Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda LaPera.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
From my earliest memory, I was reading stories. By the age of seven, I was writing them while growing up in the tiny desert town of Lake Los Angeles. Books were my escape and writing was my passion until life got in the way during college. I went on to earn a BS Degree in Business Administration and worked in finance for a few years as a credit manager until, in search of a more meaningful career, I became an English teacher.
About fifteen years ago, my passion for writing reignited. After encouragement from students who loved hearing my stories, I picked up the pen again and haven’t stopped since. I’m currently writing my tenth book, which is also the final book in my six-book Desert of Dreams Series.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Prior to finishing high school, I had written a couple of books. My skills were not where they needed to be.
Later on as an adult, my motivation to write came after the traumatic experiences that my family went through when my dad, at the age of fifty-three, developed paranoid schizophrenia, left his family behind, traveled the world as a self-proclaimed prophet of God before returning to the US penniless and homeless, then disappeared. This experience is what motivated me to tell the story that had to be told: how mental illness impacts the entire family. I wrote my first book, Losing Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: A Family’s Search for Hope.
Because of this, I immersed myself in advocating for families and individuals affected by mental illness. I dedicated ten years to the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Orange County Affiliate, speaking at state and local conferences.
My dad was in the National Missing Persons Database for many years. After countless struggles and dead-ends, I found him thanks in part to my first book! How is that? Well, that’s in the sequel I wrote: Finding Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: An End to the Search. During this time, I retired from the board to dedicate more time to my writing.
There have been many obstacles and challenges I’ve had to overcome to get to where I am today. Now that my children are adults and I’m with an extremely supportive husband, I’ve been able to focus more time on writing more books.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve written both psychology memoirs and a young adult coming-of-age series.
My first book, Losing Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: A Family’s Search for Hope won a Silver IBPA Award, was a Quarter Finalist in the BookLife Prize and a Finalist in the Readers’ Favorite Awards. The 10th Anniversary Edition came out January 2024.
The sequel, Finding Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: An End to the Search was r released November 2024 and was recently selected as a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards.
I’m working on the final book in my Desert of Dreams Series, which I would describe as coming-of-age stories for those of us who have already come of age. The tagline is: Trauma. Resilience. Hope. The books take place in a remote Mojave Desert town during the 1980s and 90s. I draw on my childhood up for inspiration.
I absolutely adore these books! Dare to Dream (Desert of Dreams Series Book 1) was released in June 2025 and Reach for Hope (Desert of Dreams Series Book 2) eBook was released December 31, 2025. The paperback releases March 6. Sway with the Wind, A Prequel Novella (Desert of Dreams Series) eBook releases March 2, 2026. The paperback will be out on April 4. Embrace the Truth (Desert of Dreams Series Book 3) eBook releases this June, paperback to follow shortly after, and Allow in Light (Desert of Dreams Series Book 4) will be out Fall 2026. I’m working on the finale now, which will also be reunion book that ties up all the loose ends from the other books.
In 2026, I’m going to pivot to a new genre under a pen name, apocalyptic fiction!
How do you think about luck?
I will say luck is the reason I am alive today which is another story for another day.
I believe the universe wanted me to survive to tell me stories which resonate deeply with readers. I don’t think luck has had a lot to do with my writing career or success. I’ve been digging with my nails from the ground up for years, spending time studying, reading, writing, attending conferences, workshopping stories, joining organizations, revising, and editing. Despite all of my hard work, my biggest ongoing challenge in marketing. No matter how much people love my books, it won’t matter if they are invisible to the world. I hope luck can help me in this.
Pricing:
- Paperbacks of most books $19.99
- Desert of Dreams Series eBooks are on sale for $4.99
- Losing Dad and Finding Dad eBooks are $5.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandalapera.com
- Instagram: @desertstoryteller
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandalapera
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalapera
