Interview with Deanne C Miller

by

Perry Comer

I had the pleasure of interviewing Deanne Miller today, whose newest novel, Shadow Of The Banyons , is debuting here at Wings-Press.com on March first.

1. Please tell a little about yourself.

Married, mother of 3, grandmother of 6. Presently live inSarasota, Florida. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia. Have lived in Ocala, Florida and spent 16 years in the Colorado Rockies (at altitude).

2. Tell us about your book and how you came up with the title and plot line.

I actually came up with the setting first. There is a mansion (empty and rundown at the time--since restored) built by Crosley of appliance fame in the 1920s. The owner graciously gave me permission to tour the mansion and research filled in some background. Wanting to put my heroine in real danger, I located the mansion on a fictitious barrier island in the book, thereby limiting her escape options when she’s trapped on the island with the murderer. The tropical Banyan tree (a member of the fig or ficus family) are so unique, I named the estate The Banyans.

3. What types of books do you enjoy reading? Who are a few of your favorite authors?

I enjoy a good book regardless of genre. All but horror. I don’t read horror because being scared to death is not my idea of fun, and I read for pleasure. I like good mysteries. I’ve read every one of Agatha Christi’s books 2 or 3 times. I’ve read every book about sailing adventures I could get my hands on. I adore Lord of the Rings, have read it more than 30 times along with other good fantasy, particularly Stephen Donaldson’s ur-Lord Thomas Covenant series. I’ve read and re-read all of Mary Stewart’s books, Phyllis Whitney’s books, Mignon Eberhart’s books, and Mary Roberts Rhinehart’s books. Daphne Dumarier and Dick Francis are among my choices of reads. My personal library contains approximately 2500 volumes.

4. What writing routine do you follow?

When my husband leaves for work every morning, I head to the computer. I work there until noon. Break for lunch, then return to the computer for a couple of hours. I strive for 5 pages a day, but don’t always make it. It has become such a routine that I feel guilty if I don’t write.

5. How do you handle the stress that goes with writing?

Actually, I don’t find writing stressful, but rather more of a puzzle, and problem solving. However, now that the book is about to come out, I find that trying to layout ads, have business cards and flyers printed, get galleys off to reviewers, get my web-page up and running, line up book-signings plus editing friends and critiquing friends work in addition to writing is proving stressful. I handle it by constantly telling myself it is only temporary, that I’ll be back to my normal routine in a matter of weeks. Hopefully.

6. What kind of research do you do?

I feel that is important to be accurate. I’ve read passages that were not, i.e., a DC3 jet, a .22 caliber shotgun, and know that it destroys credibility. I also believe that my job as a writer is to draw the reader into the book. I want the reader to experience the climate, the atmosphere, to be able to see, smell, and feel the setting, the characters. Therefore, I visit a locale if possible; if not I do all the research I can with Videos and books.

7. Do you ask advice from your spouse? Or friends? Do they read your manuscripts?

I only ask my husband technical questions, or if a man would say or do this or that. My writer friends and I help each other and read each others work.

8. Are you a writer who writes by a rigid outline or do you write by the seat of your pants?

As all my books have some mystery in them, it is important to know where the story is going so that I can lay clues for the reader along the way. Before beginning a book, I make a rough outline. Basically, I know the cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, how the book is going to finish and have developed the characters as much as I can. When I sit down to the computer, my outline looks like: 1. Fielding is found dead, his head bashed in with a baseball bat. 2. Rock’s apartment has been ransacked. However, in Shadow of the Banyans, I intended to have Michael ask Christine to marry him at the end, after the mystery was solved. But he didn’t like that and asked her much earlier; in fact he marched her off to the courthouse and married her on the spot. If a character speaks out, I listen.

9. If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?

Painting (I’ve won national awards and have had paintings hang in museums) or at the potters wheel. My reward for writing 5 pages is throwing a pot or two.

10. Any words of encouragement to our fellow unpublished authors?

Learn your craft and persevere. I know one author who wrote for 18 years before he had a book published. He now has 150 in print. People like to read. Books (in one form or another) are going to be around.

11. Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

Not really. However, when my writer friends ask if they can use a phrase of mine in their work I know I’m on the right track, that my writing is worthwhile.