C.J. Miller

FROM STEAMY JUNGLES TO OPULENT PALACES, IT'S NONSTOP ACTION, DANGER AND PASSION FOR TWO SEXY AGENTS To find a "dead" agent, intelligence analyst Kate Squire needs the man's brother—retired Sphere operative Connor West. His skills as a trained assassin are essential for her mission…but her immediate, raw attraction for the man himself is not. For a loner like Connor, trekking into the jungle with a secretive killer blonde at his side is not textbook. Caught between armed insurgents and hungry predators, he fears Kate may be his deadliest threat…until their very agency turns on them. Stranded, outmanned and outgunned, Connor has nowhere else to turn. Trusting the gorgeous spy may be the only way to get them out alive…. Available May 2014 from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

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In my current work in progress, I have a character who my beta reader says is unlikeable and flat. In other words, uninteresting. I take what my beta reader tells me to heart and I've been thinking about interesting characters. What makes a character intriguing and worth a reader's time? What makes a reader stick by her for 200+ pages and want her to have a happily ever after? Here's what I've come up with so far. Intriguing characters should: 1. Have complexity. She needs flaws and insecurities and the reader should know about them. She has to face those flaws and insecurities. 2. Be relateable. If a reader can't see herself in any quality the character has, it's hard to connect. The same way we bond with people who have similar interests, same goes for a character. 3. Not be a Mary Sue. We all have a friend on social media whose posts would indicate she has a perfect life. We all know that person is lying. Knowing doesn't stop it from being ann...

I have a facebook account. I have a twitter account. I even have a pinterest account, although my password is locked and I haven't bothered to unlock it. Goodreads scares me a little because I love the book giveaway function and I would love to talk about books with other book lovers, but I've been warned by other authors to stay out of reader discussions (even about books outside my writing genre) or risk lash-back and drama. I am not sure what that's about entirely, but I am too old for drama and I don't have time for internet fights with strangers. It's not that I'm a technology-phobe. I'm not. Case in point: I have a masters degree in computer science. My reason for not using social media more is that I don't have time for it. At least, not the time required to use it in a way that I find meaningful and productive. Not to start off the firestorm of "what does busy really mean?" and "why can't you just log in throughout the da...

It's been a little while since I posted, but I haven't been resting on my laurels. I have new books in the works, edits on other books and some news! But first, I wanted to post about my first author speaking engagement. When I was asked to speak at a local women's club about being an author, I wasn't sure what to talk about. Most readers don't want to hear about the nitty-gritty of publishing, but I wanted my talk to be informational and interesting. Here's the basic outline I used: 1. Thank the hostess! A speaking engagement is a great opportunity to reach out and talk to readers and gain a few new readers. 2. Brief description of who I am. The mini-bio 3. How I got started writing and the road to publication 4. My favorite authors 5. The hardest part of writing for me 6. Writing groups and critique partners 7. Why I write for Harlequin 8. Where I get my ideas 9. What I write - what genre, how graphic, etc. 10. How I do research 11. How I write ...

I get this question a lot. It's an easy getting-to-know you question. I am never sure how to answer. I'm a stay-at-home mom by day and a freelance IT consultant and romance novelist by night. Each of these jobs comes with a series of preconceptions, but since this blog is about books, I'll stick to the last on the list: romance novelist. I get follow up questions to this. Q. Have I heard of you? A. Depends. Do you read romantic suspense? If you're a casual reader and you stick to the big names - Grisham, Roberts, Patterson, King - then no, I am not one of those authors. But if you haven't heard of me, I'd love for you to give my book a read. Q. Can you give me a free book? A. I keep some copies of my novels around the house for myself and my family, but I earn my living from royalties, meaning I get a percentage of each book sold. Just like you wouldn't ask your mechanic to fix your car for free, or ask a musician to play at your wedding for free,...

When Albany Detective Brianna “Bree” Morris learns that Cuban crime lord Milan Varela wants her estranged father dead, she heads off to Miami to find out why. With Homicide Detective Jayce Matthews and her ex-lover Detective Steven Kemp she devises a plot to get close to the Varela organization. Brianna finds herself attracted to the older Milan and falls deep into his web of seduction while fighting to keep her mind on her mission. Milan is equally drawn to Brianna and vows to win her trust and her heart. Is Milan really the villain when it comes to Brianna’s father? Or is he the victim? Is Brianna’s father really in danger or is there more to the story than anyone could ever imagine? Brianna risks her life to save her father’s but will she end up losing her own? Background on the Bree and Steven Interracial Romantic Suspense series: Albany Detectives Brianna “Bree” Morris and Steven Kemp originate from my ’08 novel Melody. I fell in love with them instantly and I knew th...