Cherry Christmas to All!

Much love and lots of kisses,
-Mia

Sunday's Song of the Day

This dreary Sunday's Song of the Day is a little old school.

It's a little ditty from my high school days.

And it's just a little bit of a guilty pleasure for me. 

Oh yeah, you 90s music fiends.

It's Britney Spears's ...Baby One More Time!

Now I could save face and say this song was just randomly on my mind.

Or I could say that I heard it on XM Radio's 90s Station.

But those would be lies.

...Baby One More Time is on my mind because I'm watching I Am Britney Jean.

Tonight.

Until next time, sing it loud and sing it proud. 

Love and cherries,

-Mia

Saturday's Song

My song of the day for this cloud-filled Saturday in December is...

Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer!

Y'all can blame today's song on my blast from the past movie, She's All That, which I just happen to be watching as we speak - or in my case, blog. LOL.

Until next time, sing it loud and sing it proud. XOXOXO.

Love and cherries,

-Mia

At The Top...Of Today's Playlist

Today's playlist topper is Easy by Rascal Flatts.
 

Can you imagine the pain of seeing the person you love, being in the same room with them, and having to pretend that you don't see them, that you don't feel them, but, most of all, having to act as though you don't love them? Even worse, can you imagine having to do all that in front of the entire world? Well,  the heroine from my next Sweet Serenity novel is about to find out.

 

 

 

Until next time, sing it loud and sing it proud. XOXOXO!

 

Love and cherries,

-Mia

I'm Playing "You Might Be a Pervert If...Christmas Edition" at the Righteous Perverts Pulpit TODAY!

Hi y'all. It's been a while since I've written. I know. I know. I have been a bad, bad girl.  Feel free to spank me for my neglect. I like it. Or wait. I don't. Nope. Not me. See, I have a halo. Oh wait. It's crooked! Let me fix that. Ah, now that's better...

Anyway, I just thought I would drop by and say, "Hi!" And of course, I wanted to let you know that I'm bringing out my Christmas perv and my favorite game, You Might Be a Pervert If... at The Righteous Perverts Pulpit blog today. So if you have a minute, swing by http://therighteouspervertpulpit.blogspot.com/2013/12/guest-blogger-mia-ashlinn.html and find out just how Perv-a-Licious you are this Christmas.

I hope to see you there. If not, here's a tease for you:

You might be a Christmas pervert if…your gingerbread men are anatomically correct. (And boy oh boy, are they hung!)

Love and kisses,
-Mia

Song Lyric Saturday

In my latest Serenity book, a new family will make their first (of many) appearances. This group of six are from a glitzy, glamorous world that is far cry from the land o' menages in Kansas. But sometimes, what seems like the perfect life is no more than a mirage. And sometimes, people who have it all lack the one thing they want the most - true, everlasting love.

I'm Miss American Dream since I was seventeen,

Don't matter if I step on the scene

Or sneak away to the Philippines.

They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere in the magazine.

You want a piece of me?

You want a piece of me...

Love and cherries,

-Mia

French Fries Friday

French Fries

+

Foodie Friday

=

French Fries Friday!

Bon Appétit!

-Mia

Green Tee Thursday!

As some of you may know, my personal assistant and I have started working on a line of t-shirts related to all three of my book series. But what you may not know is that we are in the process of launching a website, too. LusciousGreenTees.com will have both t-shirts and gifts available for purchase. We expect the site to be up and running in the next month. Until then, we have a new shirt available at TeeSpring to tide you over!

Because this shirt is available at TeeSpring, twenty shirts will have to be purchased in order for it to go to print. But worry not! The shirt will be available for the next three weeks. Yep, you have until Oct 24th to get one of your very own. And I truly hope you will. If not, though, you will have plenty of time to get your hands on other things at LusciousGreenTees.com - including soup mugs, notebooks, and whiskey glasses. :)

Have a great Thursday, y'all. XOXOXO!

Love and cherries,

-Mia

White Collar Wednesday!

