5th Blogiversary Celebration

Five years. That's right, I'm celebrating five years of my blog. Looking back at this year's posts, I see there aren't too many, but there's good reason for that. I'll get to that in a moment. There are lots of things to cover.

First, I want to say that Robin Williams made my day. Please don't take this the wrong way. I am not trying to make light of a tragic situation. I know both depression and addiction are powerful diseases. My point in saying he made my day is that it emphasizes no matter how successful or financially well off you are, you are still not immune. It reminds me that chasing every last dollar and stressing over bills is not the answer. We live in a beautiful world and need to focus on the truly important things.

Now, as soon as I can put my soap box away, let's get on with the party...

A little bit further down this post, you can find details on the blogiversary prizes. Some of you may have noticed that I have been a bit absent from the "writing world" coming close to a year now. At least, I hope you noticed. Well, there's good reason for that. I've actually been living a childhood dream.

I'm currently a Walt Disney World Monorail Pilot! Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to drive one of those things. Last November, an opportunity arose and I took it. Let me tell you, the actual drive training is one of the most challenging things I've done in a long time. Every minute has been worth it! I am having a blast and spend my days with some absolutely amazing cast members.

As for my writing, I have some plans and things are coming together. 

My friends at Helping Hands Press (www.myhelpinghandspress.com) are helping me celebrate this blogiversary for the next 25 days. I have two projects that I am working on for them. Quite a while ago, I started co-authoring a story called Amish Wonder. When finished, it will be a novella about a young Amish boy thrust out into the secular world. For fans of the Defective Amish Detective, I will be re-editing those stories into a complete novel with a nice surprise on the end.

I am also working with Dinosaur George Media on two different series. Ask DG is a question and answer picture book for young readers. Book 2 will feature illustrations from the very talented Victor Donahue. Both Ask DG and Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts book 2 are expected to be available by Christmas. You can find these books and more here: store.dinosaurgeorge.com

And the one that started it all - The Empyrical Tales. Book Four of the Empyrical Tales will continue the story of Zandria and Olena by telling the tale of The First Queen. The whole series will be revamped and re-introduced soon. Until then, I will keep those details under wraps. Please visit my official website for more details and the series and my other books - www.MillerWords.com. 

While you are there, please check out my new online store, where you can get autographed copies of all of my paperbacks at a special price with free shipping.

In five years of writing, blogging and social media, I have met some fantastic writers and been blessed with some great fans. I've received humbling reviews and inspiring emails. I've tried my hand (not always successfully) in many different genres and have something for most every type of reader. To celebrate, I am giving away the gifts. Here are the links to five of my paperbacks available through Goodreads.com:

Daniel's Lot - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105710-daniel-s-lot

One: a Spiritual Anthology - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105708-one-a-spiritual-anthology

Promise of Tomorrow - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105707-promise-of-tomorrow---complete-series

Sons of the King (co-written with Olivia Miller) - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105706-sons-of-the-king

Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts #1 - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/105705-raptor-island---dinosaur-george-and-the-paleonauts

In addition to the paperbacks, Helping Hands Press has put together a prize pack of selected eBooks (mine and some of my author-friends). Lazarus Filmworks, for whom I wrote the adaptation of Daniel's Lot, is also including some prizes. Please be sure to visit both of my sponsors. This part of the giveaway will be done through Rafflecopter exclusively on my blog. You can earn an unlimited amount of entries by using social media once a day for the next 25 days.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In closing, I want to express my gratitude. That is one thing of which I have an abundance and can afford. I am full of thanks for all of my experiences over the past five years. I am thankful for the people, both real and virtual, that I have met. I am thankful for the opportunities I've had. In this time, I have also watched my family grow and change and I thank God for that gift. Please feel free to share this post and all of the prize links. And, as always, I appreciate any comments on my blog.

Thank you for the past five years,

and I look forward to the next five!

Mark

Interview with Dinosaur George Blasing Part Two

My first post of 2014. Either I've been lazy or I was saving the first post for something good. Let's go with the second one and say Happy New Year!

Some exciting things have happened since last we spoke with our friend Dinosaur George.

The biggest of those is the debut of Dinosaur George Media and its first publication:

Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts

Episode One: Raptor Island

This exciting middle-grade reader is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Order your exclusive autographed copy directly from Dinosaur George at this link:

Dinosaur George Store

With that out of the way, on to what you've been waiting for! This is part two of the highly popular interview with Dinosaur George Blasing - the man, myth and legend. (read part one HERE)

MM: Welcome back to the sequel! Last time, we talked about our young reader picture book, Ask DG (which you can get in Paperback or Kindle). This time, we are going to discuss the new middle-grade chapter book series: Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts. Readers can find out more about the book by reading the synopsis at the end of this interview. What I want to know is do you have anything specific you want to say to your readers in your writing and speaking events?

