Mia Josephs's Blog, page 2

Blurring the Lines

Here are a few things that helped get me excited about writing and finishing BLURRING THE LINES, whose original title was ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC.I'm SO excited to be closing in on re-writing the first book I ever wrote. It feels...MONUMENTAL. Well, I'm not closing in, I'm DONE, but edits will still take a while.

In my original, Corinne was a red head, but when I saw this picture, and it was SO perfectly Christian Meyer , Corinne changed...
The next few pictures are from my Pinterest Board, and you can find the trail to those photos HERE. A woman doing everything she can to forget everything about LA and the music scene.


A man out of rehab, unable to write.


A shared love of music, a man looking for something real, and a woman running from the same thing.
Yes.I had fun with this one...
Here is the VERY UNEDITED first scene:
~ 1 ~
Christian Meyer froze at the bottom of his basement steps; the moment her voice hit his ears. He leaned against a rusty orange wall as he listened, not ready to show his face even in the sound booth of his small Malibu home. Not yet. After two months of rehab, and four months of writer’s block, this woman was supposed to save him.He rested his back against the wall as her song continued. Her voice was full and throaty but feminine. He grinned as he thought about what she’d look like. Two hundred and some pounds with grey teeth from smoking and either in some old rock n’roll tank that no longer fit her figure or another version of the same thing. Or maybe she’d be all business in a way that didn’t suit her voice at all. Either way, lyricists were notoriously weird.He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the words.“...the sorrow that’s behind the pretty face…” the riff lowered into a different key. “...the one that she shows…”It was the kind of sound he wanted after leaving the band. He knew it could kill his career, but he had enough money. He wanted to get back to his roots. To the words. The lyrics. The feel of a big-bodied guitar under his arm instead of the thin strength of electric. Besides, he had Lita James on his side--one of the hottest women in rock, and she was about to attempt a milder version of the same unplugged sound he wanted. Though, hers was more likely to last only one album, and his was a shift in career.As a college junior, the gig as lead guitarist in Kincaid had been a dream opportunity. Thirteen years and who knows how many drug experimentations and addictions later, he needed something new. Though, finding his new groove hadn’t proven as easy as he hoped.Knowing he was shit at meeting new people sober, he wondered how much more time he could kill in the hallway. His blond hair fell over his face as his gaze shifted from the wall to the floor and his worn shoes.Max jogged out of the sound booth and stopped when he saw Christian against the wall.“Holy shit, Chris. How long you been here?” He scratched his head of dark, curly hair.Chris waved Max off. “Just a few minutes. I’m coming in now.”Max licked his lips and shifted his weight. Chris’ manager had never been able to stand still.“I’m assuming you have some kind of warning for me or something?” Chris asked. Max generally had a list of warnings for Chris in new situations. Not just because Chris was terrible at them, but because Max was that good.“So.” Max rubbed his chin. “Corinne is a long time friend of mine. Hands off. Absolutely.”Chris held up his hands, imagining the greying woman. “Not a problem.”“And...don’t bring up her family.”Chris hated that be was being walked through everything. Hated it even worse that it was somewhat needed.“We’re here for music,” Chris said as he pushed around Max and into the sound booth.He was stopped still by the woman on the other side of the shaded glass.Her small frame was almost swallowed whole by his acoustic Guild guitar. Nearly black hair spiraled around her round face and fell over narrow, but muscular shoulders. Her skin was a rich coffee-caramel--gorgeous and soft. A simple white tank, jeans that looked worn from wear rather than from a label, and bare feet. Simple. Perfect. Incredible. Possibly edible.Max was so close he nearly touched Chris’ back. “I said hands off, Chris. I mean it.”Chris leaned forward as if to step into the studio but stopped again, feeling almost as if his tongue was swelling in nerves. He didn’t get nervous in front of pretty girls. At least not since he could remember.This was different. This woman was supposed to maybe save his career. And the best part was that she didn’t want her name on anything. Never did. It’s why Max had selected her in the first place. It felt like cheating, but at that moment, Chris was desperate enough that he didn’t care. Loads of artists did it. Hell, most people didn’t read who the lyrics were written by anyway. Just musicians. He thought.Christian took another deep breath in and stepped into the studio. The music immediately stopped.Rich brown eyes were on him in a second, and the woman who had appeared small only moments before now seemed to fill the room.“I’m Corinne,” she said. “Do you prefer Mr. Meyer or Christian?”So much business and strength from someone so small. He stood still, almost unsure of what he should say. “I’m...um…Chris is fine.”“This is sort of a different deal for me.” Her gaze was unwavering. “I don’t usually come in person.”He stared and willed his brain to read her expression but came up empty-handed. “Max said.”“Do you want to listen as we go through the songs, or would you like to just listen to what we lay down later when you have time?”He wasn’t sure. How did he want to do this? Chris opened his mouth to speak, but had no words. He had to get over this insecure feeling. He was thirty-three. He’d been all over the world playing to sold-out arenas. Some small woman sitting behind his guitar shouldn’t leave him feeling like an incompetent asshole.“I was told that we’d be writing together. That you’d come down with copies of the songs you’d written and that we’d be collaborating, or did I get that mixed up?”Corinne blinked a few times before glancing over Chris’ shoulder toward Max, who stood back in the doorway.“Max?” she asked, her face only then showing the slightest hint of vulnerability.He shrugged. “We did talk about you two writing together.”“Listen.” Chris sighed. “I already feel completely humiliated by this situation. Can we not make it worse?”Corinne’s eyes were on him then and they seemed to soften as she looked him over again. Silence dragged around the room until Chris thought he’d dissolve.“I’m sorry,” she said finally. “I can’t imagine not being able to write.”“Me either.” Chris tried to laugh but his voice wobbled as the gravity of his new sober life and the shittiness that had so far come with it hit him again. He had to remind himself often that it was worth it. Sometimes he believed it. Only his stubbornness kept him on track. He refused to let an addiction win.She shifted on her stool and let the guitar slide back onto its stand. Narrow waist, perfect chest...oh, hell, this was going to be hard.“Why don’t we start over.” She took a practiced breath in. “I’m on edge. I don’t like being away from home.”“And I’m still getting used to not being high.” Chris attempted to tease as he shoved his hands in his pockets.A corner of her mouth pulled up. “Why don’t we make use of your very large leather couch and go through the music I brought down. If something strikes you, let me know and I can play my version of it for you, or if you’d like, we can just look over lyrics.” For the first time since catching sight of her, or maybe since he realized he couldn’t write, Chris let his shoulders fall a little and walked to his couch thinking maybe this woman would be a way out of the hell he’d been living in.

