Mia Knight's Blog, page 3

“Stay with me.”

“I can’t. You’ll destroy me.”

“I can’t destroy you without destroying myself.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means we start here.”

Bitter Confessions Snippet

© 2023 Mia Knight. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve officially passed the word count of Bitter Secrets (136k words). I estimated the word count for the rough draft to be around 180k, but now I’m pretty sure it'll be around 230-250k words. If it’s less, awesome, but with the way this book has been going so far, I think the word count will be insane. I knew this book would be long, but I had no idea it would be THIS long.

The first 11 chapters of the book are 105k words, and I haven’t even gotten to Christmas yet. The rest of the draft is stuff I wrote in 2021 or fragments of storylines that I’m not sure will pan out.

I've considered cutting a ton of stuff just to complete the first draft, but discarded that thought almost immediately. The first draft is where I write everything out in its entirety. In revisions, I nix parts that are excessive or boring. I knew I had my work cut out for me, getting them through a whole year of anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, public events, family, and all the other things that crop up. What I didn’t see coming were the quiet moments and scenes I didn’t plan that changed the course of the novel and made me fall in love with this couple all over again. I don’t think any book has surprised me as much as this one has, and I’m not even halfway through.

This book is such a departure from the others in the series that I’ve second guessed myself a lot, wondering if I’m going in the wrong direction. I feel just like Jasmine—scared to trust, afraid to believe this is real, or if I’m fabricating something that isn’t. I’m not going to lie. I am so deep in this thing that reality and fiction have blurred quite a bit.

Many things I thought wouldn’t be discussed until the last book came up in the first chapters, messing up my outline immediately. After the first chapters went haywire, I backed off. I’ve been feeling my way—getting through one chapter and then going, “Okay, what next?” And there’s always a small beam of light that shows the next scene, which leads to the next and the next. This is how I used to write when I was younger. Exploring rather than checking off to-do’s on my list. This way takes longer, but is much more rewarding and fun because I’m not plotting, I’m following instead of leading, and I have no idea what the fuck is going to happen next.

I thought I did a lot of research for the first two novels, but this one has been next level. In the past two weeks I watched several documentaries on the Rockefeller’s and researched: slow waltz, Gilded Age mansions, diamonds, hedge funds, mutual funds, Rolls-Royce interior, non-profit organizations vs. foundations, gothic artwork, frescos. I mean, the list goes on and on. When I’m not writing, I’m usually combing the internet for an answer to something. This book has been putting me through my paces and stretching me to the limit.

A week ago, I was so frustrated because I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. Then I realized that under normal circumstances, I would have been writing “the end” and patting myself on the back after hitting 100k words, instead of only being a third of the way into the book. My books are becoming doorstoppers. I can’t seem to stop myself from deep diving into this world instead of skimming the surface. I don’t know if I’ll ever write something like this in the future, so interesting scenarios I would normally put aside for future stories are going into this book.

I love the marriage of convenience trope and am never satisfied with how much a story shows, so I’m going all in and showing all the tumult I expect in a MOC story—the angst, sweet moments, and confusion and tension as they count down the days until their agreement is up. The push and pull between them is mesmerizing. I’ve never enjoyed myself more, so I’m going to let my muse do its thing and follow along. A lot of these scenes are a little surreal because I imagined them in 2019 when I published Bitter Heat, and now I'm finally writing them out in their entirety. They're better than I thought they could be.

But it takes time. So, please be patient and let me do my writing thing. I do not have a release date and won’t announce one until the book has been revised. Also, for those asking about the Crime Lord Series, after I fulfill these contracts for the Singed Series, I will return to that world to finish Carmen’s stories.

If you want to follow along as I write the first draft of Bitter Confessions, you can join my Patreon, where I share snippets four times (or more when I can’t help myself) a week. I also post inspirational images, polls, and occasionally rant about tough scenes and keep everyone updated on my progress. You also get access to my Discord server where I drop in most frequently and where we have monthly meetups. Shout out to all my patrons! They keep me motivated and excited. Their reactions are usually never what I expect and gives me a lot of food for thought. Their contribution is vitally important for me as it keeps me afloat while I write these gargantuan books and is also helping me pay for Bitter Heat to be made into audio, which is being done in November and should be out in December or early 2024! I couldn’t do this without them!

“Love isn’t indestructible. It’s so fragile, it can vanish in an instant. It can disappear as if it had never been.”

— Bitter Confessions Draft Bitter Confessions Update

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since my last update. Yikes! I swear, time is flying.

I just went over 100k+ words this week. The original manuscript/draft I started in 2021 was 76k words and I just went over 107k words, so I’ve roughly added about 31k. Not as much as I hoped in a month. I got bogged down in the opening chapters, which is the morning after the end of Bitter Secrets. It's this insane, epic throw down where they thrash out their history—the good, bad, and the ugly.

Since the draft was written before Bitter Secrets was finalized, a lot of the topics they’re discussing are moot and needed to be heavily rewritten or nixed altogether. That wouldn’t be too difficult, but Roth took the scene in an entirely different direction. I had a tidy list of things I thought would be appropriate to discuss at this point, but he tossed all that out the window and started pulling out the big guns—going straight for the jugular and discussing things I hadn’t planned to reveal until book 4. His aggressive attempt to clear up misconceptions from the past and get answers left Jasmine and I “deer in the headlights” stunned. His actions forced me to toss out almost everything I had and start from scratch. These chapters left me drained and feeling like I was going through a breakup for over 2 weeks. I literally just moved past the opening scene a couple of days ago. This continuous scene turned into a 24k word extravaganza that nearly did me in. Now, all I have to do is write the rest of the book. Joy.

As usual, the book is already so different from what I initially anticipated, and I just freaking started. I’m not upset about it because that’s just the way things go, but the constant recalibrating has me constantly reshuffling the deck of scenes in my mind.

I have never spent as much time with any characters as I have with Roth and Jasmine. Their story goes so deep and there are so many threads to it that I’m constantly having to check my notes to make sure I have my facts straight. I have to say, I just started, but I think this will be my favorite book of the series. It’s the turning point book and now that we’re in the back half of the series, all those secrets and buildup will pay off in spades!

I’m not going to lie. I’m a little intimidated by the size of this book. I’m estimating it will be around 180k words, which is like epic fantasy length. For context, Bitter Secrets was 136k words, and that's larger than the average romance book. But I’m trying not to think about all the things that need to go in this book, and just do as much as I can every day. As long as I’m working, as long as I’m making progress, I’m happy.

“Who am I, princess?”
“My husband.” Her voice was hoarse with strain. She wasn’t sure why that label was so significant, but it was and they both knew it. She wore his ring and bore his name once more, but she hadn’t claimed him. And he noticed. She called him anything but the label he’d once had. It helped her keep their marriage of convenience in perspective, but he was trampling through her boundary lines, muddying and confusing everything as usual. ”

— Bitter Confessions Draft Patreon

I am back on Patreon!

If you love being tortured by teasers with no context and want to know every step I take toward finishing Bitter Confessions, I post every other day (sometimes more!) on Patreon. I post mini blogs explaining what I’m working on—developing scenes, road blocks, and do occasional polls. There will also be occasional writer rants. Lol. You also have access to our private Discord server, where the girls theorize and chat. I’m hoping we can do a meetup/Q&A in there soon…

I wasn’t sure I was going to have patrons this time around, but within a week of starting the book, I was desperate to share morsels of what I was writing and have people to freak out with and spam about my book. Lol. Writing is such a traditionally solitary thing to do. Generally, I prefer it, but with this series, there are so many surprises that more often than not, I’m shooting up from my seat and pacing as I try to wrap my mind around what’s happening. And why not share (torture) others with such information? Heh heh.

Having a community of readers who are as invested in the story (if not more than me) is one of the best things you could surround yourself with. The community’s support keeps me motivated, focused, and excited. Thank you to all of my wonderful patrons!

There’s just two tiers this time around. Because the raw draft of Bitter Secrets was leaked, I’m just showing snippets and behind the scenes stuff. Some readers actually prefer that, so they’ll be surprised when it’s published.

I initially wanted to implement a membership area on my website. I spent a week watching tutorials and setting it up, only to discover I have to manually input taxes for every country and region and keep it up to date. Yeah, no. So, I was forced to go back to Patreon.

I belatedly saw there was an alternative to Patreon called Ream that K Webster was promoting. I checked it out, and it looked awesome! But, I didn’t want to ask my patrons to move when they just joined Patreon. And I would have had to invest more time to learn a new platform when I really just wanted to write. But, it has a lot more functionality than Patreon and is specifically for showing chapters/uploading the book for patrons to read and is way more interactive. Delivering hundreds of ebooks to patrons on top of publishing was so stressful that I’m keeping it out of the equation this time around. But, it’s good to know this is possible with Ream if I change my mind.

Personal

I’m back in Hawaii.

I know, I know. I told you all how magical Washington is, and I still feel that way, but I had this window of opportunity to go home, and I had a feeling if I didn’t go, I wouldn’t get another chance. So, I took the chance. And I’m home. I just made two months and couldn’t be happier.

