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Posts Tagged ‘writing’

One Of Those Weeks

Posted in Fantasy romance, Mellie Miller, paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Reflections, Romance, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Ever have one of those weeks that just didn’t seem to go right? Where everything was kind of on the disappointing or depressing side? Yeah? That has been my week so far. And since a new week starts tomorrow, I guess it was all week.

I would say the most aggravating thing was an email I received from someone wanting to help me with promoting my work. Now I know I’m not the greatest at marketing and promotions. And in the past, I have hired people to help me with that–people who were recommended to me. They did help a bit, though not as much as I had hoped for.

A word of advice. If you want me to consider hiring you to help me with something, don’t write a completely disrespectful email to me, pointing out things I already know (because they’re in my bio), and getting things from my bio incorrect. (like the fact that I’ve never in my life run 3 miles 3-5 times a week) And don’t sneer at the fact that I’m doing the best I can with what I know to do.

Did I enter a book cover contest? I sure did, because I thought it would be fun and get my book a little visibility. Did I adjust my key words as suggested by a couple people I communicated with to bring it more in line for what readers may be searching for? You bet I did.

But am I going to quit using two pen names for my writing? No. Because those two names write different books. Mellie Miller writes the books in my series. Sultonna Nadine writes the stand alone books that take different paths. And each name has her own blog and page on Amazon and Goodreads.

I also cross reference them so people will know we are the same person writing two different types of books.

If you want to help–and you want me to consider using your expertise–don’t make fun of me. “I finally wrote a theocratic dystopia with telepathy. Then I discovered that my telepathy could not help me communicate my author name to Amazon.” 

This does not in any way help me are encourage me to use your services. Neither does, “You run 3 to 5 miles three times a week. Run your author brand the same distance.” 😅 And yes, this person actually put the emoji in the email.

Which book are they talking about? My latest release as Sultonna Nadine–LADY CALLOWAY–A Question of Heresy. If you’re a fan of fantasy romance, romantic intrigue with a dystopian vibe, some religious conflict, moral conflict, and duty vs. love, check it out.

Anyway, done with my rant. If you’re looking for either of my pen names online, check out:

Mellie Miller at Amazon or at Goodreads

Or Sultonna Nadine at Amazon or at Goodreads

Want to check out Sultonna’s blog? It’s right here on WordPress.

Sorry if I sound a bit irritated this week. I’m trying to turn things around.

And I still don’t run 3 miles 3-5 miles a week, nor do I intend to start.

And as always, friends,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Are You a Fan of Romantic Suspense?

Posted in Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy romance, fiction, Fiction books, Mainstream sensual, Mellie Miller, paranormal fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Romance, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Liora had always trusted their priest to teach the truth.

But now her husband accuses her of heresy.

Her village is under religious purge.

And her husband has to choose between the church he serves and the woman he loves.

In seclusion at the seaside, Kerrick and Liora discuss the church doctrines and what will happen if the wardens or confessors hear of her heresy. After much deliberation, she accepts that he must be right, even though it still kind of feels wrong to her.

But during a walk along the beach one evening, a bigger problem presents itself. They begin to communicate by telepathy. While Liora finds it fascinating, it scares Kerrick to death. As an employee of the church, from a family of confessors, he knows this ability and others like it are forbidden to the average person. They can be allowed only to those the church deems fit to use them for the church.

As he puzzles over what to do, he is contacted via telepathy from an unexpected source and urged to take his wife to Wales as quickly as possible. The wardens have her village surrounded pending a purge for heresy. Since they know she was from this village, they are looking for the two of them, to see if she believes the heresy her priest taught. And if they find the two of them with these added mental abilities, it won’t just be Liora going to the confessors.

A tale of harsh religious rule, persecution by the church, forbidden talents, and a newlywed couple caught in the middle.

Come to London and Wales and meet Kerrick and Liora, Lord and Lady Calloway. Follow their journey, not only across England and Wales, but through the religious upheavals they face as they flee the church they once served.

LADY CALLOWAY—A Question of Heresy is available at Amazon. Links to other retailers are found at Books2Read.

Fantasy, alternate realities, romantic suspense, religious conflict, and a bit of folklore. Don’t miss it!

