M.L. Collins, YA Author

Holiday Sale for THE NERD & THE QUARTERBACK.

I decided to jump in on the fun of Amazon Prime Day by setting 2 of the Jackson High Books to .99 cents!

If you haven't already read *THE GOOD GIRL & THE BAD BOY* or *THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIESTAR* go grab your copies today!

Or gift one to another reader in your life.

Get lost in a Sweet YA Rom Com for a few hours this summer!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who read the latest book in the Jackson High series. It means so much to me that you've followed these characters along their sweet, funny and sometimes messy journeys as they figure out life.

And double thanks for those who left a review. I do read the reviews. Some authors choose not to-- which I get. I find that sometimes a critical review can offer me a glimpse of how I can improve a book. But... I usually only read a "bad" review once. My author self-confidence can only handle so much, lol. The "good" reviews help me see what worked for readers and come in helpful on days when my imposter syndrome is poking me in the ribs with a sharp pointy stick.

I'm currently plotting a new YA series although that doesn't mean the Jackson High Series is finished. I've got stories for a few students at Jackson brewing in my brain, but I'd love to hear from you.

Are there any characters from the Jackson High Series you think deserves a story...?

Looking for a series to binge read? The *Jackson High Series* is up to 4 books now and available in KU! Just sayin'. 😉

TJ's theme song as I wrote his story in "The Shy Girl & The Jock Next Door"...

Brett Young - In Case You Didn't Know (Official Music Video) Click here to purchase Brett’s new self-titled album including “In Case You Didn’t Know”: iTunes / Google Play: http://smarturl.it/BrettYoung Amazon: http:...

Here's the song that guided me and became Shay's theme song as I wrote "The Shy Girl & The Jock Next Door"...

Kacey Musgraves - Rainbow (Official Music Video) The official music video for "Rainbow" by Kacey Musgraves. Listen to the album Golden Hour here: http://strm.to/GoldenHourYDSign up to the Kacey Musgraves em...

M.L. Collins, YA Author updated their website address.

Anyone ready for TJ's story? The Shy Girl & The Jock Next Door releases on 1.31.22!

Shay MacNeil
One girl, hiding her scars, ready to escape the stares & whispers of her small town.

TJ Devlin
One boy, burying his dreams, ready to live up to the grand expectations of his small town.

Shay & TJ
One girl & one boy, best friends since forever, might just be able to help save each other.

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie

Forever indebted to those who have given their lives so that we can be free. Remembering them and their families.

"Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours." — Wallace Bruce

My Totally OFF-LIMITS Best Friend Releases Jan 1, 2021

There’s this guy…
And he’s hot, smart, fun, and totally off-limits.
Why? Because he’s my best friend.
Never fall for your best friend.
Too late, you say?
Right. Me too.
My next piece of advice: whatever you do…
Do not—as in never ever—offer to help him practice kissing.
Worst. Mistake. Ever.

There’s this girl…
And she’s awesome, but she thinks I’m totally off-limits.
Why? Because I’m not on her radar as boyfriend material.
Never let other people define you.
Too late, you say?
Right. Me too.
My next piece of advice: whatever you do…
Do—have a plan—because you only live life once.
Take. The. Risk.

My Totally OFF-LIMITS Best Friend is a sweet romance about friendship, trust, and learning to take risks.

My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend: A YA Sweet Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series) My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend: A YA Sweet Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series)

Just in case you want to put MY TOTALLY OFF-LIMITS BEST FRIEND on your TBR list... 😉 Releasing *1.1.21*