I’ve written the majority of my books here. It’s calm, quiet, and familiar, which allows me to zone out and not worry about a new environment. After being on the road, you appreciate such things. Also, most of my family lives here. This is also comforting when you’ve been on your own for so long. So, I’m happy and content and writing my little heart out.

The main reason I’m mentioning this is because of the Maui fires that happened on August 8th. I’m on the Big Island, which is the next island over. We had several fires break out on the same day. My brother had to evacuate, but thankfully his house was okay. That evening, we heard about the Maui fires. We have extended family who lost their homes. My cousin works for the fire department on Oahu and was traumatized by what he saw on Maui when they went to help. My heart goes out to everyone affected.

The personal accounts from the locals are absolutely horrific. Seeing the devastation and feeling so helpless when we’re neighbors has definitely impacted my concentration in the past few weeks. There are so many questions and even three weeks later, not enough answers. The emergency response to this crisis was handled poorly and so many suffered for it. Thank you to everyone who’s offered assistance and awareness of the ongoing situation there.

I visited my sister in Eugene, Oregon a couple of months ago, and we drove through Blue River, which was devastated by the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020. It’s been almost three years and some are just starting to get homes up, but the majority are still in trailers and RVs and some may never be able to rebuild. For Hawaii, this will be even more complicated and prolonged since all debris and material have to be imported and exported. It will also be 2x (or more?) expensive to rebuild than anywhere else in the United States. According to the news, 2,200 structures were destroyed and 86% of those were residential. Hawaii is expensive with limited land to build, so we’re used to multiple generations living under the same roof. So, when they say even one home burned down, that could be one structure housing up to 6+ people, which means the displacement of people is severe on an island that didn’t have much housing to begin with.

There are contradicting reports on whether FEMA, Red Cross, etc. are actually helping the residents. Apparently, pallets of donations were made, but not released by these organizations for one reason or another. There’s a lot of red tape and politics going on at a time when that shit should be put aside, so the victims get the aid they need. People from other islands are going around this by delivering supplies on jet skis, paddle boards, and boats to get the natives what they need as soon as possible. Personally, we’re sending money specifically to families we know who have lost their homes via Venmo and are not going through any organization. Just do your research. Sadly, tons of pseudo-organizations have popped up to make money from the tragedy. It’s heartbreaking because the victims suffer even more than they already have.

So many fires have broken out since then in Washington, Louisiana, more in Oregon. Also in British Columbia, Turkey, Greece, and so many other places… My heart goes out to all of you. Stay safe, stick with your people, and do what you can for each other.

Week 1: Brainstorming

I thought I was going to dive headfirst into what I’d written of book 3, but something told me I should list the new ideas that cropped up during my re-read. This led to my whole week being hijacked. Once I started listing ideas, the scenes began to form, which led to details, dialogue, and then bridges to other scenes. Long story short, I spent the whole week writing all new shit without even glancing at what already existed of the story. And I don’t regret it.

I wrote five days that week and totaled 8,435 words, which gives me an average of 1687 words a day. Not great, but we’re in the beginning stages, and it will increase as we delve deeper into the book.

I got a wee bit distracted by SJ Tilly’s Sleet Series, a hockey romance I’ve been seeing on IG. I had a great time with this trilogy, which I gobbled up in 2 days. You can read my review here. And then I got recommended The Pucking Wrong Number by CR Jane (available only on Amazon). This was a NA dark hockey romance with an OTT J/P stalker. Triggers galore. This was also a blast. Been a while since I came across a psycho who’d tie the h to a bed… 5 stars! Here’s my review.

Week 2: Maximus & Roth Flashback

In the original opening for Bitter Confessions, Roth refers to a confrontation he had with Maximus five years ago. I’m sure you can all guess what that special occasion was. I had bits and pieces of this scene written, but now that we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty, I need to know exactly what was said during that showdown.

On Monday, I started working on the scene. It’s from Maximus's POV and will be shown in book 5, an extra book with different view points (mostly Roth’s). I thought it would take two days to flesh out this scene—it ended up taking five! Another week hijacked (kind of). At first, I was rushing through, so I could get to Bitter Confessions, but this is Roth and Maximus. They’re stubborn, cunning, and this confrontation has been a long time coming. It wasn’t going to be short and neat. It was going to be long and messy with them taking shots at one another and both of them pushing for what they wanted. Besides, this may be the only time I write from Maximus’ POV. I stopped trying to force their conversation to cover the points I wanted and just let it unfurl at it’s own pace. I allowed myself to sink into Maximus’ consciousness and listened to his side of the story. Here are some snippets:

“He ducked into the back seat, wrapped his coat around him to ward off the chill, and was pleased when the driver floored it. He didn’t have time to waste. He planned to be in London just long enough to blackmail a man and be back home in New York before sunrise.”

— Book 5 Excerpt, Singed Series

“He couldn’t resist throwing stones and when that didn’t give him the results he wanted, he graduated to grenades, and then dynamite. And still he waited. That gnawed at him. It gnawed at him that his daughter couldn’t see the writing on the wall and it gave him ulcers that the man who married her wouldn’t give up the charade.”

— Book 5 Excerpt, Singed Series

This face to face was surreal. Both of them in one room. Yikes. The power plays, verbal jabs, and reveals kept me glued to my screen. I was swept away by it all. When you write a scene like this there’s a lot of mad typing, pausing, considering, checking facts from past books, snickering, more thinking… You want to get the tone right, and it was a little bizarre because this confrontation happened before Roth and Jasmine divorced, so I constantly had to adjust my thinking from their present to where they were then.

Because everything is so tightly intertwined, I found myself jumping between all 3 books this week. I wrote 7044 words in book 5, 3381 in book 3, and 966 in book 4. Total weekly word count: 11,391. I wrote 6 days this week, which is an average of 1898/day.

I finally cracked the seal on chapter one of Bitter Confessions. It feels like coming home :). This week I’ll be making my way through what I wrote previously. I have 4 consecutive chapters from the morning after Jasmine and Roth’s showdown in London to their arrival back in the States, and some family shit. After that, there are jumps to shocking chapters, some events I would like to see happen, and then blank spaces that have now been filled in with new ideas.

There’s definitely a different flow to this book. You can tell the faucet’s been opened a bit more. Everything that’s been held behind the dam is desperate to come out. I can’t remember when I’ve written so consistently (knock on wood). I wonder if it’s because I’m nearing the end of the series, and I’m closing loopholes rather than creating them... Or maybe I’ve spent so much time with these characters that I don’t have to second guess what they say or do. Whatever the reason, I’m enjoying the writing process so much. I can feel years of notes and ideas coming to fruition, and I can barely contain myself! I love this couple—their fights, their makeups… The quiet interactions when they’re sizing each other up, gauging the other, and never being sure if their suspicions about the other are right or not.

Just in the past two weeks, there were some reveals that had me jumping out of my seat and walking away because I needed to talk to someone, which leads me to:

Mia’s writing cave (Member Area)

I wanted to share my progress in greater detail—chapters I’m working on, scenes as they develop, and writer ramblings as I make my way through this book. So, I decided to open up a members section on my website!

This will be similar to what I did on Patreon. I’ll be documenting in blog form for the most part with a snippet and (if possible) some context. You’ll have access to a Discord server to chat about the snippets or other bookish discussions. I may post occasional polls for character names, ask what flashbacks people would like to see, etc. I don’t know whether this is a bad habit or not, but I can’t stop myself from dropping a line here or there when I’m writing. I have to tell somebody. Some people hate that, but… too bad. I need an outlet while I write, and that’s what this place will be: Mia’s Writing Cave.

I’m currently working on that on the back end of my website and will make sure I have goodies waiting in there for you to devour once it’s up and running. I won’t be releasing raw chapters like I did on Patreon. We all know that didn’t work out too well for me. Lesson learned. This will just be snippets and me documenting my progress if you’d like to follow along and get spammed. A lot. I’m hoping to have the member section sorted by August 1. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun! It will be a monthly subscription like Patreon and there’s a higher tier for those who want to be mentioned in the acknowledgment section like I did for Bitter Secrets and gain other benefits.

I’m currently getting all that sorted. I just wanted to give an update. I hope you all have a great week!

Most would assume there would be no need for me to re-read the series since I just published Bitter Secrets 6 months ago. You’d think everything would be right at the forefront of my mind. But, since I’ve published, I’ve dabbled in close to a dozen stories, including delving into the Crime Lord Series, so a refresher is definitely necessary.

Re-reading your work is always interesting… and stressful. I don’t enjoy it because there’s always stuff I want to change, take out, or add back in. 6 months ago, I was proud and content. Today, if I had my way, I’d do a major overhaul, which tells me just in that short amount of time, I’ve changed. I’ve always considered books to be snapshots of who I am at that moment, and that’s held true for Bitter Secrets.

I’ve spent the past two weeks re-reading Bitter Heat and Bitter Secrets and creating an encyclopedia of notes, so I can keep everything straight in my mind—locations, characters, dialogue on important topics such as blackmail… This process takes forever, but I know it’ll be invaluable to find the information I need with just a few clicks.