A Snippet...

So. This book is going through somewhat of an identity crisis in that I can't decide on a cover image or title, even though I've announced like five different ones... I KNOW.

Anyway. I'm closing in on it, and in no rush because my "Mia" books are my FUN ones, which means I can't put deadlines up.

THAT being said - Here's a little unedited snippet ;-)

“About before,” he started.Corinne froze, her back to him. “It’s not something I talk about. It’s not something I can talk about. Sometimes it all still hurts like it was yesterday.”“I just--”She spun and faced him over the counter. “Chris. Please. You’re writing. This is what you wanted. Let it go.”“I want to be friends. Shit…” He paused. “I sound like an idiot. Why can’t we blur that line a little? Between paid songwriter and friend?”“Because blurring one line, blurs other lines, and I just… Please. I’m okay with you here. I want you to be writing again. I’m okay with being part of that. I just… I have friends. I have family. I have people.”“I don’t.” The words left his mouth before he had time to stop them.Corinne paused in her movements, and he wondered if he’d accidentally played a dirty trick in getting her to sympathize with him. Her mouth opened as if she was going to say something, but she clamped it shut again.“I’m an asshole to my family because I didn’t know how to deal when my dad died. I pulled a ridiculously stereotypical rockstar bullshit move and came to his funeral high on cocaine with a girl. My brother took care of my mom. Took care of everything, and I sat next to them high out of my mind with a woman I barely knew in ridiculously over-priced shoes I bought for her along with a bunch of other shit that I probably bought for her, and I haven’t talked to them since. My band were my friends, but they have to save their own asses, so when I bailed, we just don’t… It’s not the same.”Chris watched her for any sign that his words had affected her.Her face softened. “Quite a confession.”“Yeah...well…” He ran his hand through his hair again. “You’ve been just… I don’t even know how to explain how amazing you’ve been, so it throws me when you say we’re not friends. And I’m sorry if one night together makes you uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make me uncomfortable, and you’ve made it very clear we’re not going there again.” Chris was out of words and exhausted with feeling pathetic.Corinne rested her fingertips on her eyelids for a moment before pulling in a long breath. “We’re friends, Chris, but I don’t trust you.”Right. And why should she? Especially after his idiotic confession. “Smart move.”“So.” A corner of her mouth kicked up in a half smile. “Tea?”
“Thanks.” For a million things he had no idea how to voice.
PROMISE to put up actual news when I have it...

~ Mia

My very first ever book...

