Mia Thompson's Blog

PNWA Conference

2018-09-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Just returned from the PNWA conference in Seattle! Had a blast attending and presenting my How to Apply Screenplay Structure to Your Novel workshop!

The downside was that I had to leave my almost two-year-old daughter for the weekend. Tears were spilled and tantrums were thrown...even she seemed a little upset.

The upside was that I got to signs some books, meet many talented writers--both published and unpublished--drink as much wine as I wanted, and spend time with my favorite agent, Elizabeth Kracht (I only have the one agent but if I had more, she'd still be my favorite.)

I'd like to thank everyone who attended my class and stayed, even after I accidentally said: "and this is obviously where the protagonist takes the victim down and saves the killer..."

I'd also like to thank my striped wide-leg presentation pants for obvious reasons.

Xoxo,
Mia

Sacrificing Sapphire RELEASE DAY!

2017-12-12T12:43:00.002-08:00

The day is here!

Sacrificing Sapphire, the fourth book in the Sapphire Dubois Mystery Series about the heiress who captures serial killers, is finally out and available! The eBook is available for all formats via most eBook retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Google Play, or Buy Direct.) And the print is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble (order online or at the store.),

The journey to get here, from staring at the blank page to the book being published, has been as much of a roller coaster as ever. I'd like to thank my agent, publisher, (Diversion Books) and readers for getting me this far. Four books in, one more to go! It's be an adventure, that's for sure.
I'd also like to send a special thanks to the ARC reviewers, who have absolutely exceeded my expectations this time around with their kind words! See HERE!

Here it is guys:

Book 4 in the Sapphire Dubois Series, SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE!

Beverly Hills’ heiress and hunter of serial killers Sapphire Dubois is back in this ferocious, festive, and funny mystery—one where her marriage, her life, and the life of a little girl are at risk in a madman’s twisted sacrament.

Sapphire Dubois is about to celebrate her first Christmas in Beverly Hills with her new husband, Detective Aston Ridder. She has assured him that her days of defying death to save victims from serial killers are over. But after three months of marriage she hasn’t kicked the habit. Sapphire feels compelled to check out a lead—two women with similar descriptions have vanished from the same location. After breaking her promise, the daring crime fighter gets abducted by the very killer she was hunting.

While a distraught Aston scrambles to find his missing wife, Sapphire wakes up in a bizarre reality where she is now the victim, forced to play a part in her abductor’s sick ritualistic game. Soon she realizes she’s not alone; a little girl is imprisoned with her, and Sapphire is her only chance of escape.

Sacrificing Sapphire combines rich L.A. sass and smarts with thrilling psychological suspense.

Xoxo,
Mia Thompson

Sentencing Sapphire Book Club PART 2 up on Wattpad!

2017-11-20T13:38:00.002-08:00

With the release of book four in the Sapphire Dubois Mystery Series, Sacrificing Sapphire, happening on December 12th, I started the Sentencing Sapphire Book Club on Wattpad earlier in November! Part One, half the book, was put up and as of today, Part Two, the second half of the book is up as well! Both Book Clubs for Stalking Sapphire (book one) and Silencing Sapphire (book two) are still open on Wattpad, so if you haven't read them yet, now is a good time.

AND, I'm super excited to say this...at the end of the Sentencing Sapphire Book Club awaits a special announcement exclusively for my early Wattpad readers! Seriously, if you're a fan of the series, you don't want to miss it.

Without further ado, Part Deux...

SENTENCING SAPPHIRE Book Club on Wattpad Part Two!

Sentencing Sapphire Book Club Begins on Wattpad

2017-11-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

It's that time again!
With book four of the Sapphire Dubois Mystery Series, Sacrificing Sapphire's December 12th release being just around the corner, I'm starting the Sentencing Sapphire on Wattpad! Yay!
Both Book Clubs for Stalking Sapphire (book one) and Silencing Sapphire (book two) are still open on Wattpad, so if you haven't read them yet, now is a good time.

The Sentencing Sapphire Book Club will work a bit different than its predecessors. This time around, I have divided the full book into two sections. Part One will end with a few food-for-thought book club questions. After a short break, Part Two will be posted and followed by a special treat JUST for Wattpad readers! Stayed tuned for details.

So, without further ado, here it is...
The Sentencing Sapphire Book Club on Wattpad is officially open!

Lessons of Revenge Writing

2017-10-23T11:23:00.001-07:00

Revenge writing, it's a thing.
Not quite as gross and well known as revenge porn, or going Carrie Underwood on someone's car, but I promise, it's a thing. Ask the Swift.

I revenge write from time to time. Hell, I've even revenge written for other people (see Sacrificing Sapphire, out on December 12.) As a writer I work things out consciously or subconsciously through my writing, and revenge writing, I suppose is a part of that. It's seems, to me at least, like a very healthy way of dealing with issues that would otherwise have remained unresolved. And, since it's just storytelling, revenge writing, isn't something that ever comes back to bite you in the ass. By all means, it's absolutely bulletproof.

Or so I thought...

The first time I found myself revenge plotting (I always revenge plot before I revenge write, otherwise it leads to too much revenge editing) I had been in a long-running argument with my husband about...actually, to properly tell this tale of love and hate--mostly hate--I have to take you back to its beginnings.

2006

I was studying Screenwriting in Los Angeles at the time, and was involuntarily crushing on a guy in my class. It was involuntary because the last thing I wanted at that time was to be distracted by anything unrelated to writing. Nonetheless, I was crushing hard. So hard that I was too mesmerized by his charming smile and bright blue eyes to notice what was on the black T-shirt he wore every once in a while.

2007

I was now married to my crush, and though I was still mesmerized by his charming smile and bright blue eyes, I'd become well aware of what that black T-shirt, with the bold white letters, stated:
I don't take shit. I don't give shit. I'm not in the shit business.