Also, it forces me to dissect the story into separate storylines that all have their own arc, such as:

The same goes with the relationships between all the characters, which will evolve throughout the series:

Although annoying and tedious, I know this will help when writing the other books because all I need to do is pull up the files on those characters' interactions instead of finding them in each book. Also, there’s always tiny references that we authors tend to forget, that a reader points out later that absolutely mortify us. This may still happen to me in the future, but I hope the probability will be less likely with these extensive notes.

Bitter Confessions

It took me longer than I expected to re-read the first two books. I decided to switch from the Crime Lord Series back to Singed, but my mind and creativity were already entrenched in Crime Lord, so pivoting took some time. I’m not one who can work on multiple projects at once. I have a one track mind and obsess about one thing and one thing only. I think most authors also like variety, so switching to a different project is always more attractive than something you just finished.

Nevertheless, I pushed through and took insane notes and… I can now write book 3! Yoo-hoo! I wrote a bit of Bitter Confessions some time ago. The rough draft is at 76k words, but it’s mostly unfinished scenes and ideas that aren’t connected yet. I never committed to a storyline/direction, since Bitter Secrets hadn’t been finalized. Now that it has, I have pages of possible routes I can take the story. I think I’ll spend a week tossing around ideas. I call this sketching. Just as an artist starts in light pencil for a drawing, I sketch an outline of what the story could be. And if I get stuck during the process, I can always refer to my extensive list of ideas and select something that fits better. I never follow my outlines to the tee (they’re constantly evolving), but they can definitely streamline the writing process when you get lost.

I believe book 3 will be the longest in the series. Bitter Heat was the intro to the characters, Bitter Secrets cemented the world and revealed the complexities in their relationships with one another. Book 3 & 4 is where I get to go off the rails and have fun! I’ve had scenes in my mind for years that I can finally execute. I’m fucking giddy! Knowing that I can finally connect the dots and finish all these fragmented scenes made it hard for me to go to sleep last night. My fingers ached for a pen and paper at 1am, even though I had to get up in a few hours.

Book 3 ends on a cliffy, which makes me wonder if I’m going to write books 3 & 4 back to back. Both books have deadlines, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do that. But, I may need a break from Roth and Jasmine by the end of Bitter Confessions, so we’ll see when I get to that point.

I’m giving myself about 3 months to do a rough draft on book 3. I’ll be documenting my progress on here, like I have in the past. I’m super excited to be at this point where I have no other tasks but to write—my favorite thing! My only detriment is my arms ache when I work too much so I force myself to stop and exercise or do something else for a couple of hours.

Roth and Jasmine are one of my favorite couples ever. I deliberately forced myself to slow down, to let the scenes and relationships play out and not force anything and now… I get to use all that buildup to write the last 2 books in the series, which I consider a downhill battle. There will still be challenges, but the stage is set, the actors are in place… All you have to do is let them carry out the final acts. It’s going to be glorious! I think when you’re writing a series you’re so used to holding back secrets, motivations, plot twists… But knowing I finally get to show my cards makes me feel euphoric. Years of planning and work finally get to play out on the page. I’m beyond excited!

And on that note… I’m going back to work. I just wanted to update you all on where I’m at. I hope you’re having a great weekend. Wish me luck!

We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time to assess my progress and… I have to switch projects.

In my previous blog, I mentioned moving to Washington instead of Hawaii. This development set me back quite a bit, and I haven’t made as much progress as I hoped on the Crime Lord Series. I’ve spent more time than I care to admit, creating an encyclopedia of notes. Before, I would write and double check character and location descriptions on the fly. But, as we get deeper into the series, I need to know the history and relationship between characters, their mannerisms, description of clubs, homes, etc. Hence, the insane archive I’ve been building. This is tedious work and something I only have to do once and can just add to in the future, but the initial creation of character profiles and such is taxing and annoying. I’ve been sloshing my way through, reassuring myself that I have time, but now that we’re heading into July, I have to get real with myself and make some concrete decisions.

If I stick with the Crime Lord Series, I figure I’ll be ready to publish Carmen’s books in the Fall. This would give me hardly any time at all to complete the rough draft of book 3 in the Singed Series. I can already see myself writing and then rushing into publication just to meet my deadline. I don’t want to do that.

SO.

I’m going to pivot and switch projects to ensure I meet the deadline for book 3 in the Singed Series.

2–3 months should be enough time to complete the first draft. The manuscript is incomplete at 76k words. This would definitely be the longest book in the series and if I need to do any major rewrites, I want to give myself the time to do it. I figure I’ll probably edit/rewrite during winter, and aim for an early 2024 release. I also have a contract for book 4, so… Ideally, I would like to write these back to back, but we’ll see how that goes.

I'm not sure where I’ll fit the Crime Lord Series, but I promise I’ll put it back into the rotation as soon as possible. Best-case scenario is books 3 & 4 come pouring out of me and I publish everything ahead of time to fulfill my contract. Then, I could turn my attention to the Crime Lord Series, finally publish Carmen’s books and then write the next in the series (Raul’s book), which has been floating in the dark recesses of my mind for some time.

I wanted to update you on the project switch and why. I know my Crime Lord readers will be sorely disappointed, but I don’t want to break my first book contract because I was stubbornly trying to fulfill a personal promise, only to break another, which has legal repercussions. This is a painful, but logical decision. I’ll fulfill my other promise (concerning the Crime Lord Series) as soon as possible.

I hope you all are doing well and enjoying your summer thus far! Wish me luck!

In my last personal update, I said I was bound for Hawaii. I intended to make it my home base, but life had other plans and I ended up somewhere quite different. It’s taken me this long to get settled and gather my thoughts. I’m still processing all that’s happened, but I think this blog will help me sort through the events that led me to where I am in this present moment.

Hawaii, the rabies-free state

Things basically went to hell in a hand basket because one of my dogs couldn’t pass a FAVN rabies anti-body test, which is required to enter the state. This delayed my return for 6+ weeks. This is the second time this particular dog hasn’t passed the test! For some reason, he doesn’t have enough anti-bodies in his blood. The vets are baffled by this and can’t give me a concrete reason why he continues to fail aside from his breed (Lhasa apso) or that he may have an abnormal immune system. Anyway, I decided to send the dog who did pass ahead of us. I was more worried about his welfare since he’s 14. Even with two lengthy delays (one in Vegas and one in Honolulu), which made his 8-hour trip closer to 12, he arrived on the Big Island in tip-top shape. He’s completely recovered from the trip and currently being spoiled by my parents and enjoying the warm, tropical weather. I’m jealous.

Waiting, waiting, waiting

What I thought would be a month-long stay at my sister’s in Las Vegas stretched into two. I was living out of suitcases and not sure what to send ahead or keep with me because I had no idea how long I was going to be there. I had quite a few crisis’ to keep me busy—Bitter Heat got temporarily banned from Apple, which prompted me to publish on every retailer possible and build an ebook store on my website (I’ll expand on this in a future blog). Also, before my RV made a month in storage, my catalytic converter was stolen. I had to visit the police station (interesting and unexpected experience) to file a report and spent a week playing phone tag with the insurance companies. Sigh. Most weekends, I babysat my five and seven-year-old nephews who were a handful and wiled away the time by sorting through a year’s worth of paperwork and taking care of financial and administrative tasks that had been pushed to the side. I tried not to worry about the time passing me by and told myself I would catch up once I was settled in Hawaii.

By mid-March, I was at the end of my rope and desperate for a distraction. I reached out to a longtime friend in Arizona to ask if she was free so I could visit for a couple of days. She immediately said yes, so I got a rental car and headed out for a much-needed break. My friend and I have known each other for 15 years. We met at a dog park in Las Vegas when I was 20, and she was 55. There’s something about having a friend who knows your history and everyone in it so well that you don’t have to explain much—they can automatically fill in the blanks.

We had a great time catching up. I felt refreshed and invigorated, but on my last day, I received the devastating news that there was yet another 3-6 week delay and more complications. I would now have to fly out of Los Angeles instead of Las Vegas because of a flying embargo (due to the heat). And I also discovered that my living arrangements in Hawaii weren’t as stable as I’d hoped. My plan, which had seemed so straightforward, was in complete shambles. I was so frustrated, I broke down in tears. I was now under contract and trying to align my life to fulfill it, and everything was working against me. To top it off, my goodwill with my sister was running out. I had no idea what I was going to do.

Pivot

My friend stepped into the breach and told me to come with her and her husband to Washington for the Summer (they were snow birding in Arizona and were going to leave in a few weeks). I was flattered and grateful, but also disconcerted by the offer. How was that going to resolve these issues? She reasoned that the timing obviously wasn’t right and instead of beating my head against the wall, that maybe I should give everything a few months to settle. If I was really meant to go back to Hawaii, I could go back in the Fall/Winter. The worst thing was being in limbo and waiting around. On the surface, it didn’t make sense to head off to the Pacific Northwest when I had sent most of my belongings and my dog to Hawaii and now… Washington?! I visited Seattle 3 times in my life, but the rest of the state was a complete mystery to me. This was so out of the blue and a little insane, but I also sensed the rightness of it even though I couldn’t explain why. My friend told me these days we have to pivot quickly, so I did. I gladly accepted her offer and returned to Las Vegas to pivot the shit out of my life.