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Meet The Author

Posted in Book Sale, Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy romance, Fiction books, Mellie Miller, paranormal fantasy, paranormal romance, Romance, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Who is the woman behind the books?

Come on over to AllAuthor and find out. Read the new interview I had with the people over at All Author recently and see where I come from, how my process works, and how my past experiences work into my writing.

Where can you find it?

At All Author’s Author Mellie Miller Interview! Find out all the details about my past, my present, my writing and interests.

And watch for holiday sales on my books later this week.

(Old Flame is already on sale at Amazon!)

Have a wonderful holiday.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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What Would Happen If…

Posted in Fantasy romance, Holiday, paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »

…you had telekinetic abilities during a snowball fight?

Well, I wondered the same thing while writing Too Many Talents. Here we have Connell, heir to Belfort, hosting a winter party. Of course there will be a snowball fight at some point. You can’t have a bunch of ten to twelve year old boys playing in the snow without it. The only strange thing is that they didn’t come up with it on their own…

How about an excerpt as we get ready for the winter holidays?

The forts weren’t too close together, so even when hit in the face, Connell wasn’t injured. He hastily retreated behind the fort and wiped the snow and water out of his eyes. Grabbing up another snowball from the ammunition pile he pulled back and threw his snowball in a high arc toward the other fort.

And as it arced toward the fort, Master Olivier strolled through the grounds right into the trajectory of the snowball.

“Master! Stop!” Connell shouted at the top of his voice.

Master Olivier stopped short, looked up, and waved his hand. And as he did, the snowball dodged sideways in midair and missed him by three feet. With a nod, the man continued on his way for a few feet. And then with a wide grin on his face, he approached the fort.

“I see everyone here is a student of mine, in one class or the other, and there are several of you on either team who can do telekinesis. Why don’t we see how a Talented game works?”

“Master Olivier, what do you mean?” Connell asked.

“Can I have all those with telekinetic Talent from both sides come to me,” he instructed.

Soon he was surrounded by a circle of young boys.

“Right. Now let’s divide you into equal teams.”

This took just a couple moments and they all retreated to their forts.

“Now, you who are telekineticists must direct the snowballs with your Talent. The rest can fashion ammunition for you. Who says practicing your Talent can’t be fun?”

And how about an odd game of tag? Jareth wants to help Viviane control her Talent, and sometimes a little bit of a break can make the difference. Especially if the break includes a game incorporating Talent in some way.

The first couple of days at the cabin were pretty lazy. Viviane decided she had needed a break. Jareth promised to work with her a little bit while they were up here, but only a little. He was afraid she was pushing too hard and creating her own obstacles.

One morning over breakfast, he looked up with a particularly mischievous look on his face.

“What, Jareth?” she asked. “I know that look and it means you’re up to something.”

“How about a game of tag?” he asked.

“What? Up here?”

“Why not? Only let’s change the rules to accommodate your new Talents.”

“Okay, what are the rules?”

“You know you have telepathic abilities, and you also have porting Talents. On top of that, you have kinetic Talents. So, this time, you’re going to be the hunter and you’ll have to catch me. But I can port to keep away from you, or use kinesis to move you away.”

“How is that fair?” she demanded.

“You have the same abilities and using them is fair in this game. If you use your telepathy, you will know where I’ll jump. I won’t shield my thoughts from you. Figure out where I’ll jump and get there before I can either jump again or move you. Or you can bring me to you with kinesis. Duncan says you have plenty of power.”

“Did he also tell you I tend to fling things pretty violently? What if you get hurt?”

“I’ll take my chances. Ready?”

“You’re on. Let’s get changed.”  

To an onlooker their game would have seemed bizarre. At first, Viviane stood in one place, irritated and frustrated. But as the morning went on, she began blinking out at one place to reappear at another, just as Jareth had been doing. Occasionally Jareth would appear right behind her and startle her before jumping away again.

“Viviane, the object is to use your telepathy to get here when I do. You’re doing much better at your porting though.”

“I can’t seem to switch back and forth between Talents. I can either figure out where you’re going, or follow you there after I see you.”

“So move me back to you,” he countered, and ported again to a place about twenty-five meters away.

