About Me

When I was a kid growing up in New York, I used to haunt the science fiction and fantasy bookstore in Yonkers, searching for the epic fantasy stories that I loved to read. When I exhausted all my options, I started writing my own stories, never realizing that one day I would publish them. Now I’m an Amazon best-selling author and write full time. I can’t think of a better way to make a living, doing something that’s truly enjoyable and hopefully of value and interest to you as well.

I haven’t always been a fantasy author. When I decided to write full time, I’d been working in the nonprofit space for almost thirty years and was at the top of my field. I was also working on my PhD and teaching at a university, enjoying it, but finding that what I really loved was writing fantasy – and I only had a little free time to do that.

Eventually my job and teaching started to feel more like a burden and less of a passion for me. At the same time my health was showing signs of the strain, sending me a very strong message that I needed to make a change. I won’t get into all the details, but it started with flare-ups of several autoimmune diseases I deal with and then A-fib, plus a whole slew of complications, both mental and physical (all under control now).

All of this to say, lesson learned. My health needed to come first. With my family’s support in 2019 I made the leap. I started my own publishing company so I could write full-time as an independent fantasy author.

I didn't know exactly what I was getting into, but it was much like my last position as a nonprofit CEO. I was hired to right the ship before it went down. Sink or swim. And we swam.

I applied the same approach to my publishing business, and you’ll see some of the same concepts in my stories. Success often depends on a well-functioning team. There must be a willingness to take on the hard tasks. Telling a good story is essential to strong communication.

Applying these and other lessons learned, I was able to produce several books early on. Fortunately, my wife was also interested in self-publishing, and she has a marketing background. She took the lead on promoting my books and creating the business while I focused on writing and working with a designer on cover art. There was a lot for us to learn and sometimes it was a little bumpy, but we were enjoying the ride and stuck with it.

I think the most humbling part of all of this was to realize that there are fantasy fans out there who enjoy reading what I write as much as I enjoy writing it. So much so that my first three epic fantasy series -- The Sylvan Chronicles, The Tales of Caledonia, and The Tales of the Territories -- all made Amazon best seller lists.

Because of that, I discovered that my writing can pay the bills, which was an unknown when I started. It’s scary to leave a job that’s comfortable and pays well to try something entirely new on your own. I had no idea if my writing career would be sustainable. But I really wanted to give it a try, and I’m glad that I did.

 
Another lesson learned. I can make a living by doing what I’m most passionate about.

I often wonder why fantasy has such a broad appeal. For me – and maybe it’s the same for you -- fantasy stories are about so much more than fantasy. They contain key themes and messages that are important to our everyday lives: hope, faith, belief, courage, trust, to name just a few.

Honestly, I experienced all of those while launching my author business. And I can think of a host of other life experiences that these apply to – as I’m sure you can too. What’s great about a good fantasy is that you get to experience someone’s journey, from struggle to triumph, and you can relate to it because much like real life, success and growth depend on taking a risk, seizing an opportunity, doing something that you might not do otherwise. And just as the character grows, so do you.

I also realized that writing and even reading fantasy, for me anyway, are a form of self-care. It helps me deal with some of the challenges associated with chronic illness. Seeking to manage Celiac disease and several other autoimmune disorders, as well as a heart condition, I’ve learned that every day is different. Some days will be great and others not so much. And I never know what type of day I’m going to get. It’s that lack of control that hits me the hardest. However, writing every day, having those few hours to break away from whatever else might be going on, offers me the control (or the perception of control, if I’m being totally honest) that might be lacking in other parts of my life.

In a very real way, reading and writing fantasy are my sanctuary from the challenges of the real world. Both help me to recharge mentally.

As you read my stories, the themes I mentioned earlier evolve a bit further into key messages that I believe are worth repeating, and I like to carry them over from one book to the next.

And I always include adventure, humor, a few twists, a bunch of fights (magic and steel), and a little romance, along with a few good monsters. But for me it always starts with engaging characters. Because without characters who grow and change as they seek to overcome the challenges placed before them, as they seek to move forward, the story can’t move forward.

In particular, I like to focus on the reluctant hero, a man or a woman not seeking glory, but rather seeking to help others and challenge the evil plaguing the world – a world that I’ve created, The Realms of the Talent and the Curse. They need to learn how to believe in themselves before they can do what’s demanded of them. A personal journey that all of us experience, often more than once in our lifetimes, from lack of belief to belief in the self.

That often comes down to risk. Is the character willing to take a risk? Does the character view risk as a threat or as an opportunity?

Some of my favorite characters view risk as the latter, as an opportunity, just as I do. My career as an independent author testifying to what can be accomplished when you’re willing to take a risk, have a good team behind you, and you have the desire to create something new and move in a direction that allows you to harness your creativity in a way that you couldn’t before.

Yes, my books offer an opportunity to escape for a few hours in the world I’ve created. But I hope they do more than that. I hope that my world offers new ideas and new lessons. They all don't need to be adopted, but I believe they're certainly worthy of consideration.

As you read this, you are probably gathering that my stories lean toward classic fantasy. And that’s true. I read and listen to a lot of folklore, mythology, and history, and I incorporate aspects of all three into my books. I’m not trying to be the next “big thing” in fantasy fiction but I work hard to tell a really good story.

Readers describe me as a masterful storyteller of good versus evil with great characters and plot twists. My writing appeals to adults, young adults, and kids starting in middle school. I do most of my writing with my dog Loki either by my side or curled up behind me, oftentimes with a soccer game or a tennis match playing on the TV muted in the background.

And when I’m not writing, stories are constantly churning in my head. When I’m out for a walk, I tend to outline or craft scenes, taking notes on my phone. Even when I’m hiking in the Bernese Alps or in Acadia National Park, I’m taking notes -- both places, in fact, are integral to the development of The Fallen Knight Series, my first but certainly not my last foray into urban fantasy.

Becoming an indie author was one of the biggest challenges I ever took on. It proved to be the right decision for me. And I readily admit that I couldn’t do it without the support of my family. So along the way I’ve also learned the importance of gratitude. I’ve been given the privilege of sharing my stories with you, and I strive to ensure that those stories are as fun to read as they are as fun for me to write.

Because if you're doing what you're meant to do, it's not work. It's fun. And I’m grateful not only for my family but also for the many readers and fans who have joined me on this journey.

If you’re interested in keeping tabs on what I’m working on at any particular moment, join my newsletter and/or follow me on Bookbub, Amazon, or Facebook.

Peter Wacht is available for speaking engagements, webinars, and book signings. Contact him on Facebook @peterwachtauthor.