First things first, I needed wheels. Thankfully, my brother in Salt Lake City was willing to help. Two days after I returned to Las Vegas, he drove down an ’03 Durango for me and flew home that night. He’s the best. I wanted to sell my RV to tie up that loose end, but that dragged on, and I realized it was holding me back, so I ended up leaving it in storage, as I had intended when I thought I was moving back to Hawaii. With the catalytic converter gone, the damn thing wasn’t going anywhere, anyway.

Two and a half weeks after I accepted my friend’s offer, I found myself on the road again with my meager belongings in the back of my car. Part of me was thrilled to be on another adventure, but the other part was terrified. I’ve done some risky shit in my life, but this has to be in my top three. I was moving to a place I’d never seen. I was also moving in with a friend, which I usually avoid because I need so much alone time to think and write, and most people don’t understand that. Also, we’ve been friends for almost two decades, but we’d gone years without talking, and I wasn’t certain how we’d deal with one another in the long run.

I had a vision in my head of what my new season in life was going to look like, and now it was a complete blank. Hundreds of questions swirled around my mind, and I didn’t have an answer to one of them. All I knew was, considering everything going on, this was the best option and nothing could be decided until I got there. So, I drove 1200 miles (1931 km) in a different direction.

Pacific Northwest

The trip took me 6 days.

Las Vegas to Reno

Reno to Medford

Medford to Eugene (Spent the night in Medford because of bad weather)

Eugene to final destination in Washington

I spent a couple of days with my sister in Oregon since we hadn’t seen each other for 3 years. It was a nice break. We also met up with my brother who was in Bend for a party and we had a mini reunion. It was awesome!

I finished the last leg of my trip, beaming at the blooming cherry blossom trees and yellow daffodils that lined the interstate, welcoming me as I drove into a new season. When I crossed into Washington, I watched the open fields disappear and marveled at the dense, towering forests, enfolded in mist and mystery. I arrived on a rainy April afternoon and got out of the car in my friend’s driveway and stared up at the 100’ moss-covered monsters looming overhead and couldn’t help thinking I was living in Twilight. It was dead quiet with just the quiet patter of light rain to welcome me. I walked into her house and stopped dead when I saw the wall of picture windows that looked out at her own personal forest and through a gap in the trees, a view of the Puget Sound and West Seattle.

I had a week to myself before my friend arrived. I cruised around the small town and bought groceries, set up a mailbox, and spent hours staring at the mesmerizing view of the tree branches swaying in the wind. My friend’s friend was in desperate need of a house/pet sitter, so we met to walk our dogs, so they would be accustomed to one another. I thought we were going to a park, but she took me to a legit forest and I was instantly enamored.

The forest was so dense, it absorbed all sound. It was like someone had clapped their hands over my ears. It was a little freaky. My friend's husband said that being in the midst of all these trees 24/7 can get claustrophobic, but I felt soothed and comforted. I’ve always fantasized about having a little witch’s cottage in the forest, but I’ve never lived in such an environment and wasn’t sure I could live without constant sunlight (which is why I’ve always chosen desert or tropical locations), but this moody weather speaks to me on a level I didn’t know I had. I always play rain/thunderstorms on repeat when I write, and now the real thing is happening outside my window.

The house I stayed in for a week was a writer’s dream—a glass beach house with a view that made my heart swell with joy. I thought I would get a lot of work done, but I was distracted by the action on the water—bald eagle’s swooping down to catch fish, the ferry passing every hour, sail boats gliding by… I was fascinated by the high and low tides and the exposed beach when the water went out. I also ran into the neighbors. It’s a small town with a large retirement community, and I unintentionally found myself offering to house/petsit for many of these people who have upcoming trips planned. LOL.

I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. I have no idea how long I’ll be here, but I figure while I’m here, I’m going to make the most of it. I just made a month, and I can’t believe how beautiful it is here. I spent most of my time RVing, trying to find the most remote locations to get away from everyone and everything, only to find this beautiful location deserted. What the hell? Not that I’m complaining, but I’m baffled by the lack of people. I was moving back to Hawaii because I never found a place in the mainland that spoke to me, but could this be it? A writer’s paradise? Part of me thinks so, but everyone’s warning me that the bleak, long winters are brutal, so… we’ll see.

My parents have agreed to watch my boy in Hawaii until Fall/Winter. By then I’ll know whether I’m staying or moving back there. Although I wish my senior pup was here, I know he’s better off in paradise since I’m still a traveling gypsy. My goal is to complete Carmen’s stories and write the first draft of Bitter Confessions before I leave here. The last thing I had to do before I delve into the Crime Lord Series is this update, so here it is. I think some people were getting worried that I hadn’t posted, but I was trying to figure out where I wanted to live. Fucking story of my life. The craziest part about this mess is, I ended up in a better place by happenstance. Hawaii is paradise in many ways, but I knew what to expect going home. I could see a decade into the future. Here, it’s murky and anything’s possible. I never would have gone out of my way to visit this state and now I’m wondering if this is going to be my permanent home. I love that I can take a ferry to the city or up to Alaska or Canada or take a train to bug my sister in Oregon (I already told her I’m crashing her holidays because she carries on our family traditions and dishes).

Major shout out to my friend! She’s stepped up numerous times when I’ve been in crisis and always thrown me a lifeline. I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay her. I was exhausted from my year on the road and wanted to move near a friend or family member that I could call on for emergency or if the world shut down again. I can’t believe I landed in the midst of such a welcoming and generous community.

I’ll be posting updates on the Crime Lord Series soon!

Dinah Harper

Q: Could you please let us know your other pen names? Would love to read any and everything you write!

Q: Like Jasmine, do you also write under a different name? If so, would you share the name or give us a clue?

Q: My question is (if you feel comfortable sharing them) what are the other aliases you publish under? Or any hints you can give us? I'm such a fan of your writing style, and between your Crime Lord series and Bitter Heat you can see how much it has evolved. I'm curious to read these other books, and to see how they've gotten you to where you are in this moment in your evolution as a writer.

A: I’ve definitely evolved. I’ve been reading Crime Lord’s Captive for the first time in years and can’t help thinking of all the things I could do to improve it. Sigh. Anyway, although this is my 7th novel under Mia Knight, it’s actually my 20th published across 3 names over a decade. (I make 10 years in May, in fact). The more you experiment, the more you learn and grow and find your style and voice. I’ve always kept my names separate because I don’t want readers comparing one work to the other because I write in totally different mindsets and facets of my personality. I also selfishly write for myself, which is why I don’t announce it. I just write it, put it out, and let the book do whatever’s it’s gonna do in the world. I know. I’m weird. Sometimes, I just need to get something off my chest, be deranged, or have fun and what comes out isn’t as polished as what I put out under other names. I’m just… playing, if you will.

I guess I can give up one name... It only has one book at the moment and (OF COURSE) it’s a damn unfinished series, so you’ve been forewarned. Apparently, IDK how to write standalones. I created this name to write darker, more disturbed, taboo-ish (?) shit that I wasn’t sure was romance. I have plans for a super dark menage story, psychopaths, serial killers, and other stuff that didn’t fit under the Mia Knight umbrella. I was in a bad headspace after I published Bitter Heat and I channeled my aggression into this story to let off some steam. The book has a severe non-con trigger… and probably many others, but it’s Corrupt Idol by Dinah Harper. I listed myself as a debut author because I was trying a different genre (in my mind) and also the things I want to do under the name are going to be first attempts so… yeah. Also, this year I wrote a disturbed sci-fi romance I want to finish eventually and… IDK. I just love pen names. I’ll probably end up with 10 if I’m not careful. I love just starting fresh so no one has any expectations. Makes me feel free as a bird.

Anyway, there you go.

Q: Hi, I read a series by this author that I really enjoyed, and when she planned to release a new book—her pen name is J.C. Grant—it was available for preorder and everything, but she vanished without a trace. Are you the author? I’m just curious because I’ve been waiting for the book for a long time.

A: LMAO. No. I told my patrons the Dinah thing over a year ago and someone kept thinking I was any author who was having a breakdown or disappearing or wanting to leave social media. I can't remember if I met JC Grant, but that's not me. I have Mia, Dinah, and another name where I wrote teenage fantasy and romance so sweet it would make your teeth ache. And that's all the pen names I have. For now.

Q: Now that you’ve seen how crazy people are over Corrupt Idol is there any chance you could add a paperback option?🙏🙏🙏🙏

Q: Will you publish a paperback for Corrupt Idol? please please please please please consider it 🙏🏼

A: This was on my list of things to do. I’m in transition at the moment, so this probably isn’t the best time for me to be ordering proofs and things like that, but I’ll update the website when it’s available and I’ll have Emily post about it as well.

Q: Finding out that Dinah Harper is one of your pseudonyms was surprising. I loved Corrupt Idol because it felt like the book Deeper into Non con and Dub Con than most do. Are you planning in the future to write more of that? I really feel like you have fans of these troupes a voice when no one else did.