The first time she brought him back to her, his body hit hers quite hard, and they both tumbled backwards several feet before fetching up against a tree trunk.

“I told you I flung things about!” she shouted before he could get in a word.

“Yes, you did, but you did well, nonetheless. You realize you’ve won this round, don’t you?”

“I have?” she asked, then, “I have! Wow!” as she did a little dance in the snow.

Whatever snowy games you get into, have fun. Whether it’s tag, snow forts and snowball fights, or a simple walk in the snowy woods, get out into nature and enjoy.

The holiday season is here with all its stress. So take a break. Take a walk. Throw a snowball. You deserve it. And don’t forget to check out Too Many Talents.

That’s it for now. Have a happy holiday.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Meet The Characters–Kort Behrens–Gambler’s Folly

Posted in Book Sale, Fantasy romance, Fiction books, Mainstream sensual, Mellie Miller, paranormal fantasy, paranormal romance, Romance, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Who wants to meet the characters in OLD FLAME?

Today I’ll introduce you to Kort Behrens. How about a little history?

Born into a well-to-do and supportive family, Kort grew up confident in his own abilities. Being a bear shifter may have had a bit to do with this, too. At 6’8″ tall when he reached adulthood, he seldom had to worry about being bullied, though he did discourage it in others whenever he saw the need. His father owned an electronics company, often experimenting with new and innovative ideas. Living in Dallas, Texas, his work often leaned toward aerospace.

Kort went to university to study business management and electronics, so that when he graduated he could work in his father’s business. While he was there, he met Liz, who became a good friend. Nothing romantic ever developed between them, but during their time at university, they remained friends. Of course, they sometimes met for coffee and complaints, or ran into each other at an event, but nothing serious. There was no spark between them. So after graduation they parted ways. He went on to graduate school and she returned back East to teach.

During his time at university, Kort’s father developed a new drive for the shuttles, which slashed the time it took to travel between worlds, opening up the developed planets to business and vacation travelers. Before this drive, business travel was slow, but doable. Vacation travel was for the wealthy only. But with the new drive, nearly anyone could find a vacation destination they could afford. Behrens Industries became the biggest name in electronics in the country.

After graduate school, he married a young woman, who seemed to share his interests. But shortly before the wedding he began to have doubts, though he went ahead with the marriage. At first it was little things. And then the list grew. When she decided they could no longer have a sexual relationship due to the teachings of a local guru in an obscure sect, he’d had enough and filed for divorce. Around the same time, his father chose to retire and left managing Behrens Industries to Kort. While he had worked with his father for some time, the day to day running of the business took much more time than he’d figured it would. It took several months before he felt he had a firm grasp of his role in the company, but he’d earned the respect of those who worked for Behrens and of the shareholders. The company was growing and he was worth billions.

He’d had plenty of women showing interest, but one stood out. Once he had his business life sorted, they began to date and eventually married. Once again, things began to sour only a few months into the marriage. Frequent absences from home made him suspicious, and a private investigator confirmed that she was having an affair. As it turned out, she was interested only in his money and social stature, not him as a person. So divorce two was soon a thing of the past.

Several more times he was nearly pulled into relationships, only to discover the same pattern. Money and social standing drew gold diggers like flies to honey. Eventually, he gave up on relationships altogether. There seemed no point. No one saw him as a person, only a bank account and a place in the spotlight. Throwing himself into his work, he kept Behrens Industries at the top of the of the list when it came to electronics. Romance was never going to happen for him, unless he should somehow meet his fated mate.

By age fifty-five, solitude was an old friend. Once in a while, he would invite a lady out for dinner, but it was always a one off kind of occasion. He found he looked forward to some time alone after dealing with cut-throat business dealings during the day. With his home up in the mountains, on a thousand acres of land, there was plenty of space to roam around in either form and work out the frustration from a tough day at the office. His estate manager knew to keep the media and any unauthorized visitors away. This was his sanctuary, his safe place. The place he could let his bear out without fear of it getting into the media. His life was a media circus most of the time anyway.

