Have you read it? Into the Fire

Have you ever had phantom pains? An ache in your body you just can’t seem to relieve?... This book causes those at your very core.. your heart and soul. I was enraptured at chapter two and had my own “binge read” episode because this novel, it devours... it is that passionate.. that heartbreakingly beautiful. It isn’t your typical “happily ever after” but a gripping, chest achingly, REAL fairytale.
— Amazon Review

I dare you to read this book. If you're a fan of From the Wreckage you should read it. If you're a fan of angst; read it. Like stories similar to Looking for Alaska, If I Stay, Before I Fall? Read it.

One book. 100k words. One beautiful tale. All platforms.
https://michelegmillerbooks.squarespace.com/ftwseries

I’ve told the story many times. The story of how I was finishing up Out of Ruins and I created a character named Dani:

“According to my therapist, I give up things I love to punish myself.”

“From what?” asks a small girl about his age. She’s twisted up; her slim legs crossed and wrapped around each other, her arms folded around her waist. She looks like a human pretzel. She wears long pants and sleeves, even in summer, and West guesses she probably has an issue with self-harm. He learned early on in his stay that many of the patients here have serious issues. More serious than he thought his ever were. He looks at the girl. Her brown eyes are huge, almost like a cartoon Bambi's eyes popping out of her head. They’re misplaced amongst the other, more fragile features of her tiny face.

“What are you punishing yourself for?” she asks, sitting straighter now. “What did you do?”

“Why are you here?” he counters snidely and leans back in his metal chair.

Without blinking, Danica pulls the sleeve of her long, black tee up and flashes her arm at West. Her forearm is covered in precise little lines of scars. Row after row of white scratches attesting to the fact that she does, or did, self-mutilate. She’s not shy about it, though. She leans over and pulls up one loose leg of her sweatpants and then the other. He holds his breath as he takes in the massive scars covering her calves. They look like burn scars. Old and healed over, but they still cover her shins and calves.

“I punish myself because I lived.”

That last line was all it took for me to NEED to know the rest of her story. Are you intrigued? Want to know how Danica Evans came to be in the same place as West? Want to know her past, her present, if she finds her fairytale future? Read Into the Fire today!

Once again, Michele has crafted a painfully beautiful story with characters that reach inside and pull on your heartstrings. This book will make you feel. It will devastate you but it will also heal you. So grab some tissues and prepare yourself for an emotional journey.
— Amazon Review

The one with From the Wreckage series updates...

Things change, right?

When I originally wrote From the Wreckage it was a trilogy following small-town sweetheart, Jules, and a somewhat complicated ex-football player named West. As West’s story developed, I met Dani, the scarred girl with an intriguing view on life.

What’s up, Dani? I had to know, and thus, Into the Fire was born.

Soon I decided Austin, West’s seemingly put-together party boy brother needed his own tale, and I wanted to write a story about Jess, a newcomer to West and Jules’ lives, too. Okay, cool, three more books. I would spin them off and call them the Wrecked series. Appropriate, no? Books about wrecked people from the From the Wreckage world.

Dani came first. I had the amazing Regina Wamba of Mae I Designs create her cover and I never looked back.

That’s a lie.

After publishing Into the Fire, I found myself living with a bought of ‘you’re a fraud’ for the better half of a year. After the success of From the Wreckage, I was sure nothing would be good enough again. It took going back to my boy West for me to find happiness writing again. Thus, West: a From the Wreckage POV novel was born.

Firmly back in the Rutledge boys’ headspace, After the Fall, Austin’s story, came easy. What didn’t come as easy was realizing Into the Fire had never picked up traction with readers. Did it suck? Was it the cover, the blurb? There are no concrete answers, but seeing Dani’s story—one I am very attached to—flounder made me change my marketing decisions. Austin’s cover/title, and that of West’s book, needed to be themed the same as the original trilogy.

I wanted readers to KNOW these books were related. So, out went the idea of the Wrecked series and in came one continuous series of books.

I had my fabulous designer friend Designed by Starla reimage the entire series, except Into the Fire, and was happy. Unfortunately, Into the Fire was a beautiful exclusive shot and design created by Regina that I could not adjust to Starla’s design. I decided to sit on it for a while because it’s a beautiful design.