Not that bad, right? The slogan moderately annoyed me, but it could've been worse; he could've owned one of those FBI - Female Body Inspector shirts.
But the more he wore this shirt, the more it annoyed me. He wore it like it was any other shirt--to the movies, the grocery store, and once to a fairly nice restaurant in Beverly Hills. I'm generally not one who cares that much about how one should look, act, and speak, but this shirt was starting to rub me the wrong way. Every time he put it on I started feeling as if the shirt, along with its now majorly annoying slogan, initiated a Eastwood-like stare down, while singing I'm ba-aaack.
Over the coming years, my relationship with the T-shirt went from dislike, to detest, to hate. And my husband really couldn't see what my problem was.

2009 (maybe..?)

I was in the middle of my initial bout with writing my first novel, Stalking Sapphire, in which the male MC, Aston, starts out in the series as an assh**e. As I sat there typing away, the thought struck me and my fingers froze momentarily over the keyboard. What would an asshole wear, if not THE T-shirt hanging in the closet at that very moment, silently mocking me.
I saw it all play out in my mind's eye. It was top-shelf vengeance. I would write the novel, and one day so many people would read it that when my husband and I walked down the street, readers would stop me and say: "Gosh, that really was one terrible T-shirt in chapter 6."
After which my husband, who may be the most stubborn person on earth, would look at me and say, "Yes. I can see now. It is the second worst T-shirt (the first being the FBI one) since the history of T-shirts. Let's BURN it."

Yes! I thought and smiled, that was exactly how it would happen. And then I typed.

2012

The T-shirt in question mysteriously (eh...) vanished while I was doing laundry.

2013

Stalking Sapphire got published earlier that year, and had just been put up on Wattpad because its sequel was coming out. For those who don't know, Wattpad=online Mecca for readers and writers. After a few months on there, and right around the time Stalking Sapphire reached a million reads, I decided to shut off my comment notifications to save my email inbox from filling up.

Present Day (-ish.)

A couple weeks ago, I went into Wattpad to check on something and ended up at the beginning of chapter 6 of Stalking Sapphire. That's when I saw them, the amount of comments that had been filling up over the past four years, all centered around this dialogue cluster.

My fantasy had (kind of) come true. I was Thrilled! Ecstatic! People hated the shirt just as much as I did. Practically radiating with gloat, I clicked on the comment bubble and waited as the page loaded, the way Ralphie waited for the secret code to be revealed in A Christmas Story. The moment the comments appeared I would run up to my husband while pointing and yelling: "See! Seeeeeeee!"
After which he would immediately admit that yes, it was a terrible shirt, and it was a good thing it mysteriously (eh...) vanished in the laundry.
As the comments appeared on my screen, my victorious grin tapered off. The longer I scrolled, the further the corners of my mouth dropped, until finally, I looked like the saddest of all emojjis.
Here are just a few of the comments I saw:

They all loved it. My husband's shirt had not gotten a single negative comment. What else was I wrong about, I wondered. Did red and pink not really clash? Was the ending of Dexter not actually terrible? My way of viewing the world could be completely upside down.

"Oh my God," I said, baffled.

"What?" my husband asked.

"You win..." I said, in shock. "They love your T-shirt. I don't know why, but they love it."

He squinted. "What T-shirt?"

"Come on, the T-shirt. The one that mysteriously (eh...) vanished in the laundry a few years ago."

No response.

"The one that I hated so much that I wrote about it in my book..."

Still nothing.

"The one that said 'I don't take shit, I don't give shit, I'm not in the shit business!'"

"Haha! Right...hilarious," he laughed, then his eyes grew wide with excitement, and he reached for his phone. "I wonder if I can find it again!"

F*******ck!

So...lesson learned. Will now proceed with revenge writing more cautiously as it appears not all of it is as bulletproof as I once thought. It seems it may actually come back to bite you in the ass after all...even if it's a decade later.

Xoxo,
Mia

SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE Cover

2017-09-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Just received the cover for Sacrificing Sapphire (Sapphire Dubois Mysteries #4) and I am so excited to share it with you all!

I can't believe the fourth book in the series is about to come out and that there's only one more book to go! Despite the fact that I wrote the first book when I was 22-23, and that I'm now 29 + 1 (this is the proper way of writing 30 because, as everybody knows, 30 is basically still 29) it feels like Stalking Sapphire just came out yesterday.

For anybody interested in an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), you can contact my publisher, Diversion Books via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and request a free copy of Sacrificing Sapphire in exchange for a review.

And so, without further ado, here it is, the official cover for SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE!

Xoxo,

Mia

SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE Release Date & Description

2017-06-30T10:49:00.002-07:00

I'd like to thank all my readers for your patience while waiting for the release date of book #4 in the Sapphire Dubois Mystery Series, SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE.

I know it has been a long time coming and, I promise you, I will do everything I in my power to make sure book #5, the final Sapphire Dubois installment, will reach your hands at a more rapid pace.

As of right now, the release date for SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE is scheduled for December 12 2017.

For the full details, pre-order of the paperback, and the mini description, go HERE!

Xoxo,
Mia

The Playlist

2017-06-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

For every project I've ever written, I've had a playlist.
When I wrote movies back in the day and was working on a spy thriller, my writing playlist, which is not the same as my regular playlist, was jammed packed with every Bond soundtrack I could think of to get me into the right mind space. When I was working on a kids movie, I listened to songs from my childhood to get me to remember what it was like to be ten. And, when I was working on Sapphire #3, I listened to Glenn Miller and Hozier (I think a Glenn Miller song might actually be mentioned in the book) to get into Sapphire's father's two personalities--the social one, and the dark one.

As for Sacrificing Sapphire, the latest book in the Sapphire Dubois series, and soon-ish to be released (nope, sorry, don't have a date yet) I made this playlist.
While I know it not easy to decipher a story through a playlist, here's a small preview of what is to come in Sacrificing Sapphire...

Xoxo,
Mia

Time Management

2017-05-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

So...time management.

