The Scoop from Julie Miller

For those of you who have never visited my website, or who don't stop by often, I thought it would be fun to share my monthly newsletter with you here.  I used to send out a newsletter to readers who'd signed up for

Happy New Year from Maggie and me!

one, but it got to be a hassle and time suck, keeping up with correct email addresses, not being labeled as spam, and so on.  So I came up with the solution of posting a new newsletter every month on the Home Page of my website.  The newsletter is called "The Scoop".  Here's what's going on with me as I start 2014.  I invite everyone to stop by my website on the first of each month to read the latest Julie Miller newsletter, enter my monthly Book GiveAways, see the latest blurbs or cover art, and so on.  I'm at www.juliemiller.org

 

The Scoop

News from

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

Julie Miller

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year! Man, did the past year fly by. Looks like 2014 will be equally busy for me.

On the writing front, I have 3 books and 2 novellas to write this year, once I finish my current work-in-progress. I have releases scheduled for spring, summer and the holidays, but will hold off on sharing the titles until I get them nailed down with my editor. Out of the 5 books, only KCPD PROTECTOR, which will be Intrigue’s lead title in August, 2014, has a firm title. (Oh, the funny details of a writer’s life ;)

Conference-wise, I’ll be presenting a workshop at the Romance Authors of the Heartland Retreat in Omaha, Nebraska, this month. Then, in July, I’ll be attending the Romance Writers of America conference in San Antonio, Texas. My writing buddies, B.J. Daniels and Delores Fossen, and I proposed a couple of workshops for that, too. But we won’t know whether or not we’re presenting until later this month. Unfortunately, I’ve had to bow out of attending the RT Book Lovers Convention in New Orleans this May because I’ve been tapped for jury duty for the next several months, and it’s hard to make travel plans when I don’t know if I’ll be able to leave town or not. But I will still be one of the sponsors of RT’s COWBOYS, COPS & KISSES party for readers.

Some cool news to share—my December 2013 release, YULETIDE PROTECTOR, received a starred review from LIBRARY JOURNAL. I’m

honored to say they loved the book, and called it “A solid choice for fans who like their thrillers with a holiday twist.” Thank you, LJ!!

While I’m busy finishing up writing Teresa Rodriguez and Charlie Nash’s story, I hope you’ll enjoy some great reading! I’m going to post excerpts from some favorite stories of mine over the next few months. So enjoy the free reads and remember to enter my monthly Book GiveAway. For fans of romantic suspense, I also recommend Delores Fossen’s “The Marshals of Maverick County” miniseries from Harlequin Intrigue or B.J. Daniels’s upcoming Beartooth, Montana single title, ATONEMENT. Historical romance fans should try my good friend Laura Landon’s new “Bedford Street Brigade” novella series. And, if you like contemporary romance, you’ll enjoy my critique partner Sherry James’s latest Studs-4-Hire book, ELF TROUBLE.

Maggie and I wish everyone a safe, successful, healthy and happy 2014.
 

Happy Reading!

Julie 

What are some of your plans for 2014? Any New Year's resolution or word to live by (I'm thinking "productivity" for mine)? Any fun trips planned or big projects you want to accomplish this year?

I'll give away a copy of one of my backlist titles (print or ebook, winner's choice) to a lucky poster.  I'll be back tomorrow to pick the winner.

Happy New Year!
Julie

To-Do List

Is this time of year as busy for you as it is for me? Combine work and family with the holidays and end of the year activities, and December always seems to be a pretty hectic time for me.

Here are SOME of the things on my to-do list this month:

1.  Celebrate the release of my 50th book!  YULETIDE PROTECTOR is not only the thrilling conclusion to my Precinct: Task Force miniseries, but it's my 50th book overall.  I'm spending some time promoting and celebrating its release.  And, I'm thrilled to share that the book is going to be reviewed in LIBRARY JOURNAL this month.  So if you're a library supporter, please check it out.  And if you'd like to read an excerpt from the book, go to http://www.juliemiller.org/contests_&_fun.htm

RT BookReviews Top Pick!

2.  Many people do crafts or train for triathlons or do other things for hobbies. One of my favorite hobbies is working in our local community theater.  I've acted, directed, done makeup and costumes, worked on the backstage crew, played in the pit and more. This month, the Miller family is having a lot of fun with the play YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN.  Hubby is directing, son is playing Linus, and I'm Frieda, with the naturally curly hair (hmm... wonder how I got that part ;) The play goes up next week, so we've been busy rehearsing. Great music, good friends, lots of fun.