Fast forward to now. 2020 (what!?). The cover of From the Wreckage is very symbolic—Jules’ narrates the entire story from that chair. The backpack, super important—but does it fit the genre? Books, even freebies, are hard to sell these days. I’m not only an author. I’m a marketing manager, a PR person, an accountant. I run this shop we have dubbed Enchanted Ink Press so I must do what’s best for these characters and my business.

Back to the drawing board.

From the Wreckage now has a new cover shot. One I hope speaks to readers as to exactly what type of story I told. This is a love story. Yes, there is drama and realism and a natural disaster, but above all, it is a story of two people overcoming great odds and falling in love.

Since I changed From the Wreckage, I figured it was time to adjust Dani’s cover too. I’m so happy I did. The ENTIRE series now shares the same fonts and esthetics. It’s so easy to see their connection. I hope this change makes it easier for readers to identify as a brand.

So, I gave you that entire story to basically say From the Wreckage and Into the Fire have NEW pretty covers! And I have updated the reading order in the blurbs on all sites to read as follows:

The From the Wreckage series is a Young Adult to New Adult series with one trilogy and multiple character spin-offs. Please see the reading order below:

Jules and West's story

1. From the Wreckage

2. Out of Ruins

3. All that Remains

Spin-offs best read in order but CAN be read alone

4. West: A POV novel of From the Wreckage

5. Into the Fire: Dani's story

6. After the Fall: Austin's story

I am working with Amazon to get the series numbering correct. They have never had it right to begin with and they wouldn’t add Into the Fire to the series because the cover previously said Wrecked series on it. Sigh.

This is my life. These are the issues that keep me from writing new words. Hopefully, we’ll get it straight soon. Until then check out the pretties—

FTW FREE 1.png
ITF_PRIVATEHELL.png

Look at them all in a row now. Don’t they look perfect together?

From The Wreckage Series.png

Awards are nice, but this is so much more than that... #UtopYA

I'm incredibly honored to be included among an amazing group of authors, designers, editors, bloggers, etc... who were nominated for the 2015 UtopYA Awards. What the celebrities say is true, it is an honor just to be nominated. These nominees are chosen by my peers - other panelists and authors who have attended UtopYA Con through the years - and it means a great deal to me.

The UtopYA community helped shape me. It was my first event as an author, it's where I met some of my very best friends and where I learned that all of the crazy authorly things I do are normal. It's also where my husband came to find a better understanding of my life and this book world and where my knowledge was expanded, and my creativity and passion was nurtured and celebrated.

So, thank you Janet Wallace and UtopYA friends! Whether I end up with a shiny trophy or not, I've already won.

If you feel inclined to vote, for me or any of the other deserving nominees, here is the link http://bit.ly/voteutopyaawards2015 

I wish everyone luck, but more than that I hope and pray that every attendee - nominee or not - grasps the larger meaning of this event. It's not about awards, making book sales or being the big shot in the room. It's about community, equal footing and #Liftasyouclimb
 

Into The Fire - Sample

My SEVENTH book is LIVE!
(That's exciting!)

Happy last day of March! I wanted to share a small bit of Into The Fire with you since Amazon is not currently showing a sample section of the book. Hopefully they will get that 10% sample up soon for y'all, but until then - enjoy the first THREE chapters on me ;)

iBooks: https://itun.es/us/04mL5.l
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BJukxX
B&N: http://bit.ly/1Fe6hgv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/18KvWR8


*** Please note formatting on this blog is different than the book.


Today’s reality… Doing something new
January 3, 2018


     “Good morning, Danica. How are you today?” asks Dr. Green as he walks into his office, late as usual. His glasses sit askew atop his head, his salt and pepper hair sticking out in all directions. This is the man who has been counseling me to get on with my life. The man who scarcely arrives at our appointments on time. But I like him. He’s easy to talk with: jovial, caring, and not nearly as pushy as other therapists I’ve seen through the years. 
     He seats himself in the chair across from me and I close my eyes, breathing in deeply. “I opened my email this weekend.”
     “Oh? Is that unusual for you?” he asks.
     “My old email. The account from… before.” 
     Dr. Green remains quiet, waiting for more. When it becomes clear I’m not offering up an explanation he does as he always does - he pokes at the hornets’ nest. “What prompted you to do that?”
     Tears jab the back of my eyelids, even as a small smile dances upon my lips. “I had a birthday Sunday,” I remind him, knowing full well he’s aware my birthday was New Year's Eve. “I turned twenty-one, and do you know what I did?”