Blurring the Lines is a re-write of my first ever book. I honestly thought it would be the first book in this series, but once I started writing, I knew it wasn't. It feels fantastic to take the over-written story and turn it into something I'm proud of.

These covers still need some color tweaking, but I had to share anyway. They've been sitting on my computer for FAR too long...

You can read the blurbs for each in the "All About the Music" tab up top there.

Chasing the Dream is done and with editors now.
Blurring the Lines is a breath away from first draft.
Catching the Girl might end up being the funnest book I've ever written aside from my collabs.

So. This isn't really a "catch-up" post, more like a "why I've been so quiet" post.
I really hope to have Dream up in April, Lines up in May, and Girl up in June.
We'll see...

~ Mia

LAST DAY TO WIN SIGNED PAPERBACKS AND AMAZON BUCKS!!

In Falling you'll meet the spoiled city-girl Dana and the scruffy wilderness lodge owner that puts her in her place.

In After All, you'll meet Brandt who is just trying to stay afloat with his two teenage kids and the law student that turns his world upside down.

In Unexpectedly You, you'll meet the over-planner Brooke and the ONE guy that might help her toss her plans out the window...

Also. AMAZON BUCKS ;-)


a Rafflecopter giveaway Thanks! ~Mia

Unexpectedly You is OUT!!!

EEP!!!!!!!

I'm so, so, so, excited to have this book out into the world!!! I can't wait for people to meet Nate and Brooke - our little mismatched duo, who hate each other, and then like each other, and the, more than like each other and then panic...



You can find this book on Amazon HERE.
And as soon as its up on Barnes, I'll let you know...!

This book is for people who:

1. Like love stories.
2. Like to laugh.
3. Like to swoon.
4. Like nice guys who sometimes do stupid stuff.
5. Like guys who are hot photographers.
6. Like smart girls whose neurosis gets in the way of...a lot of things...
7. Like opposites attract and friendships to more stories all tangled in one.
8. Like guys with broken hearts.
9. Like girls who try SO hard.
10. Like scenes where the two are watching a scary movie together and then after they go to sleep, one of the characters thinks they hear some psycho killer in the suite, but really it's the scarring noises of...

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Yes. You have to read the book to figure out #10...

Since I'm the one who wrote Nate, I'm gonna give you a little snip from his POV:



And just before the door shuts, she smiles over her shoulder, and I give her a quick wave.Brooke snorts as I sit. “I suppose that’s your type then?”“That, Brooke…” I sigh as I lean back in the office chair and rest my hands behind my head. “…is everyone’s type.”Brooke makes a frown of disgust, but her features are so small that it contorts her whole face. “A nice set of cheekbones and perfect hair doesn’t make a girl everyone’s type.”“She had cheekbones?” I tease.Brooke rolls her eyes.“Also,” I continue. “That face you just made was very interesting. You should try to recreate it in front of the mirror. Great entertainment.”Her eyes narrow slightly but the rest of her face goes flat like she suddenly won’t be pulled into my games.I pick up the card and glance at Darrian’s number. No hearts anywhere. A very good sign.I pull out my phone and start to dial.“What are you doing?” Brooke asks only her voice makes it sound like I just walked on white carpet with muddy shoes.“Calling Darrian.”“Don’t guys have rules about torturing girls by not calling for days?” She seems almost desperate with the way she’s clutching her iPad.“Not this guy. And definitely not with a girl that hot.”Brooke snorts again.“Wow two snorts and a funny face. You are just full of sexiness today aren’t you?” I tease her again.She shakes her head. “It’s weird that you’re calling her. She’s only been gone like a few minutes.”“Watch.” I put my phone on speaker and set it on the table, feeling fairly confident that I have this. I’m not even sure where all this confidence came from, but it could stem from desperation in wanting to be out with a girl again. Not a serious go-out, just a regular go-out. And anyway, I was always good at gettingthe girl. I’m just not so good at keepingthem.“Hello?” she answers.“Hi. This is Nathaniel. You might not remember me—”She laughs this gorgeous, perfect laugh.“But we met like five minutes ago.”“I remember.” Laughter is still on the edges of her words.“Oh, good. So I thought you might be talked into hanging with the wedding photographer and do a few rounds of Vegas. Strictly wedding business.”“On wedding business, huh?” She sounds uncertain, but she’s playing the same game I am. I can still totally do this. Viv didn’t ruin me forever. “Or not. It doesn’t have to be wedding business. I’m good at killing time, too.”“A man of many talents,” she says.“Well…” I pause for a moment and wag my brows quickly at Brooke. “I’ll let you be the judge of that. Let me know when and I’ll clear my schedule.”“This all sounds very promising. I’ll be in touch Nathaniel.”“Thank you.” And then I hang up feeling completely high because I know she’s going to call.“You’re seriously okay with her calling you Nathaniel?”“She can call me Grover if she’s screaming my name.” I wink just to get her reaction.Her jaw drops before she snaps it shut. “And you’ll clear your schedule? Don’t you follow any of the guy rules? Aren’t you supposed to be all macho and say you’ll check your calendar or something?”I shrug. “I like her. It would be stupid to let her think otherwise.”Brooke sighs as she flips through the calendar on her phone. “Why am I dating guys who follow guy rules?”“First off, I’m not aware of any “guy rules” and second, stop dating assholes.”


