Paranormal romance cover reveal

Innocence Lost Cover Reveal!!

Erotic romance short story!!

Erotic Romance

Check it out!!!

At last!!!!!

Yeah! I'm clapping my hands like the excited woman I am. My new author website is finally live. Stop by, check it out, and share the love.

M. L. Stephens' website

It's finally live!

Yeah! My new website! Stop by and show some love. Let me know what you think, don't think, or just how the heck you're doing!

Cover Reveal!!!!

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*New adult paranormal romance/suspense*

My life was fabulous, until I was murdered.
There are only two things in a person's existence that truly matter—before and after. This is my after.

Caught in a realm between life and death, Jade is torn between the unexpected love of a stranger, or catching the people who killed her.

With the clock ticking, she struggles to find a way to save the life of her best friend, while holding on to the man that she loves.

One decision might leave her stranded in limbo for all of eternity, yet the other could destroy her happiness.

Mademoiselle Le Sphinx: Cover Reveal: Love you more

Mademoiselle Le Sphinx: Cover Reveal: Love you more: I haven't done one of these in a while it seems, so here goes you guys a cover reveal for: Love You More by M. L. Stephens I th...

An unexpected inspiration!

Today I want to say thanks to someone very special, even though she doesn't realize it.

In America, we're lucky to have easy access to all the wonderful books that we want: hard copies, paperback copies, eBooks, and first editions; they're all just a click away. Not so much in other countries. I should know. I've visited 6 besides my own.

The amazing woman I'm talking about spends her time away from university to read, blog, youtube, write, and inspire other readers and writers. Why? It's simple really, she LOVES books. She'd walk across water if need be, to get that perfect first release of a second volume if she loved the first. She knocks on the doors of her book store to continuously request special orders. This woman is incredible. She lives in a country that doesn't have an abundance of book stores from the western world, but she finds a way to get them!

Besides the life of university, daughter, and friend she also takes time out to review Indie authors. She was the first review (from an unknown) that I received on my first self-published eBook. Was it a 5 star? NOPE! It was a 4 and it meant the world to me. She took the time, read my writing, and was honest in her review.

We sometimes take things for granted, but I'll never forget the first review I ever received from an unbiased blogger. Thanks so much http://aliaaelnashar.blogspot.com/. You inspire me!

If I hadn't lived in the Middle East and experienced it for myself, I wouldn't know...but I did...and I do. Thanks for everything you do to keep the readers informed.

Voice of an Indie author

Traditional publishing is awesome! I would love to have a deal, but I don't. I’m not knocking you if you do. I envy your luck. If you're one of those amazing people that can describe your novel in 20 words or less…my hat is off to you. I wish I could do the same. This is for those who haven't yet.

After DOZENS of rejections because of genre crossover, word count, story line being too "unique," I stopped. This is the era of self-publication. Do I wish I could walk within the borders and land a deal? Yeah! Hello? Don't we all.  I just haven't figured out a way to contain my voice enough to do so.

For some of us, traditional book deals seem to be a "whisper in the wind." We want to write the stories and characters that scream the loudest—regardless of the genre. We're the bold, the unconventional, and the ones that are committed to having our voices heard regardless of the guidelines.

What does it take? If you're like me, and I'm sure you are, you've done the research. You've paid the editors, the cover artists, the book marketers, and you've spent more time on social media outlets that you care to admit.

I think I know the answer to our problem. We love to write, create, and transport our readers to a place they've never been, but we're also SHY. We're afraid to ask bloggers to post our cover reveals, to review us; and we think that published short stories, poetry, aren't worthy enough to mention as publications when we submit to agents. I have yet to tell an agent that I'm a published poet. (I even made the Who's Who in poetry in 2005 and have written several news articles.) To me, as someone who loves to write stories, I never even considered poetry or news articles as who I am. I write stories. I did the others for fun.

I've spent several days writing and deleting emails and requests to bloggers. I have two eBooks coming out within the next few days, yet all I can do is request for them (via FB) to request to do my reveal. I'm scared. I'm not a social butterfly and so I'm afraid. Am I afraid of rejection? Not so much. Afraid that the one thing that I love to do most will be met with a, "You're not in the "in" crowd?" Perhaps I am. In the end it boils down to one thing. They can't hang us on the stake and roast us. Chances are they want to hear from us as much as we want to contact them.

Take the chance. Let your voice be heard. I have it on good authority, that I have a gift for writing and that my stories are unique and entertaining. I'm sure you've heard the same. It's time for Indie authors to believe. It's time for YOU to believe. Take the next step. You deserve to be heard.

Ask, network, and don't be afraid to promote yourself. You own your authorship. It's your business. It's your right. It's time for you to feel as important as you are.

My Indie journey

Writing and storytelling has always been a part of who I am. Every since I can remember, I've been spinning campfire tales (on demand for the family) and putting pen to page to create poems. It took until the ripe old age of 40 before I decided that it was impossible to contain what was in my head. I had stories, events, characters and plots that wanted to be shared…created…told.

A year ago, I put my fingers to the keyboard and did just that. I wrote the story that had been screaming at me for 12 long years…and it was speculative fiction! Imagine my surprise. I submitted it to dozens of agents and waited. "That's it," I told myself. My writing…my story…means nothing. I'm not talented enough or good enough that people will read or care what I've written. I was wrong. It did mean something. It meant that a story that had never been told…was told. It meant that I had accomplished something. I had created characters and an environment from my imagination. I had created a place that was separate from reality. I created a place that the readers could escape to.

Like many others before me, I did the research.  Finally, although reluctantly, I ePublished my first trilogy.

More stories and characters started shouting at me. More voices wanted to be heard and so I started writing…and writing…and writing. The more I write, the more the stories come. So I write them.

The most difficult thing is when people ask me, "Where can I buy your printed copies?"

Well…you can't, at least not yet. I'm ok with that because my story is out there and people are receiving it with open arms.

Did I let the agent rejections stop me? No. What I have done is allow the rejections, the reviews and the kind words from the readers make me stronger so I can grow.

I'm still a baby when it comes to the world of ePublishing, but I have learned that there are people who want to hear the stories that only YOU can create. Find your voice and share it. Learn from your mistakes. Most importantly…learn from the mistakes and advice of the ones who went before us.

Indie authors rock! Our synopses and blurbs might suck…but if we could tell a story in just two sentences, we wouldn't need to write a novel, so write on!

Live. Create. Write. No one can tell your story better than you!

Erotica??

Make sure to stop by my Facebook author wall today and type in your vote for my debut erotica pen name!

Who would have thought?

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