Interview: Kara Leigh Miller

What have you had published?

So far I've published three erotic romance novellas. Never Date a Cop, Love by Number, and Love on the Rocks. I have several more books under contract. Love at the Edge is scheduled to be released in January 2013. Valentine Voyeur will be released February 2013 and my first full-length novel, Death of a Waterfall, will be released June 2013. I also have a young adult romance, The Georgia Corbins due out sometime late next summer as well.

What genre(s) of book do you write?

Mostly erotic romance, but I'm branching out into young adult and other sub-genres of erotica such as erotic horror, satirical erotica, and paranormal erotic romance. I don't like to be tied down to one genre so I'm always looking to test different styles and genres, but there is always a touch of the erotic to all of them.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My mom and my great Aunt Betty. My mom has never been published nor does she want to—she simply writes because she loves it. My Aunt Betty on the other hand has been published in her local writer's guild anthologies and magazines. They both have been a huge inspiration to me and have always encouraged me. My first book was dedicated to them. 

How long did it take you to write “Love on the Rocks”?

That took me about a month to write. Primarily because it was the second in my Aurora Island Resort Series and I had the characters and the story mapped out before I even finished the first book in the series.

What is the working title of your next book(s)?

I'm working on an erotic horror piece entitled The First Snowfall and a paranormal erotic romance that's loosely titled Bound by Blood: The Restani Clan, but I really hate that title and I'm actively looking for a new one.

When and why did you begin writing?

I started seriously writing in early 2010 out of boredom. Lol. I've always wanted to write a novel and I'd always had so many ideas, but I never made the time to do it. When I became a stay-at-home mom and my kids were in school I realized I had to do something to occupy my days. It seemed like the perfect time to finally write that story.

Do you self publish your books or go through an agency?

Self-publishing terrifies me. I'm not confident enough in my grammatical and editing skills to self-publish, nor am I savvy enough to handle all the formatting and designing of book covers I'd have to do. So, I have a handful of small, epublishing houses I use: Books to Go Now, Cobblestone Press, Entranced Publishing, and Rogue Phoenix Press. They have all been wonderful to work with and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a publisher.

   

What part of writing books do you find the hardest?

Finishing them. It's not that I run out of steam or have trouble knowing how to end them it just always seems like near the end I get struck with another great idea that I have to write and it side tracks me from finishing what I'd already started.

What do you do in your spare time?

With a husband, five kids, and a full-time writing career I don't have much spare time. But what little bit I do get I like to read, hang out with friends, watch movies, or play mindless games on Facebook.

Who is your favourite author?

It's too hard to pick just one so I'll give you my top five: Ryan Winfield, Lora Leigh, Julie Ann Walker, Stephen King, and James Patterson.

What’s your favourite genre to read?

Romance! The sub-genre doesn't really matter as long as there are strong romantic elements in it. Although, I'm not too fond werewolves, shapeshifters, lycans, or other mythical/magical creatures. Vampires are good though. I enjoy a good horror or thriller sometimes, too.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write as much as you can as often as you can and write for yourself. Ultimately we all want to see our words in print, but if you don't love what you've written, it's unlikely anyone else with either. So simply tell the story you want to tell, how you want to tell it and that passion will shine through on the page. It's very easy to distinguish between a story written by an author who had a true passion for the characters and a story written by an author because he/she had to meet a deadline or were under pressure to release something new. Write because you love to write. Nothing else matters.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I'd like to thank Katie for having me on her blog today and for asking some very thought provoking questions. It's been fun =)

Oh, and for anyone who is interested in following me I can be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller, Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1, Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/KaraLeighMiller, and at my blog: http://karaleighmiller.blogspot.com.