Once upon a time, I had 10, 12, even 13 hour writing days. This was not my atypical schedule, I'm not that ferocious, but it certainly happened...especially during deadlines. The only things to ever interfere with my writing day back then, were walking and spending quality time with the dog, getting more coffee, and bathroom breaks, a side effect from all the coffee. Looking back at my old self now, I see how spoiled with time I was. I was SO damn time-spoiled that I sometimes wrote a scene, then rewrote it twice, then rewrote it back to its original state. This was before I started saving my deleted scenes in a separate folder, and clearly I didn't need to; I had time coming out the ying-yang. I was Joffrey, sitting on my iron throne of time. I was Scrooge Mcduck, doing back strokes in my pool of spare minutes. DuckTales, anyone? I was that dude at the strip club, swiping 20 dollar time-bills out of my hand like they were nothing.

Fast forward a few years and add a baby, a strict schedule, and general life that you a) didn't care about when you're 22. Or b) opted out of because the time-fairy would soon return with a fresh bag of more time, just for you. Back in the day, I made a conscious decisions to not have a life outside of writing. If I had the option to hangout at the pool with friends, or write, I chose writing every time. Now that I have a child and have to lead by example, I can't do that anymore...unless, of course I want to raise an asocial recluse with agoraphobia.

So, here we are...time management.

There are 24 hours in a day and my baby naps about 2-3 hours if I'm lucky, spread out through the day. That's what I have. So, what do you do when your writing day is cut from 8-13 hours and down to 2-3?

One: Acceptance.

You cry a little, because you realize life is now different and there's nothing you can do but accept it.

Two: It's not how much time you have, it's how you use it.

The time you don't spend writing--e.g. changing diapers, doing spread sheets, going, Hi! Hello! Bye-Bye! Toodeloo! If you're a Walmart greeter--spend it thinking, plotting, and planning out your scenes. I've always been a big plotter, but I've generally let the scenes write themselves, only knowing the scene's opener, closer, and the plot point. I always liked the surprise of not knowing every event of every story-line before it was written. Sure, it took a few passes to get it right at times, but it was worth it for the chance to strike gold.

Well, luxuries like that are for people who bathe in time, which, again, I no longer do.
Also, because I know I'll have less time for rewrites later, I now need to feel sure about the direction of the scene before I start it.

Three: What can go?

Dinner? In order to live one supposedly needs to eat, so probably not.

Sleep? I can hear other parents laughing at this, because, well...it's not like there's much to begin with. But see if you can make it on one less hour of sleep 1-3 days a week, not 5-7. Whether you're a parent, a worker, or like most, both, set the alarm an hour early, or go to bed an hour later. It's amazing how much you can write in 60 minutes.

TV/Reading time? Most of us need to unwind, and it usually involves a TV. Since I love shows, movies, books, hell, I'd take story in pill form it they had it, I don't want to give up all my TV/Reading time, if I even get any. I am, however, willing to cut it down by a half hour to get some extra writing time.

Favorite pastimes?
My favorite thing to do now days is hangout with my daughter. Since she happens to be the cutest baby in the world, it's not something I'm willing to give up. Just yesterday she laughed at her own foot for fifteen minutes, and if that's not worth watching, I don't know what is. It falls under the Life category and it is, as the scientists put it, real friggin' important to body and mind. Writing makes your life better, and life makes your writing better. It's about balance.

Social Media Time?
Sorry, it has to go. Unless you're doing promos or work, cut it down. If you have time to scroll the newsfeed for 30 minutes, you have time to write. FYI: I took me three days to complete this post. Why? Because in times like these, that may or may not go down in my personal history as the Great Time Famine, I chose to write instead of write about writing. Make sense?

That's all I got. It's not much, but every minutes counts. Even if you only have one hour a week to write, and it takes you three years to finish a project, by the end of those three years, you'll actually HAVE a completed book. Yay! Meanwhile, if you instead spend those same three year saying "I don't have time to write." you'll have absolutely nothing. Boo!

As my favorite greeter once said: Thanks for shopping a Walmart. And, Toodeloo!

Xoxo,
Mia

Sapphire Dubois Mysteries: Book 5

2017-04-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

With the fourth Sapphire book, Sacrificing Sapphire, turned in for its first round at Diversion Books, I sat down to write out all the plot points for the final Sapphire installment (book 5) today. I've had the main plot of the series set up and ready to go for years, but I always save the detailed plotting for after I'm in the final stages of the latest installment, just in case unexpected plot changes have to be made.

As I wrote out the sheet, very, very tentatively titling it Stealing Sapphire: Plot Points, I was overwhelmed with bitter sweetness. I started the series when I was 22 or 23-years-old. I just now passed 30. These characters have been with me for so much of my adult life that I don't really know what it'll be like without them, entertaining me when I'm bored and torturing me when I want to sleep.
Over the years, the series have taken me on a roller-coaster, from losing ten pounds and nearly my mind during the deadline for Silencing Sapphire, to topping mystery bestsellers lists in both Europe and the US for a beat. In the end, all I can do now is enjoy the hell out of writing Sapphire and Aston's final chapter. I will savor the entire process, knowing I'll miss it all when it's over, nasty bumps and smooth sailings alike.

Xoxo,
Mia

The List

2017-03-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Rewriting is super easy...
said no writer EVER.

The first time I realized the importance of rewriting and notes, I was nineteen and in school for screenwriting. It was my favorite teacher who said the phrase I'd never forget: "writing is rewriting."

The term first draft meant nothing to me back then as I only did one pass before moving onto the next project. I immediately took the wisdom to heart, and the words became a mantra over the years. But just because I understood "writing is rewriting" didn't mean I automatically knew how to execute it.

During the second semester, we had a class dedicated to the subject, and were tasked with rewriting one of our scripts. With my new mantra in mind, I set out to dedicate myself to the rewrite. We had nine people in our class and everyone gave notes on every script. So that was eight people, eight different opinions, with about two-three notes each, bringing the total in somewhere between 16-24. So, what did I do? Eager and inexperienced, I implemented them all. The result, a 200 plus page script (your average movie is about 110) full of nonsense. If the script was a plate of food, it would've been spaghetti with ice cream and relish smothered turducken. Yummy. No?