As will happen, Kort discovered someone was counterfeiting parts for the shuttles. The latest had been shipped to Gambler’s Folly. What the heck, he needed a vacation anyway. Why not mix a little pleasure into the deal? He had a couple properties on the planet. And his friend, Damiano Leone, always kept a suite for him when he got into town. Always a character, a good dose of Dam and Kari’s hospitality would be a welcome relief. Who could have imagined he would meet his soulmate at the hotel before taking the shuttle off world? And even more surprising, it was his old friend from university, Liz. Neither of them expected romance to spark between them. After all, they’d spent years as just friends at university. Maybe he could take her out a few times on Gambler’s Folly. This was her first trip to the vacation destination of the galaxy. It would be like old times, a little fun with an old friend, no strings.

Go on over to Amazon and get your copy of Old Flame, to follow this romance between old friends. During the month of October, it’s on sale for only $0.99 for Kindle. Or you can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited!

Come to Gambler’s Folly and join Kort, Liz, Dam, and Kari, along with a few other friends. Who knows? You might find a romance of your own.,,

Gambler’s Folly—the world where every love story is a gamble and Fate always deals the final hand.

I hope you enjoyed this little intro. Next time we’ll talk about Elizabeth!

Thank you for coming by to visit.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Do You Review?

Posted in Fantasy romance, paranormal fantasy, Romance, Uncategorized, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I assume, since you’re here on my blog, that you are a reader.

As a reader, do you also review?

Now, why am I asking this question? And why is it important?

I look at my sales every month and see the figures. And then I look for reviews, but very rarely ever find any. So I’m left to draw my own conclusions. Is it because the people who bought the books just don’t do reviews? Or is it that they didn’t like the book and don’t want to leave a bad review?

So far, the few reviews I’ve received are positive ones–mostly five star. Are they the only people who liked the book?

Why does it matter?

If you’re books are on Amazon, you get very little from Amazon unless you have at least 50 reviews. It doesn’t matter what kind of reviews they are, as long as they show up. Once you’ve reached their magic number, they will promote your book in their recommended for you lists. Otherwise, you’re on your own.

So you’ve spend all this time and money to publish a book and now you have to do all your own marketing and promotions, unless you want to spend more money to have someone help. And that adds up pretty quickly. But if Amazon were to help give you a boost, it would definitely help.

Reviewing a book you’ve read is one of the best ways to help an author you love, especially an indie author. You can also share the book with your friends or mention it on social media. But reviews are fantastic.

So the next time you read a book, stop long enough to give a review, or at least a rating. It only takes a minute, doesn’t have to be too long, and really helps the author.

Have you read my book?

Did you leave a review? I hope so…

Anyway, that’s all for now. Have a great week.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

P,S. If you listen to Spotify, check out my podcast version of my blog–Share the Romance!

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The Debate Continues

Posted in fiction, Fiction books, Paranormal fantasy, reading, Reflections, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2025| Leave a Comment »

And I’m not even sure why.

What debate, you ask?

Print vs. ebook vs. audio books.

I know. Right? Does it make a difference? The purists say only print books are real books. Anything else is a poor copy, at best. And audio books don’t even enter into the discussion there. Others are fine with print or ebooks, but waffle when it comes to audio books.

Now, I know this is going to make one group or the other upset with me, but here’s the deal. I prefer actual physical print books. I love the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink, and the act of turning the pages to discover what waits on the other side.

That being said, I can’t afford to buy all the books I read, if I buy them in print. And when I travel, the weight of books alone would put me over the limit. So ebooks are easier and more economical for me, especially when reading a new author. Do I want to invest $15-$20 on a book I may decide wasn’t worth the $0.99 for the ebook?

Another thing to consider. Before my cataract surgery, I couldn’t read most print. On my e-reader, I could adjust the print size and the brightness, which allowed me to read while I waited for surgery. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to read at all.

What about audio books?

I love to listen to an audio book while I drive. With road noise, I find music difficult hear properly and get annoyed with the whole thing. But an audio book I usually enjoy–traffic noise or not.

And what about people who are blind or are vision impaired? Should we accuse them of “not reading,” because they don;’t pick up the physical book or e-reader? Must they be shunned because they choose to listen to an audio book? What other choice do they have? I suppose they could buy the print book and have a family member or sitter read it to them. But what is the difference between this and an audio book?

