http://www.dawnraemiller.com Get the latest news from DawnRaeMiller http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136275 More... February 22, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136275 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136271 Iand#39;ve spent the past week curled in the fetal position, feverish, and convinced I was dying. Thank you, Influenza! Anyway, Iand#39;m feeling slightly better today (Iand#39;m up, showered, and only slightly fatigued), but my youngest son, Cake, has More... February 21, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136271 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136204 More... February 13, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136204 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136193 More... February 10, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136193 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136189 I wrote a ton yesterday! Just not what I had planned. Instead of my short story, I had the pleasure of writing a statement for my husbandand#39;s attorneys (For those that donand#39;t know, he was hit by a truck in 2010 and weand#39;re still dealing with t More... February 9, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136189 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136178 A few years ago, I used my tumblr account to chronicle my daily outfit and routine as I navigated the world or running an online retail site. Over time, that blog has morphed into a collection of random things I find interesting and funny, but I still get More... February 8, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136178 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136164 Being an indie writer has its ups (creative control) and downs (being in charge). Like many other writers, I have to finance my books myself. So I got a little creative and have started a Kickstarter project. Kickstarter is a site that matches patr More... February 6, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136164 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136074 Gung hai fat choi! Happy New Year! In my San Francisco neighborhood this is one of the most important and exciting times of the year. Restaurants overflow as extended families gather for meals, houses are scrubbed top-to-bottom, oranges and quince are e More... January 28, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136074 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136030 The drafting is DONE. This is exciting for two reasons: One, I hate drafting; and two, I can now get to work ripping it apart and making into a proper book. A few stats: 1. The first draft of book 2 has 67,000 words. The final version Larkstorm has 91, More... January 24, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=136030 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135955 Guys - finally! Larkstorm is available in paperback. Itand#39;s so pretty! There are little birds on the pages and alfdkghighiodgh...I admit, I hugged my copy. *Is lame.* More... January 10, 2012 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135955 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135522 Would you like a private peek at a cut Larkstorm scene? A Larkstorm poster? AND the LS2 ebook ARC when itandrsquo;s available in 2012? How? Help Larkstorm reach 30 Amazon OR 20 Barnes andamp; Noble reviews (easy to do if youandrsquo;ve read an More... December 25, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135522 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135409 More... December 21, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135409 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135255 More... December 15, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135255 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135206 Since the holidays are upon us and books make great gifts for children, I thought Iandrsquo;d share my middle grade reading sonsand#39; favorite books of 2011. All blurbs taken from Amazon. Do you have any great MG boy book recs? Leave them in the comments More... December 13, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135206 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135096 More... December 6, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135096 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135077 More... December 4, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135077 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135076 More... December 4, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135076 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135071 andldquo;Heya, Birdie, you wanna hurry up a bit? If you havenandrsquo;t noticed, itandrsquo;s cold.andrdquo; Beck waves his gloveless hands in front of me. andldquo;Daydreaming again?andrdquo; I shake my head. andldquo;Did you see that? The snow?andrdqu More... December 3, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135071 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135074 Iand#39;ve had a few questions about the trailer and thought Iand#39;d answer them here. 1. andquot;Why did you go with an animated trailer instead of live action?andquot; The short answer: Because I wanted to. I love anime and manga and wanted somethin More... December 3, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135074 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135057 More... December 2, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135057 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135046 More... December 1, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135046 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135022 More... November 30, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135022 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135008 More... November 29, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=135008 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134878 My husband is alive. andnbsp; I say this so often, I suppose itandrsquo;s become my mantra: My husband is alive. Heandrsquo;s alive and I should be thankful. andnbsp; Heandrsquo;s alive even though a truck struck him, dragged his body twenty feet, and More... November 20, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134878 