Pump Up Chats with Joseph Schneller

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Joseph Schneller served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and holds a Psychology degree from Whitworth. He is an alumnus of the Christian Writers Guild. His publishing credits include Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, Clubhouse, and Focus on the Family; LifeWay’s Stand Firm; and Walk Thru the Bible’s Indeed. He writes nonfiction and humor for adults, and fiction for children, youth, and adults. He and his wife, Kippi, live in Colorado with their two young boys.

Your Average Joe: Unplugged is his first book. You can visit Joseph Schneller’s website at www.josephschneller.com.

On Your Average Joe: Unplugged

Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?

I spent 9 ½ months unemployed/underemployed, and this with a wife and toddler at home and a second child on the way. To a minor extent, I felt like the Biblical character Job, who lost nearly everything he had and spent much time grappling with loss and with his faith in God. Like I say in the book, the faith walk is no cake walk.

I knew that God uses trial to prepare us for service here and for life in heaven. But, in the midst of my desert—a most difficult time in my marriage, a most difficult time for me personally—I asked God if it’s really worth it. Is Kingdom-work on earth and preparation for heaven really worth all this heartache, all this headache, all this loss?

During some of that time, I ran a website and posted articles about my pilgrimage. At one point I read an email about the impact the website had on a woman. It struck her to the core, and was one of the things that helped her return to the Lord. As I finished reading that email, instinctively I said aloud, “This makes it all worth it.”

So, my deep hope is that God would use this book to draw people closer to Him. And yeah, if I’m able to help someone because of the low places I’ve seen, then it’s all worth it.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?

Humor is serious business; it takes a lot of effort to write it well. I liken it to poetry in that turns of phrase, the sound of words, and timing play make-or-break roles. Voice also is key. It’s one thing to write a funny line in an article, but another thing entirely to layer humor through six- or seven-hundred words, to loop back upon yourself, to maintain your funny, to build to a climax. The Dave Barry/Erma Bombeck-style humor articles in my book, word for word, required the most effort. They also fundamentally distinguish my book from the norm of Christian devotionals.

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

Even in the midst of your darkest hour, Christ is real, compassionate, and unsurpassably powerful.

On Writing

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

In third grade, I wrote a series of short stories on the adventures of Super Pickle. Mrs. Basemen was kind to allow me to read them in front of my classmates, and they seemed pretty jazzed with each new installment. I need to dust those articles off – I assume they had something to do with superhero drama in the plant kingdom.

Q: What’s the most frustrating thing about becoming a published author and what’s the most rewarding?

The most frustrating, as most authors would tell you, is trying to get published. You have to learn to measure time in months and years. After years of on-again, off-again writing for school or on my own, I rolled up my sleeves in about September of 2005 and began a two-year writing course through the Christian Writers Guild (which was excellent, by the way — www.christianwritersguild.com). I was fortunate to grow in my publishing credits over the following years – The Denver Post local insert (which honored me with a “Best of” award); Colorado Parent; Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, Clubhouse, and Focus on the Family; Wesleyan Publishing House’s Vista; Walk Thru the Bible’s Indeed; and LifeWay’s Stand Firm. But it took about five years to accelerate to my current pace of about 30 articles sold per year. And it took about 6 years (from the beginning of that course) before my first book came out (July, 2011). And I, like any writer who’s been around the block once or twice, have more ignored emails, rejected submissions, and broken dreams than I wish to count. An essential ingredient for the writer, therefore, is a gritty and dogged perseverance. If you don’t dust yourself off and keep trying, then it simply won’t happen.

The most rewarding thing about publishing has not been in seeing my book published but in hearing of its impact. One woman wrote that the Lord used my writing to help bring her back to Him. Others speak of laugh-out-loud humor, tear-jerking honesty, and Biblical insight. For me, the real juice is in impact; it’d be better to speak encouraging words to one soul than to sell 100,000 books but not help a single person.

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?

Yes, don’t misspell stuff. Actually, I’d say go with your strength and passion. Over the course of time, I learned through publishing successes and reader feedback that my stand-out writing skills included humor and honest, insightful Biblical instruction. So, why not put them together? I mean, seriously, we never would have had Reese’s Pieces (the best candy in the history of the planet) if someone hadn’t combined chocolate and peanut butter. So, in Your Average Joe: Unplugged, I put humor and insight together. And I gather from initial reader feedback that they really like the unique combination.

On Family and Home:

Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?

I live in Colorado with my wife, two young boys, and an outrageously misbehaving beagle. We enjoy all sorts of mountain activities. Last weekend I went on a daddy-toddler camping trip with some friends. Three dads + four toddlers = one big hoot.

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I write in our basement office on the computer. I’ve tried writing a little by hand elsewhere, but that doesn’t really fly. I’m most productive getting up early on weekends before the family wakes up.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

Nothing beats hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, or snow shoeing. I can see why they call it recreation, because there is some sort of re-creating which occurs. And when I’m in the office grind the following week, still feeling my sore muscles, it’s invigorating to know I was up there, in the wilderness, being a tough guy.

On Childhood:

Q: Were you the kind of child who always had a book in her/his hand?

I read quite a bit as a kid, as did (and do) my parents. My current library of several hundred books still does not surpass theirs. There is something special which occurs when you open a good book. When I feel myself slipping into an especially good one, I look up from the pages briefly and simply relish the moment.

Q: Can you remember your favorite book?

My favorite all-time book is A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. If I had written that one, I would feel like dusting off my hands and heading to shuffleboard. The power, scope, and humanity of that novel stun me. It is a beautiful and bizarre post-apocalyptic tale, and, in my mind, sits atop its own craggy peak.

Q: Do you remember writing stories when you were a child?

Besides the stunning sweep and epic magnitude of The Adventures of Super Pickle (Mrs. Basemen Publications, 1983), I wrote the smash hit “Dead Men Don’t Eat Quiche.” I’m serious – I actually wrote a story with that title during elementary school. In fourth or fifth grade, I also wrote a snow-camping story called “Cave In” and a mystery entitled “Mrs. Green’s Night Light.” The school “published” those stories in little cloth-bound covers. So, if you’re a teacher and do that kind of thing, keep up the good work. I still have those books.

On Book Promotion:

Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?

I created a website (cheesy as it is) at www.josephschneller.com. There I’ve posted some samples from the book.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

I’m on Facebook again, and think that there is some promotional return from its use. Everything helps, right? Who knows what small stone will start the avalanche?

Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?

It sounds to me that, more and more, the author must be involved in book promotions. Publishers ask about your promotional platform and plans even in the book pitching process. I pitched Nordskog Publishing (www.nordskogpublishing.com) very hard on my book promotional plans and capabilities, and I think this was quite important in their decision to venture into the devotional realm. My promotional efforts (which include book-mentioning article bylines in magazines) clearly have pleased them, and understandably so.

On Other Fun Stuff:

Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?

For the freedom and responsibility of writing full time.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?

Living in a cozy mountain cabin home in Alaska or Europe, but definitely not Des Moines. (Disclaimer: I’ve never even been to Des Moines, I just think it sounds funny).

Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

Are you serious? Yeah! Who would I thank? God, my wife, the people who helped me when the book was just a website, Nordskog Publishing, and Jerry Jenkins and the Christian Writers Guild.

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach