Tell us about yourself and your books.:
Writing is my passion and reading is my true love. If I can’t be found in the ‘real world’ of Special Education teaching, search a cozy nook, a quiet green garden hideaway, or a closet lit by flashlight to find me. If the Zombie Apocalypse does ever happen, I’m holing up at the closest bookstore/cafe. Everything I need is there: coffee, scones, comfy chairs, and most of all, lots and lots of books.

I've been in love with words since my earliest memory: the sound of them, the way they fit, stringing them together, and above all, how they tell stories to get lost in and discover whole new worlds. Just don't ask me about my spelling! I wrote my first 'book' when I was five years old and even drew crayon pictures. Teachers who assigned essays and stories were my favorites in school.

As Mia Epsilon, I write the 'Weddings by C &C' and the 'The Parkers of Texas' series. Anna of 'Wedding Belle Blues' (Weddings by C &C Book 2' came to me first to whisper she had a story to tell me and the series took off from there! I do admit (looks around and makes sure he's not listening) Anna's brother Adam, from 'If You Want Me' (Weddings Book 3) drove me almost batty at times, changing everything I had carefully outlined for his story, including the heroine's name and certain scenes. He's the most stubborn character I've ever written.

After that, I gave up the outlines and just let the characters tell me their stories. Which works. Most of the time. Right now, at the time I write this, Amy (Tom's sister from 'Take on Me') and John (Kirsten's brother from 'Take on Me') are driving each other (and me) crazy as they both deny what's so obvious to all the rest of us. A little surprise (well actually, eight of them) has also popped up… and I think we're all going to fall in love with them, too.

Like many of the characters I write, I'm a lifelong resident of small towns here in my beloved North Carolina. I now live in the Western part of the state, in the ancient and gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, which suffered so greatly under a storm called Helene very recently. I was blessed not to lose my home but watched in growing terror and horror as my backyard flooded from a normally tiny, ankle-deep creek a bit over half a mile away that reached almost ten feet deep and destroyed my neighbors' homes and lives. The roads in all directions were flooded roof deep and entire towns (including many of my favorite places to visit and beloved places of my children's) were simply washed away. Having no 'modern' tech such as running clean water, water to bathe in, do laundry, flush toilets, etc. electricity, internet, or cell phone plus losing all the food in my refrigerator and freezer was more eye-opening to me of how fragile our lives are, and how we need to treasure every single moment of the time we have on this Earth.

We also need to never, ever, forget Mother Nature is the most powerful force and is always the one in charge.

Surviving a historic event for the second time in my life, in less than four years (the Covid 19 pandemic was the first) also had a bit of a silver lining for all of us who lived through Helene: We depended on each other, not the government, we banded together to watch over and help one another, we realized just how strong we are, and this is the way we should always live our lives: as part of a larger community.

So expect to see more of this 'small town spirit' in future books.

I'm a Mom of four of my body, three by marriage, three by foster, and dozens through over thirty years (yes, I'm older!) of teaching. I'm a Gram to one and hope maybe, one day, there will be more. I'm a widow who still, and always will, believe in True Love and SoulMates. I'd love to say I always eat healthy and exercise but umm…well…no. I binge-watch streaming shows, and like many of you, screamed in frustration when 'Bridgerton Season 3' ended on a massive cliffhanger and we had to wait weeks and weeks for the conclusion.

I’m hopelessly, helplessly, addicted to coffee, chocolate, and books. I’ve been known to talk for hours about characters, book plots, and stories (my youngest son and I text for hours about plots twists, and such in our favorites). If the Tardis ever appears, and I have great faith one day it will, I’ve plenty of jammy dodgers, tea, and fish fingers & custard to set off on the Greatest Adventure with The Doctor. But if I'm ever offered a chance to see the StoryTeller, aka Loki, I will jump faster than Iron Man flies (yes, Loki is my fav Marvel character: he's just largely misunderstood, in my humble opinion, and has more than redeemed himself).

Thank You for allowing me to share these awesome, vibrant, stubborn, loving, and amazing characters with you. I hope you grow to love them (even Adam!) as much as I do.

"With faith, all things are possible."