DG: The most important thing I can tell you is that you should read as many books about paleontology as possible. We all have favorite books, but if you just read the same book over and over, you’ll only learn what is in that book. If you read a lot of different books, then you’ll be much more knowledgeable about the study of prehistoric life. And the more you read, the more you learn. And that is what makes science so much fun!

MM: That's one of the things I like about Paleonauts. It is a great adventure story with plenty of your trademark humor, but also it is educational. There is even a section at the back of the book called "Paleofacts" which gives interesting details about the dinosaurs in the story. And trust me, they are not your common Hollywood dinos. It takes someone with a real knowledge and passion for the subject to incorporate unique and accurate details like these. I understand that the concept for this story has been on your "To Do" list for five years or more. You've had plenty of time to think about the story. In creating your adventure, what do you think makes a good story?

DG: To me, a good story is one that makes you never want to put the book down. I love stories that make you excited, happy, or sometimes a little scared. But most importantly, a good story must have a hero who is kind, and treats people with respect. I like stories that have bad guys, or villains, as long as they get what they deserve in the end. I also think a story has to have some humor. When you read something that makes you laugh out loud, THAT is a good story!

MM: I absolutely agree. A truly good story should elicit a range of emotions, not simply tension or humor. I am particularly pleased with our results on Paleonauts. We managed to create a fun adventure, put the characters in a little danger and even some comic relief. I think a lot of young people will have a hard time putting this one down. Part of the pleasure for me working with you is that we share a lot of common values. It seemed to come easy for us to put those morals and lessons into the story without standing on a soap box (except for right now). I think most of our values are instilled on us when we are young. I don't think we have to go quite all the way back to the Mesozoic, but can you tell us about your life growing up? For example, did they have electricity? Ha, ha, ha!

DG: Too funny! Yes, we had electricity in the 19...[coughs - rest of year is inaudible]. I was born at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. But we moved when I was very young, so I don’t remember very much about it. We lived in a small city in Maryland and I can remember going to the Smithsonian Institute all the time. But we moved to a farm near the city of Hondo Texas and I started the 2nd grade there. Almost all of my childhood memories were growing up on the farm. We had cows, chickens, pigs, horses, goats, geese, sheep, turkeys, and many other animals. We even had a pet owl, raccoon and opossum at one time. I had a very fun and wonderful childhood. I spent hundreds of hours looking for Indian artifacts, studying the animals, fishing and, of course, hunting for fossils.

MM: It sounds like your time on the farm had a big influence on the man you have become. Judging from your social media presence, it appears that your family was a major part of that and you seem to be very close. What do they think of your work?

DG: My parents, and brothers and sisters are very supportive of what I do. I know they are proud of how I’ve dedicated my life to teaching children. Because I travel a lot, I don’t get to see my family as often as I wish I could. But when I do see them, they all want to know where I have traveled, and what new discoveries I have made. It’s kind of funny to hear them call me “Dinosaur George” instead of just “George”.

MM: Look at all the space we've filled up already. It seems when we get together, we never run out of things to say. With so much hot air between, we should enter a hot air balloon race! I want to end this section of the interview with a thought and a question. One of our goals with the Paleonauts series is to make paleo-education fun for our readers. One can hope and dream that our story can be life-changing, but my question is: what are some books that were life-changing for you?

DG: There are two books that have had a very big impact on my life. One of them was titled Dinosaurs and more Dinosaurs. It was written in 1965 and it was the first dinosaur book I ever read. I can remember how much I wished the pages would come to life so that I could see a living dinosaur. I checked that book out at our school library so many times, I almost had it memorized. The second book that really changed my life was called Dinosaur Heresies. It was written by one of my favorite paleontologist Dr. Robert Bakker. This book changed the way I looked at dinosaurs. When I was young I thought dinosaurs were nothing more than giant lizards. But “Dinosaur Heresies” demonstrated that dinosaurs were more like birds, and were much faster and smarter than we thought.

There is still plenty more from Dinosaur George.

Subscribe to my blog by so you don't miss Part Three.

Up at that top left, you can "Follow by Email".

About the book: 

Dinosaur George’s uncle is missing! 

Professor Stone was the world’s leading paleontologist. At least, until the day he disappeared. Now George is searching for him. 
No one knows where Professor Stone is, but that’s not the only problem. They don’t know when he is either. Thanks to Dr. Morgan’s invention, the professor is lost in time. 
To save his uncle, George joins a team of scientists and explorers. Armed with hi-tech gadgets, they will travel 65 million years into the past. Only history knows what they will discover. 

Will George be the first human to see a living dinosaur? 

Will he find his uncle before it’s too late? 

Episode One: Raptor Island takes George to the Late Cretaceous of Southern Asia. It’s his first real chance to try out his amazing equipment and hopefully find a clue to Professor Stone’s whereabouts. But something is waiting on the island. 

In a story packed with humor and excitement, experience the past like never before. Learn about dinosaurs and all of the latest theories of their existence. Don’t miss the PaleoFacts at the end of each episode with all the dino-details.

In the next post, we will have some more information on the Paleonauts artist, Gabe Bush.

