My 6 month Hiatus

I have a surprise for you! I am going on a 6 month hiatus until my baby is born, possibly longer. I know you will miss me. Very, very much. Because I love you and don't want you to feel bereft of my presence, I am leaving something of myself behind.

I am uploading my very first novel: mistakes and all. You get to see how far I've come in my writing. You know, before I knew that adverbs and info dumping and flowery descriptions are every agent's and publishers nightmares? I was only 17.

As you venture into my High Fantasy Action Romance, TRAGIC INNOCENCE, you will find another Easter Egg to unearth.

PS--I've changed my website to ElizabethMueller.com.

Have fun! *kisses*

Perceptive Readers

This post is based off of last week's thoughts, but on the other side of the pages. Have you ever, as a reader, stopped, put your book down, and think, "This sounds like something that actually happened to the author." Or, "There's no way the author could have known that unless s/he experienced that" because you went through it first hand and felt the familiar emotion play out within you?

As a reader, a lot of the times, things jump out at me. For example, Cindy Hogan's Watched. A young girl witnesses a murder through an unusual way in a bathroom stall. As soon as I reached that part, a thought hit me, and I had the feeling the author experienced that same unusual way the heroine in the bathroom had (I am not referring to murder, either!). Because the author and I are friends, I was free to ask if this was the case. She confirmed.

I've had several incidences where, as I read books, a hard realization occurred: "This must have happened to the author in real life." And it turns out that it had happened in real life to the authors; some of the instances have made me sad, knowing this good friend endured such tragedy.

There are undeniable philosophical truths that many writers use in their works and it may strike the reader in the heart. Some dark truths can be woven into books that the writer would never dare discuss with anyone, but it is there in the book.

As a writer, for example, the theme in my novel, Rock Star, is similar to my own life. I have endured many tragedies, indulged in my emotions during my low points--even sabotaged good things that came into my life because I felt I didn't deserve them, yet, I have felt the goodness of it that helped change my life around. I am not quite sure what truths readers may pick up and think, "Aha! It seems the author may have experienced this exact thing." (Though I've never once been a famous rock star in my life!) I do wonder what truths my readers pick up on as they read my work?

Have you ever had that feeling, as a reader, that you knew the writer experienced the exact same thing you had just read?

Living the Pages

We are what we write. I believe that our fears, desires, our subconscious rises from the figurative grave to haunt our dreams every night. We are the sum of our beliefs that reveal themselves every night. Just as that is so, it manifests in our writing.

My brother pointed out the other day that my themes and stories are dark. Dark? I wondered. Well, I confess that I am drawn to Gothic stuff though I don't wear black lipstick. My stories are dark, yes, they are. They are not dark like Anne Rice's vampire writings, though.

My experiences, beliefs, and views are expressed through every book I write. Yes, they have dark themes in there. War. Death. Demons. Abuse . . . With it come love, forgiveness, self-discovery, strength--everything an antitheses of its opposite because that is what I've endured as a child and young adult as well as now.

Have you read my bio? I write what means most to me. I am an advocate for those who feel lost and lonely and hated. Why? Because I've endured those uglies off and on throughout and my desire to help others not feel that way is strong.

Remember Anne Rice and her Vampire Chronicles? That was her way of questioning God's existence. She struggled for 38 years and lived her doubt through her characters. Have you wondered why she has decided to move on from her dark themes? It's because she has found light and her spirit is now filled. Curious, isn't it, how a writer's work can change with their belief system. No, not really curious. Writers are people too and our actions are revealed through our works just like any other person.

Have you found that your actions (writing, hobbies, life) manifest your belief system? Think about it for awhile. I'd love to hear what you have discovered about yourself.

My Author Platform?

I'm not sure if I've already blogged about this, but it's been bouncing around in my brain for the longest time and I can't remember anymore if I have or not.

As a published author, we are all pushed to come up with a platform. That word, to me, is abstract that I still have a hard time defining it, but this post isn't going to preach what a platform should or shouldn't be. I want to write about how I lost myself as a published author.

Okay, so at writers conferences, it gets beaten into our heads (poor things are already overrun by countless other subjects) that we need to find a way to appeal to our audience. What this is saying is that I need to define who I am as a public figure.

For the longest time I've done that. I've tried to fit myself to what I should be like whenever I step into "author mode" whether it be online or in person.

It's to the point that I've lost myself. I feel like a teenager all over again trying to discover just who it is I am and I have not been happy. Why not just be me? Why not blog about things that I enjoy rather than trying to come up with something savvy that would appeal to readers or writers? Just be me.

That's one of the BIGGEST reasons why my blogging has slowed to a near stop, because I feel like I am not being honest with you, with myself, for recreating something that wasn't me to begin with. I will just be me.

Welcome to Elizabeth Mueller, mother of 4 with one on the way. Wife of 17 years of marriage who thought she wouldn't make it past the first year due to hardships. Abused child who overcame the uglies and reinvented who she was to survive in a fast-paced world. Mormon girl who hasn't always been a Mormon. Published author who often questions herself if this is still the right career for her because the support system seems to have disintegrated from under her feet and I'm not referring to the RoCkIn' hubby who hopes I'd strike gold in this rush.

Welcome to me.

Become a Character in my Next Book!

The best part of writing are my readers. Seriously. I know I've been on the other side of the fence where I've read businesses claiming their appreciation for their customers, where authors say they love their readers. You know what? It is true. So. True.

Where is a book without a reader? Nowhere.

I am happy to share with you the FuNtAsTiC opportunity to become a character in my upcoming book, Darkspell's sequel, Darkwraith.

Thanks to the Karen Hoover-inspired guru, meet Become the Character--where YOU will be written into the story.

Welcome Darkwraith...

Intrigued? Please click here for further information!