Books with author Katie Miller

In The Hero Succeeds, veteran TV writer Kam Miller shows you exactly how to create your own TV series—from concept to writing a professional pilot script. Drawing from her career as a successful TV pilot writer, Miller shares her hard-earned knowledge about creating TV series that sell to Hollywood. She covers essential elements such as character, world of the show, story engine, tone, and themes for dramas and sitcoms. In this book, Miller introduces the groundbreaking character-driven structure that will help you solve even the most difficult script problems and create structurally sound, emotionally satisfying stories. Miller illustrates the practical application of her character-driven script structure in current successful TV shows, including Cinemax's The Knick, NBC's Hannibal, Amazon's Transparent, BBC America's Orphan Black, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's Empire, FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, AMC's The Walking Dead, FOX's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, ABC's How To Get Away With Murder, Starz's Outlander, CBS's The Good Wife, Showtime's Episodes, and many others. The Hero Succeeds shares professional screenwriting expertise, tools, and techniques previously available only to Miller's students at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and Boston University's Film & Television program. Whether you write drama or comedy for broadcast, cable, or digital distribution, The Hero Succeeds is the guide you need to build or expand your TV career.

This award-winning book is based on delightful and humorous photographs of a chipmunk's charming antics as he explores the author's garden. Based in a natural setting, this story enlightens as well as entertains. The eighty-six photographs give the reader a close-up view of the Eastern Chipmunk, and provide interesting expressions not available to the naked eye. For children of all ages, nature lovers, and the young at heart. (2016-06-21)

The wives of Woodrow Wilson were strikingly different from each other. Ellen Axson Wilson, quiet and intellectual, died after just a year and a half in the White House and is thought to have had little impact on history. Edith Bolling Wilson was flamboyant and confident but left a legacy of controversy. Yet, as Kristie Miller shows, each played a significant role in the White House. Miller presents a rich and complex portrait of Wilson's wives, one that compels us to reconsider our understanding of both women. Ellen comes into clear focus as an artist and intellectual who dedicated her talents to an ambitious man whose success enabled her to have a significant influence on the institution of the first lady. Miller's assessment of Edith Wilson goes beyond previous flattering accounts and critical assessments. She examines a woman who overstepped her role by hiding her husband's serious illness to allow him to remain in office. But, Miller concludes, Edith was acting as she knew her husband would have wished. Miller explains clearly how these women influenced Woodrow Wilson's life and career. But she keeps her focus on the women themselves, placing their concerns and emotions in the foreground. She presents a balanced appraisal of each woman's strengths and weaknesses. She argues for Ellen's influence not only on her husband but on subsequent first ladies. She strives for an understanding of the controversial Edith, who saw herself as Wilson's principal advisor and, some would argue, acted as shadow president after his stroke. Miller also helps us better appreciate the role of Mary Allen Hulbert Peck, whose role as Wilson's "playmate" complemented that of Ellen—but was intolerable to Edith.Especially because Woodrow Wilson continues to be one of the most-studied American presidents, the task of recognizing and understanding the influence of his wives is an important one. Drawing extensively on the Woodrow Wilson papers and newly available material, Miller's book answers that call with a sensitive and compelling narrative of how private and public emotions interacted at a pivotal moment in the history of first ladies.

When Chippy Chipmunk meets a unique chipmunk, he learns to feel empathy and show kindness. In Chippy's first encounter with Harriet, she explains that a flood destroyed her burrow, so she is searching for a new place to dig. She asks for help, but Chippy refuses and chases her away. He is preoccupied with his goal of having a record-setting day collecting acorns, and he is skeptical that the newcomer is a chipmunk since she has no stripes. Chippy's friends show him that there is diversity in every species. "Diversity makes the world more beautiful," a blue peacock tells Chippy. "My friend and I may look different on the outside, but inside we are the same," adds a peacock that is an all-white variety. Chippy's friends help him to understand empathy and the need to show compassion. Chippy imagines what it would be like to be other wildlife. He thoughtfully observes other creatures. He pretends to be like them and echoes their calls as a way to develop empathy. He pictures himself in Harriet's situation. The light of a new day gives Chippy a fresh beginning. Feeling empathy changes his heart. He helps Harriet build a new burrow and shares his acorns with her. The two become friends. Like the other three books in this award-winning series, this one is illustrated with photography and fun facts are included. Diversity is celebrated with photographs of nature and of farm and domestic animals. This book contains notes on how to develop empathy.

When Alya Drake left England and moved to America, she thought that she was leaving her troubles, along with her dysfunctional family, behind her. Upon her arrival in Maine, she meets Jordain, a strange yet intriguing boy. Her friends, her brother and even the voices inside her own head warn her of his dangerous and reclusive family. The more time she spends with Jordain and his family, the more she realises that something about them is indeed far from normal. Yet when they ask desperately for her help, she is forced to ignore her instincts and hope that there is a reasonable explanation for the web of secrets and conspiracy theories she is now embroiled in. Her efforts to uncover the truth lead her to a shocking discovery with unimaginable consequences...

Chippy Chipmunk: Babies in the Garden is a delightful glimpse into the real lives of baby chipmunks featuring more than 80 beautiful photographs and an educational, fun narrative. The second book in this multi-award winning series, continues the adventures of Chippy, the author’s resident chipmunk, who we met in Chippy Chipmunk Parties in the Garden. Chippy has found a mate and started a family. This book captures humorous and intimate moments of baby chipmunks interacting in the author's garden and finding their way in the world. Since chipmunks quickly disperse within a few weeks of emerging from the burrow, author/photographer Kathy Miller provides rare moments in a natural habitat most people never see. Interesting facts about chipmunks are included in the back of the book that enhance learning, expand vocabulary and raise a child’s curiosity. Miller’s unique approach and style narrow the growing gap between children and nature. This high quality, enlightening book weaves together the best of visual and language arts, science, photography and narrative.

In this third book of the award-winning Chippy Chipmunk series, Chippy experiences the loss of his best friend Pickle, a meadow vole. Chippy s friends help him both to express his grief and also learn to accept and be at peace with the fate of his pal. While Chippy hibernates, owls appear in magical dreams to offer words of comfort. By springtime, Chippy emerges with a renewed sense of hope and begins to believe that life really does get better. The delicately woven story line is illustrated with beautiful nature photography. An activity page, fun facts, and notes to parents and educators are included.

The day my life changed forever was a Sunday. A Sunday afternoon. 5:46 on the last Sunday in summer, if I’m being precise. Of course, I didn’t realise then that my entire life had altered, that my very understanding of the universe would soon be challenged completely - but I think I did feel a shift. A clicking into place. The ever so slight move sideways of everything, as though all the cells, atoms and molecules in the world had suddenly decided to dance, one step to the right.It was as though I’d always been waiting, without realising. Everything had been in a holding pattern around me and now it was all ready to land.But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll start over.Cohasset Island is pretty, atmospheric and fog-bound but never exciting. Or so Eloise thinks. She's 17 and still waiting for life to start. But with the arrival of the new transfer from England, Eloise gets more than she bargained for. Oliver is beautiful, talented and sexy and, more importantly, interested in her. Her junior year looks set to fly by. But then there are the storms, the mood swings, the strange disappearances. As Eloise's future becomes inextricably linked with Oliver's she realises, perhaps too late, that she now part of a strange and wonderous world she had no idea existed. And that world is very dangerous.