After I submitted my script and realized my mistake, I vowed I would find a system that worked for me. In the end, and after years of writing, it came down to three ridiculously simple steps.

1. Receiving the Notes

There's a moment when you initially receive the feedback that your gut let's you know if a note feels right or wrong. Go with it. If it feels wrong, it probably is.
That said, don't confuse your hurt ego with your gut. Gut in writing, I feel, is just your subconscious story-logic, while the hurt ego manifests itself through anger or in unjustified refusal. Remember that there's a reason your reader feels the way they do.

If you're dealing with a inexperienced reader, I.e. not your agent, editor, or fellow writer, learn to decipher their message. Let's imagine your gum-chewing friend Lucy says, "I

would totally love it if the guy she likes was named Edward instead... and if he was a vampire."

Your initial thought is probably: Lucy, you suck.

But what Lucy said may actually have meant: "I didn't relate to the MC's love interest."

Voila. A note you can work with.

2. Making the List

'Twas a very average and unspecial day, when I realized I was rewriting in a very hap hazardous, cluster f**k-y way. I'd start at the beginning and work my way through the notes as they came up. If your notes affect nothing but the page you're touching, this system works great. By the time you reach the end, pop the champagne, you're done. However, more often then not, one change sends a ripple effect through the manuscript. So, about 35, 000 K in you're not only dealing with the change coming up on the next pages, but you're simultaneously dealing with all the ripples from previous changes. The result isn't only a cluster f**k, but also something that overwhelms you and makes you feel like you'd rather stick something sharp in the eye than deal with it.

The day I wrote a precise list of changes, along with their ripples, and went through them note by note, my rewriting process from I hate my life to, Meh, this is not so bad. The simple action of numbering the notes, then crossing them off as they were implemented, made the process ridiculously manageable. I, personally, don't even take them down in order; I just like number them so I can say: "Only number 6 and 9 left. Saucey."

This way, if you're having a particularly draining day (like the time I woke up to a teething baby, a dog with diarrhea, no toner, and a low-on-battery smoke detector going beep.....beep.....beep until I banged it loose with my Swifter) you might want to go with an easier note. If you wake up to the smell of coffee, yawning like a Disney princess, and birds tweeting on your window sill, it might be a good day to reel in that big sucker you've been dreading.

3. The Read

I didn't start doing this until my books came out on audio and I had a listen. Though Elizabeth Norton, who narrates the series, does an amazing job bringing the characters to life, all I could hear when listening were unnecessary words and repetitive sentences. So I started The Read.

No, I don't mean read your manuscript. I know you have, one million times. However, squinting at you computer's bright screen, while you read and fix, fix and read, isn't reading. Print your manuscript, once your think it's ready for the next set of eyes, then get cozy and read it, not like an author, but like a reader. I'll even read it out loud to myself, just to catch odd story

movements, certain adverbs, and other unnecessary words. This part of the process might be my favorite as it involves me, a couch, and a variety of snacks. It's my license to be lazy.

Xoxo,
Mia

The Past Year

2017-03-04T14:43:00.002-08:00

I know, I know. You thought I'd died since I haven't posted since the turn of the century. Surprise, I'm alive...clinically, at least.

I've had a bit of a rough, but rewarding year. It all started after my last birthday, when I took a test, one I didn't have to study for, and was graded with two pink lines, a plus if you will.

The nine months (although that's a lie, it's actually ten) that followed were just as "magical" as people claimed them to be. It certainly felt magical spending every morning hugging my new best friend, the toilette bowl. Along with the other "exciting" things that happens to your body, it turned out I lost my ability to write. The computer screen made me nauseated, the thought of cohesive storytelling boggled my mind, and I spent a lot of time bawling when someone mentioned my series, Sapphire, or the color blue. To be fair, I also once cried because I'd put mismatched socks on and realized I'd have to take one back off. Hormones are a b**ch, people.

When I finally started feeling better, I still couldn't dig myself out of the writing block, especially with Sapphire #4. I was burned out on characters I've always loved to write, and a plot I was previously very excited about. As time passed and my brain remained at a standstill, I started panicking. Not only did I have readers waiting for the next installment, but my deadline was approaching.
Finally, I spoke to my agent, who is not only exceptional at her job, but a very lovely person who takes human problems to heart. Long story short, she got me an extension.

Sometime during the end of my third trimester, the token finally dropped and I was able to write again. Between peeing every 30 minutes, trying to roll my whale-like butt out of bed, and eating Gardettos with watermelon, I wrote until my fingers bled. Days before I hit my due date, I got project X sent off to the agent, and was finally making substantial headway with Sapphire #4. I even asked my nurse if I could bring my laptop to the hospital and write while I waited for my little one's debut. She laughed...and laughed...and laughed.
In retrospect, I get it.
Since I don't want to show you a photo of myself at that time, I'll show you a picture of an actual whale and let your imagination do the rest.

I went through an array of highs and lows in the following weeks. Greeting my little girl was at the very top of the best-ever list, while having post-delivery complications and nearly bleeding to death was probably one of the less favorable moments. I'd put the experience somewhere between all my teen years combined, and that time I accidentally drank expired milk.

Nonetheless, you'll be happy to hear (or possibly very sad, depending on how you feel about the series) that I'm back on track and that Sapphire #4, officially known as SACRIFICING SAPPHIRE is

in the middle of its pre-publication process as we speak. Yay!

Xoxo,
Mia

Death by Post-it

2016-05-02T17:48:00.001-07:00

I'm likely to be found buried under a pile of sticky notes. That's right, that's how I'll go: Death by Post-it.

For those who have followed my tweets and posts (at this blog or at The Book Stops Here) in the past few months, you've probably come to the right conclusion. Yes, I'm suffering my worst bout of writers block ever. I've written about visits from my old pal Writers Block before, but this time it's different, something has evolved. Like a virus, Writers Block, whom I've always found a way to get rid of before, has mutated into a new kind of super Block, one I cannot beat for the life of me.

