Interview: Gracen Miller

Bonjour! And happy Tuesday! You’re wondering who was nice enough to answer this week questions, aren’t you? Well, I won’t let you wonder for too long… I have the pleasure to welcome a very sweet (yes, you are!) and talented woman, and I’m very proud to have her on my blog! Gracen Miller, it’s your turn!

 

The morning, you are tea or coffee?

Coffee. Or what I like to call nectar of the gods.

What kind of books do you write?

A year ago I’d have said paranormal romance and erotica, but I’m currently working on a contemporary New Adult book.

Why did you choose this genre?

The paranormal romances choose me. Erotica I write because my husband loves it. The new adult is being written because my best friends kept pestering me to write one. Seems like they know me better than I do myself because I love writing the new adult so much more than I anticipated I would!

When you write, are you keyboard or paper?

Keyboard. My muse talks too fast to write on paper and I miss half of what he said unless I’m on a keyboard.

Are you more motivated to write when the sun shines or when the weather is gray?

I have an affinity with water, so when it’s rainy I can write my fingers to the bone. Otherwise, sunny or overcast, I can write just as well in either one.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Everywhere and anywhere. It can be a simple comment from a friend or something mentioned on the radio. Dreams, photos, nature, my dogs…literally anything can spark inspiration. The weirdest inspiration for a hellish scene struck in a Sunday School lesson I attended. I put that scene in Hell’s Phoenix, which is book 2 of the Road to Hell series.

When you start a book, do you already have the whole story in your head, or is it built progressively?

It’s built progressively. I wish I already had the whole store in my head, that’d make writing the story so much easier and faster.

How do you feel before the release of a book? Fear, joy? And after?

A little bit of it all. It’s exciting, but terrifying. Afterward I suffer a release hangover. lol

Between your first and last novel, do you feel a change? Do you write differently?

I do write differently from my first to my newest release because I’ve been taught that some of the ways I wrote were wrong. I hope with each book my writing improves, but since each book is unique and the characters are different, the writing style hopefully reflects their personalities.

They say that writers project themselves into the skin and into the head of his hero / heroine, is that the case for you?

Oh, yes, definitely! I live their lives with them. That’s how I get to know them and they become like family. When the book is over, I’m sad because I’m saying goodbye to them and I’ll miss hanging out with them.

You define yourself more like a bookworm, a city mouse or a country mouse?

Bookworm with a splash of country mouse, but I live in the city. Yeah, trapped in the big city until my kids finish school.

Molière said: “Writing is like prostitution. First we write for the love of it, then for a few friends, and in the end for money.” What do you think about it?

Well…to me writing comes from our soul. I have a tattoo that says “written from the soul” because that’s my philosophy; everything I write comes from my soul. Kinda scary when I think about the stuff I write. The pressure to make money is there, and it doesn’t necessarily come from within, but external forces such as family and friends. They always want to know if you’re making money. Money to write legitimizes you as a writer in their eyes. But if a writer doesn’t love to write the story will never manifest itself. Those friends we write for builds into readers/fans, and the excitement of giving them what they want is like a drug. At least it is to me. So in some ways I think Molière is right, but in other ways I don’t. I feel like promotions and marketing is more like prostitution than any aspect of writing.

Your books have already been translated?

Not to my knowledge.

Do you pay attention to literary criticism?

Nope. Everyone has an opinion and I can’t please all regardless of my efforts. I’m satisfied to please my readers. That’s the icing on the cake. Literary criticism can be compared to sprinkles on top, or an extra slice of decadence, great to have but not necessary to receive the full enjoyment.

The days are 25 hours. You spend that extra hour in the garden or in the kitchen?

I’d rather be sleeping or having sex in that extra hour, but since I despise digging in the dirt and I enjoy cooking, I’ll say the kitchen.

What is the book you would bring with you on a deserted island?

Ooo…that’s a hard one. I’ve no idea. I’d bring my iPad so I’d have a bunch of books, but then I wouldn’t have a way to charge it. This question sucks, Jade!!! :P

In the evening, do you turn off the light directly or do you take the time to read?

Just turn off the light. If I read, it’s because I’ve captured the time during normal hours, otherwise I’m writing or micromanaging family and don’t have time to read.



Where you can stalk—not really!—me: Facebook, my Website and my Blog. 



BIO:

Gracen is a daydreamer masquerading as a “normal” person in southern society. 

When not writing, she’s a full-time basketball/football/guitar mom for her two sons and a devoted wife to her real-life hero-husband.

She’s addicted to writing, paranormal romance novels, movies, Alabama football and coffee…addictions are not necessarily in order of priority. She is convinced coffee is nectar from the gods and blending coffee and writing together generates the perfect creative merger. Many of her creative worlds are spawned from coffee highs.

 

 

“Pandora's Box”

Book 1 in ROAD TO HELL series

(MUST BE READ BEFORE READING HELL’S PHOENIX)

 

Praise for Pandora’s Box

“Gracen Miller has definitely added spice and intrigue in to a genre that can somewhat be monotonous with the same story lines about demons, angels, succubi, and other paranormal creatures.”

~ Kathryn Grimes, Tsk Tsk What to Read

Pandora’s Box Blurb:

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 Excerpt:

 

“May I?” He held up the medical supplies.

She nodded and watched as he doused gauze with antiseptic. “Dr. Nix at your service,” he said with a grin, two adorable dimples charming her where words failed.

Madison rolled her eyes, and tipped her head to the side to give him better access. He brushed her hair off her neck, back behind her shoulder. Such a simple gesture, yet it felt terribly personal. The air grew thick and sticky with her awareness of him. She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs.

Madison stared into his eyes. Green, she thought, his eyes were green, gorgeous and intense, with ridiculously long eyelashes women would fantasize about. If they didn’t, they should. A flicker of compassion, concern, and something else she couldn’t identify flashed in his eyes.

“Ready?” he asked.

The husky tenor of his voice forced her gaze to shift to his mouth. Nice, sexy lips, designed for kissing. She gave a mental shake but couldn’t resist wondering how his mouth would feel on hers.

“Madison?” Humor deepened his voice, a touch of a smile tilted the edges of the lips she’d been fantasizing about, and she realized she still stared at them. “You ready?” he asked again, and her eyes widened in embarrassment over her foolish stupor.

She swallowed hard. “Yeah.” She whispered past the lump in her throat and forced her vision to lock on the wall over his shoulder. Good God, what was wrong with her? Her pulse throbbed like crazy, and she felt woozy. Loss of blood! Must be why she reacted that way. No other explanation made sense.

Even though the antiseptic stung like hell, the gentle touch coming from such a gruff man surprised her. “It’s not bad,” he said, dabbing the blood away. “Just a nick.”

Well, she could nix the blood loss theory. Exhaustion and stress were the only other excuses she could come up with. “I’ve suffered worse.” Her voice sounded off, kind of hoarse. She tried to clear her throat delicately, but he must have noticed her unease, because his perceptive eyes met hers. Again, she thought she caught the edge of concern reflected in their green depths.

“This isn’t the first time he’s attacked you?”

“No. It’s the first time he’s tried to seriously kill me, though.” She sighed as she closed her eyes, ready to give up fighting, the sudden tears threatening to fall. Okay, woozy and acting strange because of strain…not because of him. Seriously, as far as first impressions went, she wasn’t impressed.