A: Yes, I do intend to write more books in a similar vein to Corrupt Idol. I got a lot of backlash for Bitter Heat, which I didn’t even think was that edgy in comparison to something like 50 Shades, but I got banned from retailers and a lot of people called me sick and disgusting and the hate parade was unreal. I was like, “you think Bitter Heat is bad?!” and I channeled my frustration into Corrupt Idol. I have dozens of unfinished stories kind of similar to this that I wouldn’t really consider romance that I intend to put under that name. I’ve been in a bad headspace for years and only now the fog is clearing so I have a ton of work to do, but we’ll get to it all in due time.

Q: I loved Corrupt Idol and the non-con/dub-con themes in it - it’s rare an author tackles it in a way that explains the psychological impact so subtly yet clearly and sensitively. I personally love thinking about why we enjoy these tropes, and I was just wondering if you had thought about why we as readers/as a writer we enjoy engaging in that material?

A: I have no idea. I personally like to watch murder documentaries before I go to bed and am intrigued and repulsed by heinous crimes. I think it’s a similar thing with more taboo topics. I think we’re drawn to inner turmoil and like experiencing it through someone else rather than ourselves? Dipping a toe in a pool of madness before withdrawing back to our safe, every day life without going too deep? IDK.

Q: OMG! I just learnt from the Q&A that you authored Corrupt Idol under the pen name of Dinah Harper. Are you planning to conclude that story?

A: Yes, but not anytime soon. I have a lot of series to catch up on before I go back to Jesse and Violet. When I do start writing the sequel, I'll update that website or my Goodreads.

Q: Hi mia, I thought whitney beanca from mansions is your another pen name. Please tell me if I’m wrong.

A: Nope. Not me.

Crime Lord Series

Q: Will you write a short story about Gavin/Lyla?

A: Not a short story. They have another novel in the Crime Lord Series lineup.

Q: Will Angel get his own book?

A: Yes.

Q: Will Blade get a book?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you still plan to write about Lucifer?👀 he is my fav for many reason ♥️

A: Yes

Q: Will Angel's brothers, in particular Roque, get a book?

A: Yes. Raul and Roque both get books. Raul’s actually up next after Carmen’s books are finished.

Q: Will Crime Lord series have alternative covers?

A: The series will be rebranded once I do Carmen’s books so everything will be more cohesive. I’m really excited! I have no idea what they’re gonna be yet, but I’m brainstorming.

Q: Will we see more of Alice before her own story? If she gets her own story? Like more background on her lol . Will she get dragged into the world more? I guess is what I'm asking 🤷

A: She does get her own story and will be present in most of the books leading up to it, but I don’t think we’ll get into her background until her book. And yes, she’ll get dragged into the world more than she’d probably like.

Q: Do you foresee Lucifer ever demanding the spotlight in a future storyline?

A: He gets his own book in future.

Q: I don’t know if this is considered a future plot question so totally understandable if it doesn’t get answered but I read in a book group last year that your planing on writing a prequel book about how Lyla and Gavin met and everything leading up to her running from him, is this true??

A: Yes, this is true. I would like to write a prequel eventually.

Writing/Business

Q: How long it usually takes you to write a book?

A: When I first started, it would take me about 1-4 weeks to write a 40-50k word novel. But the plots were much more simple and they were standalones. Crime Lord’s Captive and Recaptured by the Crime Lord took me about 2-3 months for the rough draft? Bitter Heat was written in 2 months? The first books in a series are really easy to write because there’s no parameters. But the deeper you go into the series, the more thought has to go into aligning details and facts. You also have to ratchet up the tension in different ways to keep things interesting. Different books take more time. I think Awakened by Sin took me 6 months? IDK. It varies a lot for me.

Q: Do you ever get tired of writing in the same character worlds? Or wish you could create new ones, but feel you can’t because you’ve already committed to writing so many books in one world, like the Crime Lord?

A: Short answer: No. You created the world, so you can make whatever you want to happen in it. And if you want it to end, you can. I just genuinely like the characters and want to tell their stories, which are all intriguing in their own way. I also don’t restrict myself to writing just these series. I’ve published under another name since I began and I still indulge my muse and write other things when I need to let off steam.

Q: In your professional opinion what is better... save up and create a business or just publishing bare bones and getting started?

A: I’m not really sure what the “saving up” part is for. To publish a book, you just need a cover (I bought one from Fiverr for $10 a couple years ago for one of my pen names). And an editor… It took me years to actually get my stuff professionally edited, so do it once you make money. Or, do it before if you prefer. That can cost anywhere from $300-3000. A lot of professional authors just use proofreaders. I think putting out work and moving onto the next is the only way you actually improve so holding back until something is perfect is just delaying your growth and future. (Of course, this is just my opinion, from my own personal experience.) Most authors never know if they’ll make enough money to justify allocating money to create an LLC and getting a CPA. You can build your business around you as you grow, which is what I think most of us do.

Q: How do your characters come to you?

A: Characters can come from anywhere—talking to a cashier at the grocery store, a movie, or (this is very cliche) a dream. That’s how I met Roth. I was half awake and he was holding me/Jasmine down in bed, threatening me about how I divorced him blah blah. I stumbled downstairs to my notebook and tried to get down as much as I could remember and capture his menace. Gavin actually walked onto the page of another book I was writing—her ex finding her with another man after she took off years ago. He taunted her throughout this business dinner before blackmailing her into going back to Vegas with him. Lyla wasn’t supposed to stay with him—she was supposed to be rescued by her white knight (not Jonathan—a powerful man, but no realistic match for Gavin). A couple chapters in, I realized Gavin wasn’t going to let her leave so I scrapped the earlier story and allowed her to stay with him and that was the start of the Crime Lord Series.

What is your writing process? Do you plan then write or make it up as you go along? Or do you write a rough first draft then go back and edit? Love your work!

I start with a concept and usually sketch a loose outline of the story. That outline usually bears no resemblance to the final product, but it’s something to refer to and you keep adding to it, scratching out things, and finding better avenues. In a first book, you can let creativity take the wheel and be as wild as you want, but when you start the next book, everything has to line up and correlate and you suddenly curse details you added in the previous book. So, I’d say I’m half plotter, half pantser. I do a rough draft, rewrite/edit, and a polish. I also try to allow time between the first draft and the rewrite. Stephen King says to leave it 3 (or 6) months minimum before going back to it and I agree. You want to look at the work with fresh eyes, as if it’s someone else’s work and see all the flaws so you can fix it.

Q: What is your favorite thing about writing?

A: Hmm. Interesting question. One of the main things I love about writing is creating the world and characters. Anything can happen in that world. You can make the characters victors, victims, villains, etc. When I write, I’m roleplaying the character so it feels like I am that character for that period whether it’s a few weeks or a year, so you should make sure it’s a world you want to live in, because you will be. Another thing I love is when the story starts writing itself. Your hands are moving on the keyboard, but your mind’s a blank slate and you see the story playing out in your head like you’re watching a movie. You’re the medium rather than the creator. That’s magic. You feel a euphoric rush. It doesn’t happen often, maybe a handful of times during a project, but when it happens, I feel like a giddy kid.

Q: Do you plan on ever writing a dark romance with a true villain/anti-hero?

A: This isn’t a goal of mine. I’m just writing stories that interest me.

Q: How do you decide on your various pen names? Do they have any meaning or are they randomly selected?

A: No, the names are random and don’t have any sentimental value to me. It’s more about finding a name that no author has and that has an open domain for a website. This is getting more and more difficult! 4 other authors have claimed the name Mia Knight since I published. In future, my pen names will probably be more absurd and odd so others aren’t tempted to write under it such as Ursula Cherry Winterthorp or some shit

Q: You mentioned being Polynesian in your blog a while back. Has that influenced the characters you write? Is jasmine white or is she mixed since we don’t know much about her mother?

A: I’m Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Danish, and Portuguese. My nieces and nephews are Filipino, Irish, Native American, Puerto Rican, and probably a lot of other ethnicities I can’t remember. I don’t think it influences the characters that I write that much. Because everyone around me is so mixed, I don’t really see race so I rarely bring it up unless it’s tied into the plot somehow. I would say Jasmine is mixed white, but I haven’t defined what she is since it has no bearing on the story.

Q: Do you also wrote under the pen name Emmy Chandler? I am so worried about the author she just kinda disappeared she also used to write scific. I hope she is doing well even if she is not writing anymore.

A: Sorry, not me.

Q: I know you love to stay in your book world (which is amazing!), but do you see going to any book events in person/doing talks or anything really in the future? Whether it’s in a decade or in a year?

A: Umm… it’s not really on my radar. I’m mostly focused on just getting all my series up to date. I would like to attend one as a reader first before going as an author. Maybe I’ll be able to go to one this year or next!

Q: What are some of your favorite book tropes to read?

A: Marriage of convenience, second chance, friends to lovers...

Q: Who is your favorite character?

Pretty cliche, but usually my favorite character is whoever I’m working on at the moment, but if I had to choose an all time favorite character it would probably be Roth because he’s so unapologetically himself and I love that about him.

Will you be opening a Patreon again?

I wouldn’t go back on Patreon because they don’t have enough security to protect the material and I didn’t have much control over things. If I do something like Patreon in future, it would be on my website, which has the ability to have members. I haven’t decided whether I want to do this or not. I’ll announce it if I do!