While I still try to write with the mutated Writers Block, every writer will tell you that forced writing, is merely an imitation of writing. That said, while the words are not in my favor, some things in my mind are still working. Much like how they claim Hope to be the last things to leave the human body, it seems Inspiration is the last thing to leave this writer. While I can't seem to put a story together on the laptop, not even at a second grade level, I can still come up with ideas, concepts, and scenes.
So, what happens to writer when they have been infected by a mutated Writers Block virus, but is still able to get inspiration? While being hit with an extreme feed of images on a daily basis, and without the ability to get the images out in a piece of work, the writer may A) go bananas. B) end up creatively dead. Or C, be forced to find a different outlet.

I, refusing to creatively die or go bananas, opted for C. And the answer, my dear Watson, was elementary. Post-its. That's right. The only thing keeping me mentally afloat right now is the multicolored sticky notes, possibly invented by Romy and Michele. Post-its: the prefect size to hold my discombobulated thoughts.

And while they are saving me from dying in a literal sense, I've come to realize they may be the
actual death of me as the probability of me drowning in them grows by the day. There are Post-its everywhere. My car. My purse. My bedroom. My desk. I even found one on my butt yesterday. No idea how long I'd walked around with a pink sticky note reading: "And...a partridge and a pear tree?" (Aston - Chapter 7.) I just hope it ended up there after I went to Walgreens and not before.

I think there comes a time in everyone's life where they approach the cross roads of keep fighting (Right) and moving on (Left). While pondering whether to go right or not, one should simply ask oneself the age-old question: is this really worth me drowning in a pile of Post-its?

My answer: yes, of course it is. Anything worthwhile in life is worth drowning in a pile of Post-its over.

Xoxo,
Mia

The Book Stops Here

2016-03-30T15:06:00.003-07:00

For those who don't know, I occasionally also write for a blog formerly known as the Prose & Cons, made up of a community of writers, editors, agents, and weirdos (the latter would be me.)

Recently, the group formerly known as the Prose & Cons, changed their name, and relaunched their site. Nearly each and every member contributed a writing piece to reintroduce themselves.

Without farther ado:

The new and improved The Book Stops Here

GO VISIT!

Xoxo,
Mia

"Writing"

2016-02-16T14:36:00.001-08:00

Between the "rewrites" of project X, and the "writing" of the Sapphire #4 MS, I decided to squeeze in a birthday yesterday.

I had a spectacularly amazing, but low-key day which included: breakfast in bed, Dim Sum, and two orangutans. I could explain, but I'd much rather leave you all wondering how the orangutans came into the picture. I'm not sure how I got to be one year away from the big three-oh. I honestly always planned on just turning twenty-five until I died, but with neither science or biology on my side I guess I have to give up on that dream. Mia-0. Time-1.

Today, it was back to the muddy water of reality. Got up at 6.30 and drank my coffee while starting to "write." ("Writing" = staring at screen while baffled by one's past choices.) As I sat there, "writing", I wondered when my beloved muse would be back, and where she went in the first place. Perhaps she took out her well-earned PTO and went to the Bahamas, or Boca Raton if she's 55+. I then decided to take a break from "writing" to google muses and call my insurance company. (Note that it was not to ask where they thought my muse had gone on vacation. It was a separate matter.)

After lunch, a work out, and this post, I now have four hours left of "writing" time and muse-pondering, before I may call it a day. Wish me luck.

Xoxo,
Mia

Interviews, Guest Spots & More!

2016-01-26T17:05:00.003-08:00

Between writing, life, and other time-consuming things, promo-time is usually not something I have the chance to enjoy. Promo-time, i.e those few months leading up to the new book release, usually involves, but is not limited to, interviews, blog tours, book clubs, count down posts, and guest spots.

Because I'm usually already under emotional stress at that time, I don't remembering much from those months as they whoosh by in a flurry of emails, tweets, and Q & As. Lucky for me, and my stress-induced goldfish memory, I can take a day like today, months after the promo is over to look at what I did while in the "black out" period.

Here or some of the interviews and guests spots from last year. A few of the topics I discuss are: Sentencing Sapphire, growing up in Sweden, and book 4 and 5 of the Sapphire Dubois Series.

Interviewed by Garrett Calcaterra

Interviewed by Peter Hogenkamp

Book Blitz Excerpt & Interview

Interviewed by Lily Gardner

Guest Spot at Readful Things

Interviewed by Ash Krafton

Xoxo,
Mia

The Holidays

2016-01-07T12:31:00.002-08:00

Must say I thoroughly enjoyed the holidays this year. Diversion Books out Stalking Sapphire for free through December, and it was a great Christmas present to watch it climb Amazon's bestseller lists in the US, UK, and Canada.

Between ham cooking, Turkish delight eating, and A Christmas Story watching, I spent the rest of the holidays finishing the final chapters of Sapphire's #4's rough draft, and yelling "Mush! Mush!" at my #1 Beta Reader until he finished reading the latest draft of Project X.

Now, unfortunately, I have rough, and I do mean rough, draft in one hand, and a long list of major notes, that I have no idea how to implement into a fifth draft, in the other. This of course means months and months of rewriting a head of me, which in turn means a lot of fun, laughter, and joy in front of the old lap top...said no writer ever.

Despite the work load and the slight panicky feel it brings, I'm looking forward to 2016's payoffs. Sapphire #4 will be out and about later this year. And, hopefully, I'll get to introduce a new, and dear character to my readers.

I hope everyone will have a prosperous 2016; you all deserve it!

Xoxo,
Mia

STALKING SAPPHIRE Free!

2015-12-16T12:34:00.003-08:00

In the spirit of the holidays, Diversion Books have decide to make book #1 in the Sapphire Dubois Mystery Series, STALKING SAPPHIRE, free!

As of today, Stalking Sapphire, will be free on both Amazon, and iBooks. The deal will only last through December so make sure to download your very own copy now.

Kindle/Amazon Readers

Get Your Copy Here

iBooks/iPad/iPhone Readers

Get Your Copy Here

Happy Holidays!

