Guest Author Day with Gracen Miller/Contest

Contest information is at end of interview.

How long did it take to write the story? From the day you came up with the idea to the very last day of writing.

GM: It took about a year to write Pandora’s Box, but only a month to write Hell’s Phoenix. So far I’m going on six months of writing book three in the series, Genesis Queen. Basically, it depends on how chatty my muse is.

Tell us about your latest release/Upcoming release.

GM: Well, my latest release is Hell’s Phoenix, which is book two in the Road to Hell series. Since it’s a story that builds upon itself, I cannot discuss book two without giving a little background to the previous book, Pandora’s Box. This book is about the heroine, Madison, discovering who she is, what her son is and how her husband fits into everything. And how far she’ll go to protect and save her son. Hell’s Phoenix is about Madison accepting her fate and facing it head on to save the one man that sacrificed everything for her.

What made you want to write?

GM: My sixth grade English teacher gave us a writing assignment for homework. I’ve been hooked on creating worlds ever since. Getting to know the characters, feeling all their emotions and falling in love with them, while having control of their lives…what a god complex! Writing is addictive and while others read as a release from real-world worries, I write to escape reality.

What authors do enjoy reading in your downtime?

GM: Anything that is paranormal romance. Sometimes I enjoy a good horror book or going back to what I started reading, historical romances.

How important is the beginning chapter - the opening - the first few lines?

GM: Very. If I’m not hooked within the first chapter, I won’t finish the book. So when I write, I try to make sure the first chapter doesn’t just hook the reader, but forces them to ditch all their real-world duties for just another five minutes of reading.

In what order do you write? For example starting beginning to end, combining parts, in random order or in development cycle?

GM: I tend to write in a linear fashion, from beginning to end. Sometimes a scene will present itself out of order and in order to make sure I don’t forget it, I’ll jot it down at the end of where I am in the story and filter it back in when it’s time for the scene.

You are called upon, at a school, to tell those interested in becoming an author, all the ins and outs of good writing skills and getting published. What are the three important elements in writing, publishing and promoting that you would give them?

GM: Write what you’re passionate about and not what you think readers want to read. If you’d want to read it, then there is a market out there for your story. Not all publishing houses are the same. Find one you’re comfortable with and connect with, one that believes in you and will promote you, too. Promoting should be consistent, but most of all interact with your readers. You’ll build a strong reader base that way and they won’t hesitate to drive their friends nuts telling them about your books.

Do you plot out each chapter? Or are you a seat of the pants writer?

GM: Ha! If I tried to plot, my muse—Dom—would just throw monkey wrenches into anything I’d outlined. He loves tormenting me with the unexpected. So, while I’m technically, a pantser, I prefer to say I’m a “hot seat writer” because when I sit down to write, I never know what tricky situation Dom is going to put my characters in next…or how I’ll get them out of it! LOL

Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are your favorites Artists and or albums?

GM: Nope. I find music to be too distracting when I write, which is weird because I don’t mind the TV being on and I can even tune out the chatter of my kids.

Out of all your characters which one do you identify the most with and why?

GM: Madison because not only is she southern—born and bred in Alabama like me—she’s also the daughter of a Baptist preacher, has a volatile relationship with her father and is a devoted and loving mother…all like me. =D

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite book/character(s)? What is it about that particular book/character that you enjoy so much?

GM: Yes. The Road to Hell series are my favorite books, with Hell’s Phoenix (the second book) being my favorite between the two of them. I love all the characters, Madison, Phoenix “Nix”, Micah, Zen, Amos, Petra…all of them! The cast of characters and their world are life-like to me and I wouldn’t be surprised if they popped from my head and started talking.

Do you have a book that you you just cringe? If so, which one is it, and why?

GM: Nope, not that I can think of.

What are your writing goals for the future?

GM: To finish writing Genesis Queen, book three in the Road to Hell series. After it’s subbed to my publisher, to edit a completed book in a new series I’ve written—the Kiss series—and submitting it. Then I have a couple more writing projects that I’ve begun, but haven’t finished. And I have a plethora of ideas spinning in my head.

Now a few fun questions:

How would you describe yourself using only five words? 

GM: Coffee addict, daydreaming, writing fiend!

