JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Vanessa Miller, author of Through the Storm
(Urban Christian/Kensington )
Isaac Walker was once a heavy-handed drug lord, who was proud of the fact that everybody feared him. But after dedicating his life to Christ, Isaac begins snatching wayward souls out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. That is, until the day the people Isaac ministered to start coming up missing and someone begins terrorizing him and his family.
Before giving his life over to the Lord, Isaac would have handled this situation with a Glock. Now that his only weapons are his Bible and prayer, he is counting on God to send His angels to help him fight this battle.
Iona Walker is successful, beautiful and every bit as cold-blooded as her father, Isaac Walker once was. As a lawyer, she represents some of the most unsavory criminals in her city. Guilt or innocence doesn’t matter to Iona; cash is what counts.
Iona is on her way to achieving wealth, and she doesn’t care that she had to turn her back on God to get it. When both her parents are put in life threatening situations, Iona discovers that all the money in the world won’t help her get a prayer through to God.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Through the Storm?
Vanessa Miller: Through the Storm is the fifth book in the Rain series. I already had the characters in mind for this book, and I knew I wanted it to be suspenseful. To me, suspense is at is best when people are getting knocked off and others are trying to stay out of the way. The premise for Through the Storm was born from that concept.
Then I attend this thing called a Prayer Journey at my church. It was such an awesome experience that I knew I wanted to share it with my readers. And that’s why the book also deals with the power of prayer.
JP: What sets Through the Storm apart from your other releases?
VM: The suspense is non-stop, and the reader will have a hard time figuring out who the villain is. It’s a definite thrill ride.
JP: What have you learned from getting your previous book published that will help Through the Storm be better than the rest?
VM: One thing I’ve learned is that at promotion is key. You can’t simply write a good book. If you want people to know about it, you have to get out there and promote it.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Through the Storm?
VM: I treat my writing just like a job that I would go to outside the home. I begin my work day at about nine in the morning. I write until about 4pm.
Because I work from home, it’s harder to turn work off than if I worked somewhere else. So I usually check emails and work on marketing ideas in the evening. I write about ten pages a day.
I do not stop to edit my work while I’m writing. Once I’ve finished the book, I print it out and then cut it up. I then sit back in front of my computer and do my re-writes.
Through the Storm took about three month from beginning to end.
JP: What’s next for Vanessa Miller?
VM: My new book released in October. The title is Forsaken. It is the story of a fallen preacher’s journey back to God. I really believe this book is going to speak to the hearts of its readers.
http://www.vanessamiller.com/
http://www.myspace.com/vmiller1
Former Rain & Rain Storm have been Essence Bestsellers. I can also be found on Facebook. Just search Vanessa Miller.
P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html
P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or myspace.com/joeyreviews
Please click on the banners to learn more about each JoeyPinkney.com sponsor:
You need to advertise with JoeyPinkney.com for just $20! (For more information click here.)
Joey,
Thanks for hosting Vanessa on your blog today. It has been great visiting with you this week!
– Ty
Great interview!
Renee
Hey Ty. Thank you for the opportunity. I appreciate it.
Renee. Thank you for stopping by and reading these powerful interviews. They are so inspiring right?
I love Vanessa Miller books. I have three out of five of them. I still have to finish reading one of them. I will make sure I have them all. She was also on my Christian writers on BTR back in January 2009 with Vanessa Davis Griggs. This was the time of my life to talk to my favorite Urban/Christian fiction writers.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Adrienna-Turner
Adrienna. I cannot wait for Forsaken.
I appreciate you for stopping by once again, Adrienna. You are truly welcome whenever you can get over here.