Xoxo,
MIa

Interview with Author Garrett Calcaterra

2015-12-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Garrett Calcaterra is author of the YA fantasy series The Dreamwielder Chronicles. His other full-length books include The Roads to Baldairn Motte and Umbral Visions. When not writing or

teaching, he enjoys playing guitar in his band Wheel House, hiking with his two dogs, quaffing good beer, and enjoying life with his wife and best friend, Mandy.

The Interview

Souldrifter, the sequel to your YA fantasy, Dreamwielder, just came out. On a scale of puking-your-guts-out nervous to Tom-Cruise-on-Oprah’s-couch ecstatic, how do you feel?

Definitely more excited than nervous, but not nearly as excited as when the first book came out a few years ago. What I learned from that first one is that it’s a lot of damn work to market and promote a new book as an unknown author. So I’m excited, but also determined to put all the work in to make sure readers actually hear about the book.

You’ve been doing a book club on Wattpad for Dreamwielder. Since the comments on Wattpad come in unedited, has anything the Wattpad-ers said ever shocked you?

Ha! You know, for years I’ve taught creative writing to high school students who tend to be very blunt, so I don’t think any comment could shock me anymore. And the readers on Wattpad have been great. For the most part the comments on my work have been overwhelmingly positive. Wattpad readers compare my writing to George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones quite often, and a few weeks ago, someone even compared my writing to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s. Can’t complain about that.

You have two dogs—I don’t know their names, so I’m going to call them Biscuit and Bob Hope. Do Biscuit and Bob Hope ever demand your attention while you’re writing and, if so, what do they do to get it?

Garrett, Jack & Jager (aka: Biscuit & Bob Hope)

I do indeed have two dogs. Their real names are Jager and Jack, but I like Biscuit and Bob Hope, so let’s stick with that. And yes, they absolutely demand my attention. Jager…er Biscuit rather, will nuzzle me under the arms to knock my hands off the computer keyboard, and then he’ll put his front paws on my lap. He’s a big dog, a little over 100lbs, so you can’t ignore him. Jack, aka Bob Hope, will just bark at me when he wants to go for a walk, and he’s bigger than Biscuit, so yeah, his bark rattles the walls.

Being an author of horror as well as fantasy, have you ever scared yourself so badly that you: A) Had to stop writing. B) Peed a little. Or, C) Turned on all the lights and grabbed Biscuit and Bob Hope for protection.

I’ve definitely been known to cuddle with Biscuit and Bob Hope when I’ve had a few too many drinks, but I don’t get scared all that easily, probably because what plays out in my imagination is way worse than anything that happens in real life. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been a daydreamer, playing out imagined scenarios in my mind. That’s why I became an author, I guess—so I can bring those daydreams to life.

Do you remember where you were, what you did, and whether or not you were wearing an actual Thinking Cap when you came up with the idea for Dreamwielder?

Actually, it was my mother who came up with the concept for Dreamwielder. She literally dreamt of a young woman sleeping in an opulent castle whose parents were trying to beat down the door, and when they finally did break through and wake her, the castle disappeared in a wisp of fog to reveal a hovel. My mother told me about this dream when I was visiting for the holidays several years ago and it really resonated with me. My imagination took off where hers started and that dream became the opening scene in the book.

Last questions: What is next for you, Garrett? And more importantly, what is next for Biscuit and Bob Hope?

Well, Biscuit and Bob Hope are getting pretty old, so they mostly sleep all day and give me moral support while I write. For my part, I have several projects in the works. There will definitely be a third Dreamwielder book, and then I’m working on something that’s a little darker and geared more towards adults. It’s still in the early stages, so I can’t divulge too much since I don’t know myself, but it’ll be more high-concept than the Dreamwielder books, yet have the same break-neck pacing and action. At least that’s what I’m aiming for.

A BIG thanks to Garrett for allowing me to interview him! To check out Garrett's novel Dreamwielder and its sequel Souldrifter click HERE

Xoxo,

Mia

Post-Release

2015-11-25T16:15:00.001-08:00

Post-release.
Some writers use this time to unwind, sit back and enjoy the aftermath of their hard work, before they dig into their next project.

Which is exactly what I did...for two days. During which time I realized the following:

1: Daytime TV sucks.
2: My living room patio has 25 blinds, a strangely uneven and highly unsettling number.
3: The suggestion: take a nice, long walk, no longer sounds like an oxymoronic joke to me.
4: Carrie should've ended up with Aidan, not Big.

When I felt I'd punished myself long enough with a writing break, I jumped back into Project X and finished up the first readable draft. Now, while Project X is in the hands of Reader #1, my husband, I'm dedicating all my time to Sapphire #4, tentatively titled: Sacrificing Sapphire.

Xoxo,
Mia

Contest Winners & Sentencing Sapphire Preview!

2015-10-22T15:34:00.003-07:00

The Silencing Sapphire Book Club has come to an end and, as always, I had a blast doing it.
A big thanks to all the Wattpad readers for their lovely comments and compliments. I genuinely have no words to describe how wonderful it has been to read your messages.

With the conclusion of the book club, I have put up the first three chapters of SENTENCING SAPPHIRE (Sapphire Dubois Book #3) on Wattpad as a preview. Read them HERE!

A giant congrats to the three winners of Contest #1: The Sapphire Dubois Quiz! The winners' wattpad names have been announced on the Contest section of the Silencing Sapphire Book Club.

Last but not least, we have the winner of Contest #2: The Art Contest.

CONGRATULATIONS to a very talented girl named Ariel, who took home the prize with her beautiful drawing of Sapphire Dubois.

Xoxo,
Mia

Interview with author Arthur Kerns

2015-10-15T14:17:00.001-07:00

Introduction

Arthur Kerns spent most of his FBI career in the New York City and Washington, DC. Following

graduation from college, he did a stint with the US Navy amphibious forces, and then joined the FBI with a career in counterintelligence and counterterrorism. Retiring from the FBI, he became a consultant for the Director of Central Intelligence and the Department of State. His lengthy assignments took him to over sixty-five countries. He attended Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware, earned a degree in International Relations from St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, and received an MBA from New York University. He spent a year studying Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. A past president of the Arizona chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, he tries to spend as much time as possible in the Monterey California Bay area. His award-winning short stories have been published in a number of anthologies, most recently, SoWest: Desert Justice.

