Aspiring Author Interview with faith-based Author JC Miller

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing faith-based author JC Miller, whose work is inspired by her childhood experiences in the Bronx, New York. Here’s what she had to say about her writing process and what advice she has for aspiring authors:

To start we asked JC Miller to tell us about her book “Something About Ruth”? JC jumps right in… OMG! First off this book is based on my favorite section of the Bible–Ruth. Ruth is a small book that delivers a BIG punch. It’s named after one person but it’s actually about three people. That’s what I heavily focused on in writing Something About Ruth–the build-up leading to the relationships between these complete strangers. After hurricane Katrina each person experiences significant loss, and each must rebuild. Fate brings them all together in a turnaround of events that further tests their survival and faith. Without giving all the details away, I’ll say that:

Naomi is a bitter mother recently widowed.

Ruth is a young woman, navigating her way through life in the Bronx without any parental guidance.

Boaz is a promising young entrepreneur, sheltering his heart.

Just like the biblical version, Something About Ruth leans on the promise that God is at work through the rough times as well as through each and every aspect of the day, bringing everything together for His good. Which is what I want my readers to take away from all of my books. God’s faithfulness.

Who is your target audience? My target audience is comprised of middle-aged to seasoned women who understand the struggles of inner-city living and hold on to their faith and family while spicing it all up with humor, music, culture, and love. While not limited to this audience, it’s them that I write for. I am a part of this audience. I understand the need to see myself in stories that inspire us to trust God no matter what.

Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? Absolutely! From the concrete jungle of the Bronx, New York to the southern dialects of my ancestors. It’s ALL me. A big influence in my childhood was centered around the church and bible study. It’s where my love for God began. My books reenact biblical stories while bringing the characters into the world where I grew up. I chose an urban setting because it’s what I know…and frankly, I haven’t seen that done…in this way.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since publishing your work? To be honest, what I find most rewarding in writing these types of books are the reviews. Seeing that people actually get me and understand the direction that I’m going…is EVERYTHING! I do a lot of Bible study while writing and ultimately it’s my desire, through entertaining, to show that the Bible isn’t as complicated as we make it out to be. It’s a tremendous read! It’s the heart of God on paper. What better reward than to know that we’ve reached someone for Christ.

Are your characters pure fiction, or did you draw from people you know? So my characters are fictional versions of their biblical selves, while taking on the personalities of me, and people that I know and have encountered.

Are you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer? I’m definitely a character driven artist. I know their stories from Biblical study, so I draw their personalities from those experiences which kinda leans heavily on getting to know them. I already know how the story ends. I want to know the person and their whys. You know?

What do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it? As I said previously, I really want people to read these books and gain a curiosity that leads to reading and researching the people of the Bible whose lives aren’t far from ours. Whose stories are meant to inspire and motivate us through life, leaning on God–the author and perfecter of our faith.

More about Author JC Miller…

JC Miller is a freshly anointed, faith-based author who uses her childhood experiences in the Bronx, New York, to capture the soul of inner-city living. As a former student of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute and a graduate of the Te’Hillah School of Urban Ministry, Miller utilizes her studies to intertwine pop culture with divine accounts of biblical characters. Through sharing these stories, her goals are to encourage people to study the bible and not make it complicated, to view themselves through the lives of those characterized, and to find healing in Christ.

JC Miller recently co-founded a publishing company, Jess, Mo’ Books, with her childhood friend, M.R. Spain. Together, these ladies are creating fresh content to uplift, educate, and motivate women through blogs, social media groups, and a yearly online magazine.

How can our readers get in touch with you?

I can be reached throughout my social media platforms under @author_JC_miller on Facebook and Instagram

@authorjcmiller on Twitter

My website is www.authorjcmiller.com