Q: Will you stay active on social media now that you are back?

A: No. I’m actually just on here, answering what I can because I want to be off social media by next week. My main method of communication will be my website. Saint Emily will be managing everything for me.

Q: Hi Mia! Would you consider producing special editions of your books? I would love to buy hardcovers with beautiful edges for example, and I'm sure so many will, too!

A: Yes! When I have a home base, this is something I will be looking into!

Q: How often does your PA Emily let you know about discussions on your social media? (when you are off FB etc) or will you be totally disconnected until your next release?

A: Emily never tells me anything and that’s how I prefer it. LMAO. She’s a much-needed buffer for me. I’ll be updating my blog on my progress, but social media is too much for me. The anxiety of checking messages and notifications and stuff makes me insane and I can’t focus on writing when all of that is constantly pinging out of the corner of my eye like a neon sign. The more focused I am on the books, the quicker they’ll come, and the happier we’ll all be. And, on that note, please be nice to Emily. She deals with a lot of BS from readers on author’s behalf. I have no idea what I would do without her and if someone is rude to her, she has my permission to eject them without hesitation and I'll always back her up 100%.

Q: How are your dogs doing? Also, can you recommend some of your favorite romance pieces, both popular and rare gems while we wait for your books. Other people can drop same in the comments. Mine absolute favorites are Envy by Sandra Brown and Run Posy Run by Cate C Wells.

A: My dogs are doing well, thanks for asking. And some of my favorite authors are Linda Howard, Kristen Ashley, Christine Feehan, Johanna Lindsey, Suzanne Wright, Jennifer Cruise, Stephanie Laurens, Michelle Reid, Lynne Graham, Nalini Singh.

Bitter Secrets

Q: Your favorite chapter/scene you wrote?

A: My favorite scene would have to be the snow globe scene in the Christmas market. That wasn’t in the original. I chose the snow globe for the cover after the first draft was written and knew I had to incorporate that into the story. I knew ahead of time that Hans Christian Andersen was from Denmark, but it wasn’t until she actually grabbed the snow globe that I found myself adding in that bit about the Little Mermaid and it seemed so fitting. Prior to that, I worried how I would tie it in and if it would make sense and then that happened. That felt magical and it was a last minute addition.

As for my favorite chapter… I really love the graduation and coffee scene flashbacks… and the last two chapters—the knockdown, drag out battle the book had been building up to.

Q: Do you relate Jasmine's character with yourself?

A: Yes. She and I are probably the most alike out of any of my characters.

Q: Hi Mia, just finished Bitter secrets and it blew my mind, anyways I would like to know if are u interested in your books made into a movie or series.

A: Glad you enjoyed Bitter Secrets! As for the movie or tv thing, it's not something I'm actively thinking about or on my vision board or anything. If it happened, I would probably be more terrified than thrilled, but I'd be open to it if it was pitched to me. 🥰

Q: Is your writing method similar to Jasmine’s?

A: Almost identical, though she uses her real life a lot more than I do.

Q: How old are jasmine and roth and do you know their zodiac sings? :)

Q: What are Jasmine and roths birthdays and birth years

A: Roth is 35, she’s 30. Don’t know their birthdays yet. That’s something I’m deciding in book 3. Their birthdays will be based on where they fit into the story 🙃

Q: Are we gonna get any sneak peaks for bitter confessions like we did for bitter heat on your blog? Including while you’re writing Carmen books?

A: I’ll be sharing my progress of whatever I’m working on the blog and will probably include a line here or there.

Q: You have so many different locations in Bitter Secrets. Have you been there before or did you have to go there while writing to include them in the book? As part of the writing process, do you have to physically visit destinations or can you just do research?

A: THIS took so much time! Ahh! I’ve never been to any of these places so spent countless hours reading travel blogs, watching YouTube videos, _anything_ that would allow me to not look like a fool or get too many things wrong. This book was totally out of my comfort zone—every aspect of it! Formal parties, her attending Wharton’s, business conversations, locations… All of it, I had no experience in so I had to do so much research. I hope people will forgive what I got wrong if there’s enough things I got right.

Q: What aspects of Roth and Jasmine are the hardest to write?

A: Their interactions are challenging to write. There are dozens of drafts of certain scenes. Just one line can change the tone and set off a different set of events. It’s like walking a minefield, trying to make sure you don’t set off a mine that should go off in book 3 or 4. Also, their battles are draining. I think those last two chapters took me a month to write. You feel like you’re walking a tightrope, trying to get the conversation and emotion right.

Q: Have you ever changed a plot point in sequels because too many people have guessed it/wanted it, and you want something more surprising to happen?

A: No, the plot for me is always set, which is why I don’t enter into discussions about it or listen to theories. It’s already done in my mind.

Q: After reading Bitter secrets I definitely want to visit Lisbon and Copenhagen now. Have you visited all the places you describe by yourself? because it feels like it (I checked these places on the internet to know what the heroes have seen)

A: Nope. Never been there. Just did a lot of research through travel blogs and YouTube videos. Definitely want to visit these places in future!

Q: Jasmine was wearing a pink dress and did her own curls at the party where she met roth. Is Jasmine naturally a girly girl but had to suppress it in the business world where it was expected to wear neutrals and “dignified” colors like navy and maroon as well? Her sisters were wearing white and black in contrast to her pink dress. If so, will we get to see Jasmine wear more pink and embrace her femininity in terms of that. Sorry if this is a stupid question and doesn’t really relate to anything about the character! I was just curious :)

A: She was dressed in that pink dress because that was the outfit her sisters sent her. I think that soft pink just represents how her sisters see her more as a child and not sophisticated yet. I’ve never thought of whether Jasmine is a girly girl or not. I know in Bitter Heat she mentions not enjoying shopping because of how hyper critical people were of her appearance since she was always in the spotlight. She’s not super girly like Carmen who loves fashion and accessories. IDK. We’ll have to explore that more in future books. They attend a few public appearances in book 3 and her wardrobe does come up.

Q: Are the Minnie Hess books a nod to your fantasy books under a different pen name? I love the fact that roth loves the Minnie Hess books alot and remembers scenes such as the hilltop and connects it to their real life.

A: Yes, it’s a nod to the fantasy I used to write. I think a lot of authors start here. He led her from fantasy into vibrant reality and changed her, her writing… Yeah, I like the cord with him and her writing.

Q: Hey mia! Is the bitter secrets paperback going to be live on Amazon india or book depository too? I would love for it be on the Amazon india tho. Also, I tried seeing if I can buy from Amazon US but the shipping is more than the retailed price of the book and that too excluding customs. I am dying to buy it 🥺 pls let us know!

A: Hi! Wherever the paperback for Bitter Heat is, Bitter Secrets will be available there as well. I can see it isn’t available yet through Amazon India, but it should show up there and on book depository as well! I just approved it a couple days ago, so it may take a little longer in other countries.

Q: Will we get to see deleted scenes that had to be cut from the books in the future? Perhaps a special edition or something. Thank you for responding to the questions everyone has been sending in. It’s great to hear from you!

A: Thank you! I would eventually like to create some kind of library on my website that has deleted scenes, raw drafts and such that people could access… Something I’m going to have to work on in future!

Q: At what age did jasmine meet Roth?

A: 23

Q: Is Jasmine the prettiest of her sisters?

A: No idea.

Q: Do you have the secret roth holds set in stone? While we’ll have to wait to hear the secret. I’m curious if it’s something you still have to decide on?

A: No, it’s settled and set in stone.

Q: How tall are Roth and Jasmine?

A: She’s around 5’ 7”. I’ve never committed to a height for Roth, but I’d probably say he’s 6’ 3” or taller and very broad and muscular.

Q: Where did your idea of Roth and Jasmine come from? They are amazing characters.

A: Thank you! I had a dream about Roth where he mentioned the divorce so that got the ball rolling. At the time this happened, I got snowed into my friends house that I was housesitting and the power kept going out, which is how the whole cabin thing came into being and them being trapped in it. I think writers naturally like writing about their profession so I thought it would be funny if this ex confronted her about her work which he featured in and it evolved from there.

Q: What are some of your favorite couples and characters from tv shows and movies? Do you draw inspiration from them? I noticed a lot of Disney princess inspo - the name Jasmine too :)

A: Huh. I’ve never thought about that before. I think because he calls her princess and I kind of think of her like a princess too with her big library like Belle… I’m going to be very boring and say I rarely watch TV shows. Honestly, the only person that came to mine is Keira Knightly and Darcy in the recent remake of Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Broody.

Singed Series

Q: Will we get some of Roth's POV in the future books?

A: No. All books will be from Jasmine’s POV. He’ll get his own book exclusively from his POV after the series is done. This book isn’t necessary for closure to the series, it’s an extra one that expands on some things only he can tell.

Q: Are there separate ARC sign ups for your books or do you have an ARC team?

A: No, I don’t have ARC sign ups and don’t think I will in future. There are far too many leaks. With Bitter Heat, I only did 20 people and one of those people still posted it on a pirate site. The added stress isn’t worth it so we have a small pool of people that Emily and I reach out to before a release.

