Joni M. Fisher
Award-winning Author
After working decades in journalism, Author Joni M. Fisher turned to crime. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Florida Writers Association. She served on the Arts and Humanities Advisory Board for Southeastern University and taught report writing at a local police academy. In her 20s, she worked as a staff writer, trainer, and analyst at a Fortune 500 bank.
Joni M. Fisher
Author
My Story
Raised in the Midwest as a Christmas-and-Easter Christian, she fully dedicated her life to God in high school. God has been working in her life ever since.
She graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She then worked as a staff writer and instructor at a Fortune 500 bank in New Orleans while Handsome attended Tulane Medical School. Joni earned a PHT (put husband through) certificate from Tulane Medical School. The wife of the Dean bestowed the certificate on those with spouses graduating.
From there, she and her husband moved to Florida, where she worked as a freelance journalist for magazines and newspapers while raising her daughter. She then taught for a few years at the local police academy to help update their Report Writing class, which was then adopted statewide.
After earning her private pilot’s license and instrument rating, she started writing for General Aviation News to pay for avgas.
When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, traveling, and doing her best to live her values by example.
Author Joni M. Fisher has been featured in:
Author Interview
Hosted by Brave Authors
Exerpt: “I am passionate about changing the “helpless female” trope. There is nothing romantic about victimhood and waiting for a guy to rescue the damsel in distress.”
Read the full interview here: https://braveauthors.com/2025/05/27/interview-with-joni-m-fisher/
Guest Blog How to Identify and deal with manipulators
Hosted by the Brave Authors
Excerpt: “We’ve all been in a situation where someone pressures us to make a big decision, do something we don’t want to do, or agree with them when they make a statement we don’t agree with. You can identify manipulators by how far they are willing to apply that pressure. If you don’t feel free to disagree, you are dealing with a manipulator.” Read the full article here: https://braveauthors.com/2025/03/18/how-to-identify-and-deal-with-a-manipulator/
Author Interview
Hosted by The Reading Frenzy
Exerpt: “Paul showed me how to sabotage a boat and where to hide a body on board. (Never mess with an engineer.) Caryn and Paul also introduced me to the world of Loopers, a tight-knit community of boaters. The more I learned, the more I had to change the story to include this community.”
Read the full article here: https://thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2019/03/giveaway-west-of-famous-interview-with.html
Guest Blog Series on the Craft of Writing
Hosted by the Florida Writers Association
Read the craft blogs here: https://floridawriters.blog/author/jonimfis/
Awesome Gang Author Interview
Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers. An excerpt: “I immerse myself in the topic and visit the locations until elements of the story present themselves. I adore finding fun facts, such as–it is harder to get into veterinary school than medical school in the US.”
Read the full interview here: https://awesomegang.com/joni-m-fisher/
Author Interview
Hosted by Book Goodies
Excerpt: “I enjoy discovering what makes outliers, misfits, and geniuses tick and seeing life from new perspectives. It takes enormous courage to be an individual and embrace one’s uniqueness when the world wants conformity in thought, word, and action. Believing in God is rebellious and goes against the flow of the world.”
Read the full interview here: http://bookgoodies.com/?p=439882
The ACFW At-Home Conference
Presentation of Crafting Memorable Dialogue Workshop for the 2023 At-Home Conference participants.
by American Christian Fiction Writers
Interview on the Writers Den
by Jane Waters Thomas
Read the full interview here: Writers Den
Authors on the Air Global Radio Network
Host Pam Stack interviews Joni for March “Herstory” Month about her stories, which feature strong women who overcome a crime. We need more strong women role models.
Listen to the interview here: Author Interview
Author Interview Hosted by Jennifer Hareen
How researching a story about a kidnapping led Author Joni M. Fisher to the Loopers community and how she incorporated them into West of Famous.
Read the interview here: Author Interview
Guest Blog
Hosted by the Suspense Sisters
Excerpt: “My stories feature women overcoming hardships and danger instead of waiting around to be rescued. We need more female role models in literature, movies, and life. I write in a classical mystery style—no gore, no porn, and no profanity.”
Read the article here: Joni M. Fisher Guest Blog
Wrong Place, Write Crime Podcast
Hosted by Frank Zafiro
Listen to the podcast here: Interview with Joni M. Fisher
Becoming Bold Feature
by Skirt Magazine
Read the article here: Becoming Bold
The Florida Writer
by Alison Nissen
Listen to the podcast here: Podcast with Joni M. Fisher
Social Media for Book Marketing Panel Discussion
by Writers of the World
Strong Women, Strong Stories
by Mystery Scene Magazine
Read the guest feature article here: Strong Women, Strong Stories
General Aviation Writer Turns to Life of Crime
by Jamie Beckett
Read it here: General Aviation Writer Turns to Life of Crime
AWARDS
2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, 1st place (Inspirational Fiction)
2024 Christian Indie Awards, 3rd place (Mystery/Suspense)
2023 Murder & Mayhem Awards, shortlisted
2023 Reader’s Favorite Book Award, Bronze (Christian Thriller)
2022 Royal Palm Literary Awards, Silver (Unpublished Thriller or Suspense)
2022 Royal Palm Literary Awards, Silver (Unpublished Mystery or Crime)
2021 Kindle Book Awards, Semi-Finalist (Mystery/Thriller)
2020 Top Shelf Book Awards nominee
2020 Kindle Book Awards, Semi-Finalist (Horror/Suspense)
2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Finalist (Inspirational Fiction)
2019 Clue Book Awards, Semi-Finalist (Thriller and Suspense)
2017 National Indie Excellence Award, Finalist (Suspense)
2016 Royal Palm Literary Awards, 2nd Place (Unpublished Women’s Fiction)