Until then, find us on Facebook:

Dinosaur George

Mark Miller Author

Gabe Bush Illustrator

      

Showcase #6

Recently, I was invited to join the group Writers of the South (USA). It is a small, but enthusiastic group of authors in every type of genre. The group is aimed at supporting and promoting authors in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

As we grow, we plan to take several opportunities to showcase the varied and talented people in the group. We will hit it hard over the next couple of days, hopefully gaining some new exposure and introducing you to writings you might not have found otherwise. Looking at the group, there is something for everyone, so be sure to check these posts every day.  The plan is to do this again in a few months.

Today, the spotlight shines on Lindy Chaffin Start!

Lindy says, "I'm passionate about my life, my work, art, music, food. I love my family and friends. I've just gotten a little older and a little wiser, and I continue to love taking risks."

She is a poet and romance writer with a great blog that features plenty of reviews. Visit her SITE to get connected to Lindy and read what she has to say.

Showcase #1

Recently, I was invited to join the group Writers of the South (USA). It is a small, but enthusiastic group of authors in every type of genre. The group is aimed at supporting and promoting authors in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

As we grow, we plan to take several opportunities to showcase the varied and talented people in the group. We will hit it hard over the next couple of days, hopefully gaining some new exposure and introducing you to writings you might not have found otherwise. Looking at the group, there is something for everyone, so be sure to check these posts every day.  The plan is to do this again in a few months.

Today, the spotlight shines on John Rose.

John says, "I teach art to 7th and 8th grade students for a day job. My ongoing project is THE MONSTERGRRLS, which takes up most of my other time. I like drawing, writing and making stuff in my Monster Shop, and have my own Atomic Brain named Alfred. I like people, but cannot always eat a whole one all at once."

The MonsterGrrls Book 1: Out From the Shadows - The first book in the MonsterGrrls series! When the new girls at Clearwater High turn out to be MONSTERS, something strange is bound to happen! But Emily and Theo, two lonely social outcasts at Clearwater, soon make friends with Frankie, Bethany, Punkin and Harriet--the MonsterGrrls. When the Grrls are challenged by the spoiled Jessica Hardin-St. James and her Clique to spend a night in a supposedly haunted house, they accept... but something is already there, waiting. And it doesn't like monsterkind...

If you are a fan of the Universal Monsters, or teenage angst, this could be the book for you. It looks fun and imaginative.

Please click on the links above and check it out. 

In Case You Missed It...

Here is the link to my blogtalkradio.com interview on Enter the G-Zone with Giovanni Gelati:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2011/06/14/michael-wiley-mark-miller-enter-the-g-zone

I had a great time! We talked about The Empyrical Tales, my upcoming work, movies and kids.

Thanks for having me, G!

Gift Giving

Another important element in the Hero's Journey is the Donor.

As you can surmise, the donor gives something to the potential hero. This can be information, but is often some useful tool or weapon that will help overcome the final obstacle.

Zandria and Olena meet their donor in the form of the Prismata, or Rainbow Princesses. The name I came up with implies their rainbow colors, each sister is a different color. Their contributions are a few gifts that are necessary to complete the quest. Some of the gifts are not actually used in The Fourth Queen (look for the Bronze Ring in The Secret Queen).

The final gift of the donors is to set Zandria and Olena on their path. A path which leads them to the next stage of the journey.....the encounter with the Mentor.

Now We're Moving

By the time we get to Chapter 5 in The Fourth Queen, all of the main characters have been introduced, as well as the land of Empryean.

Zandria and Olena have started their journey with Adam on their trail. Werewolves are searching the jungle. The bad guys are preparing their army. Even Fury is on his quest.

This is where Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey comes into play. Zandria has to go through her trials, because she is the hero here. All of the stages are in the plot and I will point them out as we continue.

The first stage is The Ordinary World. Kind of like a prologue where the hero is introduced. The hero is lacking something or has a tragic flaw. We also establish what's at stake.

From there, the hero begins the journey and hopefully a transition from the ordinary life to the special one.

One important piece of storytelling for me is the Character Arc. Following the hero's journey naturally provides for this arc. The character must change (who wants to see Harry Potter living under the stairs at age 30?). It doesn't always have to be the main character, but no story is complete with out someone undergoing some change.

Next comes The Call to Adventure...

I recently had the opportunity to meet and work with Corbin Bernsen. You might know him from L.A. Law, Major League or Psych. I know him as an interesting guy with some new ideas. He was in Orlando and we did a one day shoot for a faith-based movie I am involved with called Heading Home.

While we were on set we talked about one of my favorite shows, Psych. We also had the chance to discuss the importance of positive values in entertainment. We are on the same page in saying there needs to be more books, movies and TV for the family. He and I are both at interesting points in our spiritual journeys as well. I won't put words in his mouth, but he seems to dislike labels as much as I do.

Now, I'm patiently waiting for his feedback on The Fourth Queen. I have to say it was a treat working with him and the very talented members of the rest of the cast and crew.