Today, I’m interviewing Heartsong Presents author Amber Miller. Her novel is entitled Promises, Promises and it’s available now from Heartsong Presents! Here is a summary of the novel from the Heartsong Presents website:

Promises, Promises
Author: Amber Miller
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
ISBN: 9781597899390
Binding: Mass Market
Pages: 176 pages

Raelene Strattford knows God has promised never to leave or forsake her. But after the catastrophic deaths of her parents, she doesn t believe it. What kind of God would take a girl’s family and leave her alone in a wild land where women have no voice? Gustaf Hanssen has admired Raelene from afar for a while, but his poor attempt at courting her in the past has made him unwelcome in her life. When Gustaf 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?

Interview:
Plug time. What new book or project do you have coming out?
Promises, Promises is my first book. It released on February 15th from Barbour Publishing and is the first of three to release this year, all set during the Colonial times of America, from the Great Awakening to the Revolutionary War, with the focus on the area of what is now known as the state of Delaware. The second, Quills & Promises, releases in July, and the third, Deceptive Promises, releases in November. In 2009, all three will be repackaged into one anthology entitled Delaware Brides.

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific ‘what if’ moment?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, something made me stop the car on the other side of the road. I rolled down the window and looked at the historic marker at the edge of the driveway with a notation that said, “circa 1740.” I thought to myself, “If only those walls could speak.” What a story they would tell!

That started me on a research journey where I learned everything I could about the home, only to learn that not a lot was known or recorded about the actual family who lived there for nearly 200 years before the house and original land was sold at a state auction. So, being the writer that I am, I took a literary license and … made it up!

The ‘what if’ moment came when I tried to develop the story line for the first book. Without a lot of background, I had to rely on the elements I had learned would make a good story. Some excellent advice given to me included the method of taking your character to a point that seems hopeless…and making it worse. 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?”

And thus, Promises, Promises was born!

What is the message you hope to get across in this story?
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.

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?
My journey began many years ago. I wrote my first short story in 5th grade with several accolades from both my teacher and my fellow students. It was even entered into a ‘Young Writers of America’ contest and placed but didn’t get selected for publication. Ever since I learned to read at age 3-1/2, I’ve been telling stories, and I could often easily keep a captive audience. Writing seemed to be a natural progression from the verbal.

I wrote often, but it wasn’t until I was a Senior in high school that I got the ‘bug’ to write. My English teacher saw potential, and as an author herself, she encouraged me to pursue the talent further. However, I became more focused on finishing my education and getting my degree, so my writing took up residence on the back burner.

It wasn’t until 1997 when I wrote my first fan fiction and received a lot of encouragement and feedback that I realized I might be able to make something of this ability. It took me another 5 years and encouragement from Tracie Peterson (one of my favorite authors) before I took the step professionally to begin a career by joining a national organization called ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), then known as ACRW (American Christian Romance Writers).

I did everything I could to improve my skills and develop my craft. I bought writing books, studied a wide variety of fiction, conversed with other writers and authors, attended conferences, purchased audio recordings of workshops and presentations, and soaked up as much information as I could handle. Almost 5 years later, I sold my first book and took a rather scary step into the world of authorship.

When I received the notification that my first book was actually going to be bought, I can’t begin to describe the elation and the excitement. The first thought that went through my mind is, “I have to tell someone!” Since the hour was late, and everyone had gone to bed, I logged online. The only one signed on was the man who is now my husband. Some people would call that ironic. I call it God. One of the biggest moments of my life, and the first person I tell is the man I would marry just 8 months later. Amazing!

Do you ever struggle with writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Quite often, actually. However, it usually doesn’t last long. I might draw a blank for five minutes or so, but I can get going again not long after that. If I’m completely stuck and cannot find a way to move the scene in front of me along, then I jump to another scene and leave a marker in my manuscript to come back to that scene once I’ve filled in spots further along in the story. Oftentimes, the act of writing something that will happen in the near future to my characters gives me the incentive and inspiration I need to jumpstart the scene that had me stuck before.

I am by no means a stickler to writing a book in order. Movie and TV producers don’t film them in order. Why should I write a book from start to finish?

Do you have any parting words of advice?

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!

I’ve enjoyed having you on my blog, today Amber! It’s been a pleasure!

And, readers, if you leave a comment on today’s blog post, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a copy of Amber’s novel!

~Cecelia Dowdy~