Since I'm sick and stuck in the stinking bed, I decided it was time to catch up on some tv time. So now, I'm spending the day with my newest obsession - USA Network's White Collar. Therefore, I am dubbing today White Collar Wednesday!

Yes, I am spending my sickly hours with my boys...

Neal Caffrey

My fever is nothing to compared to this fella.

    

Peter Burke

Who needs a security blanket and stuffed teddy?

Peter looks pretty cuddly to me.

 Mozzie

He's better than a doctor, right?

Jones

He's just so darn cute!

And yes, I'm getting in some girl time, too.

 Elizabeth Burke

Girl makes me laugh. 

And laughter is the best medicine, right?

Diana Barrigan

Girl is kick-ass. If anyone can kick my cold, it's her. 

Sara Ellis

Come on. She's Sara.

 Now, what about you? If my sick day is a White Collar Wednesday, what is yours? Hopefully it's a good one. XOXOXO!

Love and cherries,
-Mia

Tease-Tastic Tuesday

Happy Tease-Tastic Tuesday! I'm doing things a little different today. I'm actually posting two unedited snippets on TWO different blogs. Yes, that means you're going to get a glimpse of the first book in my newest series The Shifters of Trinity, Kansas here. And you'll also get a peek of the fifth book in my Sweet Serenity series at When One is Not Enough!

So without further ado, here's a taste of Ace and MacKenzie from my first ever paranormal menage, Pacts and Promises.

* * * *

“I was so glad you called,” Ace murmured in Kenzie’s ear as he placed a possessive hand on the small of her back and guided her across the wood planked porch. He smiled when she shivered, loving how she was as helpless to him as he was to her. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out for a while, but…”

“But what?” Kenzie blinked her gorgeous eyes up at him. Even with the moon barely glittering overhead, he couldn’t miss the curiosity glimmering in the granite depths. “You thought I had cooties or something?”

Amused, a smile tilted his lips. “Of course not,” he replied while helping her down the steep steps like the gentleman he wasn’t but had been schooled by Henry to be. “I know you have cooties. You’ve been spending all your time with that flea infested pussy of yours.”

Kenzie scowled, her displeased glare more endearing than intimidating. “You take that back, Ace Monroe Gallagher! Only I get to call Emmett a pussy. To you, he's a fe-lion.”

Ace shook his head. “No, I don’t think I will.” A heartbeat later, a soft slapping sound rang out, and it took a minute for Ace to realize that he’d been gently smacked in the chest by the she-wolf of his dreams. And fantasies. But rather than be angry, he came to a sudden halt a few feet away from the porch steps. Then turning to her, he chuckled. “Now I know I won’t.”

Her scowl morphed into a ferocious glower as she stepped away from his touch. She balled her fists on her voluptuous hips, which was a mistake on her part because her defiant gesture only drew his attention to the generous curve and distracted him. “Yes, you will. Or I’ll—”

Ace lifted his gaze from his mate’s hips, slowly and appreciatively, to the tempting dip at her waist then drifted up and over her lush breasts to her face. He arched an eyebrow at her then asked, “You’ll what?”

Kenzie went silent, nibbling her succulent lower lip. As he watched, a variety of expressions danced across her charming ‘thinking’ face. This should be good, he decided. Almost as good as she looks tonight. And damn, the woman looked un-fucking-believable. Not that she didn’t always look like perfection personified. But there was something different about her tonight. It could have been how her too red to be chestnut, too brown to be auburn hair fell around her shoulders, framing her pretty face, rather than being pulled back in her trademark ponytail. Or it could have been that her faded jeans were nowhere in sight, and she’d wrapped her statuesque self in a daring purple dress that revealed as much as it covered. It could have even been that she’d replaced her sneakers with high heels that made her already long legs look like a stunning supermodel’s. Or hell, it could have been the exotic jungle green she’d applied to her eyelids and the dewy pink blush she’d brushed onto the apples of her cheeks. But personally, he thought it was the way she talked and walked—like a wolf bent on seducing her mate, which according to Emmett, she was. Thank the gods.

