Author bio : Amber Miller is an author and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband in beautiful Colorado Springs. They don’t have any children yet, but they do have a vivacious puppy named Roxie, who is half Border Collie and half Flat-Haired Retriever. Already nearing 65 pounds, she keeps them on their toes. And with her penchant for rising at 6am on the dot, Roxie is giving Amber and her husband a good taste of what it’s like to be parents. Amber has sold four books to the Heartsong Presents line of Barbour Publishing with the promise of two more before the end of the year. She is currently pursuing an expansion into trade-length historical fiction as well. Other writing credits include several writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and nine contributions to the book, 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage. A born-again Christian since the age of seven, her faith in Christ has often sustained her through difficult experiences. She seeks to share that with others through her writing. Read more about her at her web site: www.ambermiller.com.

====================================

Interview Questions

About You:

Age wise, when did you know you wanted to be a writer? This is difficult to determine. It feels as if I’ve been writing in some form for most of my life, but it probably wasn’t until my Senior year in high school that I knew I wanted to make it a career. My English teacher was a published novelist of young adult fiction and she often threatened to use us in her books if we misbehaved. Because at the time, I also wanted to be a teacher, I decided to pursue that degree first. After graduating, I ventured into the world of fan fiction, and received such encouraging feedback, I took the next step and began studying. Five years after that, I joined ACFW and four years later received my first contract.

If you knew, as a child, that you wanted to be a writer, did you act on it — writing stories and such then? I don’t know that I wanted to be a writer in the sense of a career when I was young, but I did enjoy it. I even wrote a short story that was entered into a contest for young writers. It finaled but didn’t make it into the book. There are all kinds of things I wrote for school and for fun, even the start of a novel when I was about fifteen.

Do you still have them? I have a handful of them, and I still have that novel. Most everything is filed away with school records and childhood memories.

What is your opinion of them now? The novel is embarrassing. If I were to go back and revise, it would just about have to be re-written from scratch. But, I suppose, at the time, it was good work for someone without mentorship or instruction in writing a novel.

Did you keep a journal or diary as a child? At times, but I wasn’t faithful at all. Even today, I don’t journal as much as others say you should. My journals tend to get woven into the stories of my characters, experiences applied to their lives and reactions adapted to fit the characters’ behaviors and motivations.

Has the computer world made a difference in your writing life? How? Yes! I can actually type fast enough to keep up with my brain! LOL! When I write long-hand, I get frustrated that I can’t write fast enough, and the scribbles often resemble chicken scratch more than words. I end up having to spend too much time deciphering what I wrote for it to be beneficial to me. So, when I do have to use pen or pencil and paper, I just jot down ideas and notes and fragments pieces of story.

About Promises, Promises

How did the characters, Raelene and Gustaf, come about? The ‘what if’ moment came when I asked, “What if a heroine with no siblings also loses her parents, then finds herself as the sole owner of land in a new world where women have no voice, feeling as if God has forsaken her?” That’s Raelene at the start of the book. Gustaf evolved from his original appearance. At first, he was a neighbor who came and offered his help, hoping he might be able to somehow take advantage and get the land. But, as the story elements progressed, he became a past rejected suitor whose wounded pride made him want nothing more than to get away. Then, he makes a promise to Raelene’s father and is forced to stay until that promise is fulfilled. I wanted to make him the type of man every man today can become when they remain steadfast, loyal and honest, as well as show the inner strength men possess to be leaders and influential motivators. From those two premises, Promises, Promises was born!

Why those particular names? As I researched their ancestry, I realized Gustaf was Swedish and Raelene had a Swedish mother. So, I went through lists of Swedish names of the time, searching for just the right ones. I have a name book that also provides the biblical meanings and scripture references as well as the literal meanings. Gustaf means “God’s staff” and “blessed.” He became that staff for Raelene, something she could lean on when she couldn’t stand on her own. Raelene means “lovely” and “compassionate.” Although we see her at the start allowing her pain to make her bitter and unattractive, she possessed an inner loveliness and compassion that showed in her dealings with people once she let that part of her escape.

I like to write, but I’m not a writer, so I have a hard time grasping how so many wonderful books just like yours can be written. Do I lack imagination? Everyone has imagination to some degree. Writing also requires discipline and hard work. It’s a calling and comes from deep within. It’s a passion and a purpose and an inner desire to get that story down on paper and make it the best you can through studying the craft and putting your heart and soul into the story. I think everyone has the ability to write on some level. But it takes a lot more to write in a way that your words will resonate with the reader and leave them begging for more. Whether it’s novels or nonfiction articles or books, there is a craft involved and the intense study of word painting to bring that writing to life.

What inspired you to write Promises, Promises? I suppose I began with this story because I was inspired by the real-life home only two miles from where I used to live. History and people of the past have always fascinated me. Their lives were so different, but the issued they faced were the same as today. It’s wonderful to read a story set in the past where the theme and experiences could be transported to modern-day and still be relevant. While I didn’t set out with the theme of where God is when we’re hurting, that naturally progressed out of the story and character experiences. It’s only become evident to me recently that it’s a theme almost everyone struggles to grasp, from childhood through retirement. Loss is felt by all. What we do with it and how we react becomes our own journey.

Is there a sequel coming? (Life after marriage . . .) The sequel released this month, and it picks up with the daughter of Gustaf and Raelene during the French and Indian War. So, while it doesn’t depict the specifics of Raelene and Gustaf’s marriage, their presence as parents is significant. You can visit the books page of my web site to read the first chapter and order either of the two books I have out. Book 3 will release in December.

=================================

Thank you, Carolyn, for such a unique interview. I’ve done several of these, but your questions were different and fun to answer. I appreciate you hosting me on your blog today and love having you as part of this tour. Be blessed.