After a year of traveling the country in a 100-square-foot camper with her husband, daughter, and dog, Megan Schaulis was bursting with wonder and inspiration—and she poured it all into her writing.
Megan has a B.A. in Journalism from Arizona State University and is a member of the ACFW and Realm Makers. As a special education teacher, she helped young people fall in love with reading and writing. Today, when she’s not spinning stories, Megan uses words in playful and creative ways at her branding agency. Her first novel, Protector, won the 2025 Carol Award for debut novel, was a Christy Award finalist in the speculative category, and was a Realm Award finalist in both the debut and readers’ choice categories.
Megan lives in Abilene, Texas, where you’ll find her homeschooling and hiking with her family or staying up way too late reading.
Visit Megan Schaulis online
Rebuilder
Will his second chance sink like the sand beneath his feet? Bitter and broken from his imprisonment in the Citadel, Hatch can’t stand to watch the woman he loves start her new life. When the king offers him a position as the governor of Evania, an island territory populated by Alphanites, Hatch sees the job as a chance to escape his heartache. But from the moment his crutches hit the sand of this tropical island, Hatch is deemed an outsider, particularly by Myah, an artsy adrenaline junkie the locals have nicknamed “Princess.” Myah is content to spend her days writing letters to her far-off fiancé. The last thing she needs is a government official taking over Evania and poking at old wounds. But when an enemy attack causes the island to start sinking into the sea, Myah must convince the sullen governor that her home is worth saving. With only fifty-two days to stabilize the island, Hatch and Myah must confront the pasts they both long to leave behind. As the ground literally sinks beneath them, will they drown in their regrets or ride the waves of change to a future neither could’ve imagined?
- ISBN: B0GR783N15
- Publisher: WhiteCrown Publishing
Interview with Megan Schaulis 2026
I’m excited to welcome Megan Schaulis as our Featured Author this week! Her book, Rebuilder, the third book in The Susa Chronicles, releases on April 7th.
What inspired this story and the world of The Susa Chronicles?
The Susa Chronicles was born out a question: What if Esther not only saved her people through her bold choices but was the one to lead them into battle? What if she wasn’t competing to be the king’s wife but to be his bodyguard?
Those what-ifs bloomed into a world of future Persia, where the highest level of technology blended with ancient architecture. In this world, believers in Alpha (God) are persecuted and forced to live in hiding, including one very special young woman and her closest friends.
While I was digging into the Bible’s account of Esther to write the original duology, Protector and Proclaimer, I remembered that Ezra and Nehemiah take place around the same time in biblical history. That sparked an idea. What if a character from Protector could later have his own Nehemiah-inspired adventure? Some kind of race against time to reconstruct defenses. And wouldn’t it be fun to set that story on tropical island?
There was no doubt in my mind my “Nehemiah” would be Hatch, a royal guard and failed spy who has it pretty rough in the first two books. So now, in Rebuilder, Hatch has just 52 days to install a nanotech “wall” to protect his new island home from sinking.
Hatch and Myah both seem to carry emotional wounds. What drew you to these characters?
Allow me to say that Rebuilder is not a sad book; it’s not gut-wrenching or heart breaking. But the main characters are both dealing with some kind of loss or past trauma. Hatch is physically wounded and he allows that injury to define and limit him. Myah does the opposite, pretending nothing ever happened and dowsing her grief in adrenaline.
I adore Hatch. He’s the good guy, the best friend, forever faithful, and calm to a fault. So, of course, I had to put in him a situation where he couldn’t keep his cool, where he would stop settling for second place and realize Alpha (God) has never seen him as less-than or broken.
Myah is an all-heart girl. She loves big and hurts big and needs to heal big. To protect herself, she denies the past. So, I threw her into a crisis that was too much, too real to deny. Pretty hard to bury your hand in the sand if that sand is sinking.
Also they get to swim with dolphins. Who wouldn’t love characters who do that!
What do you hope readers take away after finishing Rebuilder?
God is good. Period. And His goodness isn’t a silver lining. It isn’t “well, I’m broken and bruised and everything I love has been ruined, but chin up.” His plans are not destruction and death with a side of second chances.
He is “beyond all we could ask or imagine” good. He’s “daily loads you with benefits” good. He’s “forgives all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with love and mercy, and satisfies you with good things” good. (Ephesians 3, Psalm 68, Psalm 103)
I want everything I write—books, blog posts, random texts—to reflect that goodness.
You received significant recognition for your debut novel, including a 2025 Carol Award. How has that experience shaped your writing journey?