3.  Another thing hubby and I like to do is sing.  Our local community choir, City Singers, is having two holiday concerts this upcoming weekend.  Plus, we've shared the holiday spirit by caroling downtown after

Thanksgiving, and at a local grocery store, nursing homes and our local historical center, the Stuhr Museum.

4.  Decorate the house.  Hubby has got the outside done.  I'm in charge inside, which means...

5.  Clean the house.  Especially since my mother is joining us from Missouri for Christmas.  I don't know if my home will ever be perfectly spic 'n span, but I do like things neat and tidy before we add trees and ornaments and gifts.

6.  Write. Yes.  Amidst all this chaos, I'm still working.  It's the writer's life.  And I'm loving it.  Currently, I'm working on a holiday story (it doesn't often happen that one gets to write a story during the season when it actually takes place, so it's easy to get into the snowy, cold mood of the story--although, I certainly don't have chase scenes and murdered cops and a kidnapping on my holiday to-do list!)

7.  Plan my workshop for a conference where I'll be speaking in January.  (Omaha, Nebraska--Jan. 10-12) Oddly enough, it's called "Writing Amidst the Chaos"  Hmm...

8.  I invite all my readers and friends to join me for a couple of Intrigue events this month.  First, on Monday, Dec. 9, the Intrigue authors and I are holding an Intrigue event on our Facebook page.  There'll be authors to chat with, prizes to win and more.  You can find us at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harlequin-Intrigue

9. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, it's Intrigue Day at www.community.harlequin.com  There'll be a dedicated Intrigue discussion with several authors coming and going throughout the day and evening, plus lots of prizes to give away (including a complete 6-book set of my Precinct: Task Force miniseries!).  It's Open House week all week at Harlequin.com, featuring special events in all the lines.  If you haven't checked out the Harlequin community yet, please do.  It's easy and free to login and join, and you can mingle with authors, aspiring writers, publishing professionals and readers there.

Harlequin Enterprises 2013

10. Wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Good Kwanzaa, pleasant December and a Happy New Year!  And getting back to work on my to-do list...

So what's on your to-do list this time of year?  Share what's keeping you busy and we can root each other on with good thoughts of energy, patience and super time-management skills.  Tomorrow, I'll give away a
copy of YULETIDE PROTECTOR to one lucky poster.

Happy Holidays!
Julie Miller

Before and After

Keeping it simple today.  It has been a super busy summer and I'm cracking down on an October deadline.

But I thought I'd share some before and after pictures with you of some of the projects I've worked on this year.

What my desk looked like while writing TASK FORCE BRIDE

My TASK FORCE BRIDE books are here!

Took out 2 birch trees that didn't survive last year's drought (although they survived an ice storm, a blizzard and a tornado)

Planted a new oak tree

The old door and windows were original to the house

Aren't the new door and oak trim gorgeous?

New, solid siding is up! (still needs to be painted)

Hail and water damaged siding

I invite you to share about something you've transformed in the past year, too--your workspace, your waistline, your garden, your hairstyle--whatever, big or small.

http://amzn.to/14LAkaA

I'll give away a copy of my current release, TASK FORCE BRIDE, to one lucky commenter. Print or ebook, winner's choice. And if you have it already (thank you!), you can pick a title from my backlist.

(I'll have Maggie pick the winner tomorrow and I'll post it here. Thanks for stopping by!)

Happy Transformations!
Julie

TASK FORCE BRIDE by Julie Miller

TASK FORCE BRIDE

by Julie Miller

Miniseries: The Precinct: Task Force

ISBN: 9780373697113 (#1444)

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR JULIE MILLER'S THE PRECINCT: TASK FORCE SERIES HEATS UP WHEN A PLAIN JANE AND AN EXPERIENCED COP POSE AS AN ENGAGED COUPLE.

Something about Hope Lockhart fascinated Officer Pike Taylor. The cop and his canine companion had been patrolling the neighborhood around Hope's bridal shop for months, trying to capture the criminal who targeted her. Was it the way she hid her voluptuous beauty beneath a plain Jane exterior?

Hope bore the scars of a troubling past. And despite a profession steeped in romance, she'd never known the love of a man. But when Pike is assigned to protect her by posing as her live-in fiancé, his tenderness may give Hope the courage to open her heart for the very first time.

Read an Excerpt

Available at eHarlequin and other book retailers.