Kenzie finally released her lip before a brilliant smile curved her mouth upward. “I’m not telling you, wolfie, because then you’ll see me coming and run the other way.”

Ace choked back his mushy response, saying, “I doubt that, Kenz,” rather than “I always see you coming, and I would never run away.” A wolf had his pride, after all.

“Speaking of running away…” Kenzie cocked her head to the side. “Where are your sidekicks?”

* * * *

I hope you enjoyed my teeny, tiny tease! Check back next week for more. XOXOXO!

Love and cherries,
-Mia

p.s. Don't forget to check out When One is Not Enough for another un-edited snippet! :)

Mia's Monday Madness: You Can't Take Me Anywhere!

When people say I can't take you anywhere, they're usually joking around. But in my case, those five words couldn't be any truer. And I know it. I accept it. Most of my friends and family have learned to accept it, too. They all know that taking me somewhere means trouble with a capital T. I'm just not a well-behaved girl. And I don't try to be. 

Now keep in mind, I don't do crazy stuff. I don't chase cars like a rabid dog or shoot my mouth off willy-nilly and end up in a giant brawl. I don't have sex in front of the Walmart exhibition-style. And no, I've never done anything illegal. I'm boring in those ways. But, and this is a big but, what I lack in scandalous behavior, unlawful actions, and mental instability, I make up for in other ways.

How, you ask? Well, I make naughty comments about whatever catches my fancy. Seriously, I can't walk more than a few steps without something lewd, crude, or perverse popping in my head. And generally, when I'm with my husband or close friends, I don't waste my energy with a filter. I just lay it out there and hope for the best. Of course, they're used to me so they don't bat an eyelash. And some of them even counter my naughtiness with more naughtiness. Honestly, my hubby beats me hand down. If I say something, he always has an answer, and he never fails to give the wickedness back to me tenfold. After that, there's no stopping us.

But that's just the beginning...

*I tell wicked jokes and pervert everything I see. And yes, I mean everything. 

*Then there's the fact that I have been known to walk around taking pictures of all sorts of naughty things in the most innocent of places. Let me tell you, I drew some very strange looks the last time I visited Lowe's. And I'm sure you know what that means. Picture, time!

 

 

 

 

*And I should never leave out my history of stopping dead in my tracks and giggling uncontrollably for no apparent reason. 

See, neither Dick nor Jane or Joe thought a thing about this...

 But me? I was dying! It literally took every ounce of my control to not fall on the floor and laugh my ass off. Before you ask, yes, I am that easy. ;)

Now, don't get me wrong. I do have the ability to control myself - on occasion. But I figure, why should I? Life is for living. And madness is for enjoying. All the rest is icing on the cake. 

Hope y'all have a nice start to your week. XOXOXO!

Love and cherries,

-Mia

Song Lyric Saturday

Today's blog is all my husband's fault. So if you feel the need to punish someone for the next few wasted minutes of your life, he's your man. See, it all started the night we got our new bed (bet you didn't see that one coming). We were crawling onto the mattress when I thought to myself, "Hmm..I'm in the mood to watch a movie." Of course, I knew that we wouldn't be able to watch all of it because it was late, but I figured we could catch a few minutes before falling into a peaceful slumber. So, me being me, I pulled up Netflix, which I happen to love, and scrolled through my instant queue. Immediately I found Clueless and 13 Going on 30. Yes, I do watch them both that often. Shameful, I know. But ah well, they're guilty pleasures. 

Predictably, I debated between the two 'oldie but goodie' movies and eventually decided on Clueless. When I started the movie, my husband looks at me and says, "That movie is horrible. I don't know why we like it so much." I am slightly offended by his statement. Though, deep down, I see what he means. Although,  I'm not going to admit that to him because I'm a stubborn gal. So instead of agreeing, I mumble under my breath and turn my attention to the movie.

Little does my husband know... 