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134757 More... October 30, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134757 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134740 The past few weeks, Iandrsquo;ve spent hours pouring over images, studying typography, andandnbsp; Young Adult book covers. Iandrsquo;ve sent emails back and forth with my agent, Kathleen, and book designer, Sarah, discussing hair placement, color, and More... October 27, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134740 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134675 People. Thatand#39;s right. People. Girls, Boys, Women, Men, Moms, Teens. As long as you push oxygen through your lungs, Iand#39;m looking for you. Why? Because I have a cover Iand#39;d like to reveal in the next two weeks. *YAWN* I know. I More... October 16, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134675 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134649 I turned in my (hopefully) second-to-last round of edits on Larkstorm yesterday. I suppose I should say, after nearly two years of working on that manuscript, to be so close to the finish is a relief. If only. Back in January, 2010 when I began work More... October 11, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134649 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134518 More... September 26, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134518 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134504 I did an interview with the lovely Amanda Hannah from YA Highway about my experiences ghostwriting. Check it out, and feel free to ask me questions. Iand#39;ll answer what I can. More... September 22, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134504 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134474 Nothing I do is ever normal: when I was sixteen, I convinced my parents to let me move to California; when I was twenty-one, I decided to marry a guy I knew for six weeks (weandrsquo;re still married!); and now, Iandrsquo;m becoming a published author i More... September 20, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134474 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134318 More... August 18, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134318 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134274 Itand#39;s summer, I have a writing deadline thatand#39;s creeping up and someone left small creatures, who require food, in my care. So logically, this means I must write a food post. When Iand#39;m strapped for time, I need things that are quick. But More... August 9, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134274 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134027 Me: andldquo;Why donandrsquo;t you go outside, get some tools and wood, and build a Poke-ball course thingy.andrdquo; andnbsp; Finn eyes me suspiciously. andldquo;Why?andrdquo; andnbsp; andldquo;Because it would be fun! Iandrsquo;ll let you use the dri More... June 24, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=134027 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133860 More... June 22, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133860 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133644 I took my first international flight with my oldest son when he was five months old. San Francisco to Amsterdam to Rome. Fourteen hours, one layover and a frazzled first-time mom who became airsick. andnbsp; Somehow we survived. andnbsp; Since then, Ia More... June 17, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133644 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133261 Right now, as your eyes pass over these words, you are reading. Symbols pass through your eyes and into your brain where it is decoded, descrambled, and turned into something you can comprehend. andnbsp; Which is what the act of reading is, right? Proces More... June 12, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=133261 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=132385 Since I spent most of the week bed-ridden with pneumonia, I donandrsquo;t have much to report about my personal attempts at amity. andnbsp; However, something very strange happened chez moi. andnbsp; Normally, when Iandrsquo;m out sick, the house; the More... May 21, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=132385 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=132059 Something amazing happened last week andndash; Veronica Rothandrsquo;s DIVERGENT hit bookstores. And then, this week, it landed on the New York Times Bestsellers List!!! Iandrsquo;ll refrain from fan-girling Vee, but letandrsquo;s just say, this couldnandr More... May 13, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=132059 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=131435 My agent-mate, Jenn Walkup, invited me to participate in her weekly Friday Flash Fiction blog tour. For those who donand#39;t know (I didnand#39;t) flash fiction is a complete story with a restricted word count. In our case, weand#39;re keeping it under 70 More... April 28, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=131435 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=129162 I have a secret: I canandrsquo;t spell and please, donandrsquo;t ever ask me to read out loud. I canandrsquo;t. When I do, I mispronounce many words. Itandrsquo;s embarrassing. andnbsp; Words and letters donandrsquo;t jump around or wiggle for me. Instea More... April 22, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=129162 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=128851 My agent-mate Jenn suggested I do a post on my writing process, which she apparently finds amusing. andnbsp; Like many actors, I believe in immersing myself in my character. I slip on their personality and behave like them. This proves interesting when I More... April 13, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=128851 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=128775 More... April 11, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=128775 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102493 Dear AwesomeKindle1, andnbsp; I donandrsquo;t want to embarrass you, but you spoil me. Every morning, there you are, waiting patiently on my side table with the latest edition of the New