Diversion Books published his debut novel, an espionage thriller, The Riviera Contract, in March 2013 and the sequel, The African Contract, May 2014. He now is writing the next novel in the series, The Yemen Contract.

The Interview

Art, you’ve had quite an exciting life so far: FBI, counter intelligence, consultant for the Director of Central Intelligence, the list goes on. How did you adjust when settling into the calmer life of an author?

I found it easy to slip into the writing world. However, if you want to succeed you learn it’s a lot more demanding than you expected. Many of us had the vision of working on a manuscript alone in that mountain cabin, or maybe a seaside cottage. We writers know it’s not quite that way. The hassle of marketing, attending book signings, workshops, and conferences takes up a lot of your time. Then there’s the research necessary for your story. Eventually, you try to find time to write. A calmer life is, I suppose, a relative concept. Overall, to steer me through the writing process, I’m fortunate to have a great agent in Liz Kracht and a supportive publisher, Diversion Books.

How much of your character, Hayden Stone, do you see in yourself?

Hayden Stone is very much a creation. Yes, we have similar backgrounds and some character traits, and likes and dislikes, but Stone’s ventures into the spy world of counterterrorism is his own making. Now, I am interested in the foods of the world and enjoyed my travels to far-away places, but the action (and romance) sequences are from whole cloth.

Having travelled to over 65 countries in your line of work, does writing exotic locations come easy to you?

I love traveling to places off the main route. Many of the countries I traveled to in Africa, most people don’t know exist and if they did probably couldn’t find a tour company to take them there. When I was young, I was an avid reader of Richard Halliburton’s travel books. If fact, I have two first editions in my library. I chose Yemen as a location for my next novel, because I traveled there many times and found the people and landscape fascinating.

I see you as the Ian Fleming of the States. How would you feel if Hayden Stone ended up on the big screen, and which actor would you like to see in the role?

Don’t we all want to have our novels end up on the big screen? Jon Hamm, now that Mad Men series is over, he has time on his hands.

You’re working on the third book in your series right now, The Yemen Contract. How many Stone books do you think you’ll write?

After the Yemen Contract, I can see one, maybe two more books. As a matter of fact, I’m just about to hand to my critique group the draft of the first chapter of the Tuscan Contract. However, I have another manuscript in the works, which focuses on the unsolved murder of an FBI agent in 1929. Another idea percolating is a series about an FBI agent sent to Latin America during WW II to counter the Nazi threat.

With all the places you’ve been in the world, where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite spot to work is right here in my home office. My wife, Donna, did a great job of helping me put together the perfect place to write.

Want to check out Arthur’s Hayden Stone series? CLICK HERE

A big thanks to Arthur (aka: America's Ian Fleming) for this interview!

The SENTENCING SAPPHIRE Release Day!

2015-10-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

Today is the day! SENTENCING SAPPHIRE (Sapphire Dubois Book #3) is finally out.

I don't know if I'm supposed to be less excited about this, having two release dates under my belt, but I seem to be as giddy today as I was the first two times. Combine your 18th or 21st birthday with a top five childhood Christmas and that's where I am on release days.

Purchase it HERE!

That said, my celebration this time has taken a drastic turn from those of the past.

The day Stalking Sapphire was released, my husband and I got a really nice suite for two nights at a really nice hotel. When I opened my eyes that morning, three things hit me in the following order:

One: I was hung-over. The management sent us complimentary strawberries and champagne the night before, which lead to us running out of champagne. So we went down to the bar and continued looking for champagne at the bottom of several captain and coke glasses.

Two: Neither my ass or my back hurt. The nice hotel with the really nice suite, had a really nice bed. One of those nice beds you grow to hate, because they make you realize what a piece of crap you normally sleep on.

Three: It was the release day! I jumped up, despite the hangover, and yelled. "O-mi-God-O-mi-God; It's out!!!" My husband, still half asleep, also hung-over, opened his blood-shot eyes and mumbled "yaay" then went back to sleep.

I've never been simultaneously happy and hung-over before, it's usually one or the other, but I give it two thumbs up.

As for Silencing Sapphire's release...
I was convinced everyone would hate the sequel so much that I wouldn't get to write a third, fourth, or fifth book, and that the second release day, would be my last. So I invited some friends and threw a release party to make sure that if it, indeed, was my last release day, I'd go out with a bang.

I spent the whole night forcing people to listen to made-up potential and horrible reviews: Minus 3 Stars. Worst Writing in the History of Words. Thompson SUCKS!
I wish I would've known how many four and five star reviews the second book would get at that point. It would've saved my friends' ears from profuse bleeding.

So what am I doing today then, on Sentencing Sapphire's release day, you ask?
The answer is so incredibly dull that I couldn't find a boring enough word in the thesaurus to describe it. I got up this morning to share links, re-link, post this, try to be clever in 140 characters or less...the usual. Then, at 9 p.m. tonight, I will not celebrate, but go to work. Not writing work, but work-work.

Fun, right? Wrong. Clearly, while at work, I will neither be able to drink champagne nor randomly yell "O-mi-God-O-mi-God; It's out!!!" as I'd likely be escorted off the property by security.

My only hope today, as I look like this before I venture to work...

...is that somewhere in the world, someone sees that Sentencing Sapphire is out and jumps up to yell "O-mi-God-O-mi-God; it's out!!!"

On the upside, I hear Burger King's Black Whopper turns your poop green, so my day could be significantly worse.

Xoxo,
Mia

Win a Copy of Sentencing Sapphire!

2015-10-05T19:59:00.001-07:00

As the release day of Sentencing Sapphire (Sapphire Dubois Book #3) rapidly approaches, Diversion Books have graciously offered up a few copies of the whole Sapphire Series (ePub) and Sentencing Sapphire in paperback!

