A new home for my books!

If you're reading this, I do hope you're enjoying my posts. I think it's a great way to connect! But now with 3 titles published and a new series on the way, I felt it was time to give my books a home.

Ta da! www.authormjmiller.com has arrived.

You can stop in, see what's new, sign up for my newsletter and explore my books.

It's also where I'll be introducing you to my newest series, The Luckland Ladies Mysteries. I'll be sharing tidbits, including recipes from the Blue Sky Cafe, and hints as to where the figurative bodies might be buried.

So come stop by for a visit. The door's always open.

Who doesn't like a free book?

Tomorrow is February 29th. It's a special day. Only happens once every 1460 days or so. 

For this reason, you are in for a treat.

The Christoph Curse will be FREE all day long on Amazon.

Just CLICK HERE and enjoy a fabulous romantic suspense novel. 

Here's a preview of what you'll find:

And if you do enjoy it, I'd love to see your review up on Goodreads or Amazon!

Happy Reading.

On Captivating Covers

You'd think people would read books because they are well written, interesting, topical, historical, romantic... and so on. But no, it's all about the cover. Do I want to read it? I don't know, let me see the cover. OK. I get it. I redesigned the cover of my first book and boom! Suddenly it's uber popular.

So I've redesigned another cover. It's a cover-eat-cover world apparently.

So what do you think, oh loyal readers?

Let me know! Your opinion matters.

Judging a book by it cover

From the time we are small, we are told never judge a book by its cover. You don't know what you'll find inside. You might miss out on all kinds of opportunity. Be it a book, literally, or a person or situation or experience, metaphorically.

So here I am now, faced with a momentous decision. The cover for the first in my upcoming new series... drum roll... Luckland Ladies Mysteries. I so want to share my ideas with you, and am considering it, believe me. I have a whole bunch of ideas for the cover but none have quite hit the mark yet.

Do I choose a plot element? The shoebox urns? The scrapbook of secrets? The gold?

Do I highlight the characters? The rabble-rousing ladies? The heroine? The love interest? (He's pretty hot!)

Do I go abstract? Maybe a scenic shot from Luckland itself?

Such a dilemma! I'm certain eventually it will happen. Like on Say Yes to the Dress... MJ? Are you saying yes to the Cover? But first I have to go through the agonizing process of creating it. I do have some help in the form of highly opinionated expert readers, authors, and editors who are gladly offering their assistance. Thankfully! But it is for me almost more difficult than writing the book itself. I sit down and let my fingers fly on the keyboard. The cover? It's more of a staring contest between me and the screen. And it can go on for hours. Agonizing hours. Eventually, it'll come to me. And we'll be off and publishing.

So for now, you'll have to just close your eyes and imagine what Book 1 will bring. Inside, and outside.

Words Words Words

Just a quick peek at My latest on Medium. 

"There’s only one prerequisite for writing that’s universal. You must read as well. The best writers are often born of voracious readers. I don’t claim to be one of the best writers, yet, after all there’s always hope, but reading? It’s been my salvation. Anything is possible in a book. I don’t read for technique. I don’t read for style. I don’t read for self-improvement. I read to fill my soul with possibility. The rest is a byproduct."

Read More

New Year New Cover

Yes. Annie has evolved. My debut novel, All About Annie, needed a lift. Some cosmetic surgery if you will. While some readers loved the cover, it seems too many thought the book was, shall we say, for the young adult market. Certainly it can be, but it's not my target audience. And I made the classic mistake every author makes their first time out self-publishing. And I thought well, what's done is done.

Nope. I rethought that. I have several copies of certain novels I love, each looks entirely different. What's inside remains the same. Wonderful stories. It's only the cover that changes.
I know, never judge a book by it's cover. Well, that's all fine and dandy, except readers most certainly do judge by the cover. I know this because I do it. I admit it. How shallow of me. To be clear, I don't judge people this way. The metaphor for me only applies to things.

So I am of course much happier with the new design. It speaks to me. It reflects the book in a unique way. And if you pay close attention to detail, you'll notice a little surprise on the cover for readers to smile knowingly and nod their head.

Haven't read it yet? Now's a good time to get your copy, and cozy up to a really fun read.

When I'm not working or writing or sleeping...

I've been quite busy lately. Never enough hours in the day. There's work... there's novels and stories to write... and then I've got websites I'm building and groups I'm organizing and politics I'm debating and well, there's always more.

I decided to try my hand at Medium. A website for those who simply love words. Reading. Writing. Educating. Sharing. Finding an audience to share all those crazy whirlwinds traveling through my mind.
So I started with a bit of a mind share. About daydreaming.
Click here to read my very first post on Medium.
And if you enjoy it, share it. If you enjoy the site, join. It's ad-free. Now stay tuned as there is so much more to come.

Happy reading, happy writing and Happy New Year.