I write m/m romance about heroes who’ve convinced themselves they’re unlovable — and the patient, persistent partners who prove them wrong.

Protectors learning to be protected, outcasts discovering found family, and lone wolves forced close enough that their defenses don’t stand a chance.

I’m drawn to slow burns between grumpy guys and the sunshine that melts them, second chances for those who thought their time had passed, and the quiet intimacy of two people coming home to each other.

Most days, you can find me at AO3, where my story universe is growing in real time with current works in progress, extras featuring your favorites, and finished books — all free to read anytime.

~

My stories are human-created, by me (Mia, a.k.a. Shannon).

I plan them in Excel, type them in Scrivener, and proof them with my own (mostly reliable) brain cells.

I don’t use generative AI to write my stories. For me, that would take away the joy of discovering each couple’s arc toward love, of getting the little zaps of insight that bring everything — and everyone — together.

~

I do, however, use AI tools to create my covers.

In 2024, I started using generative AI to create images for my book covers. I found myself needing to re-cover the Sons of Britain series, and since I give away my ebooks, I decided to use currently free AI tools for image generation. For all of my series, I used Microsoft Designer’s Image Creator to generate images, then Canva to add the title text. I don’t use artist names in my prompts, but general descriptive words and phrases (eg: brushstroke style, stern expression, feather texture).

~

Media

Queer Romance Readers: Podcast Interview about Marked by Fire

Goodreads: Indie Romances to Push Your Buttons (and Boundaries)

Frolic: 4 Kindle Unlimited Romance Reads That Ruined Me

~

For a few years, I offered forge, a newsletter for writers, makers, and other creatives. You can check out a partial forge archive here.

~

Finally, here’s a bit I wrote in 2016 on coming out.

~

Have a question not answered on this site? Drop me a line: mia at miawest dot com