That win was unreal. Just being a Carol Award finalist was unreal. By the time the Christy’s rolled around, I was ready to faint!
I was so nervous, or maybe unsure, about entering any awards with Protector that I asked for the entry fees as Christmas presents. That way I couldn’t talk myself out of entering.
These awards and recognitions are one of the ways God has reminded me that He and I write together. That using art to declare His goodness was His idea in the first place. And while it’s my responsibility to ensure that being an author doesn’t hinder my higher callings as a follower of Christ, wife, and mom, it is a path He’s laid before, saying “This is the way. Walk in it.”
Speculative fiction offers unique opportunities for storytelling. What draws you to writing in this genre, particularly within Christian fiction?
The stories in my head won’t fit in the real world! Truly, I’d be delighted to have a story burning within me that can be told within the bounds of real life. So far, it just hasn’t been the case.
I find we’re often more willing to hear a truth when it’s wrapped in a fantasy. We let our minds ponder the what-ifs. Not only the ridiculous questions about fictional worlds, but the questions that matter.
What if I could talk to God that easily? What if I was stuck between bad options and had to trust Him to be The Way when every path looked wrong? For me, speculative fiction is often better equipped to present the truth than the realistic genres.
You’ve worn many hats: special education teacher, traveler, branding professional, and homeschool mom. How have those experiences influenced your writing?
The seasons of my life have been really distinct, particularly the year my family and I rented out our house, packed into a teeny camper, and traveled the West.
I’m often amazed how God takes my whims and dreams and creates something needed and beneficial out of them. Teaching public school led to confidence in homeschooling. Seeing the wonders of the country led to rich worldbuilding as an author. And we all know branding and marketing are part of an author’s job. Just another way God has gathered and honed my experiences for His purpose and glory.
What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between?
I’m a plantser or half and half. I prefer to have a beat sheet or outline of the major milestones in the story first. After that I sit down and start writing with page one. Once I get to the catalyst or first milestone, I usually stop and take a day or two to work out the steps from there to the midpoint. Then I hop back in and write. And so on.
In the meantime, I jot down all my random “wouldn’t it be fun” ideas on sticky notes because they’re less permanent than a written outline, and my very linear brain is free to wander and play.
Along the way I discover all kinds of things I didn’t know existed until the second I write them—like the entire character of Calder in Rebuilder or the fact Rafferty is Myah’s uncle. Neither one was planned.
What’s next for you? Are there more stories on the horizon?
My next release is something totally new—new story world, new inspiration, new style of publishing. And that’s about all I can say about it right now. Well, and that readers won’t have to wait too long for what’s next.
Lastly, if you could only read one work of fiction one more time, what would it be?
Unblemished by Sara Ella was the first Christian fantasy I ever read. I didn’t even realize such a genre existed until then! That book changed what I read which changed what I think about which changed how I live. It will always be extra special to me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At the age of thirteen, Kimberly Keagan discovered romance novels. Whenever possible, she ignored her chores in favor of a book she couldn't put down. In time, she earned a degree in accounting and enjoyed a brief career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, but not very romantic. By God's grace, she married her own handsome hero and raised two wonderful children, whom they homeschooled. Now, she is following her long-held dream of penning historical romance. Her debut novel releases in 2025.
What inspired this story and the world of The Susa Chronicles?
The Susa Chronicles was born out a question: What if Esther not only saved her people through her bold choices but was the one to lead them into battle? What if she wasn’t competing to be the king’s wife but to be his bodyguard?
Those what-ifs bloomed into a world of future Persia, where the highest level of technology blended with ancient architecture. In this world, believers in Alpha (God) are persecuted and forced to live in hiding, including one very special young woman and her closest friends.
While I was digging into the Bible’s account of Esther to write the original duology, Protector and Proclaimer, I remembered that Ezra and Nehemiah take place around the same time in biblical history. That sparked an idea. What if a character from Protector could later have his own Nehemiah-inspired adventure? Some kind of race against time to reconstruct defenses. And wouldn’t it be fun to set that story on tropical island?
There was no doubt in my mind my “Nehemiah” would be Hatch, a royal guard and failed spy who has it pretty rough in the first two books. So now, in Rebuilder, Hatch has just 52 days to install a nanotech “wall” to protect his new island home from sinking.
Hatch and Myah both seem to carry emotional wounds. What drew you to these characters?
Allow me to say that Rebuilder is not a sad book; it’s not gut-wrenching or heart breaking. But the main characters are both dealing with some kind of loss or past trauma. Hatch is physically wounded and he allows that injury to define and limit him. Myah does the opposite, pretending nothing ever happened and dowsing her grief in adrenaline.
