Interview
Welcome! It’s so nice to have you visit. J When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?
I write whenever I get the chance. I used to write at night, but reality set in and I had to grow up so I could no longer stay up late and write. So now I just write whenever I get the chance.
How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula? I start with an outline – sorta. An outline would be easier as oppose to the chaotic mess I create. First I come up with an idea, then character names, and then I build those characters.
What songs are most played on your Ipod?
Right now I’m really into The Civil Wars but I listen to anything from Eminem to Mumford and Son.
What is your favorite meal?
Pepperoni Pizza. If I was told I couldn’t eat it anymore because it would kill me my response would be – well it’s been a good life lol.
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
I’m sure I react like most authors do – WTF!?!
But after I reread the review I look at what they didn’t like and what their biggest complaints were. Then I sit down and over analyze it for like a day. Then I remind myself everyone has a different opinion. Some of the not so good reviews actually help me to improve my writing. Seeing what people don’t like helps out for future books.
Describe what it’s like to be an author in three words.
Best. Job. Ever.
You just won a huge lottery what is the first thing you'll buy?
A house – or two and then I would travel cross country.
Do you have a favorite quote, quip, or saying? What is it?
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams – Eleanor Roosevelt.
Book Info
What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets. Secrets that could get you killed... Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.
Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her.
When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust.
When she finally learns the truth of her families deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.
AMAZON | SMASHWORDS
Excerpt
Art history was a lot better than the last class and seemed to go bye in the blink of an eye. Hoping the next one would be as good, we got there early and set everything up. In this class we actually get to paint. I picked an easel in the back and Jack followed, taking the one on my right.
The professor looked to be about in her early fifties. Her red hair was slowly showing signs of aging with a few grays peeking out here and there, and she had some wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. She wore a long paisley skirt and a long sleeve shirt, complete with smock already covered in paint stains. She stood up to shut the door when it was time for the class to start. “Okay, today we're...” she was interrupted by someone opening the door.
I looked up to see who the late comer was. Of course, just my luck!
Tristan looked at her apologetically and the professor just shook her head and gestured for him to find a seat.
“Just take a seat,” she said smiling.
I hid behind my easel hoping he wouldn't see me. I even thought about throwing my stuff on the empty chair next to mine so he would think that seat was taken. Please don't see me; please don't sit next to me. Please don't sit next to me. I repeated over and over again, but of course my pleas were too late.
“Lucky me,” Tristan said, taking the open chair next to mine. “Don't you look ravishing?”
I ignored him and tried to pay attention to the teacher. “I don't know what to do with you?” he said shaking his head pretending to look distraught. “First you show up at my door begging to have your way with me, now you're taking the same class as me. I must say, this is very unhealthy behavior,” Tristan whispered quietly behind his easel.
“What?” I exclaimed a little louder than I intended to.
“I would appreciate not being disrupted during a lecture,” the professor raised her voice and scolded in my general direction making me sink behind my easel, embarrassed. Tristan put his finger to his mouth shushing me. I just glared at him as he pretended to be an astute student.
“Class, today I'm going to let you paint whatever you want. I want to see what you have to offer. You have the remainder of class to create whatever your heart desires.”
“You know what my heart desires?” Tristan asked me.
“It would require you to have one to hear it's desires,” I said, picking up my paint brush.
“Ouch, you're cold Ella. You know, if you ever need someone to warm up that ice in your veins, I'm your guy.”
As much as I wanted to glare at him, I couldn't help but smile and tried to hide it. He was relentless. I never met someone who was so arrogant and yet kind of intriguing at the same time. I don't know what it was about Tristan, but for some reason I started to find myself drawn to him. Maybe I was attracted to his looks, or maybe it was his eyes. When I looked into his them I could tell there was something hidden deep down, or...
“Ella, I have a hard time concentrating when you keep staring at me,” Tristan said.
“I wasn't staring,” I said, quickly looking away.
“I think you need to stop this little act.”
“What act?”
“Pretending you don't like me.”
“I'm not pretending. I don't like you.”
He turned to me and took my hand. “You don't have to fight it. You know you want to.”
“Want to what?” I asked, trying to make my voice sound more assertive, but it was hard with the way he was holding my hand.
“Kiss me,” he replied.
“Hardly,” I spat, ripping my hand from his and going back to my painting. I could feel his eyes on me, watching me, but I refused to acknowledge him.
I could see out of the corner of my eye he was sitting sideways, with his arms crossed, studying me. I tried really hard to ignore him, but failed. “What!”
“You just can't help yourself, can you?” he said, that cocky smile twitching at the corner of his lips. Thankfully by now the class was nearly over and people were packing up.
“You know what you are?” I said turning to him, finally, not able to control myself.
“Wonderful,” he said, spreading his arms wide.
“Annoying!” I cleaned up my stuff quickly and left the room before he had the chance to comment.
“Ella wait!” Jack called after me.
“UGH! That Tristan really gets under my skin,” I said clutching my books close to my chest.
“Just ignore him and he'll eventually go away. Once he sees he can't get to you, he'll get bored and move on.”
“That's actually a really good idea, thanks Jack,” I smiled giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I gotta hurry to my next class. See you around,” I said walking off.
Jack was right. I just have to ignore Tristan and he'll go away. The problem was he wasn't always that easy to ignore.
Author Bio
Jessica is a budding new author with a passion for writing in her veins. She stems from the suburbs of Pennsylvania where most of her time is spent writing, listening to new music, or reading a good book. When not busy writing, Jessica works part–time in a salon where she enjoys making people look beautiful. You can catch up with Jessica on her blog or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog: www.jesslmiller.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorJLMiller
Twitter: Jessica Miller @JLMreadingrocks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5989926.Jessica_Miller
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