Author Amber Miller - DECEPTIVE PROMISES - Free Book

We're welcoming Amber Miller back for an interview with her third book in series.

Amber, God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Honestly, each step is a new one on this exciting journey. God has blessed me in more ways than I could imagine with this career, and I eagerly await all that He has in store. In the more immediately future, I’m working on a new 3-book series with the first book releasing in April. But, I’m also pursuing a break into trade-length from the mass-market fiction as well as seeking an agent. We’ll see what happens.

Tell us a little about your family.

I am married to another author, Stuart Stockton, who has his first book releasing in April of 2009. We are expecting our first child in March, and we live at the base of beautiful Pike’s Peak in Colorado Springs. We also have a half border collie, half flat-haired retriever named Roxie, who keeps life bouncing. Outside of our little circle, I have 3 brothers and my parents have been married for over 35 years. Stuart has 2 sisters and a brother, 3 aunts, 2 uncles, 4 cousins, 1 nephew and 1 niece. His parents have also been married 35 years.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Definitely! I’ve discovered books I used to enjoy that I no longer do because I have become quite a bit pickier than I used to be. As a writer, you have to be aware of the rules of writing and write what an editor will deem a worthy novel. Once you’ve established yourself and proven that you can meet those guidelines, there is a bit more freedom granted. I’ve found that I can’t usually get into a book that hops in and out of point-of-view characters within a scene or includes a lot of telling and not showing. And books with pages and pages of nothing but narrative without interspersing dialogue usually don’t hold my attention.

What are you working on right now?

I am on books #5 and 6, which are the second and third in my next series, set in historical Detroit during the Industrial Revolution. The time span of the series is from 1875 through 1907, covering 2-1/2 generations. I also have 2 historical 3-book series, one set in Colorado and one in Wyoming, as well as 2 contemporary standalones that I’m shopping around.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to travel, enjoy photography, have fun designing web sites (especially for other authors and speakers), relax when watching old movies and listening to music. It’s rare for my home to be “silent” even if it’s just music playing in the background.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Generally, I will read a story in the paper, hear a report on the news, or see a house or a building and start asking questions. Once in a while, the setting is changed to a place I can research easily if the original location looks like it might be difficult. But, for the most part, the setting comes as a result of the research I do. I’d say the setting chooses me. I don’t choose it.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Some of the names that come to mind are Abraham Lincoln or George Washington or John Adams. But, I’m going to go back even farther and say I’d love to spend an evening with Mary, the mother of Jesus. During this Christmas season, her acceptance of God’s plan for her life and her willingness to do what was asked of her, despite her fears and uncertainties are quite an inspiration. None of know exactly where our lives are headed, but if we make up our minds to say “yes” no matter what, I think we’ll discover amazing things.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

Well, I am not the common story, or what appears to be the more popular path taken in the publishing world. I was published before I turned 30 and have books released before any kids have come. So, I have already established a pattern and routine and placed a certain spotlight on my writing that will transition with the growth of my family. What this means is that I won’t have to try to convince my family of the importance of my writing and my career. They will see it first hand and know it from the start.

But if I could latch onto something I wish I had known, it would be the knowledge that being younger in this industry isn’t always better. It just means I have to work twice as hard to be accepted. I have often encountered folks who are fifteen or twenty years older and more, who have treated me with the belief that because I have not passed certain rites of passage or earmarks along the way, I don’t qualify as a bonafide success or one who can offer any advice to others.

On the flip side, I have encountered others who have been inspired by my goals and determination and have found their own inspiration as a result. They commend me for going for what I wanted early in life, and gain a newfound desire in their own lives. The numbers in this group far outnumber the ones in the first group, but that doesn’t mean the struggle is any easier.
I also wish I had known how much marketing would be required on a constant basis to keep your name out there. It’s a trial-and-error basis, finding your niche and what works. But, it would have helped to have a heads-up at the start.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Trust. The past few months have been a bit rough with the economy and seeing a lot of my design business decline. People are cutting everywhere they can, and a web site is an expense that can wait for most. Plus, income as an author is sporadic. But, regardless, God always provides, even if it’s just a few extra dollars to get us through the next day. I have a tendency to be concerned about paying bills, but God is telling me to trust Him. He’s got it all under control and He will provide. My security is not in my job. It’s in Him. And it’s a daily process for me.

A lot of people are learning that right now. James and I went through just such a period when we were younger. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

One, study the market and familiarize yourself with what’s selling or what looks like it’s going to be a big seller. Two, network with other authors and industry professionals to glean wisdom from their experiences, as well as instruction on the writing craft. Three, read, read, read…especially in the genre where you write, so you can improve your own skills.

Tell us about the featured book.

Margret Scott is approaching adulthood during the American Revolution and the forming of a new nation. She gets involved with a spy, and her actions could endanger herself, her family and the man she comes to love.

Is deception fair in wartime? Margret Scott finds she must deal with this question as she becomes attracted to the enigmatic Samuel Lowe. As the tensions grow between the colonists and the British soldiers and loyalists, Margret struggles to determine where Samuel's loyalties lie, despite his reassurances that they lie with the colonists. Samuel's duties have him working for both sides of this war, and he is often torn between what is right and what is wrong. He promises Margret she can trust him, and Margret promises him she does. But can promises born in deception be trusted? Can relationships built in uncertainty survive?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have an author web site at http://www.ambermiller.com/,

a blog at http://ambermillerauthor.blogspot.com/

and my business web site at http://www.eagle-designs.com/.

I also am a team blogger at Bustles and Spurs, http://bustlesandspurs.blogspot.com/, where I blog on the 18th of every month with several other historical western fiction authors. If historical fiction is your thing…this blog is the place you want to be!

Thank you, Amber.

Readers, check out all of Amber's web sites. I'm also a team blogger on the Bustles and Spurs blog, and I blog on the 13th of every month, so I just posted yesterday.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Deceptive Promises. But don't forget to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. I haven't heard from any of the winners from yesterday or last Saturday.