~ Mia

Unexpectedly You

This guy should not have messed up my plan. He wasn’t even on it.
It’s not her I’m still getting over, it’s our split. The way we split. It’s the idea that you can turn your heart over to someone and they can destroy you for it.

I say it, but I’m still trying to rip his shirt the rest of the way off. I’m pulling his face up to mine. I want him so bad. Every freaking part of him. I’ve never been so hungry to make love in all my life. But… “I don’t…I can’t…I’m not wearing my…sex panties.”He laughs against my lips, but his hands don’t stop undressing me either. “What the hell are sex panties?”“You know,” I say, finally getting his shirt over his shoulders. “The lace panties girls wear before sex. I’m still wearing my business panties.” I kiss my way down his bare chest, gripping the muscles on his arms. Rock solid. Damn. He pushes another button through its hole on my shirt, kissing the top of my head as I try to travel back to his lips. “I don’t give a shit what kind of underwear you have on, Brooke. They won’t be on you much longer.”

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT -

Unexpectely You!!
WOOT!

This is a book I co-wrote, and we were going to push it waaaay off in the distant future, and then we were like... Uh. That's stupid. Let's do it now ;-)

So. We're doing it now.


You can add it to your goodreads pile HERE, and our current pub date is probably November 1st!!

Blurb:

Brooke Winters has every second of her day planned out. She makes lists for the satisfaction of checking things off. When Marks Events and Weddings has an opening, she knows she’s perfect for the job. What she doesn’t expect is that the boss’s unkempt and full of bad attitude son will be the person she works most closely with.
Nate Marks lost his fiancé and his best friend the moment he walked in on them sleeping together. He finds himself back at home in Las Vegas with his mother, taking photos for her wedding planning business instead of creating a portfolio to show at art galleries. Heartbroken and lost, Nate couldn’t care less about how he’s perceived by wedding clients… or the newest hire, Brooke.
When Brooke finds Nate at the office passed out and hung over, she quickly fixes him up to look presentable for their meetings. Nate spills about his broken relationship, and soon their clashed personalities balance each other out. But when they both discover there might be more between them, they panic.
Brooke’s determined to live life on her schedule, which never included a relationship with a co-worker or friend, and with Nate still aching over the girl he thought he’d spend his life with—they’re both about to lose a love they never expected to find.

So!!
There it is!! I'm pretty totally stoked!!!

~ Mia

Curiosity and a Question

So.
As some of you may know, I'm re-writing the first book I ever wrote, and WOW is it different now. After four years of writing and writer's conferences and crit groups, I know so much better how to tell a story that only the very basic premise remains. I'm excited about this project for the first time since I accidentally wrote this book ;-)

ANYWAY. I have two other stories, both of which tie in to the first, and for a while I was going to weave them together in one novel. You know how that's sometimes done, but timing on it is really weird, and so I want to keep them separate. I am, however, working on all three a bit at once.

After listening to Kevin Spacey talk about media consumption in this speech, it really got me thinking:



I started to wonder if I shouldn't finish all three before I release the first one, and then do the releases every month for three months, or every two weeks... Or one a week for three weeks...

My mind is kind of spinning with the idea of this because it feels right for these projects and in the publishing environment we're in right now.
I have the ability to set up my own timelines, so why wouldn't I take advantage of that?
Now I just need to figure out if it's a really good idea, or a really, really bad one...

Thoughts?

~ Mia

Curiosity and a Question:

Falling in Love with our Characters...

Sometimes I skim over books I've written. Every time I read bits of After All, I fall in love with Brandt again. I love his shy awkwardness. I love his dedication to his kids. I love how he worships Ashley...
"After being married I realized that love and happiness was all in the small moments and gestures. Things like the sound of the person I love sleeping beside me, or laughing before everyone else because of a joke only we shared. This was one of those moments with Ashley, and I wanted a million more. Not a few fancy dates or big dinners or a summer of spending time together but the everyday things that built something real."