Who is Marian Duke Miller?
Mother, Wife, Daughter, Teacher, Foster-Dog Parent, Part-Time Counselor, Gelato Lover, Statistician, Dreamer, Author
As a veteran teacher of grades 2-8, I have a working knowledge of what my students love in a book, and what keeps them reading. I also know how to keep them constantly guessing. I bring a fresh perspective to the world of fiction.
Check out my TPT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Red-Raider-14
Mother, Wife, Daughter, Teacher, Foster-Dog Parent, Part-Time Counselor, Gelato Lover, Statistician, Dreamer, Author
As a veteran teacher of grades 2-8, I have a working knowledge of what my students love in a book, and what keeps them reading. I also know how to keep them constantly guessing. I bring a fresh perspective to the world of fiction.
Check out my TPT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Red-Raider-14
The Daughters of EMOTH
YA Dystopian Romantasy
Austin Love and Prejudice
Contemporary Romance
And when it started getting dark, Kree organized the dance party by forcing everyone to go to their rooms and, “Put on something cute.”
It was cold, so most of us put on sweaters. Then, we waited on Dashiell. They claimed they had gone out and bought the perfect outfit. We knew they were going to surprise us with something tacky.
They didn’t disappoint.
They came down the hall with their own soundtrack, ‘The Greatest Dancer’ while the kids rolled their eyes and covered their faces in pretend disgust. Their pants were brown bell-bottoms and four inches too short. The shirt was shiny, brown and blue with a random geometric pattern—oh, and way too tight. They had only buttoned three buttons, but I guess they hadn’t been able to find fifty gold chains. The shoes were brown, too, and perfectly pointy.
I had to give it to them, they had all the moves and no shame. Watching them disco down the hall made me wonder why they hadn’t included me in this stunt. I would have loved picking out a crazy disco dress.
After booty-bumping a couple of the boys, they danced over to me. “Whatcha think?” They raised their eyebrows to the beat.
“I think it’s great.” I laughed out loud as they continued to shake their hips in front of me. I put my hand on their chest. “Ew, Davis. Is that velour?”
“Indeed it is!”
“Did you borrow Kree’s lipstick?”
“I bought my own. You like it? Frosted cupcake.” They spun in a circle and grabbed a box off the table, tied with a black ribbon and handed it to me.
“What is this?”
“Your dress. Go put it on.”
I didn’t open it or look inside. “Do I have to?”
“Oh, yes,” Kree said. “You definitely have to.”
Contemporary Romance
And when it started getting dark, Kree organized the dance party by forcing everyone to go to their rooms and, “Put on something cute.”
It was cold, so most of us put on sweaters. Then, we waited on Dashiell. They claimed they had gone out and bought the perfect outfit. We knew they were going to surprise us with something tacky.
They didn’t disappoint.
They came down the hall with their own soundtrack, ‘The Greatest Dancer’ while the kids rolled their eyes and covered their faces in pretend disgust. Their pants were brown bell-bottoms and four inches too short. The shirt was shiny, brown and blue with a random geometric pattern—oh, and way too tight. They had only buttoned three buttons, but I guess they hadn’t been able to find fifty gold chains. The shoes were brown, too, and perfectly pointy.
I had to give it to them, they had all the moves and no shame. Watching them disco down the hall made me wonder why they hadn’t included me in this stunt. I would have loved picking out a crazy disco dress.
After booty-bumping a couple of the boys, they danced over to me. “Whatcha think?” They raised their eyebrows to the beat.
“I think it’s great.” I laughed out loud as they continued to shake their hips in front of me. I put my hand on their chest. “Ew, Davis. Is that velour?”
“Indeed it is!”
“Did you borrow Kree’s lipstick?”
“I bought my own. You like it? Frosted cupcake.” They spun in a circle and grabbed a box off the table, tied with a black ribbon and handed it to me.
“What is this?”
“Your dress. Go put it on.”
I didn’t open it or look inside. “Do I have to?”
“Oh, yes,” Kree said. “You definitely have to.”
Dust, Death, and the Devil
Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Preacher says the Devil’s voice comes in many forms. At the age of ten I knew exactly what he meant. The Devil’s voice found me in the oddest places back then. I always knew there was somethin’ wrong with me. Preacher also said we was to cast out our demons. Unfortunately, the demon might be me.
Jenny Page-Jumper
Middle Grade Fantasy
2014
Book-obsessed fifth-grader, Jenny, just wants to be left alone with a good book. She can’t be bothered with things like Math. The comfortable life she knows ends when the adults at school decide to “help” her. That help lands her in the principal’s office, and causes havoc at home. Suddenly, it’s not enough to just read the books; she needs a big escape. Her hiding place becomes the words of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. The scenery of the Canadian wilderness is comforting, but it is all real this time…too real. Every single ant and tree is real. The cold, the danger, and the hunger tormenting her are proof.
Middle Grade Fantasy
2014
Book-obsessed fifth-grader, Jenny, just wants to be left alone with a good book. She can’t be bothered with things like Math. The comfortable life she knows ends when the adults at school decide to “help” her. That help lands her in the principal’s office, and causes havoc at home. Suddenly, it’s not enough to just read the books; she needs a big escape. Her hiding place becomes the words of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. The scenery of the Canadian wilderness is comforting, but it is all real this time…too real. Every single ant and tree is real. The cold, the danger, and the hunger tormenting her are proof.
Concealed
Middle Grade Science Fiction Thriller
2007
Middle Grade Science Fiction Thriller
2007
No Football Summer
Young Adult Guy Fiction
2010
We knew it would happen. They would go. We knew it would have to be us left there to pick up the pieces and soldier on. First Rylan, Brandon, Lewis, and Shawn. They left us May 28th on graduation. Sure, they were still in town, but they were gone. They left school, left the hallways, left athletics. But still we waited. Hoped it wouldn’t happen. Maybe someone would fail senior year.
Young Adult Guy Fiction
2010
We knew it would happen. They would go. We knew it would have to be us left there to pick up the pieces and soldier on. First Rylan, Brandon, Lewis, and Shawn. They left us May 28th on graduation. Sure, they were still in town, but they were gone. They left school, left the hallways, left athletics. But still we waited. Hoped it wouldn’t happen. Maybe someone would fail senior year.
Wife
Adult Literary
2011
Adult Literary
2011
For --------
January 2003
We love you.
And that “we” is huge.
Everywhere you look
is someone who cares about you.
Loves you.
Though we all show it
in different ways.
We try to understand,
but will never know
all your pain,
or all the things that hurt,
or all that you long for.
The best we can do is be there
to help you through,
and love you with all our might.
We are pulling for you
and have faith in you.
You will come through this.
Our hope of hopes
is that you still believe in your dreams
and make the right choices
to see them come true.
Don’t let anything stop you,
or pull you down.
We want you to remember,
though you look grown on the outside,
you are still a kid inside.
You have the right to ask for help
and to lean on others.
Don’t try to grow up by yourself.
We pray for you constantly,
aloud and unconsciously.
We pray that you will heal
and overcome and succeed.
But more than everything else,
we pray that you find happiness
and love.
We love you.