Ask the Author: Laura Miller
Answered Questions (7)
Laura Miller
Haha! That's such a good question, Anna! Thanks for asking! And yes, it is like choosing my favorite child, but I'll do my best! So, here it goes:
Butterfly Weeds and My Butterfly
Will~He's my first. He's a firefighter, who has a beautiful voice. Of course, I love that about him! And he knows what he wants, and he possesses this unwavering love. But he's not perfect, and I love that about him, too.
Julia~She's independent and so strong-willed, but she also knows when to follow her heart. And I like her courage.
Jeff~Will's best friend. I think we all know or knew a "Jeff" at some time. I like him because he's awkward and because he's a great friend.
For All You Have Left
Andrew~He's young and adventurous and fun, and he wears his heart on his sleeve.
Jorgen~He's made a life out of saving people. He's strong and attractive, but he's also just a humble, small-town guy!
Logan~She loved with everything she had, and she had the strength to do it again.
By Way of Accident
River~He's just your ordinary, small-town boy, but he's willing to take great risks for the ones he loves.
Brooke~She's quirky and different, but real, and I like that about her.
River's grandpa~He's just an old-time farmer, who has a lot to say but rarely says it. He reminds me of my grandpa.
When Cicadas Cry
Remington~He's stubborn, but he loves his family, and he ultimately knows where his heart is
Ashley~She's loving and kind, and she, too, follows her heart unconditionally. And I like the chemistry between her and Rem!
Jack~He's the kind of best friend you want to have. He tells it like it is!
A Bird on a Windowsill
Salem~He loves with all he has. He's a starry-eyed dreamer in his youth, who turns into an attractive, down-to-earth man.
Savannah~She doesn't always know what to do, but deep down, she knows where her heart lies. One-part dreamer. One-part realist. I like that combination!
Uncle Lester: He's a small-town newspaper guy, so I already like him! But he's let the love of his life get away, and I like his story. It's heartbreaking but real.
Salem's grandpa: He's a wise, old guy, and I like him for that!
So, who's my favorite?! I'm not sure. Maybe you're a better judge!
Butterfly Weeds and My Butterfly
Will~He's my first. He's a firefighter, who has a beautiful voice. Of course, I love that about him! And he knows what he wants, and he possesses this unwavering love. But he's not perfect, and I love that about him, too.
Julia~She's independent and so strong-willed, but she also knows when to follow her heart. And I like her courage.
Jeff~Will's best friend. I think we all know or knew a "Jeff" at some time. I like him because he's awkward and because he's a great friend.
For All You Have Left
Andrew~He's young and adventurous and fun, and he wears his heart on his sleeve.
Jorgen~He's made a life out of saving people. He's strong and attractive, but he's also just a humble, small-town guy!
Logan~She loved with everything she had, and she had the strength to do it again.
By Way of Accident
River~He's just your ordinary, small-town boy, but he's willing to take great risks for the ones he loves.
Brooke~She's quirky and different, but real, and I like that about her.
River's grandpa~He's just an old-time farmer, who has a lot to say but rarely says it. He reminds me of my grandpa.
When Cicadas Cry
Remington~He's stubborn, but he loves his family, and he ultimately knows where his heart is
Ashley~She's loving and kind, and she, too, follows her heart unconditionally. And I like the chemistry between her and Rem!
Jack~He's the kind of best friend you want to have. He tells it like it is!
A Bird on a Windowsill
Salem~He loves with all he has. He's a starry-eyed dreamer in his youth, who turns into an attractive, down-to-earth man.
Savannah~She doesn't always know what to do, but deep down, she knows where her heart lies. One-part dreamer. One-part realist. I like that combination!
Uncle Lester: He's a small-town newspaper guy, so I already like him! But he's let the love of his life get away, and I like his story. It's heartbreaking but real.
Salem's grandpa: He's a wise, old guy, and I like him for that!
So, who's my favorite?! I'm not sure. Maybe you're a better judge!
Laura Miller
Hi, Nicole. To answer your question: Depending on the book, I usually take a couple months to write a rough draft. After that, I will usually edit it for another few months! Thanks for your question.
Laura Miller
Writing gives me an opportunity to tell a story that would otherwise never be told. And it gives me so much joy to breathe life into the characters in my stories. I think that's the best part really. As I'm writing, my characters take on personalities of their own and almost beg me to bring them to life. I get so excited about my characters. I love Will and Julia from Butterfly Weeds and Andrew, Jorgen and Logan from For All You Have Left. And I can't forget River and Brooke from By Way of Accident! But I also love their supporting characters as well, like Will's best friend, Jeff, or River's grandpa. And sometimes, those supporting characters are the most fun to create! So, in the end, I guess, it's these characters and their stories that make me the most happy when I write! And I'm just so thankful and humbled that readers have welcomed these same characters who I love so much into their hearts as well.
Laura Miller
Until I was ten, I lived in a tiny town along the Missouri River. The population of the town was about 200, but I lived outside that town in the river bottoms. And I'm pretty sure I got my imagination at this stage in my life. There wasn't much to do, so I literally had to make up things to do! In 1993, my family and I lost our home in a flood and called it quits farming the river bottoms. We moved to the next small town over (my dad's old stomping grounds) and planted ourselves on top of a pretty big hill. So, if it flooded there, we figured we'd build an ark! I probably got my endurance from that part of my life. And both the imagination and the endurance have helped immensely in my writing career--especially the endurance. As with everything, you've got to keep at it if you want it!
Additionally, I write stories about what I know. I grew up on a farm in small-town Missouri, so my characters and stories reflect this life and hopefully pay homage to the country life and all that goes with it, including the rain on tin roofs, old trucks with holes in the floorboards and summer nights full of stars, fireflies and tractor pulls!
Additionally, I write stories about what I know. I grew up on a farm in small-town Missouri, so my characters and stories reflect this life and hopefully pay homage to the country life and all that goes with it, including the rain on tin roofs, old trucks with holes in the floorboards and summer nights full of stars, fireflies and tractor pulls!
Laura Miller
By Way of Accident, due out this fall! Ask me about it!
Laura Miller
The best advice I've ever received is two words: Start writing!
Laura Miller
By Way of Accident (due out this fall) started with the idea to write a story about a lost love letter. And that idea pretty quickly molded into River Asher's story. River is a small-town boy, who grew up baling hay and feeding cows and spending time with his grandpa. But his life is forever altered the summer he meets and then loses Brooke Sommerfield. And my hope is that River's story transports you to his small-town Missouri life and also reminds you what it’s like to fall in love for the first time.
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