when I find an author whose writing is truly stellar, I’ll read everything I can find by that author. I read until I feel as if I know him/her, until I’m starting to see patterns. 

Which factors most influence your selection of a book?

Great question! Most of the reading I do is research-related. As I’m working on a novel, I’ll read all kinds of books that relate to that time period, or location, or subject. For example, right now I’m working on a character who has ADHD/ADD so I’m studying all kinds of books about it. (And trying to not diagnose my friends and extended family.)

Now, just for pleasure reading, I’ll select a book after I hear some buzz buzzing about it. Thus, a recommendation by a friend makes an impact.

Another factor is my mother-daughter book club. They choose books that I normally wouldn’t pick up, but afterward I’m so glad I’ve read it. The book club stretches me.

Your fiction pet peeve?

When books in a series don’t stand on their own two feet. Too often, the second and third book are recaps. But, I have to admit, it’s not easy to keep an “umbrella” (aka overarching storyline) on a three-book series.

What book have you read this year that you could not put down, and why?

Think Again by Adam Grant. It’s a non-fiction book about questioning your assumptions and learning to listen well. So relevant for today’s society!

How do you mark your spot – folded page corner, bookmark, dollar bill, whatever is at hand?

I use those little post-it tabs. They’re all over my books.

When reading, what makes or breaks a story for you?

I stop reading when there’s too much of an underbelly in the story (Jodi Picoult’s novels, for example). I’m a believer in flawed characters, but redemption is needed, too.

Snack/drink of choice while reading?

Oh…to read late at night, it’s a mistake to eat or drink anything! For lots of reasons. 😉

What book cover has really caught your eye?

The Nature of Small Birds by Susie Finkbeiner (Revell) has a beautiful, memorable cover.

What book do you wish you had written? Why?

So many! There are just so many talented authors in this world. I’m in awe.

What are you reading now?

Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown (author of Boys in the Boat). A non-fiction book about the second-generation Japanese Americans who fought in WWII while their families were interned.      
     

A Season on the Wind

Ben Zook has only two loves in his life: books and birds. He’s traveled the world in search of birds and has published multiple books about rare birds. Now he’s trying to track down a nemesis—the White-winged Tern. His search takes him to the one place he never wanted to revisit—his Amish home in Stoney Ridge. He’s determined to find the bird and leave Stoney Ridge before anyone recognizes him.

As a young girl, Penny Weaver had introduced Ben to birding. Now, he claims no memory of her. She’d always hoped he would return to his Amish roots, but he couldn’t be further from it. When the two team up for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a long-kept secret is revealed—triggered by the sight of a not-so-rare bird.

What do you love most about this story, or the process of writing this story?

This is a novel about a rare bird found on an Amish farm during the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. That little bird creates quite a stir!

Share a little about one of your characters – what makes them unique?

I could talk about Penny Weaver and her “settled soul,” or Ben Zook with his very “unsettled soul.” But I’d like to make sure your readers pay attention to bird enthusiast Micah Weaver, a young man with a stutter who has learned how to listen oh-so-carefully. His bird logs are in between each chapter, flavored with his wry teenaged humor.

Share a favourite line or paragraph from your book.

Thank you, Suzanne – it’s always such a delight to have you visit!

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Phoebe’s Light, Minding the Light, the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher and Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor.

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Buy at Amazon: A Season on the Wind or Koorong