With more than thirty novels spanning legal thrillers, romantic comedies, and beyond, USA Today bestselling author Melissa F. Miller has built a career on delivering stories that both entertain and uplift.
To celebrate the release of Cut Off from Sky and Earth, her most raw and fearless novel yet, she’s tackling 20 rapid-fire questions about her quirks, favorites, and writing life. From surprise plot twists to comfort food cravings, her answers are as warm and witty as her books.
Ready to dive in? Take it away, Melissa!
1.Your best virtue as an author.
I write my books—no matter the genre—to both entertain and affirm my readers. Of course, I want them to get caught up in a twisty thriller or swept away by a swoony rom-com, but above all I want them to resonate with my characters. My goal is for readers to leave my books feeling hopeful, capable, and connected. That’s why my author tagline is “stories to light your way.”
2. Your most quirky author habit.
I’m a pantser, not a plotter, but my sneaky subconscious is a secret plotter! Without fail, around the midpoint of every draft, I’ll think, “now what?” That’s when some small, throwaway detail from an early chapter clears its throat—“remember me?”—and suddenly ties multiple plot strands together to my delight and surprise.
3. Your favorite quality in a protagonist.
Resilience.
4. Your favorite quality in an antagonist.
Also resilience, oddly enough. My antagonists are the mirror images of my protagonists. They’re flawed but deeply committed to their journeys.
5. If you could ask any other author, past or present, a question who would it be and what would you ask?
Geoffrey Chaucer (cut me some slack, I was a medieval literature major in undergrad!). I’d ask him if Alisoun, the Wife of Bath in The Canterbury Tales, was based on an outspoken, independent woman in his own life (like his wife or daughter) or if she was strictly a product of his imagination. And, a follow-up question: how did this feisty female character resonate with contemporary audiences?
6. When you aren’t writing, you are____
Thinking about writing! (Also reading, doing yoga, parenting, or gardening, but always with the next story simmering in the back of my mind.)
7. Your easiest book to write.
Irreparable Harm, my first book. There were no expectations, and, since I wrote most of it while on hospitalized bedrest during my third pregnancy, I had loads of time and very few distractions.
8. Your hardest book to write.
I don’t know about hardest, but my new release, Cut Off from Sky and Earth, is the scariest book I’ve written. It’s probably the darkest, rawest, most authentic book I’ve written, and writing it required both my characters and me to face our deepest fears.
9. Your ideal writing place.
I will write anywhere and everywhere. But my absolutely favorite place to write is with a view of the water—an ocean, lake, river. Any body of water will do.
10. Your favorite childhood book.
I was a dyed-in-the-wool bookworm. I read anything I could get my hands on. If I had to choose one book, it would be The Westing Game.
11. The book you’ve reread the most.
Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh. I try to reread it annually to ground myself and remind myself to move through the world with compassion.
12. Your favorite hero from literature.
Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
13. Your favorite villain from literature.
Grace Marks from Alias Grace. Atwood’s historical novel presents the real-life convicted murderer not as a straightforward villain, but as a layered, complex character. I loved getting inside Grace’s head.
14. The name of your autobiography.
Do Hard Things, Be Kind.
15. Your favorite comfort food.
I used to swear by homemade baked macaroni and cheese (oh those cheesy carbs). But since going vegan, my hug-in-a-bowl is homemade carrot-ginger soup. It’s warming, bright, and filling.
16. First thing you do when you finish writing a novel.
Eat a handful of potato chips, drink a glass of bubbly, and then have a soak. (Unless I’ve pulled an all-nighter, in which case, I eat a square of dark chocolate and go directly to bed!)
17. A secret talent you have.
I have a great memory, and can recall what day of the week any date occurred on in the past. It’s not a useful talent, but it’s a talent!
18. Where have you always wanted to travel?
Iceland.
19. One tip for aspiring authors.
Read widely, both within and outside your genre. Read, read, read. (But I don’t recommend reading the genre you’re writing while you’re writing.)
20. Puppies or kittens?
Both—so long as they’re rescues! For twenty-three years of marriage, my husband and I have had at least one cat and one dog at all times. We’ve yet to have a pair that snuggles up and become BFFs, but hope springs eternal!
About Melissa F. Miller:
Melissa F. Miller is a multi-time USA Today bestselling author of mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance novels. Formerly a complex commercial litigator, Melissa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in medieval literature and creative writing poetry and earned her JD, cum laude, from the Duquesne University School of Law.
After fifteen years, Melissa traded the practice of law for the art of storytelling, drawing on her legal background and love of research to craft fast-paced, twisty books for readers who believe light drives out darkness, love is brave, and kind is strong. She writes strong, resilient characters who tackle serious (and sometimes dark) issues and themes with heart.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc. When she’s not writing, you can find her tending her garden, doing yoga, or drinking coffee. Melissa currently lives outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her family and their rescue cat and rescue dog. The cat’s in charge.
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