If you could write a warning label for yourself as a person or an author, what would it say? 

GM: Warning: Is backed by Hellhound Army!

Do you have any guilty pleasures? 

GM: Reese Cups and rainbow chip ice cream—not together.

Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you. 

GM: I’m shy with extreme hermit tendencies.

If you could go any place in the world and to any time period, what place or time period would you choose to visit?

GM:  Hm…that’s tough. I’d love to see what the world looked like before man overran it, but I’d also love to see how advanced we are in another 500 years.

What is your favorite super power and why do you want it?

GM: I think if I had a super power, I’d want to be able to read minds or control them with my thoughts.

GM: Thanks for having me with you! It was a pleasure.

Where you can stalk me—not really!—but I would love to meet and interact with you:

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/gracen.miller

Road to Hell series FB Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Road-to-Hell-series/112564408814796?ref=ts

Website: www.gracen-miller.com

Blog: http://madisonroadtohell.blogspot.com/

My Publisher: www.decadentpublishing.com

Contest:

Leave a comment, with a valid email, for a chance to win your choice of one of my back titles from Decadent Publishing. I’ll draw a winner tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Pandora’s Box Blurb (book 1):

Where does the road to Hell begin?

What happens when your son turns homicidal overnight and your husband disappears on his way to work? Do you cower in fear or fight for your life? Madison Wescott fights against the odds. Distrustful of a God she doesn’t believe in, she finds herself face-to-face with a world she didn’t know existed and discovers her own soul is darkened with demonic connections.

With good intentions? Or by demonic design?

Phoenix Birmingham bursts into Madison’s life in a whirlwind of sarcasm and sexual appeal. A hero for the masses—and for her jaded heart—but few will ever know the sacrifices he has made or the sacrifices to come. Discovering her entire life has been influenced by multifaceted paranormal beings, Madison is determined to defeat the apocalyptic blueprint fate has decreed, but only one man dares to challenge the supernatural forces manipulating them. Even with Phoenix’s aid, can destiny be denied? Or will demonic design prevail while they pay the crucial price with their souls?

In a small, sleepy Alabama town the battle for mankind’s liberty has begun...

PANDORA’S BOX is available now at the following sites in ebook and print formats:

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=326&osCsid=197c7ca45f989e3b22059c5b92c9475d

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HRSZRG/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_g351_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0V85TMYT088EG6C8W16V&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pandoras-box-gracen-miller/1105010763?ean=2940011467097&itm=3&usri=gracen%2bmiller

ARe (ebook only):  http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-pandora039sbox-594252-140.html

Smashwords (ebook only): http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82329

Hell’s Phoenix Blurb (book 2):

Hell’s become more than just a playground for the wicked…

Going to Hell was supposed to save Madison, but knowing she’s dead because of his failure leaves Nix with only one thing to live for. Revenge. With Micah’s help he learns to use his Messianic power. Anything for Mads has become his mantra, even if it means killing innocents to gather the power he needs to succeed. A tsunami he unleashes on a Gulf Coast city is stopped with magical interference, and Nix is more than surprised to feel Madison in the opposing magic. Can he and Micah set a trap to lure her out?

Pandora’s Box…once you open it, there’s no turning back!

Madison has done the unthinkable, opened Pandora’s Box to save Nix from Hell. And failed. She’s willing to risk her own life to rescue Nix, but she worries about the welfare of her accomplice in the mission and leaving her son behind. Following up on a lead, she’s ambushed by Nix and Micah. Shocked and hurt to discover Nix has become a willing participant of Hell, she’s more certain than ever she won’t escape the demonic fate her husband outlined for her. While in Hell, she discovers denying the emergence of her succubus is futile, which means getting Nix out of Hell after embracing her inner demon just became a very real dilemma…

HELL’S PHOENIX available now at the following sites:

Decadent Publishing: 

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&pfrom=0&pto=999999&dfrom=&dto=&manufacturers_id=82

Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/Hells-Phoenix-Road-Hell-ebook/dp/B0079RD82Y/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1329417854&sr=8-8

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/133450

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hells-phoenix-gracen-miller/1108905173?ean=2940033057610&itm=6&usri=gracen+miller