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I'm one of those where often if it's too quiet, I can't function. Odd, yes? I can write through the white noise of music or a streaming show but give me complete silence…and it drives me to just stare at the blank screen. This is also probably the reason I have several windchimes on my front porch, so there's always a bit of noise around me. This probably also harkens back to when my kids were younger, when I taught in a PreK classroom, and there was never a silent moment! The very first time all my children were away from home at the same time, I heard this odd ticking noise and searched the whole house until I realized it was the wall clock. I'd never heard it before because there was always some sort of sound (usually competing music from the siblings who blasted 'Pirates of the Caribbean' to drown out Pink and Green Day). We also had a trumpet, trombone, clarinet, and drum(!!!) player in the family in various stages of learning.

What authors have influenced you?
So many. This is like choosing a favorite child! I can't!
The Grimm Brothers, Dr. Seuss, Richard Scarry, Eric Carle, Edgar Allen Poe, Nora Roberts, Shakespeare, JK Rowlings, Steven King, Tom Clancy, Agatha Christie, Author Conan Doyle, Julia Quinn, Samantha Holt, JD Robb, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Earnest Hemmingway, Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, Dante, Virgil, Homer, Dean Koontz, Clive Cussler, Mary Huggins Clark, and dozens more.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what your characters are telling you and not just what you think people want to read. Read, read, read, and then read some more. I don't trust writers who say they don't read, and no one else should either! Check your spelling and don't trust spellcheck! Read your writing aloud– this catches typos and words spellcheck doesn't ('there' instead of 'their' for instance).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
"Write every day. Stick to a routine. Don't miss deadlines. Work by yourself. Use the three-draft method. Stop making excuses. Love what you do." (All by Nora Roberts)

What are you reading now?
I'm re-reading the 'In Death' series by JD Robb, which is up to sixty now! I've been a fan since it first started in the mid 1990s, and absolutely adore Eve and Roarke. I started re-reading these while I didn't have power and was saving my car battery to charge my cell phone so my iPad died. Lesson learned about electronic libraries.
Also reading 'Earthshot: How to Save Our Planet'.

What’s your biggest weakness?
I get distracted easily. Oh, look a butterfly…oooo shiny thing over there…and awww, look at that cute baby cow…oh! Another butterfly!

What is your favorite book of all time?
I have too many to name! I can't pick a favorite.

What has inspired you and your writing style?
My love of words has always inspired me to write and tell the stories in my head. The characters themselves inspire me every day, to tell their story, their way, in the best way I can.

My Dad also loved to write, though he never did. He was, in my humble opinion, stunted in his budding writing career by living/growing up in a time that didn't value the written word of fiction as a career choice or appreciate the vividness and absolute necessity of putting your thoughts on paper. He used to read my stories, make suggestions, and longed for me to write the 'great detective' who lurked in his mind. Some day, I will. It's difficult for me now, since he has passed on, to see his notes and think of his joy in telling stories.

I also hear real-life stories that inspire a scene or I see a picture that is so perfectly one of my characters, or their house, or town, or what they eat. I people-watch…and yeah. Real life is way stranger than anything I can ever write!

What are you working on now?
I'm working on Book 1 of 'The Parkers of Texas': 'The Write One'. This is Amy and John's story, both siblings to the hero and heroine in 'Take on Me,' Book 5 from 'Weddings by C &C'. Amy is a very strong, very sensual woman and John is hiding one massive big secret from his family– and his campaign.

Also having tons of ideas for the next 'Weddings by C&C'..and a surprise book that is just not letting go.

What is your method for promoting your work?
I really stink of self-promotion. I think many writers just want to write and have the books speak for themselves. In my fantasies, the readers who love my stories magically find every one and spread the word to others.
I love sites like this one, where I can promote and they do an amazing job! I post covers and blurbs on social media (mainly X and Facebook) and also storyboards Pictures I have found and seen that inspire my scenes and scream at me, I AM AMY! I AM JOHN! and so on.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing Amy and John's story and probably giving in to this new surprise stand-alone that is knocking on the back of my brain.
I also need to promote more. Sighs.

How well do you work under pressure?
I usually work well under pressure, taught by my children who announce at nine in the evening that they have a major project due the next day, aren't finished, and need help. I was also a Center Director for a large Head Start Center and there's tons of pressure and split-moment decisions there every day!

How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
I let the characters set the tone. For Anna and Robin ('Wedding Belle Blues'), they were best friends who wanted to stay best friends yet Robin knew she was making a huge mistake and wanted her to realize it on her own. And when she does…wow. That moment set the tone for how the rest of the book went.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mia Epsilon Website
Mia Epsilon Amazon Profile
Mia Epsilon Goodreads Profile

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