*Excerpt*

“I’ve got a confession.” Spencer finally looked at me. “I’m not real confident about my kissing technique.”
“Okaaay, so here’s a crazy idea…” I was having an out of body experience. Like when your mouth takes over and the rest of you is floating overhead and you plaster your hands over your eyes so you don’t have to watch the train wreck in progress. “Do you want my help? I can help you practice.”
“Promise not to laugh?”
“Fine.” I sighed, making it sound like it was a huge sacrifice. “You ready? Go ahead and kiss me and I’ll let you know. I’ll give you a totally unbiased score, and I won’t let the East German judge have a say.”
“Okay, here goes.” Spencer leaned forward and I met him halfway.
He slid his hands around my jaw, pulled in a deep breath and pressed his lips to mine. The warm firmness of his lips instantly shut down my brain.
I fell into his kiss and I never hit bottom. I felt the pull, the pull of the black hole opening up and sucking me into an alternate universe where all my crazy daydreams became reality. Talk about being lost—I was lost in Spencer’s kiss and didn’t want to be rescued.
The kiss was perfect.
His lips slowly left mine and I scrambled to climb out of the kiss and back to reality.
“Okay. I think you’re fine,” I lied. His kiss was much more than fine.
“Only fine?” Spencer leaned toward me again, looking hotter and more dangerous than the fire. “Maybe I should try again.”
“Not necessary. You do not have to worry.” Me? I was so not fine. I needed to worry because I was in deep trouble. I’d been hiding from my feelings for Spencer for a long time. I’d even been able to pretend nothing had changed with our friendship. The friendship that meant everything to me. The friendship I refused to risk losing.
His kiss blew up the biggest lie of all, revealing the sad truth... I was in love with my best friend.
My totally off-limits best friend.

My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend book. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers.

New Year at Sweet Mountain High School! Catch the new series! The first book just released. Check out Randi Rigby's sweet YA, MY AFTER-SCHOOL TUTOR.

My After-School Tutor: A Sweet YA Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series Book 1) My After-School Tutor: A Sweet YA Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series Book 1)

What I've been busy writing...

My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend: A YA Sweet Romance My Totally Off-Limits Best Friend: A YA Sweet Romance

For those wanting a paperback copy of THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR, I wanted to let you know it is now available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KJ668DS/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1601676884&sr=8-1

I sent out a newsletter today & I need your help picking the next Jackson High cover! So if you haven't signed up for my *not-very-often* newsletter, please do!

M.L. Collins Newsletter Newsletter Signup for news and special offers! You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. Marketing Permissions The information you provide on this form will only be …

Letting my Jackson High readers know the *limited edition* paperback of the old cover & title of IF YOU GIVE A BOY A KISS is live on Amazon. It will only be available for 3 days beginning today.

I’ll unpublish it on Monday night, and then the updated paperback version of THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR will be available by the end of the week.

This is for anyone who bought the first two paperbacks with the old titles, in case–like me–you want a complete set of the series with the original titles and covers.

The updated paperback version of THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR will be available on 10.1.20.

If You Give A Boy A Kiss If You Give A Boy A Kiss

The paperback version of THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR will be available soon. But--for the very few of us who love the original covers and titles, I'm making the paperback version of the old cover & title available for 3 days. I'll post as soon as Amazon puts it up on the website. Then, I'll take it down and make the updated paperback available on Amazon.

Today's inspiration for THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR...

Bernie was raised on classic Motown music. She was named after the song Bernadette by the Four Tops. Her mama even named her car Tammi after Tammi Terrell.

Tammi Terrell & Marvin Gaye "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"

Tammi Terrell & Marvin Gaye "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" My Extended Version! No copyright infringement intended. If felt, please comment below and I will remove this video. Marvin and Tammi and the Funk Brothers...my extended version!

Today's Inspiration for THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR

Ain't No Mountain High Enough (extra HQ) - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown la...

I wanted to let any Jackson High readers know that I just pushed the release date for THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR back 3 weeks. I'm so sorry! Gah. Tomboy is the 13th book in my publishing career (under both pseudonyms) and it is the first book I've ever delayed.

I tried, guys. I really tried. But I ended up needing some more time to heal my soul after my father's death last month. Basically, I lost it for a bit. There was lots of crying, but laughing too over many, many happy memories of my dad. Plus I ate a lot of pie.

My sincere apologizes to those of you who were kind enough to pre-order it. Also, huge appreciation to my amazing editors whose schedules I also messed up.


Bernie & King's story THE TOMBOY & THE MOVIE STAR will release on Sept 19th.