     He raises a brow in question, perching his glasses on the tip of his nose, and going to work jotting notes on the pad laying in his lap.
     “Nothing. I did nothing. I sat in a dark room and watched the teenagers across the street set off fireworks.” I sound so lame, I think to myself, shaking my head. “It’s pathetic honestly. I know it and you know it and that’s why I opened the email. I guess I wanted to know if anyone was thinking of me.”
     “You guess?” he asks, and I shrug indifferently. “And, what did you find?”
     What did I find? I found years of accumulated junk mail and well wishes from people I’ve long left behind. I didn’t stop to look at the messages, not all of them anyway. Instead, I clicked the senders into alphabetical order and searched for relevant names. More specifically, I searched for one name. 
     He’d sent three messages and as I’d read the words on the glowing screen before me, while fireworks popped outside my window, the truth of my life crashed down on me.
     I’m weary of being this person, of living life alone, of being afraid to live. 
     I’m more afraid of letting someone in. Again. It’s been five years.
     Can I face the fear? Overcome the pain?
     It’s time to find out. Because if I don’t… I’m not sure I’ll survive.


Today’s reality… I click and delete
January 8, 2018


     “Weren’t you supposed to start classes today?” Gram asks, pushing her way into my room with her hip, her hands laden with shopping bags. Gram sure does love her shopping. 
     “I wasn’t up for it.”
     Dumping the bags on my bed, she rests on the edge. Clearly she's planning on staying a while. “Weren’t up for it? What does that mean?”

     “It means I wasn’t up for it, Gram,” I annunciate clearly, my eyes glued to the computer screen in front of me. Today's the start of winter semester at the local community college. Before the holidays I’d registered for two on-campus courses at everyone's urging. Stepping on campus will be a huge step for me; until now I’ve taken online courses. The idea of hanging out with cheerful co-eds all day has kept me from taking such a huge leap. However this morning, instead of getting ready for my first class, I’d pulled my email back up and began scrolling through the pages and pages of messages. I’ve been sitting here ever since. My fingers robotically clicking on each of the five-thousand-and-something messages in my inbox, deleting them one-by-one. I realize I could have done a mass delete. I'm not technology challenged. It would have been more efficient, and certainly less time consuming. But no, I click on each one. I’m not reading them, I don't bother to look at the senders’ names. I just delete. There’s something cathartic about it. About physically clicking on each message individually and pressing delete. Every checked box is a moment in time I ignored, pushed aside, or walked away from. 
     “Should I call Dr. Green?”

     “No.” Click, delete. Click, delete.
     “How about lunch? Have you eaten yet? We could grab something,” Gram suggests to the back of my head, her reflection in my computer screen. She’s leaning forward behind my right shoulder, her hand rests at the base of her neck in worry. I should turn around and give her the attention she deserves, but I’m transfixed with my task. Click, delete. Click, delete. 
     “I’m good.” Nothing matters except for emptying my email box of all the missed opportunities.

     Click, delete. Click, delete. 
     The shopping bags rattle as Gram rises, and I follow her with my eyes. She wanders to my dresser and picks up a framed picture; it's the only one I keep of my parents. I wait for her to speak as she longingly stares at the picture. My hand stills. Her crumbling face reminds me that her pain is as acute as mine, and I feel guilty for being short with her. I love Gram, but she has a hard time letting me take care of myself. After the five years I’ve put her and Gramps through I suppose it’s understandable for her to be skeptical. Understandable, but aggravating. I’ve been taking classes and keeping my weekly appointments with Dr. Green. I haven’t slipped into my dark place since before my last stay at Crestdale. 

     I get stronger every day.
     Not that it would take much for me to fall. I crave the release of the edge of a cool blade the way an addict craves his next hit. It's something that will never go away.


