Hi, Kara, it's wonderful to have you return to my blog to tell us about your new Y/A novel.
Tell us, everything you've written thus far has been erotic romance, correct? So, what made you decide to write a young adult novel?
Yes, all of my books up to this point are contemporary erotic
romances. The Georgia Corbins is a
young adult romance. I knew it was risky to write in a genre on the other end
of the spectrum using the same pen name, but the idea for the Corbins came to
me and I knew I had to write it. Believe me; I tried to ignore it, hoping it
would go away. It didn't, so I wrote it. And I really do love this story and
these characters. I'm hoping that adult readers will enjoy it as much as young
adult readers.
Did you
find it difficult to write a book without any sex in it?
Yes and no. It definitely took a lot of mental adjustment on my
part not to throw around too many sexual thoughts, images, and language. But,
the sad reality is that today's teens know so much more about sex than I ever
did at their age. I'm beginning to worry that maybe the book is going to come
across as too 'soft' compared to other books they read.
What advice
would you give to an author who wants to write young adult?
Read it! Read lots and lots of young adult books. Study the
genre, learn the "rules" and follow them. Personally, I found it very
helpful to go to Amazon (or Goodreads) and read customer reviews of other YA
books. It provided a lot of insight into what readers like and don't like about
certain plots and characters. For example, I read a ton of reviews (ranging
from 5* to 1*) and every single one of them had something negative to say about
a character who had cheated on her boyfriend. What did I learn? Don't write
about a cheating character!
What is
your most interesting writing quirk?
It has to be noisy. I know how crazy that sounds, but I live in
a house with 5 kids, 1 husband, 3 cats, and 2 puppies. There is no such thing
as quiet in my house. lol. And on the rare occasions when it is quiet, I can't
get anything done other than goof off on Twitter and Facebook.
Hmm, that's a tough one. Immediately I thought of the Caribbean,
but, it might be nice to visit Georgia. Or possibly the UK. Oh, or
Australia...I think I might have to get back to you on this one. lol.
Ha, ha, so many places. Let's take an around the world cruise and visit them all. Just think of the scenic wonders we both could offer our readers.
Let's show the readers your wonderful cover and throw in a little about the novel.
Ali Philips never thought anything could be more devastating than the
day Levi and Tucker Corbin, her two best friends—her only friends—moved away.
Three years passed without a single phone call, text message, or email from
them and she’s resolved to the fact that she will probably never see them again.
Until one morning when she comes face-to-face with Levi Corbin in physics
class.
Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin?
She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.
Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin?
She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.
Oh, nice tease. Please share the buy links with us.
Buy Links: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/blush/the-georgia-corbins/
Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17669136-the-georgia-corbins
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/HQeur_ftAno
To celebrate the release of The Georgia Corbins, Kara Leigh Miller is giving away exciting prizes. The Grand Prize, which is open to US residents only, includes a signed copy of The Georgia Corbins, The Georgia Corbins hardcover journal and postcards, The Georgia Corbins tote bag, Kara Leigh Miller pens and notebooks, and Legasea bookmarks.
Second and third prizes are an ebook copy of The Georgia Corbins, and one lucky person will win a first chapter critique. International entries are welcome. Good luck! Winners will be announced July 1st.
Go here to enter for a chance to win! http://www.karaleighmiller.com/p/the-georgia-corbins-blog-tour-schedule.html
Go here to enter for a chance to win! http://www.karaleighmiller.com/p/the-georgia-corbins-blog-tour-schedule.html
Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers. Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s thinking about reading and writing. And when she’s not doing that, she’s spending time with her family and friends.
Author Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1
Thanks for letting me stop by today, Lorrie! As always, it's
been a blast. I'm curious, what do your readers/followers think of YA? Do you
read any of it? If so, what are your favorites? If you don't read it, why not?
Inquiring minds want to know...
I'm a little late in checking in, Lorrie, what with a move in the offing and life in general. Still, I had to tell you how much I enjoyed your author posts, and the joke cracked me up.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary. A friend sent that joke to me at just the right time. I asked H.K for permissiong to post it, it just seemed to fit right in with the post. lol.
DeleteAnd today, we have the very talented Kara Leigh Miller with us. Kara is jumping into a new genre and it certainly looks like a goodie.
Good for you Kara. Spread those wings.
Thank you, Lorrie & Mary. =)
DeleteIt is bold to write YA under the same name as your erotica. I'd be inclined to think it a mistake, but I'll be interested in hearing how your YA book does. Good luck with it in any case.
ReplyDeletePlease don't enter me in the prize pool. I think your book should go to somebody who reads the YA contemporary romance genre. I'm pretty much a SF/F fan.
Hi, Marva. Thanks for stopping by. =)
DeleteI had two books released on the same day -- this YA and an adult contemporary romance (with light erotica) and so far, this YA is doing better than the adult. But, ultimately, I guess time will tell.
Hi Kara. Congratulations on your new release, both of them.
ReplyDeleteA few years back, a couple friends and I would take turns buying, sharing and discussing YA books. We were hooked on them. Most of them were vampire or supernatural but we did read others genres also.
I remember my first YA book, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. I couldn't put it down. After I was sent to bed, I would read by flashlight under the blanket. The bad thing about that is I couldn't see my mom checking up on me and would get busted every time. LOL It's still one of my favorites.
I entered to win on the link you provided. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm going to have to check out your romance/erotica novels also. Right now I'm working on the end of my first novel, a romance/suspense. I have other ideas, a few for romance/erotica, that more than likely I'll use my name. The YA idea I have will probably be under a pseudonym, though I may not get to that one for years-too many ideas in my head for other novels.
I hope any young reader who really likes your YA doesn't get in trouble for reading one of your other books. LOL
Hi, Darla!
DeleteThanks for stopping by. I used to stay up with a flashlight reading well after bedtime, too. ;-)
Good luck with your novel. Maybe I'll see you here on Lorrie's blog promoting your own book someday very soon!! =D
Hi, Lorrie! Hi, Kara! I started reading YA books to learn the genre when I decided to try my hand at writing YA. Found them totally addictive, and so many different genres! When I pop into the library, I always stop by the YA section and grab a few. I wish you luck on your new writing adventure, Kara. I agree, nice tease. Congrats on the release!
ReplyDeleteHi, Pat! Thanks for stopping by. I think that is what I love most about YA--they really are very addictive and there are so many genres to choose from =)
Delete