While I'm watching, I'm working on a mental list of why I love this movie and why he does, too. Not surprisingly, my list is shorter than I like to have when I approach my engineer husband. I learned long ago that a smart man's wife should never approach him for a debate without some factual backup. That would be like a doctor going into the OR without a scalpel (or any other medical instruments, equipment, and staff)! 

Well, since I'm struggling with reasons to dole out, I realize that the best way to win him over is...drumroll please...MUSIC! Yes, my dear hubby is a music man. He's practically a connoisseur. So what  better way to win him over than to say, "The soundtrack is fucking awesome—for that time period." Keep in mind, the soundtrack's music is probably not enough of a justification for him. But it is a start. Ergo, I have pulled up the Clueless soundtrack, its cover art, music links, and song lyrics. So guess what! That means it's your lucky day. I'm going to share with you what I found and see if you're on my side. If you are, I guess I'll have a nice, long discussion with the hubby. If not, well...I'm screwed. Not in a good way, either. But then again, maybe, I'll just drop the topic entirely and leave him wondering for years to come what he sees in Clueless. :)

XOXOXO,

-Mia

Clueless Song List

Kids in America by The Muffs

Shake Some Action by Cracker

The Ghost In You (Live) by The Counting Crows

Here (Squirrel Mix) by Luscious Jackson

All The Young Dudes by World Party

Fake Plastic Trees (Acoustic Version) by Radiohead

Change by The Lightning Seeds

Need You Around by Smoking Popes

Mullet Head by Beastie Boys

Where'd You Go? by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Rollin' With My Homies by Coolio

Alright by Supergrass

My Forgotten Favorite by Velocity Girl

Supermodel by Jill Sobule

Clueless Lyric List

Kids in America by The Muffs

Shake Some Action by Cracker

The Ghost In You (Live) by The Counting Crows

Here (Squirrel Mix) by Luscious Jackson

All The Young Dudes by World Party

Fake Plastic Trees (Acoustic Version) by Radiohead

Change by The Lightning Seeds

Need You Around by Smoking Popes

Mullet Head by Beastie Boys

Where'd You Go? by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Rollin' With My Homies by Coolio

Alright by Supergrass

My Forgotten Favorite by Velocity Girl

Supermodel by Jill Sobule

Foodie Friday

I love Italian food. Love, love, love it. So today, on this edition of Foodie Friday, I'm bringing out one of my favorite dishes...Chicken Parmesan. Enjoy!

Like my male heroes, I love my chicken parmesan BIG.

And every once and a while, I love it SMALL (Yes, size doesn't always matter.)

I love eating a LOT.

And I love nibbling a LITTLE.

 

I love when it's WET.

And on rare occasions, I love when its DRY.

But most of all, I love it OOEY and GOOEY. That's my kind of foodgasm!

RECIPE

Courtesy of Bon Appetit

PREPARATION

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

• Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and thyme; sauté until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice; bring to boil, coarsely crushing tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to generous 5 cups, about 1 hour. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm sauce before using.

CHICKEN

• Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken breasts to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Spread breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk eggs to blend in medium bowl. Spread flour on another plate. Coat both sides of chicken with flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed (chicken will not be cooked through). Transfer chicken to platter. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 1 layer of chicken over sauce. Spoon 2 cups sauce over. Sprinkle half of mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino over. Repeat with remaining chicken, sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino. Bake until cheeses melt and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and marjoram and serve.
• *Available in 1/3 -ounce, 1-ounce, and 8-ounce balls at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Regular mozzarella can be substituted.
  
  
  
  
  Bon appétit!
  -Mia

Thursday's Thoughts

Empowerment

Acceptance

Beauty

and

Grace...

Marilyn Monroe

  

Live for today, not tomorrow or the next day or the one after that. Laugh as much and as often as you can, even when you want nothing more than to cry. And love who you are because you are beautiful and wonderful, kind and smart. But most of all, love who you are because you are you. Let everything else work itself out. Happy Thursday!

XOXOXO,

-Mia