Q: Do you ever actively search up rothjasmine and anything related to them on social media such as Instagram or Twitter? Or do you just view what you’re tagged in?

A: I don’t look up anything or read reviews, and I rarely look at what I’m tagged in. If I do, it’s mostly by accident. My PA manages most of that for me. I prefer to just stay in my book world.

Q: Do any songs remind you of any of the characters? For me it’s Cover me up by Morgan Wallen I instantly go to your books!

A: Boringly, no. I’ve never associated any songs with my characters. I’m kind of jealous of authors that have playlists that readers can listen to, but if you listen to what I did when writing them, it would be 10 hours of thunderstorms on repeat on Youtube.

Q: Hi Mia, hope you are doing well. I love your work and wanted to ask you if you had any Spotify playlists for your books? Or if you are planning to/would possibly release any in the future? Thank you :))

A: I actually don’t. I rarely listen to music when I’m writing. I usually have on white noise—rain and thunderstorms that are on repeat on Youtube.

Q: Do you already know everything that happens in the rest of the singed series? Or have you still got some things to iron out?

A: I see stories like movie trailers. I see flashes of big events and how it ends, but I’m not sure what happens in between that gets us to that point. That’s how writing works for me and that’s actually my favorite part, letting my mind work through interesting scenarios and melding with the characters to find the best way forward. So, in answer to your questions—yes, I feel I know what’s going to happen in the rest of the series and yes, I still have things to iron out. 😆

Q: Are you thinking about writing books about the side characters like Lyle and Colette or Grayson?

Q: Will Grayson get a book?

Q: Will some side characters from Singed world get a book and if they do will they have separate series?

Q: Are Lyle and Colette getting a story?

A: I know the backgrounds of side characters that would be interesting to write about, but I’m not planning anything at the moment. I’m just focused on completing Roth and Jasmine’s story.

Q: Is singed series in same universe as crime lord series?

A: Yes

Q: Do you think you will ever consider a crossover with characters from the crime lords books and the singed series?

A: There’s a subtle crossover in book 3, but I have no plans for characters in different series to end up together or do huge cameos in each other’s books (at the moment).

Q: What is your opinion on cheating in books? In crime lords captive it was present and a hard topic for the couple to get over. However in singed series it is very clear that roth isn’t a cheater nor interested in other women besides Jasmine. I know that Danielle lori is writing a cheating book that I’m very excited about but I don’t think I could handle cheating for certain book couples such as Rothjas.

A: I honestly don’t actively seek out cheating books, but I intend to write some in future where it features pretty prominently (prob not under this name, I don’t think). I guess I would hesitate as much as any reader before picking it up unless I’m in the mood to be pissed off. It’s a sensitive topic and in other books where it’s featured, most of the time I don’t like the way it’s handled, which is why I avoid it altogether. So, I guess I don’t mind writing it, but don’t like reading it which is hypocritical, but it is what it is. 🤣

Q: Do any songs remind you of any of the characters? For me it’s Cover me up by Morgan Wallen I instantly go to your books!

A: Boringly, no. I’ve never associated any songs with my characters. I’m kind of jealous of authors that have playlists that readers can listen to, but if you listen to what I did when writing them, it would be 10 hours of thunderstorms on repeat on Youtube.

I can’t believe Bitter Secrets has been out in the world for a month! Where has the time gone? Ahh! I meant to write this blog weeks ago, but my life has turned upside down (in a good way) and I haven’t been able to sit down and gather my thoughts until now. We’re going to get into all kinds of stuff in this blog like a behind-the-scenes on the launch, what I’ve been up to since, and some exciting developments for 2023, but first…

Thank You!

Thank you for making Bitter Secrets such a massive success! I had no idea what to expect with this launch. It seemed like I had everything going against me—my long absence, no social media presence, a sequel four years late, releasing right after the holidays… I mean, can I list worse odds??

I swung between ironclad confidence to mind-numbing terror on an hourly basis. I have the writer version of stage fright. When I release, I feel physically ill for days before I get used to the thought of having another book in the world and the fear of hate and criticism passes. I thought this would ease up over time, but twenty books in, the sensation is still the same. Worse, actually, but it only lasts a couple of days and then I can get on with life. I told myself that even if the book was met with polite, unenthusiastic applause or complete and utter silence, that at least I’d finished. That’s all that mattered. I love the story and even if the results were less than stellar, I had Carmen’s story to distract me and improve upon.

I’m stunned to report that this has been my biggest release to date, and I have all of you to thank for it. I’m drop-to-my-knees humbled by your support. The fact that you showed up after all this time… That you gave me another chance and shared posts, wrote reviews, and urged your friends to give me a try… Thank you. Those two words can’t begin to express how grateful I am. I just… Is there a better feeling than to have something you worked your ass off on be embraced by those you wrote it for? No, I don’t think so.

The visuals created on TikTok, Pinterest boards, Instagram reels, and other mediums blows my mind. I’m not a visual person. Coming up with a cover is the most stressful thing in the world for me, and even when people ask me what the characters look like, I have no real life muse. In my head, they’re just Roth and Jasmine and I sense more than see them, if that makes any sense. I absolutely love the collages and reels and moody music you use. I wish I was creative in that sense, but my medium is words. Everything else, I’m pretty hopeless, so I love seeing what you create. I write for myself, but I realize a story doesn’t truly come alive until the characters live and thrive in the minds of others as well as my own.

For those who finished and need counseling, there’s a spoiler group for you to commiserate with others. I’m not in the group because I can’t answer any questions and I think it’s a place for readers to speculate and discuss without me present, so… have at it!

In the week after Bitter Secrets released, I circulated a Q & A form. Nearly 200 questions were submitted, and I answered the ones that cropped up the most. I’ll post my answers here for those who missed it. But first, I’ll address the #1 question.

2023 Release Schedule

When the hell is book 3 in the Singed Series coming out?

I avoided giving a direct answer for obvious reasons (I don’t know!), but I realize you need a timeline of some sort. So (against my better judgment), I’ll give you one. Just know that this isn’t set in stone. Numerous things could alter these dates. Of course, I’ll keep you apprised of my progress here on this blog, so you’ll know what book I’m on and where in the process.

As mentioned at the end of Bitter Secrets, I’m committed to publishing the books I’ve already written. One was Bitter Secrets and the second (third and possibly fourth) are the books which conclude Carmen’s story arc. I wrote the first draft of these books two years ago and haven’t revisited them. They need a rewrite and edit. It’s been a long time since I’ve looked at them, so I’m not certain how much work they need, but my goal is to release them this Summer.

After I release Carmen's books, I'll switch back to the Singed Series and complete the first draft of book 3 in the last half (or quarter) of the year. Currently, book 3 is 76k words long. I felt like I was kind of meandering because the events, dialogue, etc. hadn’t been nailed down in the previous book, which is why I finished Bitter Secrets. Now, I can move forward more confidently, knowing what has/hasn’t been said and choose the right events to show in the next book. Ideally, I’d like to write books 3 & 4 back to back, but I may not have enough time… We’ll see. I'm aiming for book 3 in the Singed Series (Bitter Confessions) to release in the first half of 2024. Of course, if I can release it earlier, I will, but that’s what I’m aiming for.

This is a broad timeline that may seem ridiculously long to a reader, but to a writer, it sends a chill up my spine. I usually publish one book a year. This year, I’m committing to four and completing my longest novel yet. When I look at this mountain of work, I feel the beginning pangs of panic. I have to remind myself to focus on just laying one brick (sentence, paragraph, chapter) at a time. Doing a little every day goes a long way.

For optimum focus, I will be offline. I enjoyed being back on social media and reconnecting with old friends and meeting new readers, but social media is too distracting for me, and it’s gonna take everything I have to get these books out.

My main hub of communication will be my website. I aim to post (hopefully on a monthly basis) my progress on my blog, so you’ll know where I am in my process. I think these long form blogs are more informative than the short, doctored snippets people share on social media. It also forces me to structure my thoughts into essay form and helps me process what’s going on and puts everything into perspective for me. I’m amazed how many people have come up to me and told me they read through my long-winded blogs and look forward to them. So, I will continue to blog and share my thoughts as I make my way through the books and life.

My Facebook and Instagram accounts will be managed by my PA, Emily Alice.

Translations & Book Box

One of the reasons for my absence is because I signed translations rights for the Singed Series! I’ve always been leery about going into contract for an unfinished series. We negotiated deadlines for book 3 & 4, which prompted me to take a long, hard look at my lifestyle. To meet these deadlines, I had to make some major changes (more on this later). Bitter Heat and Bitter Secrets will be translated into German, French, Italian, and Polish! Translations take time, but know within the next 12 months, you’ll see my books in another language. I can’t wait to get my hands on a foreign paperback. I am going to freak!

I was also approached about a book box for Bitter Heat in the Spring! They’ll create an exclusive cover, NSFW art, book themed enamel pins, and other trinkets. I’m so excited to see what they do! I’ve always wanted to do something like this, but never had the time. If this does well, I may do more for other books. I’ll announce when the boxes are available to order!

