Check out this spotlight for author C. K. Miller!

You can find all her links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out her books!

1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!

C.K. Miller is a YA Fantasy author who can never get enough hot cocoa.

Much of her inspiration comes from her childhood years of playing in castle ruins, dense woods, and sloping vineyards of Bavaria, Germany.

After seven years of living in a bilingual household, and attending the local German schools, her family moved back to the U.S.A. It was a confusing time for a girl of fourteen just starting American High School. She’d left everything she knew behind: her friends, her home, and even her language. English did not come easy to her, nor did making friends. Everyone called her sweet, but quiet.

After making a friend who shared her love for stories, they began writing together, passing notebooks back and forth during lunch and after school. Eleven notebooks, and two years later, C.K. was struck with the desire to do more with her growing knowledge of the English language. She began writing her own stories in earnest, with a dream to become a published author.

In 2018, her debut novel, The Phoenix Host was released, and she hasn’t looked back.

2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!

Winter, spring, summer or autumn? – Bring on the pumpkin spice! I love the changing colors, the break from the heat but still relishing the sun, and cozy sweaters.

Cat or dog? – I’m both – though I lost my dog to a car accident years ago and haven’t been able to open up to another since. Right now I have a half-blind cat named Toph (after the earthbender from Avatar: the last Airbender show). We have a strained relationship. Haha.

Tea or coffee? – Can I choose hot cocoa instead? It’s my addiction. Add a dash of cinnamon and ginger in there and yum!

Morning or evening? – I would love to be an early bird. I get so much done, but I am 100% a night owl! I do my best work after dark.

Ninjas or pirates? – How about ninja pirates! I have a soft spot for both.  

3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?

I am drawn to fairytale retellings like the Lunar Chronicle series, but I am also a sucker for anything YA fantasy. Right now, I’m deep into Skyward by Brandon Sanderson.

4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!

Where do I begin? I am currently working on finishing the final book of my Roanfire series, a YA fantasy story. This final book has been one of the hardest to write–trying to tie up all the loose ends without making it feel forced. I am currently on the fifth rewrite! But it is flowing well, so I am confident this will be the final version. I am also gearing up for drawing the cover, though I haven’t quite decided which character should make the cut.

5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!

Yay! My latest release was The Glacial Rogue, book three of the Roanfire Saga. It came out on my birthday and was one of the most emotional, heart wrenching books I’ve written. Yes, I did cry when I killed off a very important figure.

It continues the story of my main character, Kea, and her quest to destroy the Phoenix Stone.

Here is the Amazon link.

6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!

Too many to list!

I lived in Europe for a good portion of my youth. Castles, cobblestone streets, ruins, crumbling walls! You name it. I saw it. In fact, there was a time when I lived the medieval life in a house with no indoor plumbing or heating for two years. Let me tell you, using an outhouse in the dead of winter wasn’t fun. My dad would always get up early and build a fire so we wouldn’t freeze when we got out of bed.

I also draw on Tolkien, both movies and books, Pirates of the Caribbean, Brandon Sanderson, Marissa Mayer . . .

Oh! And the composer who always accompanies my writing sessions is Ivan Torent. My new favorite song of his has been Lionheart. 

7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!

Hmm. I typically make a cup of hot cocoa, open my laptop, sigh, say a prayer, flex my fingers, then scroll back a page. After rereading and editing a bit, I find myself back in the story and can move forward to the next goal. Once I finish a scene, I lean back, crack my spine, and take a break.

8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?

It’s not a barrier to have an ending in mind. In fact, it is a goal for your characters to work toward. It’s a signpost that can keep your writing on track. The best part is, if you find a better ending, you can detour.

9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!

Facebook – www.facebook.com/roanfiresaga

Instagram – www.instagram.com/ckmillerbooks

Tiktok – https://www.tiktok.com/@c.k.miller

Website – www.ckmillerbooks.com

goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18242565.C_K_Miller?ref=nav_profile_l