Get ready to learn more about the book Torrid Summer in this discussion with sapphic author Martha Miller.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Martha Miller about Torrid Summer, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Florida category in the 2026 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Torrid Summer?
This book is a sequel to “Me Inside,” a coming of age book about a girl who is abandoned by her mother and years later her father is murdered. She goes to live with her grandmother, who she barely knows, and while she is looking for the murderer of her father, meets a neighbor girl and falls in love. “Torrid Summer” sends the girl back to her mother, who lives in Florida, only to be abandoned again.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Grandma is the same as my grandma. She is perfectly imperfect and while her house is messy, she is wise to Jannie and the ways of a teenager. I also like Lyric, the neighbor Jeannie meets at her mother’s house who shows her around to the several lifestyles including gay, lesbian, and trans.
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
Right in the middle of this book, I was ill and in the hospital for several weeks. When I was ready to get back to the book, I felt like I had lost my place. Getting going again, picking up where I left off was difficult. But in the end, with revisions, I feel like I had a better book.
How much research did you need to do for Torrid Summer?
There’s a fairly long scene about Disney World. I’ve been there twice, but putting my characters there. Even finding a parking place required some research. The easiest parts were the beach and bar scenes.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
In our house, a three bedroom, I have taken the smallest bedroom for my office. My computer sits on a door stretched between a couple of two-drawer file cabinets that faces a large window. When I’m stuck, I look out at the sky and trees. Sometimes a rabbit will race across the yard. Somehow it gets me going again. I love having my own room because I have a door that closes, and if I want, a sign that says “not now.”
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
When I finish a book I really feel sad in a way. Of course, when I write the end, I have to start over with revisions. But writing a novel is like having an old friend you visit every day. Finishing it is like moving on.
Do you have any odd writing quirks?
I don’t imagine I am alone in this, but my office is a mess and I often get caught up in email and Facebook and am late to boot up my novel.
Do you have a pet who helps/hinders your typing?
We have 2 dogs and 2 cats. Our cats are named Gerty and Alice for a famous writing couple. Alice wants to be in my office when I write. She likes to get in my lap and eventually crawls up and sits in the window. The tapping keys seem to sooth her.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
In college I had a great writing teacher who was always encouraging. She found a way to love everything I wrote and always expected me to have pages for each class. I now belong to one of her writers groups. I would recommend writing groups, that are encouraging and expect pages for any writer. Writing a novel is one page after the next. That’s what I’ve learned from other writers and especially my writing teacher Jackie Jackson.
What author in your genre do you most admire, and why?
As I write mysteries, I read a lot of mysteries. These days I am reading a lot of John MacDonald’s Travis McGee mysteries. I also would recommend Stephen King’s book on writing. I’ve read it more than twice and get more out of it each time. For lesbian mysteries, I recommend Kathryn Forrest and Jean Redmann.
What books did you grow up reading?
My growing up reading is kind of a mixed bag. I am dyslexic and as a little girl Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew were difficult for me. My grandma kept Classic Comic Books at her house and I honestly think I learned to read from them. I jumped right from Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew to Earl Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason). I recently read a Nancy Drew book and found it a little tiresome. Some of the scenes and events were hard to believe. As far as writing, I think I wanted to write books when my 5th grade teacher read a chapter every morning of the “Little House of the Prairie” series. Add to that Grandma’s comic books.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
The book I’ve read several times is Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mocking Bird.” There are parts of the story that I don’t like at all, but the prose is silken and beautiful. I find it soothing.
Describe your favorite reading spot.
A couple of years ago we added a three season sun-room to the house. I have a rocking chair out there and love to take books out there.