York Times. When I hear about a new book on Twitter - BAM andndash; More... March 23, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102493 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102105 Yesterday, I wrote a love letter of sorts to my home state. andnbsp; Today, I want to talk about how I ran as fast as could from it. andnbsp; See, I was sixteen, living in a small town with limited options. I was a studious cheerleader with a close gro More... February 15, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102105 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102104 Thereandrsquo;s a tiny city, just south of Detroit, that butts up against the river. Itandrsquo;s nothing fancy. At only 4.4 square miles. It barely shows up on maps. Thereandrsquo;s a golf course, a high school, and a couple of elementary schools. Almo More... February 14, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=102104 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101923 More... February 2, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101923 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101851 You canandrsquo;t tell from my blog, but before joining the writing world full-time, I was a marketing/PR/social media person, both for other companies and for my own web-based retail business. I spent exorbitant amounts of time strategizing the best way t More... January 26, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101851 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101694 UPDATE: The winner is Debra Driza, who not only came up with some creative cheese grater usages, but also wrote cheese grater lyrics set to the tune of Lady Gagaand#39;s Telephone and Michael Jacksonand#39;s Billy Jean. Here are some of my favorite Twit More... January 17, 2011 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101694 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101137 More... December 21, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=101137 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=100208 This is from my still unnamed NaNo novel. For those unfamiliar with NaNo, during the month of November participating writers attempt to finish a 50,000 word draft. In order to do this, the internal editor must be turned off. Itand#39;s an exercise in pu More... November 12, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=100208 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99853 More... October 24, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99853 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99408 More... October 1, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99408 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99234 More... September 21, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99234 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99198 I sent off a version of my manuscript today to my agent. And as a pat on the back to myself, I allowed myself some time to mess around. Which, of course, means I spent a ridiculous amount of time scrounging through my music collection to create the PERFECT More... September 16, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99198 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99079 Writing a story in segments of no more than 500 words a pop, has proven challenging. Hopefully, itand#39;s been somewhat enjoyable to read. Hereand#39;s the final installment of Starring Stella. My brother Ian stands and clears his throat, turning th More... August 31, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99079 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99007 More... August 18, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=99007 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98933 I tallied the Facebook, Twitter and blog comments and the winning selection is...#2 - no one notices her hair. And now, part two of andnbsp;STARRING STELLA.andnbsp; Chapter 2 andnbsp; Weandrsquo;re driving down the 405 toward Laguna Beac More... August 10, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98933 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98893 Remember those Choose-Your-Own Adventure stories from way-back-when? Well, I thought it would be fun to do something similar on my blog - only instead of me having written everything in advance, Iand#39;m going to let my blog followers choose which directi More... August 3, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98893 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98843 More... July 21, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98843 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98793 More... July 10, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98793 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98687 More... June 29, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98687 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98604 More... June 18, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98604 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98563 More... June 14, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98563 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98536 I am not a literary agent. Nor do I play one on TV.andnbsp; Are we all clear on that?andnbsp; Great. Now, letandrsquo;s continue. I spend a lot - probably too much andndash; time on writing sites, chat boards and twitter talking to More... June 11, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98536 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98527 I had the opportunity to sit in on an acting workshop this weekend. Admittedly, I was none-to-happy about having to sit through nine hours of watching young children learn to act. It sounded agonizing, but my son really wanted to do it. Iandrsquo;m so More... June 10, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98519&blogItem=98527 Dawn's Blog http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98521 Where She Went by Gayle Forman This book. Oh, this book. Iand#39;ve gushed about it on Twitter and Facebook and insisted my friends read it. Itand#39;s claimed a space in my top three contemporary YA list along with Looking for Alaska and Jellicoe Road. More... June 9, 2010 http://www.dawnraemiller.com/index.cfm?objectID=98521 Currently Reading