Background on the launch

In December, I got out of my rig and rented a house. Knowing how much work I had ahead of me, I would rather not have to worry about my pipes freezing or constantly running to the laundromat. It’s also been a freakishly cold winter, and I was miserable in the rig (those who RV in the winter, salute!). Going into a house after being on the road for 10 months was a dream. Central heat, hot water on demand, a massive fridge, and stove? Man, you don’t realize how luxurious all this is until you don’t have it. Creature comforts made the long hours pouring over rewrites and publishing tasks much easier.

I was a little nervous since it’s been so long since I published. I haven’t used these programs in years, but it was like riding a bike. Scary, overwhelming, and awkward at first, but I kept pushing through and everything started coming back to me.

I don’t know if I mentioned in the past, but May makes 10 years that I’ve been self-publishing. There are so many facets to publishing a book. Writing is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you create the product, you have to put on your editing cap and objectively slash and dice what you’ve written, polish it, and hand it off to an editor who makes their cuts. You ponder, reconsider, polish again, and then the real work begins. If you’re independent, you are your website designer, social media manager, marketer, researcher, customer service representative, accountant, and everything in between. As a publisher, you are responsible for every part of that book—cover, blurb, content, copyright, keywords, categories. You also have to create custom ebook files for each retailer. You’re also hopping from one social media platform to another to post teasers, respond to messages and comments, and try to drum up excitement for the book. This release was made a little more complicated with me fulfilling patron incentives. Because I quit Patreon, I had to find alternative ways to deliver the ebooks to almost 300 people (thank God for Book Funnel)! If you are one of my patrons and didn’t receive the raw draft or the final ebook, and you were a Bigger Baddie (middle tier) in October 2021, you can reach out to me and I’ll double-check my records. As for my Super Baddies who paid 2 months, you’re eligible for signed paperbacks. I sent out the first wave of books last week and will send out another batch when the next shipment comes in. If you want to claim your paperback, reach out to me, and I’ll confirm your address and the personalization.

I had an insanely long list of tasks. At times, I doubted whether I would get through it all, but a week before the release I raised my head and realized everything was done on the administrative end. All there was left to do was wait until January 11. I planned to try some fresh marketing strategies, but I was too drained. I decided to do as I’ve always done and have faith in word of mouth—the only marketing strategy I’ve ever employed that has never let me down.

Like I mentioned in the beginning, I had no idea what to expect. In my mind, releasing after the holidays wasn’t a prime time and to make matters worse, I heard two Author Tubers talking about sequels they released in the Fall that had less than stellar sales. I’m not gonna lie. I was worried, but I knew putting out something was better than nothing, so I cast my doubts aside and set the date.

A day before the book released, I got an unexpected gift. I gave Bitter Secrets to two authors who asked for ARCs. One of them was Anna Zaires. We’ve rubbed shoulders a few times, and we’re cordial, but not homies. She publicly stated that she liked Bitter Heat, but my jaded self couldn’t help but think she was just being nice. Despite that, I wanted to follow through and offer her Bitter Secrets, even though it’s been four years since she asked for it. She happily accepted. I didn’t expect anything to come from it, but the day before release when my stress was sky-high, I logged onto Facebook and saw she tagged me in a post.

This shout out made me tear up and when I saw the email she sent, telling me she was going to write about me in her newsletter and recommend me on Bookbub “because more people need to discover this amazing story,” I broke down.

I hate when anyone reads my work (I know I have a problem, but at least I still publish), but another author? I avoid it at all costs (and not just because of asshole authors in the past). I am a notoriously finicky reader and assume other authors are as well. I’m critical and impatient and need a book to hit certain notes, and if that doesn’t happen when I suspect it should, I drop the book like a hot potato. I’m a notorious DNF’r. I’m so particular that I rarely read anything new. I tend to reread my extensive collection of vetted books I like. (I know I’m weird, but I’m a writer, so I’m allowed to be eccentric. Sniff.)

Anyway, back to Anna. It’s one thing for readers to like your work, but having another author you respect and look up to enjoy your work is… I don’t know. To me, it’s the equivalent of meeting your favorite actor or singer. You’re sort of starstruck and crying hysterically and babbling like an imbecile. I love her Bookbub recommendation:

Anna injected me with a much-needed boost of faith and optimism and set the tone for the release, which was absolutely phenomenal. I was humbled by her generosity and forgave her for asking the forbidden question authors hate above all others: When’s the next book coming out? She even acknowledged that she hates when readers ask her this as well, but she couldn’t help herself. LMAO.

Bitter Heat ban

When I was setting up my pre-order for Bitter Secrets, I received an email, saying that Bitter Heat was being removed from Apple, Barnes&Noble, and several other retailers for:

Dubious Consent (dubcon): Dubcon explores the gray area between consent and non-consent. Not clear if the receiver of the sexual act was fully on board or not at the time of the act.

I contested this and although Bitter Heat stayed up during the release of Bitter Secrets, it’s now been officially removed from multiple retailers. I’m in the process of trying to get it back up and will be selling direct on my website in future because having my content deemed unacceptable by retailers is becoming a common occurrence. I don’t want to be exclusive with Amazon. They can change their policies at any moment and a considerable portion of my audience isn’t on there, so I’m going to make sure my books are in as many places as possible and, if all else fails, can be purchased on my website (currently working on this behind the scenes and will update when I have news).

I am honestly baffled by the struggle to keep my books on shelves when we are simultaneously in this sexually liberated era where Fifty Shades has been widely accepted and commercialized and Cardi B is one of the hottest music artists. I think her music videos and lyrics are more explicit and less PC than my work, yet she thrives. I don't understand the double standard and have stopped trying to figure it out. Bitter Heat was shadow-banned before it was officially booted. The only way it would be discovered is if readers typed it in. So, when I say I couldn’t do this without you all, I mean it! Your recommendations to other readers keeps me going because I’m constantly battling retailers to keep my books on their sites.

My strategy is to not depend on any of these platforms and just make sure my audience has access to me through my website. I just wanted to bring this up, so you’re aware of it. I hope this is resolved soon!

Home Base

And, finally, what the hell have I been doing since Bitter Secrets released? Setting up my home base.

I’ve been living on the road for nearly a year and while I love the lifestyle, being a nomad and writing don’t really mix. Traveling is a lifestyle that occupies a huge portion of your mind. You’re always wondering where you’re going next, what you need to take care of before moving on, how long you can stay in one place, weather, etc. You’re constantly trying to orient yourself and figure out where the banks, grocery stores, laundromats, and dump/propane stations are in every new town.

To create, I need routine, consistency, and a mundane daily life that doesn’t require me to be on my toes. This quote comes to mind:

“Be orderly and disciplined in daily life, like a good bourgeois, so that I might be wild and violent in my art.”

— Gustave Flaubert

I was already playing with the idea of settling somewhere to finish Carmen’s books. The contracts for translations sealed the deal for me. Now I have deadlines and within a week of me releasing Bitter Secrets, I put my plans for a home base into action. I moved out of the rig and put it in storage. I’m currently in temporary housing while I get my affairs in order.

I’m not going to lie. I’m not disappointed to return to “civilized” life. I counted recently, and I’ve moved 13 times in 15 years. Since I turned 20, I’ve never settled anywhere. I never hung anything on the walls, bought plants, painted walls… I never owned paperbacks of my novels. Everything for me has always been temporary, but I want to change that. I need to make a home for myself. Stability and roots are necessary for growth, and if I wasn’t moving so much, who knows what I would accomplish?

I will definitely come back to RVing. There’s still so much I would like to see and do. The road helped clear my head and prioritize my life. For the first time in years, I could dream again. I rewrote Bitter Secrets in the rig, but it was super challenging. RVs were made for camping and living outdoors, not working long hours in front of a computer. I pushed myself to the limit to complete the project while escaping Utah’s harsh winters. I also have a 15-year-old dog that deserves some rest. He tolerated the road, but he’s slowing down rapidly, and I don’t want to put more stress on him than is necessary.

I’m going back to Hawaii.

Yes, you read that right.

Almost a year to the day, I’m heading back. Again. I never found a place in the mainland I wanted to settle, so I’m going back to my homeland. This time, with the intention to make it my home base and periodically come back to the mainland to travel and reset myself.

I feel invigorated, reborn. 2022 did wonders for me mentally and spiritually. It’s given me a new outlook on life and rekindled fires I thought had died. I can’t wait to delve back into these stories and complete my series. When I was young and unfiltered, I wrote fast and furious. I hope I can go back to that while also giving myself permission to live and have fun along the way.

Having you all show up upon the release of Bitter Secrets affirmed that people still want to hear from me, that they’re still interested in the way I tell stories, and I have a spot in the industry. In Carmen’s sequel and in Bitter Secrets, I knew I was deviating from what was expected/normal since I was focusing more on story and character than was normal for romance. I wasn’t sure how the public would react to that, but the aftermath of Bitter Secrets seems like a good indicator that enough readers are okay with it for me to continue doing what I’m doing.

Again, thank you for your support of my work and of me. Thank you for recommending me to other readers and for creating art that captures people’s attention and helps me dream.

There’s so much I want to do. If I do even a fraction of it, 2023 will be an awesome year! I’ll be in touch!