I adore Hatch. He’s the good guy, the best friend, forever faithful, and calm to a fault. So, of course, I had to put in him a situation where he couldn’t keep his cool, where he would stop settling for second place and realize Alpha (God) has never seen him as less-than or broken.
Myah is an all-heart girl. She loves big and hurts big and needs to heal big. To protect herself, she denies the past. So, I threw her into a crisis that was too much, too real to deny. Pretty hard to bury your hand in the sand if that sand is sinking.
Also they get to swim with dolphins. Who wouldn’t love characters who do that!
What do you hope readers take away after finishing Rebuilder?
God is good. Period. And His goodness isn’t a silver lining. It isn’t “well, I’m broken and bruised and everything I love has been ruined, but chin up.” His plans are not destruction and death with a side of second chances.
He is “beyond all we could ask or imagine” good. He’s “daily loads you with benefits” good. He’s “forgives all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with love and mercy, and satisfies you with good things” good. (Ephesians 3, Psalm 68, Psalm 103)
I want everything I write—books, blog posts, random texts—to reflect that goodness.
You received significant recognition for your debut novel, including a 2025 Carol Award. How has that experience shaped your writing journey?
That win was unreal. Just being a Carol Award finalist was unreal. By the time the Christy’s rolled around, I was ready to faint!
I was so nervous, or maybe unsure, about entering any awards with Protector that I asked for the entry fees as Christmas presents. That way I couldn’t talk myself out of entering.
These awards and recognitions are one of the ways God has reminded me that He and I write together. That using art to declare His goodness was His idea in the first place. And while it’s my responsibility to ensure that being an author doesn’t hinder my higher callings as a follower of Christ, wife, and mom, it is a path He’s laid before, saying “This is the way. Walk in it.”
Speculative fiction offers unique opportunities for storytelling. What draws you to writing in this genre, particularly within Christian fiction?
The stories in my head won’t fit in the real world! Truly, I’d be delighted to have a story burning within me that can be told within the bounds of real life. So far, it just hasn’t been the case.
I find we’re often more willing to hear a truth when it’s wrapped in a fantasy. We let our minds ponder the what-ifs. Not only the ridiculous questions about fictional worlds, but the questions that matter.
What if I could talk to God that easily? What if I was stuck between bad options and had to trust Him to be The Way when every path looked wrong? For me, speculative fiction is often better equipped to present the truth than the realistic genres.
You’ve worn many hats: special education teacher, traveler, branding professional, and homeschool mom. How have those experiences influenced your writing?
The seasons of my life have been really distinct, particularly the year my family and I rented out our house, packed into a teeny camper, and traveled the West.
I’m often amazed how God takes my whims and dreams and creates something needed and beneficial out of them. Teaching public school led to confidence in homeschooling. Seeing the wonders of the country led to rich worldbuilding as an author. And we all know branding and marketing are part of an author’s job. Just another way God has gathered and honed my experiences for His purpose and glory.
What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between?
I’m a plantser or half and half. I prefer to have a beat sheet or outline of the major milestones in the story first. After that I sit down and start writing with page one. Once I get to the catalyst or first milestone, I usually stop and take a day or two to work out the steps from there to the midpoint. Then I hop back in and write. And so on.
In the meantime, I jot down all my random “wouldn’t it be fun” ideas on sticky notes because they’re less permanent than a written outline, and my very linear brain is free to wander and play.
Along the way I discover all kinds of things I didn’t know existed until the second I write them—like the entire character of Calder in Rebuilder or the fact Rafferty is Myah’s uncle. Neither one was planned.
What’s next for you? Are there more stories on the horizon?
My next release is something totally new—new story world, new inspiration, new style of publishing. And that’s about all I can say about it right now. Well, and that readers won’t have to wait too long for what’s next.
Lastly, if you could only read one work of fiction one more time, what would it be?
Unblemished by Sara Ella was the first Christian fantasy I ever read. I didn’t even realize such a genre existed until then! That book changed what I read which changed what I think about which changed how I live. It will always be extra special to me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At the age of thirteen, Kimberly Keagan discovered romance novels. Whenever possible, she ignored her chores in favor of a book she couldn't put down. In time, she earned a degree in accounting and enjoyed a brief career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, but not very romantic. By God's grace, she married her own handsome hero and raised two wonderful children, whom they homeschooled. Now, she is following her long-held dream of penning historical romance. Her debut novel releases in 2025.
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