Today’s reality… it’s a leap in the dark

January 9, 2018

Leap - move quickly and suddenly
Dark - having very little or no light, hard to understand; obscure
Leap in the dark -- an action of which the consequences are unknown

     Lifting my face to the sun, my eyes rove over the house I’ve lived in for the past five years. This house has been many things to me through the years: my refuge, my prison, my home. I allow myself one last glance before I slip into my car with a deep sigh. Today I take a leap in the dark. I need saving, and I have to save myself. 
     Between my conversation with Dr. Green and my birthday realization, I've come to understand one thing: it’s time to move forward. Time to take action, to take charge of my life. I don’t want to be sitting in a dark room alone next year on my birthday watching others celebrate.
     My cell phone is plugged in, the GPS set. I don’t spare a backward glance as I back down the driveway and pull into the street.
     I’m ready.


#NEWRELEASE Into The Fire is LIVE!






Title: Into The Fire
Series: Wrecked: Book one
Author: Michele G. Miller



At fifteen, an accident turned my world upside down. Scarred in every way possible, I shut down, finding comfort by self-inflicting pain.

I’ve grown accustomed to the truths of my life, but I’m tired.
Tired of this reality...
Tired of the need...
Of the pain...
I’m weary of being this person...
Of being alone...
Though, I’m more afraid of letting someone in.

It’s been five years.
Can I return home and face my fears? Overcome the pain?
It’s time to find out.

For too long, the story of my life has been one of horror.
I want my fairy tale.
I want my prince, my happily ever after.

The question is, does it want me?


*This is a standalone novel following a character introduced in the From The Wreckage series. It is not necessary to read that series to enjoy this story.*










Michele writes novels with fairytale love for everyday life. Romance is always central to her plots where the genres range from Coming of Age Fantasy and Drama to New Adult Romantic Suspense.

Having grown up in both the cold, quiet town of Topsham, Maine and the steamy, southern hospitality of Mobile, Alabama, Michele is something of an enigma. She is an avid Yankees fan, loves New England, being outdoors and misses snow. However she thinks southern boys are hotter, Alabama football is the only REAL football out there and sweet tea is the best thing this side of heaven and her children's laughter!

Her family, an amazing husband and three awesome kids, have planted their roots in the middle of Michele's two childhood homes in Charlotte, North Carolina.


iBooks


Into the Fire by Michele G. Miller
Chapter 1

Today’s reality… Doing something new

January 3, 2018

    “Good morning, Danica. How are you today?” asks Dr. Green as he walks into his office, late as usual. 
   
 His glasses sit askew atop his head, his salt and pepper hair sticking out in all directions. This is the man who has been counseling me to get on with my life. The man who scarcely arrives to our appointments on time. But I like him. He’s easy to talk with: jovial, caring, and not nearly as pushy as other therapists I’ve seen through the years. 
    
He seats himself in the chair across from me and I close my eyes, breathing in deeply. “I opened my email this weekend.”

“Oh? Is that unusual for you?” he asks.

“My old email. The account from… before.” 

Dr. Green remains quiet, waiting for more. When it becomes clear I’m not offering up an explanation he does as he always does - he pokes at the hornets’ nest. “What prompted you to do that?”

Tears jab the back of my eyelids, even as a small smile dances upon my lips. “I had a birthday Sunday,” I remind him, knowing full well he’s aware my birthday was New Year's Eve. “I turned twenty-one, and do you know what I did?”

He raises a brow in question, perching his glasses on the tip of his nose, and going to work jotting notes on the pad laying in his lap.

“Nothing. I did nothing. I sat in a dark room and watched the teenagers across the street set off fireworks.” I sound so lame, I think to myself, shaking my head. “It’s pathetic honestly. I know it and you know it and that’s why I opened the email. I guess I wanted to know if anyone was thinking of me.”

“You guess?” he asks, and I shrug indifferently. “And, what did you find?”

What did I find? I found years of accumulated junk mail and well wishes from people I’ve long left behind. I didn’t stop to look at the messages, not all of them anyway. Instead, I clicked the senders into alphabetical order and searched for relevant names. More specifically, I searched for one name. 

He’d sent three messages and as I’d read the words on the glowing screen before me, while fireworks popped outside my window, the truth of my life crashed down on me.

I’m weary of being this person, of living life alone, of being afraid to live. 

I’m more afraid of letting someone in. Again. It’s been five years.

Can I face the fear? Overcome the pain?

It’s time to find out. Because if I don’t… I’m not sure I’ll survive.