Featured Author - Amber Miller

I was born in a small suburb of Washington, D.C. with roots in Virginia and Kentucky as well as Pennsylvania, but I spent most of my life living in Delaware until most recently when I got married and moved to the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. From an early age, I’ve always loved to read and tell stories, but I also love traveling, photography, horses, movies and music.

About five years ago, I was driving by a house that I passed almost every day while running my usual errands. This day, in particular, I stopped the car and rolled down the window to look at the historic marker at the edge of the driveway with a notation that said, “circa 1740.” If only those walls could speak. What a story they would tell! And thus, Promises, Promises was born!

I’d have to say the best part was the inclusion of the banter between the two main characters. At first, it was a relationship of opposition and denial. They both were only tolerating each other because of a promise they made. Showing their progression from one of disgust to one of appreciation and finally love was a fun journey for me and them.

The least favorite was having to portray a character who had turned her back on God. I’ve been blessed to have never walked away from being a believer. Putting myself in the shoes of someone who had wasn’t easy or fun. I didn’t like seeing Raelene blame God and refuse to hear anything about Him, but considering the circumstances, her reactions were natural ones. Believe me, that part got easier as her faith slowly began to return.

Writing is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of hard work, determination, patience, perseverance and faith. And it won’t happen overnight. You have to maintain a teachable spirit and be open to constructive criticism, no matter how far along in your writing journey you get. In the end, the rewards far outweigh all the sweat and tears you shed along the way. Most importantly, if you feel this is the path for you, never give up!

Tracie Peterson, Deeanne Gist, Tamera Alexander, Susan May Warren, Trish Perry, Tracey Bateman, Linda Windsor and Kristen Heitzmann are among my favorites, but I have many more than those whose books I read from time to time. It all depends upon the premise and the story, and if it catches my interest.

The primary theme is that no matter how bleak the circumstances, God will never abandon or forsake you. Even when life throws all sorts of road blocks your way and it seems like you have nothing left, there will always be hope just down the road. You have to keep looking forward and maintain your faith.

Book 2 of this series, Quills & Promises, releases in July, and book 3, Deceptive Promises, will be out in December. Then, in 2009, they will be repackaged into an anthology of all 3 books entitled, Delaware Brides.

Right now, I’m working on a new historical series set in Detroit, Michigan, during the Industrial Revolution, back when the city was in its hey-day. The 3 books will release next year. Book 1 is called Cooper and Candles about a young woman who takes the place of one of her charity recipients in the candle factory where she meets a young man working at the coppery refinery. What neither one of them know is they’re both from upper class families maintaining a charade for different reasons. And so begins their friendship.

I’ve also just submitted two proposals to an agent for possible representation. If that works out, my next projects might be contemporary and stepping outside of the category romance genre. We’ll see where God leads.

It’s easier to provide the synopsis than to retell what’s already been written. What kind of God would take a girl's family and leave her alone in a wild land where women have no voice? When Gustaf Hanssen promises Raelene's dying father that he will take care of her, he finds himself bound to her happiness, her success, and her well-being in ways he never imagined. To keep his word, must Gustaf really oversee all of Raelene's affairs, find her a husband, and maintain her farm, while she does nothing but scorn him? Can God reach through Raelene's pain and self-centeredness and give her the love that awaits, if only she will accept His will?

Unexpected? Hmm, that’s a tough one. I had the typical struggles of time and waiting for the review of a publisher, as well as praying they would like the book and decide to buy it. But, that was after 3 years of working on the book, doing the research, and receiving the dedicated assistance of a published author and friend who walked me through my first book, chapter by chapter, to whip it into shape.

I suppose if I had to pick out the most unexpected part, it would have to be finding out that the first book I wrote wasn’t the one that sold. In fact, that first book is still unsold and waiting for the right publishing house. Instead, I had to begin with category romance, when my true calling is more romantic comedy or issue-driven stories. But, when what you want doesn’t sell, you have to go with what does, even if it’s just to get your feet wet on your way toward something more.

Well, there wasn’t a lot of history about the family recorded, which left me room to be creative. So, 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 when Raelene Strattford stepped on the scene. Her bitterness toward God and her desire to fulfill the promise she made to her parents naturally led to inner conflict. But, when you put her in Colonial America where she needs a man to speak for her, the conflict deepens and in walks Gustaf Hanssen, the hero.