Happy Mia Creation Day!

Hello everyone! Today is a special day for me. It's the one year anniversary of my birth...Mia Ashlinn's, that is. This time last year, I made the decision that would forever change my life. I chose to follow my dreams and pursue writing. Now here I am...three published, one (*fingers crossed*) soon-to-be published, and one 'work in progress' books later.

Ironically this past weekend, I went to a convention with my fellow Siren authors. For me this was the moment that I said, "Holy guacamole! I'm an author." Funny, huh? My first book came out in February, but it never truly clicked what I do on a daily basis.

Until I sat in a room filled with people that I have read many times over, people that I respect, it never really made sense. But after a surreal moment, I realized that I was now a part of this magnificent publishing house and talented group of authors. Why yes, I might have squealed inside...more than once. Then again, who am I kidding? My dorkdom isn't a shock to anyone. I started squealing internally the moment I laid eyes on a couple of my favorite authors! Somehow, I managed to keep my cool though. I was all good and not a rock-star, author groupie...on the outside. :)

Even more ironically, I finished my fourth book today. Yes, fourth! Can you believe it? I know I can't. As I hit send on the email to submit the tentatively titled, Three Rings and a Rose (Sweet Serenity #4), I was overcome with emotion. Yep, I'm cheesy like that.

A year ago, I started on an amazing journey...and a year later, I'm still on it. I just hope that I keep travelling down this long, winding road for many days, weeks, months, and years to come. And I hope that you'll follow along beside me.

In honor of Mia's Creation Day, I'm posting an unedited snippet from Ella Dawson's story, Three Rings and a Rose. I hope you enjoy! XOXOXO!

Love and cherries,
-Mia

"Three Rings and a Rose"

Waving, Ella Dawson called out, “Thanks for coming,” as her departing friends disappeared out the front door to her adult toy shop, The G Spot, and into the Serenity summer night. When the bell jingled, indicating the door had completely closed behind them, she spun around but stopped in her tracks.

The giant sign hanging over the entrance to the back room where they were holding the party taunted her, holding her attention captive, and she found her feet glued to the tile floor. Double your pleasure, double your fun...

Standing stock-still, Ella stared at the sign as thought it would come to life and bite her at any moment. She plastered a smile on her face, pretending to find amusement in the tongue-in-cheek saying, but it wasn't from the heart. No, nothing was from the heart anymore because she was fucking miserable.

Despite the group of girls celebrating Katie-Anne Jacobs, Jaycee Blakemore, and their impending baby arrivals just inside the doorway, Ella couldn't dredge up an ounce of excitement. All she could think about was the date. June 3^rd.

 She'd hoped that throwing the double baby shower with her three sisters, Hadley, Molly-Grace, and Reagan, would help her forget what day it was. She’d thought it might fix whatever it was going on inside her. But she was pretty fucking wrong.

Today was no better than any other day. Hell, because of the date, it was oh-so-much worse which was saying something. In retrospect, the past few four months had been torture. How melodramatic of me to put it that way. They hadn't been torture in the usual sense. She didn't have someone hurting her physically. And no, there was no one abusing her emotionally. This was all on her. Well, if she wanted to get technical, it was on her best friend, Micah, and her ex-lover, Caedon, too.

It was on Micah because the bastard was gay. A girl in love with a gay man was doomed from the very first flip-flop of her heart. Why couldn’t he be bisexual? Shit, that would be fucking hot.

And it was on Caedon because...well, he was Caedon. The jackass had left her when she needed him most. Okay, that isn’t exactly fair. I practically pushed him out of my life, but it was his fault for driving me to it.

            Now here Ella was two years later, standing in the unorthodox hometown she loved, with a roomful of her favorite women mere feet from her. And what was she doing? She was moping around like a heartsick puppy. No, I refuse to do this. I am going to go into that room with my friends and my sisters, and I am going to have a good time. Goddamn it.

            Marching across her shop with purposeful strides, Ella barely made out the loud click-clack of her hooker heels on the tile floor. She was too focused. She had things to do and fun to have—whether or not she damn well liked it.

Shoving open the door, Ella barreled into the room packed with six fabulous women. As soon as she spotted them all sitting around the table and inspecting various sexy toys, some of her melancholy emotions faded away. Yeah, this is just what I need to do.