The Tomboy & The Movie Star: A Sweet YA Romance (Jackson High Series Book 3) The Tomboy & The Movie Star: A Sweet YA Romance (Jackson High Series Book 3)

Just came back from a trip out west. My husband and I flew to North Dakota for our youngest daughter's wedding, Take 2. Take 1 was cancelled back in May when the Air Force cancelled all leave. 2nd time was the charm for these two lovebirds.

A small courthouse wedding and then hiking in a National Park. It was unique and different and couldn't have been more beautiful. Since our daughter had to get right back to work, my husband and I did a bit of driving and hiking on our way down to Denver before flying home. We drove through parts of ND, SD, MT, WY, and CO.

I've renewed my creative well with the beauty of nature, the kindness of people and happiness for our daughter and son-in-law.

Thinking of my parents today. Appreciating how very lucky I was. Wrapping myself in the happy memories & gathering strength from the fierce love they had for me. I'm who I am because of them. My quirky stories of love & laughter are rooted in how they raised me. Love wins. Be yourself even if you don't "fit in." And laugh often. Humor can help navigate rough times and bring people together. Love, live, laugh. Rinse & repeat. That's my to-do list this week.

Train - When I Look to the Sky (Official Music Video) Train's official music video for 'When I Look to the Sky'. Click to listen to Train on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/TrainSpot?IQid=TrainSky As featured on Tra...

Trying to keep things positive on this page but some days and life events make it hard. It's been a rough month. My father was in and out of the hospital but sadly passed away. Just got back home Tuesday after his funeral out of state. I'm still upset that no loved one could be with him when he died, but I've got to move past that.

So I'm focusing on what a wonderful man, husband, father, grandfather he was. I couldn't have asked for a better dad. He was smart, worked hard, volunteered as a reading tutor for years, and had the best sense of humor. He made up silly songs every day.

I will miss him, but I like to think he and mom are having a long-delayed dance in heaven.

We Shall Keep the Faith
By Moina Michael
Oh! You who sleep in Flanders fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders field

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that you wrought
In Flanders field

Today's mood...

1. Polk Salad Annie (Ford v Ferrari Remix) - James Burton | Ford v Ferrari (Soundtrack) 1. Polk Salad Annie (Ford v Ferrari Remix) Ford v Ferrari (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Performed By James Burton - Playlist : https://www.youtube.com...

Confession: I am not good at techy things. I usually figure it out--eventually--it just takes me ten thousand times longer than most people. (Yes, I've timed it.) *eyeroll* Which means, I am finally ready to send out my first M.L. Collins Newsletter. I'm going to giveaway one paperback copy of each of the first two books in the Jackson High Series. I'm talking about the *original covers* which I ❤️❤️❤️! And they're no longer available, so they're almost like collector's items. 🤣

So if you aren't on my Newsletter list, I'll include the the link to sign up in the comments. Hope you've had a great Monday. (It is Monday, isn't it? The days are blending together.)

I hope everyone's doing well during this quarantine. I've been taking time to renew my creative well by staying off social media but doing lots of reading and movie watching. Our family has rewatched LOTR for the millionth time.
My list of favorite characters:

5. Gimli is hilarious.

4. Pippin & Merry.

3. Legolas is the man. Or elf. You know what I mean.

2. Eowyn kicks serious butt. Love her. And I love, love, love the romance between Eowyn and Faramir. So sweet! And if ever two people deserved a HEA--it was those two.

1. Sam. I agree that Frodo had an impossible task, but for me, Sam was the hero. Or maybe equally heroic, but Sam's constant optimism got me.

Anyone else have a fav LOTR character?

What has helped you through this time? Family? Good books? Favorite TV shows?

M.L. Collins, YA Author updated their business hours.

I'm learning self-publishing by trial and error, and what I've learned the last few weeks tells me it's time to let go of the original covers for my Jackson High books. I ❤ them so much, but I need covers AND titles that make it clear exactly what a reader will find in my books. So, here are the before and after covers. What do y'all think?