In my opinion, and only my opinion, I see no difference between the three. As an author hoping for royalties, whichever version of my book they buy still means a sale. Someone has chosen to read my book. And this makes me happy.

Folks, let’s not be judgmental. We don’t know the reasons a person is choosing a particular format of their reading material. They are still reading and that’s what’s important. It really doesn’t matter.

Just read!

Or listen.

But if you want to check out my books, or the books by my alter ego, Sultonna Nadine, go on over to Amazon or Smashwords and give them a once over. I also have 2 books available at Audible and one over at Apple Books, as Sultonna Nadine.

So, that’s my rant for the day. Don’t be petty. Be grateful for the opportunity to read, however you choose to do it.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Mother Nature’s At It Again…

Posted in Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy romance, Mainstream sensual, Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com

Just as I was getting used to the cooler autumn temperatures, Mother Nature decided to revisit summer, with high’s in the 90’s. I am so over this heat…

In the meantime, I’m working on getting Old Flame out for the holidays. With any luck, this will be the last rewrite.

Wish me luck…

Anyway, if you’re looking for my books on Amazon, go to my Author’s Profile Page! You’ll find all the books I’ve written there. Looking for a particular series?

Gambler’s Folly

Esperance

Maybe you’re looking for one of my stand alone books, from Sultonna Nadine.

She has her own Author’s Profile on Amazon.

Don’t worry! I’ll have another book out for the Esperance series soon, too. And after that, I’ll work on getting Sultonna’s next book finished. (It’s in editing…)

In the meantime, have a lovely last week in September.

And as always,

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Editing Blues

Posted in editing, Fantasy romance, Paranormal fantasy, writing, tagged , , , , , , on January 31, 2023| 3 Comments »

All right, I know there are some of you writers out there who don’t mind editing. And some who actually enjoy the process.

I am not one of those people. Hate it with a passion. I find it particularly tedious, even though I love the results once I finish with it and send it on to my editor. And I’m sure she appreciates my efforts.

I’ve heard the saying that your first draft is you telling yourself the story. The edits are you refining this story for your audience, and I suppose it’s true. I just hate the process. It gives me a headache.

I’m hoping to have Whiskey Jug Genie out later this year and I’m struggling through it. I may have to start adding a splash of whiskey to my coffee at this rate.

It’s like I can see the story unfold in my head, but capturing those thoughts on paper as I paint those pictures for others is another matter.

And it seems in each story I write, I pick one word to continually repeat–sometimes several times on one page. What is wrong with me?

At any rate, this is only an update on my trials and tribulations. Wish me luck as I fight my way through.

Writers, drop me a comment and tell me about your woes as a writer.

And tell me which version of the cover you like best. It is still a work in progress. Remember, this is a redneck genie…

And as always,

For all my other books, go on over to Amazon!

Mellie Miller

Sultonna Nadine

Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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Reviews–Why Are They So Difficult?

Posted in Fantasy romance, paranormal fantasy romance, Paranormal romance, reading, writing, tagged , , , , on February 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I mean, why is it so difficult to get people to review your book?

As an author, you get notified that you’ve sold a book, or several books. And you wait. And wait some more. But the reviews never come. Even if the one or two reviews you’ve manage to obtain are top rated reviews.

Why review?

It isn’t to give the author a good feeling about their book, even though that’s great.

When it comes to selling on Amazon and getting their help to promote your book, they go by the number of reviews you’ve received. It doesn’t matter whether they are one star reviews or five star. They only look at how many reviews you have.

Until you have at least 25 reviews for your book, you really don’t get recommended at all. After 25 reviews, your book starts showing up in the recommendations. You’ll see it in the “customers who liked this also liked…” area when you buy a book in a similar genre.

After 50 reviews, an author really starts gettine promoted on Amazon.

But until then, you’re pretty much sunk.

So, why is it difficult to get people to review a book? It isn’t hard to do. Takes maybe two minutes. But that two minutes meas a lot to an author, especially an indie author struggling to get a book into the public eye.

So, please, if you read a book, stop by Amazon and review it. It means so very much to those of us putting all that blood, sweat, and tears into writing them.

If you’re looking for something to read, check out my Mellie’s Romance page.

Or go to my Amazon Author Profile!

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!

And Don’t Forget…

…to Share the Romance…

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