Goodreads Giveaway

Enter HERE to join the Goodreads Giveaway and win Sentencing Sapphire in paperback. It ends tomorrow (Oct. 6th) and this one is for the US only.

Wattpad Contests

For a chance to win the whole Sapphire Dubois series (ePub) you must enter through Wattpad and the Silencing Sapphire Book Club. If you don't already have an account, sign up. Wattpad is free.
These contests are open WORLD-WIDE and start on Oct. 7th 2015. Rules and instructions will be located on the last page of the book club, and titled Contests.

The winners will receive all three Sapphire books, i.e. Stalking Sapphire, Silencing Sapphire, Sentencing Sapphire for their eReader.

Wattpad Contest 1#
THE QUIZ
Answer the seven Sapphire Dubois questions in the Contests comment section of the book club. The first three contestants to answer all quiz questions correctly win!

Wattpad Contests 2#
THE ART CONTEST
Draw Sapphire Dubois on a WANTED POSTER and submit the drawing to the email address that will be released at the end of the Silencing Sapphire Book Club on Oct 7th!

Note: For those unable to scan in their drawing, a photo of the drawing will be accepted as well, as long as it is properly zoomed in on the subject.

Good Luck!

Xoxo,
Mia

Interview with Author Sue Coletta

2015-09-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

This week, I got a chance to virtually sit down with MARRED author Sue Coletta.

Introduction

A member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters In Crime, Sue Coletta is a crime fiction author.

She's written five novels: Marred, A Deadly Yearning, A Strangled Rose, Timber Point, and Silent Betrayal. Marred, a psychological thriller, is slated for release on November 11, 2015, Tirgearr Publishing.

The Interview

Q: Sue, I’d like to imagine that you and I are doing this over a cup of coffee in your living room, since you seem like the type of person I’d like to have coffee with. If we were, indeed, in your living room, having coffee, would you feel the need to offer baked goods? And if so, what would it be?

Sue: If we were having coffee, I’d be breaking out in hives all over my body. I’m allergic to coffee. I know, I know, a writer who doesn’t drink coffee. Crazy! So, I’d be drinking tea, but yes, of course I’d offer you a baked good. I used to bake a lot, but now, time is an issue, so I hope you don’t mind if I offer you an apple and walnut pasty ring from the local bakery. The icing drizzled on the top is to die for.

Q: You and I are both drawn to write about blood, mystery, and murder; in your honest opinion, are we messed up in the head?

Sue: Umm…depends on who you ask. *awkward smile* On my site I have a free giveaway, 60 Ways to Murder Your Fictional Characters. After people have had a chance to look it over, I tend to get comments like, “Bet your husband sleeps with one eye open.” Or, “Remind me never to cross you.”

Q: What is the best, and worst, thing a reader has ever said about your work?

Sue: Marred, my debut psychological thriller, hasn’t released yet. But in the past I’ve definitely had some comments from agents and editors. Worst: Rejected! (Is there anything worse than that, regardless of how they sugarcoat it?) Best: You have an amazing ability to drag your reader along, forcing them to flip the page.

Q: What are your favorite authors and how have they affected the way you write?

Sue: My all-time favorite author is Larry Brooks. His thrillers are so mind-bogglingly awesome; how they twist and turn; how you never know what’s real and what’s not. Because he’s also a friend, his writing has been a huge influence on the way I write and how I structure my novels.

Q: At what point did you go from ‘writing is a hobby’ to ‘writing is what I want to do?’

Sue: I’ve always wanted to write professionally. Years ago, I wrote children’s stories. It wasn’t until I wrote my first novel that I chose to make my dream a reality.

Q: You’re pretty awesome at blogging. How important do you think it is, in this day and age, for writers to build their own platforms?

Sue: It’s everything. Without a social media presence you’re sunk. We live in an amazing time, where we can reach across the world in an instant. To not take advantage of that would make no sense. And, thank you! You’re an awesome blogger too.

Q: If you could pick one of your own characters to meet with, who would it be, and what would you say to them?

Sue: Of course I love all my characters, but I have the most in common with Deputy Frankie Campanelli. I would have to ask her how it feels not worry about what anyone thinks and to say whatever comes to mind.

Q: You have a 99 cent pre-release sale today of your novel, MARRED, but it comes out on 11/11. How will you celebrate on the big day?

Sue: I do, yes! The sale lasts until Marred is released on 11/11/15. My publisher would kill me if I missed this opportunity for a shameless plug.

When a serial killer breaks into the home of bestselling author, Sage Quintano, she barely escapes with her life. Her husband, Niko, a homicide detective, insists they move to rural New Hampshire, where he accepts a position as Grafton County Sheriff. Sage buries secrets from that night—secrets she swears to take to her deathbed. Three years of anguish and painful memories pass, and a grisly murder case lands on Niko’s desk. A strange caller begins tormenting Sage—she can’t outrun the past. When Sage’s twin sister suddenly goes missing, Sage searches Niko’s case files and discovers similarities to the Boston killer. A sadistic psychopath is preying on innocent women, marring their bodies in unspeakable ways. And now, he has her sister. Cryptic clues. Hidden messages. Is the killer hinting at his identity? Or is he trying to lure Sage into a deadly trap to end his reign of terror with a matching set of corpses?

To take advantage of the pre-release sale, and to view all buying options, go here. On release day, I’m hoping to have a book launch party at a local inn that does mystery dinners, where you solve the murder while enjoying a great meal. Folks around here love local authors, and I have a connection there, so I’d like to combine my book launch with the event.

Thanks, Mia! Done with your coffee? Great. Well, it’s been nice chatting with you. Now get out of my house so I can get back to work. Books don’t write themselves. Oops. Sorry about that. My inner “Frankie” slipped out.

Despite being kicked out of your house, Sue (I have a feeling Deputy Frankie Campanelli and Aston Ridder would get along great), a big thanks for the interview, and more importantly, the apple walnut pastry—it was delish.